Scholarships

Seven of our eighth grade students from St. Columbkille Catholic School have been awarded scholarships to Catholic High Schools.

Thank you to Creighton Prep, Gross, Marian & Skutt for recognizing our students!

(For those keeping score, Mrs. Loeffler had one more of these

 students in her first grade class than Mrs. English.)

Scholarships

This morning the 8th grade students at St. Columbkille Catholic School gathered together as some scholarships were announced to attend:

... Marian High School, ...

... Mount Michael High School, ....

 ... and Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School.

 We are proud of our students receiving scholarships, ...

... and their parents are as well.

Vocations Day

The sixth grade students from St. Columbkille and many other Catholic Schools in the archdiocese gathered yesterday for Vocations Day.

 Early on they learned the theme song.

Archbishop Lucas celebrated Mass

with the students and gave the homily.

Among those helping were High School students from Catholic Schools who led small groups as they went from session to session. A number of our alumni helped including students from Gross, Marian and Mercy.

In the sessions students had a chance

 to interact with vowed religious. 

 

 

 

A familiar face was speaking about

what it's like to be a diocesan priest.

Archbishop Lucas greeted students

 as they lined up for lunch.

Before the gathering students took a test and some

of our students were recognized for their results.

We thank the organizers of Vocations Day for bringing

their faith and enthusiasm to sixth grade students.

Spirit of St. Columbkille: The Dethlefs

Later today, the Spirit of St. Columbkille Award will be presented to the Andrea and Hans Dethlefs family at Columb's Ceili. One of the parish ministries the Dethlefs family has been involved with is “Step Out & Serve.” In this ministry, the family commits to a one-day project to help those in need in the greater community. But, “step out and serve” is also an excellent way to describe the Dethlefs family’s involvement at St. Columbkille Parish and in the community.

Andrea and Hans have been parishioners for fifteen years, serving on various councils, committees and ministries. Whether it is as EMHC’s, Baptism Catechists or serving on the School Advisory Council, Hans says he has been involved because he has been invited. In each case, he sees the invitation to serve as an invitation from Christ himself.

In 1997, Hans and Andrea moved their family to Honduras in Central America to perform missionary work with the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging. There, Dr. Dethlefs worked with patients of all ages, but also focused on community health and malnutrition, establishing an inpatient center for severely malnourished children. Meanwhile Andrea helped with translating letters between sponsors and the Honduran children, taught English classes to some of the sponsored (Spanish-speaking) children, and started a library (La Biblioteca San Columkil) with funds raised from our parish.

Andrea feels God calls people to spread the Gospel in different ways. She believes her way is to serve others, whether that is serving at ReRuns R Fun, the school’s Art Reach program or on the Family Fun Festival Committee. She has been a Minister of Care at Papillion Manor and have worked for Kind Hearts (elderly care at home) in our community. She participated with MOMS (Ministry of Mothers Sharing) at St. Columbkille for several years and also helped coordinate DFACTS for 5 years. She teaches Spanish at St. Columbkille Catholic School.

Hans is a family practice doctor at One World Community Health Centers which serves the underserved in South Omaha. In 2009 Hans received the Nebraska Medical Association’s Physician of the Year Award. Hans and Andrea pray an hour of Adoration weekly in the Chapel.

They are delighted to see the same sense of service and discipleship growing in their children. Allison is a senior at Marian High School. She is involved with Youth Ministry including singing in the choir, serving as an EMHC, Lector, Server and participating in Young Neighbors in Action. Christopher is a freshman at Creighton Prep. He is a server at our parish, has participated in Youth Serve and many Youth Ministry activities. Rachel, who is in the sixth grade at St. Columbkille Catholic School, also serves at parish Masses and for several years has helped rake leaves for the elderly in the community. Each year everyone in the family helps at the Family Fun Festival.