Another Great Year Accomplished

Once again, we have reached the end of a wonderful year of faith formation with children in our K-8 programs. Our Marian Procession was scaled back a little, but more powerful than ever. This year, we gathered to process with Mary through our neighborhood block of Notre Dame Ave., Putnam, Dubuque, and Amory Streets, praying the Rosary at each of the four corners. It was a great testimony to the power of prayer! Little Catherine Ruiz and Daniel Sevigny crowned our Blessed Mother for us to start. Then, several of our First Communicants lead the way as we began our walk. Deacon Frank lead us in praying the Luminous Mysteries at each corner. Thank you Blessed Mother for interceding for our families!

Michelle and I are looking forward to a little down time in order to clean up classrooms, supply rooms and just catch out breath from a busy year.

The weeks of July 11 and 18, we'll launch a NEW program for Summer CCD for children in grades 3-6. If you haven't registered for this exciting new adventure, you can find our registration forms on the website or you can call our office at 624-1509 or email us at stemarie.religioused@gmail.com to get your forms. Registrations close on June 15th, so hurry!

A BIG thank you goes out to all our catechists and aides - as well as other volunteers in our other programs: Children's Lectionary, Feb. Bible Camp, Baptism team members, Jr. High Teams, RCIC and more. Without their love, support and commitment, we can't do all the great things we need and want to do for and with our families. So thank you ladies and gentlemen for sharing your time and talent with our young people. May God bless you richly for all you give!

Our prayer for all of you is that God will bless and protect you all throughout this summer vacation time. We look forward to sharing our summer CCD program with families and seeing everyone again in the Fall. Until then, God's abundant blessings, prosperity and protection to all of you.

In Christ,
Terry and Michelle

Welcome Home!

Michelle and I have been very busy this year planning, implementing and visioning about all our office can continue to do for God's children. It always impresses us how God places so many wonderful opportunities to see his grace, mercy and love in action into our daily routine in the Children's Ministry office. So many things happen that we just know are under the total control of God.

Many of you may have noticed the beautiful and breath-taking commercials for a Catholic initiative called "Catholics Come Home." Over the last couple of weeks, our office has received numerous calls indicating that these commercials have caused them to call us to seek sacraments for themselves and their children. Whole families are returning to the Catholic Church! What a blessing - what an amazing miracle of God's love in action!

We encourage everyone in our parish and beyond to reach out in a very personal way to all those Catholics you know who have wandered away either by changing denominations or simply stopping any kind of church attendance anywhere. Pray and seek God's guidance as to how YOU might serve Him through the personal invitation to Come Home Again!

Lord, we thank you for your blessings and ask for your continued guidance as we welcome those who have been away and now seek to Come Home Once Again!
In Christ,
Terry and Michelle