FATHER'S TWO CENTS WORTH

Many, many thanks to all those who contributed to the Special Haiti Collection last Sunday!  So far, the gift is $6,000.00.  Many of you wrote checks which showed that our e-mail letter was well received, and allowed you to be prepared for this special plea.  We will forward the check to the Catholic Relief Services to be used for those suffering people.  Your generosity is admirable and worthy of praise!

I want to thank Bill Huff and Larry Wilhelm for putting chicken wire over our flower beds in the back of church.  With the warm weather, the ground has started to thaw, and the squirrels were starting to invade the beds and dig out the flower bulbs that we planted last December. Christine Wingate planted many hundred of bulbs so that in the spring, we could see tulips, and a great variety of spring flowers to decorate our church. Chris and her family took care of the flower beds last year and did a great job.  So, we start a new year, and we do not want those pesky squirrels messing up her hard work.  Thanks fellows, and I know that Christine thanks you also.  The squirrels probably have other thoughts about you, thoughts that we cannot mention in a church bulletin.

As items get old, they wear out and become a problem.  Our heating lines in the HCS cafeteria were installed in 1964 under the floor.  Well, you guessed it.  We now have one leaking, which in turn makes us give special attention to the water level in the boiler.  Do we dig up the floor and fix it, or replace the whole loop?  Fortunately, when we put in the AC system for the cafeteria ( bingo and smoke problems), we also installed furnaces in the package units to bring in warm air in the winter.  So our solution is just to abandon the hot water heat in the cafeteria, and rely on the hot air system.  It will eliminate the need to remove the tile floor (asbestos), tearing up the concrete, replacing all the piping and the heating units, and just a lot of expenses.  All we have to do is just turn off a couple of valves on the old system, and move on with the new.  We have had this problem elsewhere in the diocese, and took the same remedial method.  Fortunately, we have the system already installed, and are not forced to meet a deadline, and unplanned expenses.

Again, a reminder about our New Year’s resolutions concerning our spiritual life!  We are getting farther into the new year, away from the past resolution time, and life can become routine again.  God still wants us to grow in faith, hope and charity, so that we can become more like Him, and He can be more effective through us.  Have we done any good deeds beyond what is our routine way of living, or what is necessary each day?  We need to challenge ourselves each day, or we will forget about the good resolutions we made, and also our forward progress in becoming Christ-like. My job is to help you get to heaven, and so I reach out to you so that you, and myself included, do not become too comfortable and forgetful of our calling from God.  What did you do for Him today?

Thanks to Jim Bunn for finishing the new window shelves in the sanctuary of church, and over the side doors.  He installed them last Sunday afternoon.  Now we can occasionally add window decorations to all the windows.  There is always something that needs to be fixed, repaired, installed, or completed around a parish plant.  Thanks to all who give so generously of their time.

BAPTISMAL CLASS: There will be a baptismal class held on February 7, 2010 from 2 - 3:30 pm in the parish center.

SMALL CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY will soon begin the Spring Season. You may join one of the groups in our parish that gathers this Lent to read and discuss faith based materials. Please call John Pettinger at 618-677-2724 or e-mail johnpettinger@yahoo.com.

MESSENGER RENEWAL WEEKEND: The Messenger, your local diocesan newspaper, brings news of events important in your parish, your diocese and the universal church. Please stay "connected" through a subscription to The Messenger. Annual subscriptions are $23 and the envelopes are provided in your parish envelope packet.

HOLY CHILDHOOD MARRIAGE RETREAT: The retreat will begin on Saturday, January 30th at 3 PM and end Sunday afternoon. It will take place at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL. Please join us for a relaxing weekend designed to energize your marriage! If you have any questions or would like to register, please contact Mary Moll at 618-971-7665 or Cathy Jung at 618-530-7103.

GIFT CARDS: Keep a gas card in the vehicles that your teenager drives so they don’t have to carry cash. We have $50 BP and Exxon/Mobil in stock. Keep gift cards on hand for last minute birthday gifts. We have $10 Claire’s, $10 Border’s & $15 or $25 iTunes in stock. Use grocery cards to help you with budgeting. We have $25 Tom’s and $25/$100 Shop-N-Save and Wal-Mart in stock.

SHEPHERD SUNDAY: The Mascoutah Food Pantry is in need of the following items this month: graham crackers, egg noodles, sloppy joe sauce, pancake syrup, chili beans, & chicken & dumplings. Thanks to all who support the Food Pantry!

CURSILLO: Cursillo is more than just a retreat.  It is an encounter with Christ that continues long after the three day weekend.  We describe it as “A Little Bit of Heaven.”  Many experience an ongoing sense of Christian Community within Cursillo that is similar to the Christian Community described in the Acts of the Apostles.  Attend a Cursillo weekend and experience Christ’s love for you in a very special way!  The men’s Cursillo weekend is Feb 4-7, 2010 and the women’s Cursillo weekend is Feb 11-14, 2010; each beginning Thursday evening.  For further info please contact:  Dawn Reinacher at 618-830-2235.

CATHOLIC WOMEN'S CONFERENCE: The 1st Annual Catholic Women's Conference will be held on Saturday, Feb 20 at the America's Center in downtown St. Louis. The cost is $40. The conference begins at 7:30am and concludes at 5:30pm after the Holy celebration of the Mass with Archbishop Carlson. The day will be filled with great guest speakers, music, vendors, lunch and an opportunity for confession and adoration. You can register at www.catholicwomenforchrist.org

CATHOLIC MEN'S CONFERENCE will be held on Saturday, February 6th, at the America's Center. This is for men of all ages! The cost is $45. You can register at the rectory or call Tom Norrenberns at 566-8531. Please make checks payable to Holy Childhood Parish.

"Every moment that we spend in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament

will leave our soul everlastingly more glorious and beautiful in heaven

because the Blessed Sacrament  is Jesus, our risen Savior,

with all the glory and beauty of His resurrection

flowing out on those who come into His Eucharistic presence."

(Pathway to Holiness, Mary's Call).

Visit Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration  every Tuesday

 following the 8 AM Mass until 7 PM,

and on Saturdays from 9-10 AM.

If you would like to commit to a specific hour to pray on Tuesdays, please call Mary Ellen Mueller at 566-9529.