Teaching Superheroes

Because of the success with the Not-A-Thon, students were able to dress like a superhero today at St. Columbkille Catholic School. It all fits in with this year's Not-A-Thon slogan, "There's A Superhero Inside All of Us!"

2013 Vocations Day

 Over 1,000 6th graders from across the

 diocese gathered today for Vocations Day.

One of the first events was Mass celebrated by Archbishop Lucas (who stayed around afterwards to say hello to students and even helping clean tables in the lunch room.)

 Not only did we have our students from 

St. Columbkille Catholic School...

 ... but some of the High School 

students helping are our alumni.

In sessions students had a chance to hear from, and interact with, men and women who are ordained or living a consecrated life.

 There were also seminarians on hand sharing their stories.

The whole time there was someone in the chapel praying before the Blessed Sacrament for our youth and vocations.

Vocations Day Homily

Here is Archbishop Lucas' homily at Vocations Day today:

Love is Eternal

Thirty-three years ago I met the love of my life, a cute boy who made me laugh. His Polish surname I could barely pronounce.

I was introduced to Tim on a warm July evening in the parking lot of a Taco John's restaurant (romantic, I know). Some of his friends from Prep knew some of my friends from Mercy. The boys recognized my friend's car in the parking lot and stopped to talk, and throw water at us.

I was sitting on a concrete stoop when Tim walked up. We talked a little about our both being Polish. I suppose that's natural when someone named Kisicki meets someone named Szalewski.

After that initial meeting, a couple of months went by before Tim asked me out on a date. We still saw each other often, though, whenever our friends crossed paths. And every time that Tim and I would catch each others' glance, he would fall down. He would trip and tumble, very dramatically. I'm not sure which is stranger, that a boy would perform slapstick falls to get a girl's attention, or that a girl would be charmed by that. But it worked.

Because we were so young (and a bit immature?), we had a long courtship, eight years. We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on Tuesday.

So what does a silly love story have to do with faith?

Father Vogel provided one answer when he blessed our marriage after the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Tuesday. Every faithful marriage signifies the union Christ has with his spouse, the Church, Father told us. The loving union of a husband and wife points to a far greater and more glorious mystery, Christ's union with and love for His Bride.

Anyone who is married knows something about that love. It requires fidelity, even if your spouse might not be faithful, and constant sacrifice. There are the day-to-day sacrifices, tiny crosses that teach us patience and perseverance. We accept these as spouses, but even more so as parents. And every love story culminates in a bigger and more painful cross, when we are separated from our loved ones -- through rejection, distance, illness or death. In other words, we are guaranteed pain when we embrace love.

But love -- in its ultimate symbol of the Cross -- is victorious over all sin, suffering and death. Love, as St. Paul reminds us, is eternal.

Tim and I have been blessed so abundantly through our 25 years of marriage, especially through our children, who seem to share their father's odd sense of humor.

Tim doesn't purposefully fall so much any more, though when he stumbles accidentally he still likes to make the most of it. He enjoys embarrassing his family members as much as possible through his pranks. Even his loud laugh embarrasses us. I shrink in my seat when we go out for a movie and he laughs at a funny line. One daughter told me she pretended to not know who he was when she heard his laugh from across the field at her soccer game.

Yes, Tim can be embarrassing. But somehow I'm still charmed by that odd sense of humor and remain in love with him, more than three decades after we met.

Please pray for all marriages, that God continues to bless these unions with His graces, and that they reflect the great mystery of His eternal love.

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 and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

20 Years Ago Today

It was 20 years ago today that Eldon Lauber was ordained by Archbishop Elden Curtiss was ordained as a deacon and assigned to his parish, St. Columbkille.

Thank you for your service!

Those Hats Are Crazy!

Crazy Hat Day at St. Columbkille was celebrated Friday as the result of hitting another goal in the Not-A-Thon. It wasn't just the students with some crazy hats.

Although only 27% of families have had something come in, we are still at 50% of our overall fundraising goal. That means it is definitely achievable if everyone participates.

Consecrating the World to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Here is the translation of the prayer of consecration recited by Pope Francis in consecrating the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the anniversary of Fatima as part of the Year of Faith.

* * *

Holy Mary Virgin of Fatima,

with renewed gratitude for your maternal presence

we join our voice to that of all the generations

who call you blessed.

We celebrate in you the works of God,

who never tires of looking down with mercy

upon humanity, afflicted with the wound of sin,

to heal it and save it.

Accept with the benevolence of a Mother

the act of consecration that we perform today with confidence,

before this image of you that is so dear to us.

We are certain that each of us is precious in your eyes

and that nothing of all that lives in our hearts is unknown to you.

We let ourselves be touched by your most sweet regard

and we welcome the consoling caress of your smile.

Hold our life in your arms:

bless and strengthen every desire for good;

revive and nourish faith;

sustain and enlighten hope;

awaken and animate charity;

guide all of us along the path of holiness.

Teach us your own preferential love

for the little and the poor,

for the excluded and the suffering,

for sinners and the downhearted:

bring everyone under your protection

and entrust everyone to your beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus.

Amen.

[Translation by Joseph Trabbic]

(October 13, 2013) © Innovative Media Inc.

Day of Reflection

Mike Debus was on hand for the Day of Reflection for our 8th grade Confirmation students as he demonstrated how he prays and paints.

What's more impressive at the end: applause or posting?