FATHER'S TWO CENTS WORTH

Well, here we are in August, and I hope that everyone has had a good vacation so far.  I have heard about some of the trips  to far away places in the U.S., and it seems that everyone has had a good time, and arrived back home safe and sound.  Thank God for that!  I hope that all who have traveled, or went camping, took the time to say their prayers each day, and to attend Mass on Sundays when possible.  We cannot let our calling to be followers of Christ deteriorate because it is summer.  Nor can we allow our parish affiliation to be weakened because we chose to be elsewhere.  As we all have grown in age and stature, I hope and pray that we all have grown in holiness and virtue.

Thanks to all who helped last Sunday’s visit by the Bishop to be a memorable event!  The enclosed letter that he sent me, and asked that it be published in this week’s bulletin, says that he was impressed.  Our total mass attendance last Sunday was under 500 persons.

Holy Childhood School’s class of 1944 is having a reunion at Tony’s Place on Thursday.  Eleven of the twelve members that are still with us will be attending.  Congratulations!  I hope you have a good time reminiscing about the good old days, the nuns, Fr. Weyrich, and all of the pranks you got away with.  You would probably kill your kids now if they did some of the pranks of your time.  So it is with life for all of us!

HOMECOMING THIS WEEKEND!  Mass next Saturday will be at 4:00 P.M., so that we can watch the parade, or be in it.  As I have been exhorting all of us to be helpful in the hamburger stand, which is our parish responsibility, I again ask you to be vigilant to the workers in that stand in case they need extra help.  Really and truly, we show our care for our fellow parishioners by helping one another, just as we would want them to help us if we were in need.  It is a time to practice Christian caring and charity for one another, and to be a sign to the whole community of Mascoutah, that Holy Childhood Church stands strong together in supporting our church and our community.

This is First Friday week, and that means mass at Mar-Ka, The Grange, and the Assisted Living at Silver Creek.  We will also be making house calls to the shut-ins who have not been able to come to church.

If I failed to mention it last week, and I think I did, many thanks to the men who poured the concrete step on the walk into church.  The group was spear-headed by Pepso Mattern, Don Haas, Dave Fournier, Dale Elbe, and Roger Hund.  It was a hot day to do that kind of work, but I guess that it was “rendering lard to the Lord”.  They sure were sweating!  And this whole crew is retired!  But they still care about Holy Childhood!

Again, a plea to pray for all of the sick of our parish!  There are several that have illnesses that can be terminal unless a remission takes place.  Of course, life itself is terminal!  We just do not have the immediate warning signs given to us, and so we just keep rolling along.  But for those who have those signs, say an extra prayer that they can reconcile themselves with what is happening, and what the future holds, and any discomfort they have.  Some day, sooner or later, we will be in their shoes!

Don’t forget our coming Fish Fry & Parish Picnic—August 27^th and 28^th.  Tell all of your friends, and invite them to come, and bring their friends.  Please do all you can to make it a success by your personal efforts and by prayer!

GIFT CARDS: Use Gift Cards to purchase back-to-school items for students of all ages.  We have the following cards in stock: Office Depot ($25), Wal-Mart ($25 & $100), Walgreen's ($25), Best Buy ($25), J.C.Penney ($25), Kohl’s ($25), T.J. Maxx ($25), American Eagle ($25) and many more.  Thanks for supporting HCS.

PARISH PICNIC -  AUGUST 28, 2010:

¨ The Country Store needs your help with canned vegetables, fresh vegetables, jams, jelly, and fresh baked goods.

¨ We are still collecting money to purchase quilts for our church picnic. Please help; your donation is greatly appreciated and greatly needed to help make our Quilt Bingo a success.

HOLY CHILDHOOD CHURCH PICNIC FISH FRY: We will be having a fish fry on Friday, August 27, 2010.  

HOMECOMING HAMBURGER STAND:  If anyone would like to help out and support the Hamburger Stand on August 6th, 7th, or 8th, please contact Jimmy Amann at 618-235-4199 or email him at jamann6@norcom2000.com to sign up! Your help is very much appreciated.

THANK YOU to all of the ladies that helped out on the Auction Quilt! I greatly appreciate your time and talent. Norma Amann

MASCOUTAH HOMECOMING PARADE / HELP WANTED: Looking for students / adults to walk in the parade to represent our Church and School. This is a good way to get your hours needed for your 8th grade trip, Confirmation, or just because! We also need representatives for both parade days. If you have any questions or would like to sign up, please call Stacie at 566-0355 or show up at the Citizen’s Bank back parking lot.

SPECIAL RAFFLE & SPECIAL QUILT RAFFLE TICKETS will go on sale starting Saturday, July 31st in front of church. You can purchase 1 ticket for $1 or 6 tickets for $5 for the Special Raffle, or you can purchase 1 ticket for $2 or 4 tickets for $5 for the Special Quilt Raffle.

VIAL/FILE OF LIFE:  It has been more than a year since the Social Services Ministry distributed the VIALS and FILES OF LIFE.  The kits hold emergency medical information, and are placed in/on the refrigerator in your home to be used by EMS workers in an emergency.  Please remember to update your forms as medical information changes.  Supplies are stocked in the resource display in the Parish Center."    

REMINDER: Catechist training will be on Wednesday, August 11th from 6:30-8:30 PM in the parish center.