FATHER'S TWO CENTS WORTH

This is the weekend that the Mascoutah Improvement Association looks forward to and I guess in many ways, dreads.  It is Homecoming weekend, when all of the planning and preparations come to a head, and hopefully, to a successful and uneventful picnic and homecoming.  We thank all of the persons involved in bringing about this event which we all look forward to.  Its success brings about the upkeep of our Scheve Park, and other facilities which we all like to utilize.  So much depends on the weather—good weather, not too hot or too cool, and no rain.  So much also depends on the cooperation of the rest of the Mascoutah Community to volunteer their time and labor in the various stands and to help keep it clean.  It is a time to practice the virtue of treating one another as you would want them to treat you.  It is a time for friends to gather, reminisce and to meet new members of families and neighborhoods.  It is a time to show our Christ-like image and encourage others to be their best, and not their worst.  Pray and work for a successful homecoming this year.  And thanks, Harold, and your crew, for giving us this event.  It makes Mascoutah special at this time of the year.

Olivia  P. Karcher, the mother of our principal Deacon Ron Karcher, passed away last Saturday.  We ask you to pray for her, for our principal, and for her family.  The visitation will be on Tuesday at the Hughey Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon from 5 to 7, and the funeral mass will be Wednesday, at 10:00 A.M. at St. Mary’s Church in Mt. Vernon.   She was 87 years old.

There will be mass on Monday morning this week at 8:00 a.m. This begins the teacher’s meetings on Monday, and the following days in preparation for school.  SCHOOL BEGINS ON THURSDAY MORNING.  Details for the first days will be another place in this bulletin.  The children will not be coming to mass this week.  Summer is over for the students and it is hard to believe that this summer has passed so quickly.  As they say: “Time flies” and it does.

There has been a mix-up on the Blood Drive as far as date is concerned.  Normally, the Blood Drive is the Thursday after the picnic.  Red Cross scheduled it the 26^th, the Thursday before the picnic.  So we are relocating the Blood Drive for this time to St. John’s U.C.C. Church here in Mascoutah.  Pastor Fitz was so gracious to help me and the Red Cross to keep their schedule.  I am very thankful to him and to his faith community.  I ask all of those who can give blood, to please make this blood drive successful, since there is a shortage of blood always, and we need to show our concern for those less fortunate that we are in health, and need our blood.  You will be receiving a letter from me, from Red Cross, and the automated phone call.  Tell your friends to come if you can’t make it!

Many new faces and families have been coming to church of late, and we welcome you to our parish family.  We are glad that you chose to come to Holy Childhood Parish.  We ask you, if you have not done so already, to register in our parish and become a supporting member of our faith community.  Registering forms can be found at the exits of church (yellow sheets and parish folders), hanging in plastic racks.  Take one, fill it out, and turn it in to the rectory, or mail it in!

Again, if you know of anyone who wants to join the Catholic faith, contact the rectory or K.K. Schneider at 566-2871.  Classes begin in September.

GIFT CARDS: Use Gift Cards to purchase back-to-school items for pre-K to college students.  We have the following cards in stock: Barnes & Noble ($10 & $25), Office Depot ($25), Wal-Mart ($25 & $100), Best Buy ($25), Aéropostale ($25), J.C.Penney ($25), Kohl’s ($25), American Eagle ($25) and many more.  Need something we don’t have, we place orders on Monday and receive the cards the same week.

WOMEN’S RETREAT:    The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows will be holding a Women’s Retreat on September 10th - 11th. To make a reservation, please call the Shrine Hotel (1-800-682-2879) before August 28th. Let them know you are with the Women’s Retreat.

ALL YOU SINGERS OUT THERE—Choir practice will resume on September 8 at 7:30 PM in the choir loft at church.  We sing the 2^nd and 4^th Sundays of the month at the 10:30 Mass and practice every Wednesday at 7:30 during the school year. Come join us and have some fun!

WE NEED YOUR FAVORITE BAKED GOODS for our church picnic on August 28th. Your donation is greatly enjoyed by all! You can drop them off at the school cafeteria between 12 - 4 PM on the day of the picnic. THANK YOU!

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

WANTED:    Confirmation Candidates who are needing some hours are wanted for setting up the church picnic. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Stacie Cornman at 618-920-8386.  Thank You!

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."    

CHURCH CHATTER: The next issue of the Church Chatter will be published in September.  Please write or outline your articles and send to Linda Zacharski, 717 Knipp, or email to kzacharski@charter.net. If you would like to  submit your information but don't  feel comfortable when writing, please call Linda at 566-8022 .  Anyone who would like to help with writing articles or publishing and mailing the newsletter is encouraged to call soon.  Organization officers and committee chairmen, please assign someone from your group to be the contact person for the parish newsletter and ask that person to call.  We want to portray the latest and most positive news.  Without you, we can't fulfill our mission in the parish.

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