A Big Change

Mrs. Thome & Mrs. Long

After thirteen years, Judy Thome is retiring from being the Religious Formation Director. In her time she has worked with 5 Youth Ministers, 5 secretaries, 4 principals and 2 pastors. She has been steady in the midst of much change.

Fr. Damian wrote in our bulletin:

A big change for us this year is happening in our Religious Formation Program. Judy Thome who has directed the program for thirteen years has decided to “retire” from the administrative position and is looking forward to doing other things. I extend my deepest thanks to her for the many years of service that she has offered to the parents and children who participated in the religious formation program. I could always count on Mrs. Thome to have the program running smoothly with catechists in the right places and children eager to learn. For a pastor, it is a delight to watch people grow in their faith and Mrs. Thome was always looking for new direction and new ways to have the children better understand the truth of our faith. She will be missed, but she assures us that she is not leaving the parish, just the day to day challenges of managing a large catechetical program. I know that the transition to the new person will be an easy one because Mrs. Thome’s position is being filled by a person who has experience with the St. Columbkille community and comes with lots of teaching experience.

 Mrs. Lori Long begins as Director of Religious Formation on August 1st. Mrs. Long has taught in the Omaha Public Schools for ten years with a focus on special education. She also has a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision. She is a perfect match for the position of Director of Religious Formation because she knows the student’s experience of public school, and she loves the Catholic Faith. She will be able to assist our catechists to be better in the classrooms and will be able to help parents in their duty as the primary educator of their child in the ways of faith. I trust that our religious formation families will find the transition from one director to another to be a smooth one.

Congratulations to Mrs. Thome 

and Mrs. Long in their Changes