Who's the Server?

As part of Catholic Schools Week, Fr Dave and Fr Vogel did a skit at the Talent Show today:

Mass in a Snowstorm

Fr. Vogel was among the 316 people from the Omaha Archdiocese who participated in the March for Life in Washington D.C. He is also in one of the six buses from the Archdiocese stuck on the turnpike in Pennsylvania. (One bus made it through before the accident which is holding back the rest.)

 But when you're full of joy you don't pout....

 ... you go outside and celebrate Mass.

We pray for their safe return in due time.

First Friday All-School Mass

Some school parents suggested that the students attend Mass take part in the First Friday devotion by having an all-school Mass the First Friday of every Mass. It was a great idea, so it began today.

The first Friday of each month is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As Fr. Vogel explained at Mass today, to draw love, we will often use a heart -- especially at Valentine's Day. Honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus is partially a way of honoring the strength of His love.

According to the words of Christ through His apparitions to St. Margaret Mary, there are several promises to those that practice the First Friday Devotions:

"In the excess of the mercy of my Heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my Heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour."

The devotion consists of several practices that are performed on the first Fridays of nine consecutive months. On these days, one is to attend Holy Mass and receive communion. During the school year, the only First Friday we do not have school is January 1st -- which is a Holy Day of obligation. By attending Mass that day as well as the other First Fridays during the year, students will have attended nine consecutive First Fridays.

Today Fr. Vogel celebrated the Votive Mass to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mass ended with exposition of the Eucharist and praying a litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Although the students had to return to school, there was a Holy Hour which ended with Benediction at 10 a.m.

The Priest Can Play

Friday night during the Home-School Association Picnic, Fr. Vogel showed that he can play some hoops.

Theology and Architecture

Last night was the last in Fr Vogel's BASIC session on The Visual Gospel: Christian Sacred Art. In our culture, a superabundance of visual and audio experiences flood or everyday lives. Many, if not most of these are neither beautiful nor Christian. In our visual culture, Fr. Vogel has been helping us rediscover the power and ability of sacred art to speak truth through beauty. Fr. Vogel has been showing how this art has the ability to awaken, teach and nourish faith.

In particular, last night Fr Vogel

 spoke about Sacred Art today.

He even went through to show how some the renovations in our parish a few years ago were meant to bring us closer to God.

For more on Fr Vogel's BASIC sessions or to listen to the recordings, you can click here.

Living Stations of the Cross

Before leaving for Easter break, the 8th grade students at St. Columbkille Catholic School led the students in Living Stations of the Cross.

A slideshow below shows images of that devotion with audio of Fr. Vogel chanting.

The Best Form of Flattery

When some of our students dressed up for what they want to be when they grow up, a few dressed like people we know. Can you name this fancy tie wearing fellow who gives out gold coins?

Then we have the Mr. Nardinis,

the Miss Sengers,

 the Mrs. Yanoviches,

and the priests.

How Do I Go to Confession?

With our Parish Reconciliation Service 
Thursday at 7 p.m., this might be helpful:

Sacrament of Reconciliation

How do I go to Confession?

Sign of the Cross
I make the sign of the Cross and say, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Introduction
Say, “Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been (length of time) since my last confession.”

Confession of Sins
The priest listens as I explain my sins, how I have hurt God, others, and myself. End with, “For these and all my sins I am truly sorry.”

Penance
The priest asks me to say a prayer or do an act of goodness.

Act of Contrition
I tell God I am sorry for my sins. I say a prayer of sorrow:
O my God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you, whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with the help of your grace, to do penance, to sin no more and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. Amen.

Absolution
The priest says a prayer in the name of the Church, asking God to forgive my sins. With this prayer, all my sins are forgiven.

Dismissal
The priest says, “Your sins are forgiven, go in peace.”
I answer, “Thanks be to God.”

Priesthood Sunday

This weekend we celebrate Priesthood Sunday. On the north side of the narthex we will have baskets where you can bring cards for Fr. Damian, Fr. Vogel, and/or Fr. Steve. Let them know how much you appreciate them. Then, if you're willing, share some stories with us of the priests that have effected your life.

The Servers Celebrate

The Server Party was yesterday at Papio Fun Park. It was a chance to get together, play, have fun, and even eat some pizza.

Watch the Free Movie with Fr Vogel

Here's the trailer for the movie For Greater Glory that will be shown tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the Steinhausen Center as part of the Fortnight for Freedom.

Fr Vogel's Anniversary

Congratulations to Fr. Vogel and his classmates

 who were ordained on this day in 2011!

A Fun Lunch

Today the students at St. Columbkille Catholic School had the option of getting a "Fun Lunch" for $1. The real treat was being able to eat outside.

It was a very good lunch. Thank you to the Fun Lunch committee that put it all together!

How will it work?

During the 8:15 Mass tomorrow Fr. Vogel may pray:

Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with Benedict our Pope and George our Bishop and all the clergy.

But, at the 5:30 Mass tomorrow, we won't have a pope. So what will Fr. Damian do?

Answer: He will skip that part. It won't be used until we do have a pope again, saying:

Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with George our Bishop and all the clergy.

The Cardinal Tweets the Pope's Retreat

Fr. Vogel and Pope Benedict XVI are both on retreat this week, though Fr. Vogel claims they are on separate retreats.

The Lenten Retreat for Pope Benedict (and the papal staff) is being led by Gianfranco Cardinal Ravasi. One of the unusual aspect of this retreat is that Cardinal Ravasi is tweeting many of his meditations.

So you can pray along with Pope Benedict on his retreat by following Cardinal Ravasi on Twitter. You'll just have to ask Fr. Vogel about his retreat when he returns. (Evidently he isn't as tech savy on his retreat.)

And, by the way, you can also follow St. Columbkille on Twitter -- though we're just getting a handle on it.

Follow @sColumbkille

Our Holy Priests

It’s amazing how God weaves our lives together, how He influences who we are through the people He places in our lives, how our vocations affect others’ vocations.

During Vocations Awareness Week, I’m offering a tribute to all the holy priests who have served at St. Columbkille by reflecting on how some of them have formed my personal faith. I invite you to do the same.

A beloved priest from another parish once commented on how priests tend to come and go at churches, often leaving us just as we are becoming so attached to them. Each priest has “a song to sing,” he said.  After the core of his message is imparted, it’s time to move on and spread that message elsewhere. In yesterday’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells His Apostles: “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose I have come.”

My family has been part of the parish for more than 20 years now, and we have been blessed by so many priests. Some I have had to reluctantly omit in this reflection, but their influence, too, remains in our hearts.

The late Father Robert Steinhausen: He was pastor when my husband and I moved to the parish and were newly married. Father Steinhausen, who had been at St. Columbkille for many years, instructed us in a baptism class and brought the first of our children into the Church. I had the privilege of worshiping at his last Mass. It seemed like a typical Mass. Priests like Father Steinhausen faithfully offer us Mass day in and day out. The next day I was surprised to learn of his death.

The late Father James Bartek: He was an associate pastor here for a short time who had a special calling to minister to the sick. He counted how many hospital visits he made; I believe it was in the thousands. He ministered to our family when we had a newborn daughter in the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s Hospital. He looked so natural holding our baby in a rocking chair in the NICU. The nurses there knew him; he was acquainted with all the special procedures for visitors. Father Bartek baptized our baby, gave her the Sacrament of the Sick and even Confirmed her.

Some time after that, he commented to me on the two types of women he had a special compassion for: those who wanted to have children but could not, and those who wanted to breastfeed but could not. I was amazed at how a celibate man could begin to understand those struggles.

Father Steven Stillmunks:  One of my young kids called him “Father Chipmunks.” Father let that slide, given the age of the offender.  Father Stillmunks was an industrious man who had a long tenure at St. Columbkille. His legacy is visible. His building campaign included the Steinhausen Center and an addition to the school.  I consider Father Stillmunks one of the reasons St. Columbkille is blessed with so many deacons, because he invited men to consider the diaconate. The way Father contributed to my personal faith was by introducing me to a prayer, the “Anima Christi,” which he prayed aloud after Communion at weekday Masses. God continues to bless me through that beautiful, rich prayer. Here is the version I recall:

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.

Body of Christ, save me.

Blood of Christ, inebriate me.

Water from the side of Christ, wash me.

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.

O Good Jesus, hear me.

Within Your wounds hide me.

Separated from You let me never be.

From the evil one protect me.

At the hour of my death, call me 

And close to You bid me

That with Your saints

I may be praising You

forever and ever. Amen

Father Francis Nigli: Father Francis’ holiness was visible and inviting. He drew young and old alike into a deeper faith. Because of his example, several young men were prompted to enter the seminary, including my own son. His bold faith made him unafraid to correct us when we needed it.

I was inspired by watching him among children, especially the young ones he would embrace. That image reminded me of photos I saw of Blessed John Paul II holding and welcoming  little ones. Then it struck me: that’s how Jesus must have looked when He gathered children to Himself.

Father Vitalis Anyanike: He was our missionary priest who came from Nigeria to evangelize us, and in turn, invited us to share in his missionary work abroad. I loved his relaxed, happy demeanor. His bold proclamations made me think he was a prophet.

Father Damien Wee: Another holy, zealous, foreign-born priest who arrived not long after ordination. He was our Marian priest, who showed us a path to Jesus’ Sacred Heart through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He had an amazing ability to remember names, a wry sense of humor, a knack for photography and a sense of urgency in spreading the Gospel. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Father Wee for inviting my son, and many other young men, to investigate a vocation to the priesthood.

Father Damian Zuerlein: Father Damian has been leading St. Columbkille for several years and is improving our worship by improving our worship space. As pastor, he calls us to change our hearts. From the start, Father Damian has focused on transforming us into Christ’s disciples. All else is secondary. Or useless. As for holiness . . . for a long time my youngest child thought Father Damian was actually Jesus. I can’t give Father a better compliment.

Father Kevin Vogel: What first struck me about Father Vogel was his angelic voice. He has been teaching us that reason and faith are not opposites but that reason leads us to faith. Father’s own faith and intelligence prove his point. Father also illustrates how God doesn’t wait for His faithful to grow old to shower them with wisdom, grace and holiness.

Father Steve Emanuel: I think Father Steve was sent to proclaim God’s immense, unconditional love for us. Somehow that message of love has trouble penetrating into my heart, no matter how many times I hear it. So I’m thankful to Father Steve for his steady reminders, for his holy example, and for his insightfulness and compassion in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Inspired by this Year of Faith we will be posting columns like this from Susan Szalewski about exploring and/or deepening our faith. Watch for it on Thursdays.