August 4, 2015 // Uncategorized

Around the Diocese: Aug. 9, 2015

Diocesan Catechists attend conference

Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend participants at the St. John Bosco Conference for religious educators and catechists at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio, included, from left Alice Wheeler, St. John the Evengelist, Goshen; Laurie Soulliere, St. Anthony of Padua, Angola; Debbie Baum, Bishop Luers High School, Fort Wayne; and Nancy O’Connor and Kelly Miller, both from St. Pius X, Granger.

The Franciscan Center seeks donations

FORT WAYNE — The Franciscan Center of Fort Wayne is seeking donations for its operations after reporting a recent drop in financial assistance. An envelope is enclosed in this week’s Today’s Catholic.

The center has been in operations for 26 years and operates independently from the diocese.

Executive Director Tony Ley reports, “We have three main programs — food pantry, medicine cabinet and sack lunch program. These programs offer supplemental food relief, health and wellness items, and our store is able to offer emergency clothing help in special cases.”

The Franciscan Center renders services over 80,000 times each year.

“Our sack lunch program serves over 800 individuals every week, while our food pantry serves over 350 families each week,” Ley notes.

Clients of The Franciscan Center do not fall into a particular level of income to receive services. “Our position is that if you come to us for help, we’ll offer you what we can,” Ley says.

Regarding cash flow, Ley says, “We are 75 percent donor supported, and we want to maintain our donor relationships without ‘wearing them out.’” The thrift store operated by The Franciscan Center accounts for 25 percent of their total budget. Each fall the center hosts a dinner auction night, which is scheduled Oct. 24 this year.

In addition to the monetary donations, people may assist the center with in-kind donations of food, hygiene products and other health and wellness items or offer patronage to the thrift store located at 925 E. Coliseum Blvd.

Bishop Luers makes service trip to Haiti

FORT WAYNE — The Bishop Luers High School French Club made a service trip to Haiti July 27-Aug. 5 and served in an orphanage, a school for homeless children and worked a construction project. They visited a remote village to deliver much-needed supplies.

In preparation for the trip, the students studied the history and culture of Haiti and raised funds for the trip. In addition, each student contributed $100 to the project funds account.

Bishop Luers students hoped to witness to God’s love for all of His people through the following project goals: Purchase/install an institutional grade playground at a school that serves 280 children; help supply school supplies to two schools; side plywood houses, which were built after the earthquake; support a program that gives a pair of breeding goats to needy families for milk and meat; pack and deliver hygiene kits, medical supplies and school supplies to distribute to the children and their families; meet some of the needs of an orphanage for groceries and medical supplies. Any extra funds were used to sponsor tuition for orphans and homeless children to attend school.

Follow the  service trip on the blog at http://blhshaiti2015.blogspot.com/.

Brother McCaffery to make first profession to the Dominican Order

SOUTH BEND — Brother Adrian McCaffery will make first profession to the Dominican Order on Sunday, Aug. 9, along with five other classmates.

Brother Adrian is the son of Patrick and Cheryl-Lee McCaffery of South Bend. They are members of St. Matthew Cathedral in South Bend.

McCaffery graduated from Marian High School in Mishawaka in 2007 and attended Immaculate Heart of Mary minor seminary in Winona, Minnesota, from 2007-2011. He then worked for the Dominican Sisters Home Health Care in Denver and began a graduate program at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., at which time he decided to enter the Dominican Order in the Central Province.

The novitiate is a one-year period of discernment under the guidance of a novice master. The emphasis of this year is growth in personal self-awareness and development, and growth in prayer and learning the ways of Dominican community life. During profession, these men take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.

The six novices making profession will join 17 other student brothers in St. Louis. The students live in community at St. Dominic Priory and attend Aquinas Institute of Theology for their theological education as seminarians for the next six years.

The Province of St. Albert the Great consists of 14 Midwestern states, including Indiana.

Sisters celebrate jubilees

Rose Margaret Firkus

WISCONSIN — The Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis held their annual jubilee celebration on Saturday, June 13, at St. Joseph Motherhouse in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Celebrating her 60th jubilee is Sister Rose Margaret Firkus, who entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis congregation in 1954 from St. Stephen Parish in Stevens Point.

After four years of teaching, Sister Rose Margaret received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Alverno College and began hospital ministry. She served for 10 years as co-director of prevention for AIDS Ministries in South Bend. Sister Rose retired in 2009, and continues to volunteer her time at a homeless shelter and serves Holy Spirit Parish in Kimberly, Wisconsin.

Annulment presentation to be offered

FORT WAYNE — A presentation on annulments titled, “An Explanation of What Makes Marriage Null and the Annulment Process” will be held in the parish hall (use Door No. 6) at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, 10700 Aboite Center Rd. in Fort Wayne, on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. Father Mark Gurtner, pastor of Our Lady of Good Hope Parish in Fort Wayne and judicial vicar of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, will be speaker. No reservations are required. For more information contact Cindy Black at [email protected] or 260-399-1436.

Central Catholic Alumni Association announces recipient of Spirit Award

FORT WAYNE — The Central Catholic Alumni Association has announced that Liz Kuras, Bishop Luers class of 2015, is this year’s recipient of the Central Catholic Spirit Award.

This award symbolizes the attitude of Central Catholic alumni, who all came to realize the importance that a Catholic high school education at Central Catholic High School holds. Bishop Luers has honored the memory of Central Catholic through its devotion to integrity, to the Catholic faith, and to the cherished memory of a high school that was outstanding in the fields of sports and competition as well as academic achievements.

A tribute to Our Lady of Fatima to be held in Ohio

MARIA STEIN, Ohio  — Devotions will be conducted in honor of the Mother of God  on Friday, Aug. 14, at 7:30 p.m., at the Spiritual Center, Maria Stein, Ohio. This is the 21st year for this event. It will begin with a Mass with Bishop Joseph Binzer, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, as the main celebrant. After Mass the rosary will be recited during a candlelight procession around the grounds.

Participants may want to bring a lawn chair (no seating is provided) and a flashlight. There will be handicap and bus parking and general parking on the grounds.

The Spiritual Center is located on St. John Road, Maria Stein. From U.S. Route 127, go east on State Route 119 to St. John Rd., then north one half mile. For information: www.spiritualcenter.net or 419-925-7625.

Two SJHS cheerleaders chosen as All American

SOUTH BEND — Six Saint Joseph High School, South Bend, cheerleaders participated in a special competition during the UCA Camp at Ball State University. Two were chosen — senior Kelsey Hartman and junior Rachel Schmitt — as All American Cheerleaders. As a result, they have the chance to participate in special parades with other cheerleaders from across the United States.

Junior Meghan Hickey was asked to try out as a member of the UCA cheer squad, a group that offers cheer camps across the country and sponsors competitions.

AP Scholars recognized at Saint Joseph High School

SOUTH BEND — Saint Joseph High School announced that 52 students have been named AP Scholars. The 2014-2015 school year concluded with 21 AP Scholars, 10 AP Scholars with honors, 21 AP Scholars with distinction, five of whom were also named National AP Scholars.

The AP Program offers several AP Scholar Awards to recognize high school students who have demonstrated college-level achievement through AP courses and exams.

AP Scholars are granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams. AP Scholars with honors are awarded to students who receive an average score of 3.25 on all AP exams, and scores of three or higher on four or more of those exams. AP Scholars with distinction are presented to students who receive an average score of 3.5 on all exams, and a 3 or higher on five or more exams. National AP honors are bestowed on students who receive a score of at least 4 on all exams, and 4 or higher on eight exams or more.

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