Catholic Principal Appreciation

Every year, St. Columbkille Catholic School honors it's principal. Since this is the 100th year of our school, today was extra special as we had some former principals with us, as Sr. Delores Dolezal visiting to represent the Benedictine Sisters who supplied out first eleven principals.

During Mass we had a candle lit for each of the principals who have passed away.. We also included Mrs. Dorothy Cubrich in our prayers as her health prevented her from attending. She was our rpincipal from 1993 to 1996.

In addition to Principal Makey and Assistant Princial Redburn, who currently serve the school, we welcomed our other visitors. We had Mr. Bob Voboril (1980-1990), Mrs. Sue Martin (1991-1993), Mrs. Christine Overkamp (1996-2010) and Mrs. Mary McGuire (2013).

The students thanked the teachers for setting the standards for education.

We also had a student speaker.

Sr. Delores presented Mr. Makey a gift from the Benedictine Sisters.

This is a picture of our first principal, Sr. Celestine who was outr principal from 1916 until 1931.

Afterwards there was a reception

 for our honored guests.

They also received a tour of the school -- though they seemed to most enjoy reminiscing about the school and visitingteachers form their time at the school.

We were honored that they were willing to come back and visit. We look forward to telling more about some things we learned from them about the school's past. We'll be sharing that sometime in the future.

Fr. Steinhausen Would Approve

Sr. Delores Dolezal taught 2nd grade in our school and CCD in the 1980's. (She's pictured above visiting our preschool during Catholic Schools Week last year.) She was also part of the team that planned the current church with Fr. Steinhausen. This morning she was here for Mass and got to see the changes.

She said she was initially disappointed when she learned the rising Jesus was going to be moved, but now that she saw the crucifix and the changes she likes it. She said "Fr. Steinhausen would approve!"

The Jewler

Sr. Delores Dolezal, OSB shared this story of a boy who wanted to be a jewler with many of our students at St. Columbkille Catholic School as well as this class at Sacred Heart Preschool. Sr. Delores taught at our school in the 1980s so we were delighted to have her visit us during Catholic Schools Week.

Thank you Sr. Delores!

Reading for the Sisters

We appreciate that the Benedictine Community of Atchison, Kansas was kind enough to share Sister Judith, Sister Barbara and Sister Judith with us this week. It made us appreciate how the Benedictine Sisters contributed to our school. It gave us a sense of how we have grown as a school since 1916. And it helped us better understand what it means to give yourself to God in prayer and work.

As a small gesture of our appreciation we raised money for the Benedictine Sisters. For a small donation students could wear jeans to school on Wednesday and today. Today a Read-A-Thon raised more money.

 

Students curled up with a book and read.

 

 

 

We were able to raise

$3,813.16

for the Work and Prayer of the Sisters.

We appreciate the sisters more

 than money can express.

Footnote: To start the school in 1916, the trustees had to borrow $3,000.

Our Benedictine Sisters during Catholic Schools Week

We kicked off Catholic Schools Week on Sunday when Sr. Judith Sutera, OSB gave a presentation of "Benedictine Education: Then & Now." We discovered that the "Then" was 1500 years ago when the saints who were twins, Benedict and Scholastica, began the Benedictines.

Benedictine life is still based on the rule St. Benedictine wrote. Benedict envisioned a balanced life of prayer and work as the ideal While the subject of that work varies, at one time in the history of our country and our Church there was a need for teachers. Although they are not a teaching order, the Benedictines saw the need and helped -- as did all the communities of the era.

So why aren't the sisters teaching in our school anymore? Sr. Judith explained, "You didn't need us."

We can see that things would be easier (and cheaper) if the sisters did everything. But we experienced a time when it was important that our parish community take over the responsibility for the education of our youth.

On Monday Sr. Barbara Smith, OSB, spoke with all of the 4th through 8th grade students in our school. She described the origins of the community St. Benedict and St. Scholastica began and the Benedictine Community. There are 150 sisters in their Atchison Kansas community who Pray and Work together.

Telling her own vocation story, Sr. Barbara told that when she felt called to become a vowed religious sister, the first thing she had to do was become Catholic.

Sr. Delores Dolezal, OSB, met class by class with the Kindergarten through 3rd grade classes. She also ate lunch with a group of 4th grade girls and helped some students from 6B cut out letters to decorate their class door for Catholic Schools Week.

Sr. Judith and Sr. Barbara also looked over the plaque in our library listing all the sisters who have taught in our school. Some were only here for a few months, others (like Sr. Delores) were here for a number of years.

We thank Sisters Judith, Barbara and Delores for making Catholic Schools Week extra special this year!

When Sacred Heart Preschool was a Convent.

Although the Stears Center is used for Sacred Heart Preschool, the scouts and TEEN Faith, it was built as a home for the sisters who taught at the school. Sr. Delores, who taught at the school form 1980-87 once lived here. When she visited Monday she was able to give Mrs. Crnkovich a new perspective on the building she has worked in for years.

The kitchen hasn't changed much. They even suspect a few cups were left behind.

In the picture above, Sr. Delores is in what was the chapel and wanted to peek into what was once the confessional.

There were once rooms for eight sisters. When Sr. Delores was here, she was one of two sisters who taught at the school. There would also be other sisters who might be studying at Creighton or doing other work in the area. As Benedictines they also provided hospitality to sisters (from their community or others) who were visiting the area.

Most of the walls have been torn down to create bigger rooms, but one of the rooms left is the room where Sr. Delores lived. It was a small room with her own sink/wash area. (The colors have changed.) She also told of how, while the rectory was redone, Fr. Steinhausen and the associate lived in their basement.

She spoke with some of the students in what used to be her living room. She even pointed out where the birdcage with her canaries had been.

She spent some time telling the students about how she lived here and taught at the school. She showed some pictures of her family, told how she grew up at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish and told about life in her Benedictine community in Atchison, Kansas.

She also emphasized how we need to like a pecan -- open to God and willing to listen. She also taught how important it is that we spend a great deal of time with God in prayer so that we can know Him.

Thank you Sr. Delores!

Visiting for Catholic Schools Week

Our alumni helped kick off Catholic

Schools Week by gathering today.

Sr. Delores Dolezal who taught at St. Columbkille
Catholic School from 1980 to 1987 was here.

Sr. Delores was delighted to see three of

her former students who all teach now.

It was fun to gather and remember.

The North Wind

Sr. Delores Dolezal OSB did the Sacramental Preperation and taught second grade at St. Columbkille Catholic School from 1980 to 1987. Evidently the same wind hitting us has been blowing in Kansas where she now lives. Today she wrote us:

The North wind is blowing. We used to sing a song: "The North Wind Doth Blow and We Shall Have Snow." We do need snow. Farmers told me winter wheat does best with a covering of snow all winter long. I love snow. That reminds me, our deceased Sister Clementia, who taught at St. Columbkille, told me that she and the children (I bet they were boarders), would use sleds and slide down the hill in front of school. Every time I had playground duty at St. Columbkille, I'd look down that long hill and smile wide remembering Sister Clementia and the children sleigh riding down the hill. I wish I could have been there with her and the children.

We're working out the finals details, but Sr. Delores and two other Sisters will be visiting us as part of Catholic Schools Week.