Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church
 |
|
Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church
|
|
|
March 30, 2008
FATHER'S TWO-CENTS WORTH
Greetings and God’s blessings to all of you! We can tell that spring is coming with the sprouting of the buds and flowers. Spring is always a time of hope as we look forward to the beauty that nature blesses us with, in the new life that has sprung from the dormancy of winter. That is why Easter is always in the Spring—a time of hope for all of us. Easter speaks of resurrection, new life, a new beginning in Christ through forgiveness. I hope that all of us can rejoice in the new life and hope that springs from Easter into our daily lives. It is there for all of us! If we have not started to let it happen, we can do it now. We are the ones who control God’s graces in our lives—we open the door or keep it closed; we minimize or maximize His gifts by our choice. Let His new life enter!
This week, we begin April. A third of the year is already past! What do we have to show for it in our spiritual growth or spiritual life? I hope all of us can say that we have grown in our love of God and in our service to God and neighbor—and to our Church.
I want to thank everyone for their generous gifts to the parish and to the poor this past Easter Sunday. God has blessed all of us in so many ways! We show our appreciation by using His gifts - be they time, talent, or treasure, to give greater honor and glory to God and to His people. We bless others as God has blessed us. It is the only way that we can make more room for blessings from God.
Next Sunday is First Communion Day for our second grade students. This will take place at a 2:00 P.M. mass. Please pray for all of the students, that they will thoroughly remember this special event in their lives. Also pray for their families, that they will always be a great role model by their own faith and reception of the sacraments, and lead their children to God through reception of the Holy Eucharist. These little ones cannot make it to Mass by themselves—they need persons to wake them, get them ready, and to bring them to church. Sad to say, we have many who drop their children off for the PSR classes on Sunday, pick them up, but do not go to mass. We have many who send their children to Holy Childhood School, and do not fulfill their Sunday obligation. Faith is caught, not merely taught!
I hope, as I write this article, that our “turn-out” for Spring church cleaning is a great turnout of parishioners. We all like things to be neat and clean for our use. We often do not leave things in that way for others. We may have many excuses! But the reality is that we are often times self-centered that we do not think of others. Love of God moves us to do for others as we would want them to do for ourselves. Cleaning our church is a sign of our love for God’s house and making it a worthy place to worship. Thanks to all who came to help with the Church cleaning on Saturday.
Pray for our diocese that truth, justice, and peace may come to all of us. Pray also for vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life from our families. It is our future in the faith, in the Catholic Church, in our diocese.
REMINDER 4/4/08 1:00-2:30 PM 1st Communion Practice - church 4/6/08 2:00 PM 1st Communion-church Please note there will not be PSR class for second graders on April 6, 2008.
News IN OUR PARISH
HCS KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION Holy Childhood School will continue Kindergarten registration through June 6th. To register, you will need your child's birth certificate, social security number, and Baptismal certificate, if Catholic. For more information, please call Deacon Ron Karcher, Principal at 566-2922.
St. Vincent de Paul Society The March 4th meeting that was cancelled has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 1st, at 1:30 PM in the parish center. Please mark your calendars.
CANCELLED The Holy Childhood School Technology Committee's Trivia Night HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
EASTER FLOWER MEMORIALS The Holy Childhood Council of Catholic Women wishes to thank everyone who donated money towards the beautiful Easter flowers for our church, in memory of their deceased loved ones. Also to those who made special contributions. Your generosity will help keep the church beautiful throughout the year.
DID YOU KNOW? In July 2008 approximately 3 million young adults will be making their way on a spiritual Pilgrimage to International World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia. One of those 3 million comes from your Holy Childhood Parish. If you would like more information regarding the pilgrimage or would like to help sponsor this spiritual journey, please contact Kahiwalani Cornman, 566-0355. Thank you for your consideration.
FAITH IS BOTH CAUGHT AND TAUGHT! Are you looking for resources to help you pass your faith on to your children? Would you like to learn more about how other families in the parish are doing this? Then visit a new website designed for the families of our parish, by families of our parish, "Domestic Church" at http://domesticchurch.wordpress.com. On this new site you will find resources and encouragement to help us live-out our faith in our families and help our children to grow-up in their faith and make it their own. The site includes resources for children and teens as well as parents. Please visit, let us know what you think (gaharne@gmail.com) and share the resources that you are using in your own families.
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION "Could you not then watch one hour with me?"
Wedding Banns II Patrick Foley & Vanessa Hart
Mass Intentions
Tuesday, April 1, 8:00 AM Norbert Friederich
Wednesday, April 2, 8:00 AM Mr.& Mrs.Joe Rist
Thursday, April 3, 8:00 AM Delores Schanz
Friday, April 4, 8:00 AM People of the parish
Saturday, April 5, 5:30 PM Ed Hulliung Sr.
Sunday, April 6, 8:00 AM People of the Parish 10:30 AM Delores Schanz
TITHE FOR March 16, 2008
THIS COMING WEEK
MONDAY, March 31, 7:00 PM Welcome Committee-pc
Tuesday, April 1, 8:00 AM Mass followed by Adoration until 7 PM 9:00 AM & 6:00 PM Quilting 1:30 PM SVDP-pc 6:30 PM HOPE-hcs
Wednesday, April 2, 8:00 AM Mass 7:30 PM Choir practice
THURSDAY, April 3, 8:00 AM Mass 9:00 AM Quilting
FRIDAY, April 4, 8:00 AM Mass 1:00 PM First Communion practice-church
SATURDAY, April 5, 9:00 AM Mass of Anointing 11:00 AM Baptism 4:30 PM Confessions 5:30 PM Mass
SUNDAY, April 6, WELCOME SUNDAY 8:00 &10:30 AM Masses 9:00 AM PSR-hcs 2:00 PM First Communion
HOLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL
WEB SITE:
holychildhoodschool.com
Happy Easter! What a difference on Easter Sunday with snow on the ground and hunting for Easter eggs. Somehow that doesn’t seem to go together but that is the way it was.
One thing I have learned is that life is ever changing. Only God knows what will happen next. Change happens all the time. Our P.E. teacher, Mrs. Tami Hurst will be leaving at the end of the school year. Her husband, a marine, will be transferring to Japan. She will be missed as she has brought her many talents for three years to Holy Childhood.
Mrs. Wilhelm, our current third grade teacher, will take over as PE teacher and English teacher. I believe she will bring her many talents and devotion to the position. She will also be working with Mrs. Hurst to insure that the program will continue to excel. We will be interviewing for a new third grade teacher for the 2008-2009 school year.
Our preschool and kindergarten open houses were a great success. It seems that our preschool has been well received and I believe that combined with the school and church we have a great offering for the 3 & 4 year olds. Mrs. Schneider continues to work on getting everything ready and Jim Rushing and Haier Plumbing have been doing a great job rehabbing the boy’s bathroom on the lower level. ‘Duck’ Huegen from ‘The Flooring Duck” will be installing the new floor as Jim Rushing and Vernon Schulte are preparing the walls, ceiling, lights and various other items. It takes many great people to bring about the best and we have them at Holy Childhood School.
Thanks for all you do for Holy Childhood School.
Sincerely, Deacon Ron Karcher Principal
MARCH CALENDAR
April 9 Meeting 7:00 - 8:30 pm Board Applications given out April 12 7:30 am Pick up trash along Highway 4 with the K of C. Meet at HCS parking lot
ATTENTION FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES COMING UP April 12-13, there will be a Quest experience held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in Herrin, IL. For more information or an application contact Ron Hulliung or Kathy Renth.
NEWMAN CENTER LADIES' AUXILIARY is having a Quilt & Cash BINGO on Sunday, April 20th at St. Charles Borromeo KC Hall in DuBois, IL. Refreshments begin at 11:30 AM and BINGO starts at 1:00 PM. Win quilts, cash, gift baskets, and door prizes. All proceeds help support the Newman Catholic Student Center at SIU-Carbondale.
FREE EYE SCREENING for diabetic retinopathy. Have your eye photographed. Diabetic Retinopathy is the leading cause of new blindness in adults in the United States today. Early detection is a major factor in the prevention of visual loss. The screening may determine if you have retinal problem associated with macular degeneration. Visit the Lions Screening at the Mascoutah Public Library on April 9th from 10 AM to 2 PM. (Sponsored by the Mascoutah Evening Lions Club in conjunction with Lions of Illinois Foundation and Illinois Retina Associates, S.C.)
PARENT NETWORK OF CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOLS "Teen Sexuality, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and the Importance of Chastity". Parent Network (parentnetworkstl.org) invites all parents to this presentation on April 15th, 7 PM, at St. John Vianney High School, 1311 South Kirkwood Road. Dr. Robert Bergamini, M.D., Pediatric Oncologist, will give an update on teen sexual issues including the latest on the PPV vaccine. Heather Gallagher Vento, part of the REAP Team in the Office of Youth Ministry, will discuss the virtue of chastity and its necessity for the healthy psychological and spiritual development of teens. This talk will give you much to think about and discuss with your teenage children.
"Blessed are they who have not seen me, but still believe!" It is also easy to doubt how great our marriage can be unless we trust in Him to strengthen our marriage. The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend in this area is April 11th to 13th. To register or for more information Call 888-889-9963 or go online to www.aweekendofdiscovery.org.
AN INVITATION TO ALL couples celebrating their 25th, 50th or 70th Wedding Anniversaries this year. Bishop Edward K. Braxton will celebrate a special Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Belleville on Sunday afternoon, April 27th to honor all couples in the Diocese celebrating their Jubilee Anniversaries this year. A reception will immediately follow in the McCormick Center. The Cathedral is handicap accessible. If this is the year of your Jubilee Wedding Anniversary, the Bishop would like to extend to you a personal invitation to attend this event in your honor. Please contact your parish rectory by April 2nd with your names and addresses so that we can forward them to the Bishop's Office. Family members are welcome to accompany you. If you should forget to give us your names, or if you should not receive an invitation, you are still most welcome to attend. No special tickets will be required.
|
|
|
