Thank You Teachers

Who was your favorite teacher?

My daughter Faustina and I recently talked about our favorite teachers as we rode home from her high school. She had to write about hers as part of a theology assignment. The class had been discussing Jesus as a teacher.

Her favorite teacher was patient, a good listener, someone who noticed students who were struggling. He taught her how to pray and that prayer matters. He taught that it's okay to be yourself, even if the rest of the world sees you as a dork.

By sharing his stories from high school, the instructor helped my daughter learn that we sometimes have to push ourselves out of our comfort zones. He applied the subjects he taught to everyday life, especially religion lessons, she said.

Good teachers are important. They change lives. They move us to consider possibilities we had never considered. They help us discover our capabilities and push us to be our best.

They are a regular, constant part of our lives for at least a semester. In our younger years, they wipe noses, tie shoes, pull teeth, bind wounds, hold hands and dry tears. In older grades they continue to celebrate with us, mourn with us, cheer for us, clean up after us and discipline us. They dedicate a huge portion of their lives to us. And even out of the classroom, they model good behavior and good lives.

Teacher appreciation week ends today at St. Columbkille School. But our appreciation for our teachers never ends.

Thank you, teachers, for all that you do.


Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Thanking Our Catechists

Fr Dave thanked our catechists for their service this last year. He even told a joke. It has been great to have them working with our kids this year. Then we thanked them with a wonderful meal.

Three Magic Words for Families

Sometimes we take for granted the people who are most important to us.

And sometimes we forget some of the most simple but important ways to treat people.

But fortunately, we have Pope Francis to help us remember, including his repeated lesson on “please, thank you and sorry,” three “magic words,” “three essential words!” important for every marriage and family, he said in talks in 2013 and 2014.

“We say please so as not to be forceful in family life: ‘May I please do this? Would you be happy if I did this?’ We do this with a language that seeks agreement.

“We say thank you, thank you for love! But be honest with me, how many times do you say thank you to your wife, and you to your husband? How many days go by without uttering this word, thanks?

“And the last word: sorry. We all make mistakes, and on occasion someone gets offended in the marriage, in the family, and sometimes – I say – plates are smashed, harsh words are spoken. But please listen to my advice: don’t ever let the sun set without reconciling. Peace is made each day in the family: ‘Please forgive me,’ and then you start over.

“… Please, thank you and sorry. Let us say these words in our families!”


Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Chronic Care International

This weekend the Bulletin Letter was written by Dr. Hans and Andrea Dethlefs largely to thank their fellow parishioners for the generous support of Chronic Care International last November. Because the bulletins for this weekend have not been yet, it seems appropriate to post it here as well.

Dear St. Columbkille Parishioners,

I am excited to thank you for your generous support of Chronic Care International after our appeal in November.  Below are a few glimpses of the tremendous impact of your kindness.

The Diabetes & Hypertension program:  I write this letter 30,000 feet in the air, en route to the Dominican Republic and Haiti.  As I went to check in at Eppley airport with 6 bags full of medications and equipment, I was told that I could only check 2 bags.  I explained that we were on a mission trip and the young attendant called their global office to plead our case.  He got my bags authorized and after I thanked him I asked how I should pay what I thought would be a $600 extra baggage fee.  He said not to worry – it was taken care of.  God is good.

This particular trip is made possible by your generosity.  Those who gave 1 time gifts and those who chose to sponsor a patient are helping sustain the health of 800 mothers and fathers who will not have to learn what it is like to be blind, who won’t leave their families prematurely from a heart attack or stroke, who won’t lose a leg to their diabetes, and who won’t have to experience the slow suffocating death of the poor who have kidney failure.  A tearful quote of gratitude from one of our patients to you was, “Before I felt sick all of the time, but now that someone is helping me with my diabetes, I feel complete.”

The Nutrition Center: Jessica, at 15 months of age, was the size of a newborn because her mother would leave her suspended in a hammock everyday in a small one room shack, so that she could go pick coffee to earn money.  She was the girl that prompted us to seek your help in building the center for malnourished children 16 years ago. Over the ensuing 14 years hundreds of children like Jessica spent weeks to months at the center, finding a new opportunity to live.  The nutrition center closed 2 years ago for a new roof and renovations. It  is now ready to reopen with the expanded mission of offering a daycare for small children of single mothers who will then be able to work or study without neglecting their children.  We will be using the one time gifts you gave to purchase books and educational toys and the funds from ongoing sponsors of the center will help support the $4,500 required monthly for food, salaries, and medical care.

The Street Children of Ouanaminth: Tuesday we will visit the Sisters who provide food to 100 street children in the town of Ouanaminth, Haiti.  We had previously helped purchase the food for the children, but have helped the Sisters connect with Food for the Poor and so on this trip we will ask the next question: “What about building the children a safe place to stay?” The gifts and sponsorship from St. Columbkille are the reason we can ask that question.

The City of Mercy: This beautiful place for the poor with mental illness was a longstanding dream of the Sisters in Tijuana and provides healthcare instead of prison for those with the double curse of poverty and mental illness.  The hospital is running at half capacity for lack of funding.  The gifts of St. Columbkille will help the Sisters continue this important ministry.

The House of the Poor: Our St. Columbkille school staff performed the selfless act at Christmas of giving a donation rather than buying each other gifts.  A common quandary for poor parents is to decide which of their children can go to school, and which will need to work instead. The teacher’s collective donation is allowing the Sisters at the House of the Poor in Tijuana to give scholarships to several children who would not be able to go to school otherwise…what a priceless gift to a child.

Thank you so much for both you’re work in our local community and for your generosity to the poor we strive to serve.  We are blessed to belong to such a great parish.

Hans & Andrea Dethlefs 

Thank you Mrs McGuire

Mrs. Mary McGuire had a tough task coming to St. Columbkille Catholic School on April 2nd while Dr. Blue was in hospice and less than two weeks before she passed away.

She was admirable in her abilty to bring a joyful presense and encourage everyone in the process.

She was able to fill the tasks as principal, encourage our teachers in their work and give another perspective as we plan for the future. She brought energy, faith and two decades experience just when we needed it.

 

Last week she finished her tasks preparing for the new administration. She is relaxing this week and next before she undertakes her next role as Interim President of Skutt Catholic High School. She assures us that, in a year, she really will retire and she has grandchildren ready to hold her to that promise.

Again, thank you!

Principal Appreciation

Yesterday the St. Columbkille Catholic School community celebrated Principal Appreciation Day. Each of the classes made and signed a poster showing a quality Dr. Blue exibits as principal.

 

 

The first letter of each of the posters spell "standard" as Dr. Blue has worked diligently to set strong standards for our school.

Also showing their appreciation were Dr. Preisman from the School Advisory Council, Mrs. Hoffman from the Home School Association, the teachers and our priests.

Thank you Dr. Blue!

Success at the Fair Trade Bazaar

 Last Weekend the Fair Trade Bazaar raised $4,532 in sales and $6,639 in additional orders.

 

 Thank you for your support!