FATHER'S TWO CENTS WORTH

This weekend, we welcome our Bishop Edward Braxton to our parish.  He has been visiting the parishes of the diocese, and celebrating all of the weekend masses and dialoguing with the parishioners during his homily about the faith in the parish.  By the time you get this Sunday bulletin, you will know all about it from experience.  I hope that you have a good experience with this weekend.

There are several persons in our parish who have serious illnesses, and need our prayer.  I do not know if they want me to publish their names, but could you pray for all those of our parish who need our prayers to get well, or to be able to live with a remission of their illnesses.  We all enjoy life, and being able to do good for our family and others.  Here is an opportunity to do some extra praying—good deed, for some others in need.

Thanks to all who hosted the reception and attended the reception for Father Abraham.  I feel that he enjoyed meeting all of you at mass and afterwards, and looks forward to being of service to you in our parish setting.  It was a great event!

This week ends the month of July and it will be history.  August begins on Saturday.  The following week-end is the Mascoutah Home Coming which is always a great event for the community.  Holy Childhood is planning to have a picnic float in the parades that week-end.  Again, a call to all available parishioners to help in the Hamburger stand which is our parish responsibility! Call Jimmy Amann to line up a work-shift 235-4199.

August 27^th is the Fish-Fry and Dance on the Friday prior to our picnic.  Tell your friends about this event, as well as our Parish Picnic on August 28^th.  Again, I ask you to pray for good weather on both of these days, so that all goes well, and the parish benefits well.  Promote the picnic by your word of mouth, inviting your friends and others, and asking them to bring their friends.  For those who have the responsibility of chairing a particular stand or concession at the picnic, please get as much “lined-up” ahead of time, so that you are not caught at the last moment for workers or supplies.  This is a time for our parents to get your children involved, so that they can take your place when you cannot do the job later on.

I know that many families have not been present at our parish masses these past summer week-ends, due to camping, or on vacation trips, or because you have chosen to attend mass at another church.  However, at our Finance council meeting this past Tuesday, we had to raise our parish budget to meet future expenses by $45,000.  That means that we need to increase parish income by that much, which will come mainly through Sunday Contributions.  Divide that up by 52 Sundays, and that means we need to raise the Sunday collection by $865.  That would be about $5.00 a week increase from each family, and that would make it easily.  $5.00= a foot-long sandwich at Subway, or a Big-Mac combo, or a “five for five” at Arby’s, or a couple of bottles of beer, or several bottles of soda or water—it is for your church and your school.  We can do it if we believe in God, and our parish family.  Total generous support can make it possible to even get ahead a little and do other projects that need to be done, and are being deferred.

Again, thanks to all of our parishioners for what they have done for the parish.  May God bless you in accord with how you have shown His Presence and goodness, and inspire you to grow in Faith, Hope, and Charity!  We are His face in the world today!  How do we portray His goodness, His love, His Care??

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:

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

SHEPHERD SUNDAY, JULY 25: The Mascoutah Concerned Christians Food Pantry needs the following items this month: cereal, pancake mix, canned tomatoes, applesauce, sloppy Joe sauce, saltine crackers, & dish soap. Thank you for supporting the food pantry!

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.

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