April 6, 2016 // Uncategorized

Around the Diocese for April 10, 2016

Todays Catholic

Students hosting 5k to help Haiti orphans

FORT WAYNE — Students from the University of Saint Francis will hold a 5k run/walk and silent auction on Sunday, April 17, at 1 p.m. in the Hutzell Center on the USF campus, 2701 Spring Street, to raise funds to support orphaned children in Haiti. The Formula for Life 5k is open to all levels of runners and walkers and families are welcome. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Orphanage in Haiti.

The fee to participate in the 5k is $15 and K105 will provide music and broadcast live. K105 will offer a special prize packet just for Formula for Life participants. On Saturday, April 16, participants are invited to a special pasta dinner from 5 to 7 p.m., where they can pick up their prize packet in advance and get a sneak peek at the silent auction items. The dinner is included in the $15 registration fee. Register at runreg.com or email Amy Obringer at [email protected] for a registration form.

Formula for Life was created by USF graduate Cortney Shepard after a mission trip to the Dominican Republic in 2007 where she encountered newborns and infants in dire need of nutrition. Deeply moved by the experience, she began raising funds to send infant formula to Haiti, where even more children were in need. Her work gained momentum on the USF campus and evolved into a university-wide campaign named Formula for Life.

For more information about Formula for Life, visit F4L.sf.edu and like Formula for Life on Facebook.

USF Offering Summer Theology Institute

FORT WAYNE — The University of Saint Francis is offering a Summer Theology Institute entitled “Beauty Will Save the World!” for high school students, June 12-17, 2016 on the USF campus, 2701 Spring Street.

The institute seeks to broaden and enrich the theological understanding of how beauty reveals God in our world in five ways: in the beauty of the earth God created for humanity; in the beauty of the arts, including icons; in the beauty of divine worship, including liturgical chant; in the beauty of the body and human sexuality that God created; and in the beauty of religious and lay vocations and service to the poor and suffering.

The Summer  Theology Institute is made possible through a Lilly Endowment Theology Institute for High School Youth grant. The Summer Institute fee is $360 and includes room and board, instruction, supplies and transportation. Scholarships are available with applications required.

Registration and scholarship applications are available online at philosophy.sf.edu/summer-institute. For more information about the Summer Theology Institute, contact Dr. Adam DeVille at [email protected].

Catholic Charities to unveil mobile unit

SOUTH BEND — Catholic Charities will unveil in South Bend its first-ever mobile unit to serve the needs of the poor in rural areas Monday, April 11, at 11 a.m. at the Catholic Charities office parking lot, 1817 Miami St.

Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend will bless the new mobile unit. Liz Flaherty, spokesperson for Catholic Charities, will also be on hand to introduce the new service to the public.

The goals of the mobile unit are: 1) attend to the needs of the target population where they live, work, and go to school; 2)conduct rolling research, learning the specific needs of the target population and developing effective strategies to address those concerns; 3) establish collaborative relationships with other agencies, bringing in partners who can address needs that don’t fall within the scope of the mission; 4) expand the organization’s reach in a cost-effective way; 5) nurture strategic partnerships with parish communities, expanding awareness of the agency’s mission and increasing engagement opportunities with parish members.

Sisters to host ‘Grieving Gracefully … Into a Future Full of Hope’

SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS — Sister of Providence Connie Kramer will be facilitating the upcoming retreat “Grieving Gracefully … Into a Future Full of Hope,” which is intended to help those who are going through the grieving process. Sister Kramer has more than 40 years of experience in ministry dealing with those who are grieving or have grieved.

Persons of all faith traditions are invited to attend the upcoming one-day retreat, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., on Saturday, April 23, in the Providence Hall Community Room.

Sister Kramer, who ministers as a professionally certified group counselor/facilitator, grief specialist and spiritual director, said it is difficult to grieve well in today’s society because we receive 23,000 messages by the time we are 15 years old that sadness is bad.

“The process of grieving is quicker if you participate in some group activity with other persons who are going through the same process,” she said. “That is why this retreat is so important.”

The retreat will be conducted in a group setting, where hope and healing await for those willing to share their sacred grief journey with their God and with one another. A primary focus will be on understanding and embracing the process of grief.

Cost to attend is $40, which includes lunch. The registration deadline is April 18.

Register online at Events.SistersofProvidence.org or by calling 812-535-2952.

New athletic director named at Marian 

MISHAWAKA — Principal Mark Kirzeder has announced that Steve Ravotto has been named the new athletic director of Marian High School beginning July 1, 2016. He will replace Mr. Reggie Glon who has served for 22 years and will continue as the head coach of varsity football and the director of operations for the school.

Ravotto brings exceptional experience, leadership and a deep commitment to the mission of Marian High School. He has been a public servant for 24 years as a member of the Mishawaka police department, serving as assistant chief since 2006.

He also has 12 years of extensive coaching experience at the elementary and junior high school levels in football, basketball and baseball. He has coached youth football for the Mishawaka parks department, the Inter-City Catholic League (ICCL) and East End Little League.

He and his wife, Colleen, are both Marian alumni and active members of St. Joseph Parish in Mishawaka.

They have six children, four of whom are Marian graduates and in college. The fifth will graduate from Marian in May 2016 and the sixth will graduate in 2019.

Ravotto commented, “I am happy to continue my service of helping and leading others in accordance with the mission and vision of Marian High School. I am looking forward to working with the student athletes, staff, and parents to build on the strong foundation and the many successes that Marian has achieved.”

Mark Kirzeder, who led the search committee added, “Marian was greatly blessed to have many qualified applicants for athletic director and I am deeply grateful for those who applied for the position. I am excited that Mr. Ravotto has accepted the offer to become Marian’s next athletic director because he possesses the leadership qualities, strong connection to the Marian and Mishawaka communities, family values and strong Catholic identity that I believe are vital to the continued success of Marian’s rich athletic history and tradition. I look forward to working closely with Mr. Ravotto in his new role and I invite the entire Marian family to welcome him as well.”