December 2, 2015 // Uncategorized

Around the Diocese for December 6, 2015

Members of Prayer Blanket Ministry of Saint Joseph High School, South Bend, meet weekly to make blankets and offer prayers for those in need. Recently, several members visited with residents of Healthwin. Students Annalena Bellm, Faith Boehm, Lexi Goy, Dana Kolata, Alma Núñez, Mary Saillant and Maureen Taghon along with Tami Goy and Jeanette McKew greeted residents and presented each with a prayer blanket and a promise of continual prayer.  According to one of the members, “it was a life-changing experience.”

St. John the Evangelist to inaugurate Nocturnal Adoration Society

GOSHEN — The solemn vigil of inauguration of the Nocturnal Adoration Society will take place at St. John the Evangelist in Goshen on Sunday, Dec. 12.

The itinerary includes inscriptions at 2 p.m.; a welcome by Gilberto Loesa, the president of the Nocturnal Adoration Society of St. John the Evangelist, at 2:30 p.m.; a Eucharistic message by Father Anthony Steinacker, pastor, at 2:35 p.m.; a brief explanation of the ceremony by Raul Mendoza, the national president of the society, at 3:05 p.m.; and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and solemn vigil of Adoration at 3:40 p.m. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades will celebrate a Mass at 6 p.m. A reception and closing ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the parish at 574-533-3385. The church is located at 109 W. Monroe St. in Goshen.

Bishop Luers High School and Barnes and Noble join forces for holiday fundraiser

FORT WAYNE — In an effort to raise funds to replenish and expand their library collection, Bishop Luers High School is working together with Barnes and Noble Booksellers to host a Bookfair for their family, friends and supporters at the Barnes and Noble store at Jefferson Pointe on Sunday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Barnes and Noble will donate a percentage of every sale made by Bishop Luers supporters with a special voucher throughout the day. Supporters can choose from bestsellers, children’s books and toys, games, gift items, home and office products, CDs and DVDs, Café items, including Starbucks coffee and Cheesecake Factory cheesecake, and more … including NOOK and NOOK accessories.

Donations to the school’s library may be chosen from a special “wish list” table of books selected by Bishop Luers’ librarian Laura Sturm. Support Bishop Luers High School by shopping at Barnes and Noble or online at www.bn.com on Sunday, Dec. 13. For more information, or to get donation vouchers, visit www.bishopluers.org or call Laura Sturm at Bishop Luers at 260-456-1261 ext. 3011, or Barnes and Noble at 260-432-2123.

South Bend to celebrate Advent, end to abortion

SOUTH BEND — The St. Joseph County Right to Life will host an Advent Celebration for the End of Abortion in St. Joseph County, on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 2-3:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Parish Center, Moreau Drive, Notre Dame.

The St. Joseph County Right to Life requests participation to give thanks and to envision its next steps as a pro-life community in preventing abortion from returning and to communicate with women in crisis pregnancies.

For directions and to RSVP, visit www.prolifemichiana.org/celebration or call 574-232-LIFE (5433).

Thousands of participants, including students from St. Joseph School in Decatur, took part in what Guinness Worlds Records terms the “World’s Largest Stacking Event” on Thursday, Nov. 12. Sport stacking with Speed Stacks is in more than 40,000 schools and youth organizations worldwide. St. Joseph students who participated are, from left, Josh Myers, Guy Lister, Ryan Gerber, Paige Busick, Avery Ball, Emma Mills, Abby Rumschlag, Sara Bechinski. In back are Seminarian Nathan Maskal, and St. Joseph pastor Father David Voors.

Catholic schools among winners of Festival of Gingerbread competition

FORT WAYNE — The History Center has announced winners of the 30th annual Festival of Gingerbread competition, including Catholic schools or groups.

Catholic winners include the following: in pre-kindergarten through second grade, first place, St. Joseph-Hessen Cassel, second grade; and third-place, St. Aloysius, Yoder, pre-kindergarten; third through sixth-grade group, first place, St. Vincent American Heritage Girls, Explorers.

The Festival of Gingerbread opened Nov. 27 and ends Dec. 13. Admission is $6 adults, $4 seniors and students, and free to children age 2 and under.

For regular hours during the Festival of Gingerbread and for a complete schedule of events visit the History Center’s Facebook page or www.fwhistorycenter.com or call 260-426-2882.

The History Center is located at 302 East Berry St., Fort Wayne.

Huntington parish jail ministry to sponsor Year of Mercy series

HUNTINGTON — The Jail Ministry team will be sponsoring a monthly series corresponding with Pope Francis’ call to the Year of Mercy, beginning Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m. (after holy day Mass at 5:30 p.m.) at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Gollner Hall.  Refreshments will be served.

The series will include talks on the spiritual and corporal works of mercy as well as a book study based on Matthew Kelly’s newest release of “Beautiful Mercy” to support the spiritual needs of those who attend. These spiritual sessions are for all parish members who are interested, and especially for victims of crimes, as well as former offenders or those who are affected by loved ones who are facing incarceration or have loved ones in prison.

“Beautiful Mercy: Experiencing God’s Unconditional Love So We Can Share it With Others” will be the focus of the sessions. Matthew Kelly and 26 other Catholic authors share their thoughts on mercy in the book.

Thanksgiving celebrated in Wabash. Pre-school through second-grade students at St. Bernard School in Wabash pray together before their special Thanksgiving gathering.

Garcia earns ‘Realizing the Dream’ scholarship at Holy Cross College

NOTRE DAME — For Pedro Garcia, a dream to earn a college degree and to dedicate his life to being an educator, has been brought one step closer to reality thanks to the Realizing the Dream Outstanding First Generation Student Scholarship, provided by the Independent Colleges of Indiana.

Pedro, the son of Antonio and Marina Garcia of South Bend, has been named a recipient of the 2015 scholarship for Holy Cross College.

One scholarship recipient is selected by each of the 31 independent college campuses in the State of Indiana.

A local resident, and alum of the South Bend School Corporation, Garcia grew up just a short drive from Holy Cross. Both his mother and father were born in Jalisco, Mexico, but traveled to United States in search of a better life. Garcia’s parents lived in California before making a move to South Bend, in 1992. He attended Washington High School, where he graduated with honors, and participated in football, cross-country and the National Honors Society.

His parents have always encouraged college but had never seen it come to fruition in their family. That was, until Garcia made the decision to continue his education at Holy Cross College. following high school.

Although Garcia strives full-time to become a better student, he works a part-time job at a local Subway Restaurant to assist with the family’s financial needs. He has learned to become a hardworking student who is able to prioritize and manage his time wisely. He saw this scholarship as an opportunity to help out financially, as well as a great opportunity to further his education.

Garcia is a sophomore majoring in education at Holy Cross College. His dream to be a teacher stems from his own experience with the person he now calls his mentor, Melissa Laplace, the eighth grade science teacher at Navarre Middle School who ignited within Garcia the passion for learning, working hard and succeeding as a student.

Made possible by a grant to the Independent Colleges of Indiana from the Lilli Endowment, “Realizing the Dream” recognizes the triumphs of first-generations students in their first year of college. The student honorees are Indiana high school graduates who have demonstrated superior academic performance during their first year of studies and exhibited leadership in campus or community activities.

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