April 26, 2017 // Diocese

Around the Diocese: April 30, 2017

St. Bernard choir plans goodwill concert tour

WABASH — The St. Bernard School Choir, which includes all students in grades one through six, will be traveling to sing in Peru, in Lagro and Wabash.

The Peru concert will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary of St. Charles Borromeo Church, 58 W.  5th St., at St. Patrick Oratory in Lagro at 12:30 p.m. and the closing concert will be at 2 p.m. at St. Bernard Church at 191 N. Cass St.

The choir will present a short program of hymns, traditional folk songs and rounds as well as several selections from “The Sound of Music.”

This event will be a goodwill tour for students to visit neighboring parishes where some of their classmates attend as well as a cultural experience in learning the history of these parish communities. Additionally, there will be an artistic component where the students will have the opportunity to learn about the architecture, stained glass windows, experience the notable pipe organs and sketch some of the art in the churches visited.

Blessing of the Easter baskets. Father David Violi of Holy Family Parish blessed Easter food baskets like these on Holy Saturday. Blessing Easter food items is a Polish tradition, and families enjoy the food the following day.

For information, call the school office at 260-563-5746 or Peggy Coppler, choir director at 260-571-3694.

Notre Dame plans eucharistic procession

NOTRE DAME — Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades will preside at a eucharistic procession on Sunday, April 30, on Notre Dame’s main quad, starting at the basilica and ending with Benediction at the Main Building. The procession will begin at 1:45 p.m. and will last 60 or 75 minutes. In case of rain a Holy Hour inside the basilica will take place.

Indiana General Assembly recognizes Notre Dame’s 175th anniversary

NOTRE DAME — The Indiana General Assembly passed a resolution April 18 recognizing and honoring the University of Notre Dame on its 175th anniversary.

The General Assembly’s resolution, which was authored by State Sen. Joe Zakas, R-Granger, and sponsored by State Rep. B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, recognizes the growth of the University from its humble founding to its current status and makes specific reference to the journey by Father Sorin and his compatriots.

“Notre Dame is proud of its founding 175 years ago on Indiana soil, and grateful today for the legislature’s recognition,” said Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC, president of the University.

As part of the anniversary celebration, the University will sponsor the Notre Dame Trail, a pilgrimage in August re-enacting the journey of Father Sorin and the Holy Cross brothers. The public is invited to join in the final days of the event. More information is available at trail.nd.edu.

Besides Zakas and Bauer, other legislators who joined in sponsoring the resolution include Sens. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend; Ryan Mishler, R-Bremen; Blake Doriot, R-Syracuse; Ed Charbonneau, R-Valporaiso; Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne; Frank Mrvan, D-Hammond; Andy Zay, R-Huntington; Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores; and Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago; Reps. Dale DeVon, R-Granger; Ryan Dvorak, D-South Bend; Joe Taylor III, D-South Bend; and Tim Wesco, R-Osceola.

Blaine Cook

Bishop Luers student receives President’s Volunteer Service Award

FORT WAYNE — Blane Cook, a senior at Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne, has been honored for his exemplary volunteer service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award.

The award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country, was granted by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Cook has made service a significant part of his life. Active in basketball and baseball at Bishop Luers High School, Cook participated in the World Baseball Academy and was part of an evangelization mission team to the Dominican Republic for two weeks last summer. He used sports to connect with the youth there and collected supplies and funds distributed to those in need.

Cook called the experience humbling and inspiring. “Just to help people out brings a joy and fulfillment that I can’t experience anywhere else,” Cook said of his volunteer experiences.

After returning from the mission trip, he helped coordinate a Vacation Bible School at his parish, St. Joseph the Worker, Fort Wayne. He again connected his faith and love of sports with the children at the camp.

Cook is active at St. Joseph Parish as a Mass server and member of the Christmas choir, and helps his family with dinners, luncheons and fundraising activities at the church.

At Bishop Luers High School, Cook serves as a Sodalitas service-learning leader, student council member and is active with Future Business Leaders of America.

Skip Holtz to speak at Holy Cross Commencement

NOTRE DAME — Holy Cross College is proud to welcome Skip Holtz and Nichole Dunne as the speakers for the college’s 50th commencement ceremony.

Holtz, son of Beth Barcus and former college and NFL football coach, Lou Holtz, attended Holy Cross Junior College from 1982 to 1984, before earning a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Notre Dame in 1986.

Growing up surrounded by the sport, Holtz played football for both his Fayetteville, Ark., high school football team and the University of Notre Dame. He has also had a long and successful career as a coach, starting with Florida State University, where he met his future wife, Jennifer. He coached with his father at both Notre Dame and South Carolina.

Holtz is currently the head coach at Louisiana Tech

In 1996, Holtz was the recipient of the Life Center’s St. Francis Award, given for his dedication and support of Christian values and outstanding athletic achievements. The next year, he was honored with the National Football Foundation Man-of-the-Year Award. In 2016, Holtz earned Conference USA Coach of the Year honors.

Outside of football, Holtz has worked to raise funds to send under served children to recreational and educational summer camps. He is also involved with the Board of Trustees of the American Diabetes Association, and supports the Drew Steele-Skip Holtz Golf Classic, which benefits individuals with special needs.

Holtz will be awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters at the commencement ceremony.

Huntington, Bishop Luers students place in state science fair

From left are science fair winners Grace Bryant, Jessica Hartmus and Laura Hartmus.

FORT WAYNE — Three Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Catholic Schools students qualified and attended the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair, or state science fair, April 1 at IUPUI. Jessica Hartmus, a Bishop Luers High School freshman, participated with her project, “Molding Bricks, Molding Lives: Designing Technology Improvements to Brick Production for the People of the Fort Portal Region of Uganda — Year Two” and was awarded the University of Notre Dame College of Engineering Award for Excellence in Engineering. Grace Bryant, eighth-grade student at Huntington Catholic School, participated with her project, “The Effect of Reinforcers on Short-term Memory” and was awarded the Outstanding Research in Psychological Sciences award for the junior division and a full scholarship to attend a DNA Learning Center Residential Summer Camp at Notre Dame. Laura Hartmus, a Huntington Catholic seventh-grade student, participated with her project, “LUKE: Letters of the Ultimate Kindle Expedition (A Study of Robotics)” and was awarded the U.S. Navy Award for Excellence.

 

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