Sts Joachim and Ann Catechist Letter
Alive in Love Alive in God
April 4, 2016
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
The angel Gabriel was sent from Godto a town of Galilee called Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,of the house of David,and the virgin’s name was Mary.And coming to her, he said,“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”But she was greatly troubled at what was saidand pondered what sort of greeting this might be.Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,for you have found favor with God.Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,and you shall name him Jesus.He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”But Mary said to the angel,“How can this be,since I have no relations with a man?”And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;for nothing will be impossible for God.”Mary said, “Behold,
I am the handmaid of the Lord.May it be done to me according to your word.”Then the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:26-38
Dear Catechists:
I hope each of you had a very happy and holy Easter and were able to spend time with your family. It is hard to believe we only have a five more class more weeks of PSR. Our First Communion is on April 16th and Confirmation is on May 5. Please keep the 2nd, RCIC students and 8th graders in your prayers as they prepare to receive their sacraments.
Upcoming Events
April 4 PSR Class, 8th grade Confirmation Interviews begin, Registration packets sent home with
Students, 7th grade Confirmation Make-up Meeting at 7PM in Church
April 10 First Communion Practice 12:30PM in cafeteria
April 11 PSR Class, Father Gahan talks with 2nd grade
April 16 First Communion 10AM, pictures begin at 8:30AM in PAC, group picture 9:45AM
April 18 PSR Class, AGAPE Meal for 2nd grade and RCIC
Make Up -7th grade Confirmation Meeting – April 4th
Students and parents who missed the Confirmation Meeting on March 8 are asked to attend the Make up meeting on April 4 at 7PM in Church. Students who attend the earlier session should go to class and let your teacher know you need to attend the meeting at 7PM. Students who attend the later session should let their teacher know they will be at the meeting and will be in class after the meeting. A letter is being mailed out to the families.
8th grade Confirmation Interviews-& Letter to the Bishop
Confirmation interviews with a priest will begin tonight. The students from Angela Kendrick’s classroom and Barb Marquart’s classroom will have their interview this evening. Fred Ackerman’s class will begin next week with Father Brockland and complete theirs on April 18th. A copy of the student’s name and interview time is in your mailbox. Please remind the students about the time. Father Brockland will be in Room 101 and Father Gahan will be in Room 103. Please make sure the students have the following in their folders for the interview:
Mass reflection journal #2, Service hour log, Sponsor Spiritual project, Saint report, Reflection on the retreat, reflection on their service. One of the last things the students will need to do is write a letter to the Bishop requesting Confirmation. Since we will have Monsignor Rivituso, the letter will be addressed to him.
A sample letter is included in your mailbox that can be given to the students to use. The letter is due April 15th or before.
Eucharistic Ministers needed for First Communion and Confirmation
If you are a Eucharistic Minister and would be willing to help at the First Communion mass on April 16 at 10AM and/or Confirmation on May 5 at 7PM please let me know.
Registration Packets and PSR Surveys
Registration packets for the oldest child are in your mailbox. PSR Surveys are in your mailboxes as well. Please make sure the registration packets are given out to the parents or students before leaving the classroom tonight. Additional registration packets are available for new families in the back of church, PSR and rectory office and online at stsja.org. Parents who used the Shop for Our Schools program and met the $30 profit for the year will be contacted by email of their waiver for the registration fee.
LANDINGS Sts. Joachim and Ann Parish is forming a new ministry called LANDINGS. This is a welcoming and listening environment to help inactive Catholics explore a return to the Catholic faith. A new eight-week LANDINGS series is forming. Please consider extending a loving invitation to an inactive Catholic to explore the possibilities. For additional information, see the insert in today’s bulletin or contact the Rectory office at 636-441-7503.
Bereavement Ministry We are pleased to offer again this year a six-session Bereavement Ministry support group led by our parish team. This offers a very gentle way of helping people come to a greater appreciation of God in their lives at what can be a very challenging time. This group will meet on Wednesday evenings April 6 – May 11, from 7:00-9:00pm in the church meeting room. For more information contact Jeanne & Jim Potts at 636-939-3428.
First Communion Practice All 2nd grade and RCIC children who will be making their First Communion on April 16 and at least one parent are expected to attend a First Communion practice on Sunday, April 10 in the cafeteria after the 11:30AM Mass. The practice should take about one hour.
For The Love of Mary – May 1 at 12:30PM This “Soup and Salad” casual potluck luncheon is a time of joining other women as we honor the mother of Jesus. Bring your mother, your daughter, your friend, along with special mementos from your past, or just come to enjoy time with others who want to know more about Mary. Let’s share our love of Mary while we learn something new. For questions and to RSVP, please call Sherry at 636-928- 0384.
Rose