Book of the Dead

In November we remember those who have died in the last year. In the narthex we have a poster listing all of those from our parish who have died in the last year.

On a table nearby, is the Book of the Dead. Here you are invited to add the name of amyone you know who has passed away in the last year. All the names listed are prayed for in our parish. 

Praying Advent

Last night Sr. Joan Mueller, OSC spoke at our parish on the same subject as one of her books, Praying Advent. Sr. Mueller is the latest in a series of speakers at St. Columbkille.

The book contains Three Minute Reflections on Peace, Faithfulness, Joy, and Light

o There are short reflections for each day, beginning with scripture, leading to reflection on scripture and then a spiritual exercise.

o The simple exercises honor one another and us, thus God. For example, on day the exercise is to clean a cupboard. This is a sometimes decadent task that refreshes and calms us.

o As Advent goes on, the spiritual exercises become more and more simple. In part this is due to the time restrictions that late-Advent presents, and in part because we start to find more joy in simple things.

Thanks

Saturday, several Air Force ROTC students from Creighton University and UNO (Detachment 470) chose St. Columbkille Parish as one of their service projects for Arnold Air Society.  Students raked and bagged leaves around the parish grounds and priests' residences.

On this Veteran's Day, we thank those who have served, those who are serving, and those who continue to make the commitment to serve our country.

Singing at the HSA Meeting

 The second grade classes sang at last night's

Home School Association (HSA) meeting.

 

 Square dancing broke out as well.

The HSA meeting which followed included a report on the success of the candy bars sales, an announcement that CARE ceritificates can now be purchased at the school office on Friday afternoons and  encouragement to attend Turkey Bingo on November 19th.

Calling on Veterans

On Veteran's Day Thursday, local veterans are invited to attend the 8:15 Mass. They will be recognized before the all-school Mass.

Did you hear the one...

We record the homilies each weekend and post them on our website. They are in an MP3 format and are typically online on Tuesday each week. That way if you want to hear one again or another perspective, you can hear it here.

Taylor Swift visits St. Columbkille School

Through video-conferencing, Taylor Swift spoke with 4th Graders at St. Columbkille and across the country about reading. She answered questions as well. One of her favorite books is To Kill A Mockingbird. Growing up she enjoyed Dr. Seuss for the rhythm of the sentences.

The event was sponsored by Scholastic books in celebration of their 90th anniversary.

Teen Faith Movie Night

Teen Faith Movie Night will feature the movie To Save a Life.

It's at 7:30 in the Steinhausen Center.

Planting Tulips

The preschoolers planted tulip bulbs in the preschool garden.  Before planting, Mrs. Weiss explained how to plant a bulb correctly.

She also reminded us that tulips teach us two things.  One is patience.  We have to wait a long time to see the bulbs bloom in the spring.  Tulips also teach us about God’s love.  They bloom in the spring to remind us that Jesus rose up on Easter. 

 We are lucky to have a God who loves us so much.

All Soul's Day

November 2 commemorates the faithful departed, asking God for mercy on the people who have gone before us. Christians have always prayed for the dead and have undertaken works of penance on their behalf. In the Old Testatment we see intercessory prayer for the sins of others and for the dead such as how Job's sacrifices purified his sons (Job 1:5); and Judas Maccabeus "made atonement for the dead that they be delivered from their sin" (II Macc 12:46).

In 998, all souls (the "faithful departed") were officially remembered in the Church's prayers on the evening of November 1, and with Masses for the dead on November 2. All Souls Day is now a feast of the universal Church.  Following the Second Vatican Council, all Masses celebrated on All Saints day observe that feast, not "All souls".

We pray for the faithful departed, those baptized, but who need to be completely purified of all stain of sin before they come into full union with God in Heaven. This is most of us. The Church's teaching about Purgatory, the place of purification, is explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (§1030-1032):

"All who die in god's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter heaven.

"The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:

"As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.

"This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: 'Therefore [Judas Maccabeus' made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.' From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

"Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them." [Saint John Chrysostom - 4th century]