November 17, 2015 // Uncategorized
Around the Diocese for November 22, 2015
The 122nd Fighter Wing Honor Guard held a flag folding service before the Nov. 6 all-school Mass at St. Aloysius Church, Yoder. Students at St. Aloysius School invited veterans and active military personnel to the Mass and fellowship time. Msgr. Bernard Galic, pastor of St. Aloysius, reminded all that the Eucharist means “thanksgiving” and offered thanks to the men and women who serve the country. The 122nd Fighter Wing is located near by the parish and many military personnel are parishioners.
Franciscan Sisters open 150th anniversary year
FRANKFORT, Illinois — A house walk at the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Frankfort, Illinois, on Dec. 6 will mark the opening of the 150th anniversary of the congregation’s founding in Germany. The sisters, who have served in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend since 1876, are inviting the public to St. Francis Woods, 9201 W. St. Francis Rd. in Frankfort, to meet the sisters, hear stories about their life and history, learn of their special peace and justice advocacies and tour the motherhouse.
The sisters serve in schools, hospitals, nursing homes and in various organizational, parish, diocesan, university and congregational positions. They offer spiritual formation, spiritual direction and retreats. In addition, they serve the poorest of poor in the Amazonian area in Brazil.
The sisters have had a special presence in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend for 139 years, serving at St. Joseph School-Hessen Cassel, Fort Wayne; Immaculate Conception School, Ege; Sacred Heart Hospital, Garrett; St. Joseph School, Garrett; Immaculate Conception School, Auburn; Bishop Luers High School, Fort Wayne; Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Fort Wayne; St. Bernard Parish, Wabash; University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne; Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne; St. Mary School, Avilla; and currently serve at Presence Sacred Heart Home, Avilla, and St. Charles Borromeo School, Fort Wayne. The congregation also sponsors Presence Sacred Heart Home, Avilla.
Charity-Fest benefits assisting those in need
FORT WAYNE — The Fort Wayne St. Vincent de Paul Society’s fourth annual Charity-Fest was held on Oct. 3 at the USF Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center. Over 300 people attended. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades provided the invocation.
The dinner-dance event included a live and silent auction and generated a profit of $15,000. The society is grateful to all who donated financially or provided items for the live and silent auction. The $15,000 profit has already been given away to the most in need conferences. The fifth Charity-Fest will be Oct. 1, 2016, at the USF Robert Goldstein Performing Arts Center.
Joe Romie
Catholic Campus Ministry students from Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, Trine University, the University of Saint Francis and Manchester University gathered at Vincent House in Fort Wayne for a day of service on Nov. 14. Vincent Village provides transitional shelter and affordable housing for homeless families. College students painted a home in which a new family will live and sorted bedding, home items and furniture in storage at the Vincent Village Outlet.
USF announces 2015 Christmas festivities
FORT WAYNE — The University of Saint Francis has announced the schedule for its annual Christmas tradition of yuletide celebration, Christmas at USF.
Christmas at USF features events the first three weekends in December. Many are free, and all have free parking. An event schedule with details follows. More information is also available at sf.edu/christmas.
Christmas in the Castle will allow visitors to tour historic Brookside, the former Bass mansion, and to see it specially decorated for Christmas by local florists and designers.
Christmas in the Castle: Friday, Dec. 4 — 4-6 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 5 — noon-5 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 6 — noon-5 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 7 — 4-6 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 9 is Senior Day in the Castle ($4 for senior citizens) — noon-5 p.m. Admission is $6 per person, with a $25 maximum for a family of six. Tickets must be purchased in the North Campus lobby on event days. Free parking and shuttles for those with mobility issues are available at the North Campus.
“Star of Bethlehem 2015,” a planetarium show in USF’s Schouweiler Planetarium, is a 90-minute program that follows the path of the Wise Men in 3 B.C., then views Fort Wayne’s winter sky. Showtimes are Saturday, Dec. 5 — 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 6 — 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 9 — 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 11 — 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 12 — 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 13 — 5 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 18 — 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 19 — 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 20 — 5 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for visitors under 18 and senior citizens. A maximum of $14 per family is charged. Parking is available off Leesburg Road.
A Fair Trade Alternative Shopping Bazaar will be conducted on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5 and 6, from noon to 5:30 p.m. at the North Campus. The shopping bazaar offers high quality, fairly traded handicrafts of disadvantaged producers from all over the world. “Fair trade” means that producers earn a fair price, get access to credit and training and maintain long-term relationships with principled organizations.
USF students will perform Las Posadas at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 as they portray Mary, Joseph and St. Francis on a journey through the USF campus, re-creating Joseph and Mary’s search for lodging. A traditional part of Mexican Christmas celebrations, posadas (meaning “shelter” or “inns”) are held in Mexico on each of the nine nights leading up to Christmas, from Dec. 16-24. The USF procession will begin at the Pope John Paul II Center clock tower and proceed through campus before ending on the shore of Mirror Lake to lead into the Living Nativity.
Lighting of the Lake will honor special loved ones on Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Pope John Paul II Center amphitheater, in concert with the Living Nativity. As a symbol of Christmas, vigil lights will encircle part of Mirror Lake. Luminaries dedicated to loved ones can be purchased for the light display at $10 each by calling 260-399-8037 by Dec. 4. The event is free.
A Living Nativity with children’s petting zoo will take place Sunday, Dec. 6, with the petting zoo open from 5-5:45 p.m. and the Living Nativity at 6 p.m. in the amphitheater next to the Pope John Paul II Center. Members of the university community present a Living Nativity, which recalls the tradition of re-enacting the first Christmas, started in 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi. The event is free, with parking off Leesburg Road.
Christmas at USF wraps up on Dec. 19 with a special event for 2015. “Cultural Christmas at USF: World Music with Chilean Roots” is a Christmas concert from visiting Chilean cultural group KelsiCote. Their original compositions are a gift of educational and cultural enrichment for the Fort Wayne community in this joyous season.
Libby Alberding
Second-grade student Quinn Buchan became “Principal for the Day” for St. Joseph School in Decatur on Nov. 5. Her day included Mass in the school auditorium, visiting each classroom, reviewing security camera footage, sending a few emails and negotiating with Father David Voors, pastor of St. Mary Parish, a “Free Dress Day” for teachers. Her final actions for the day were to give each teacher a pumpkin spice cupcake as a reward for their hard work.
The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival announces its 2016 season, audition dates
NOTRE DAME — The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival (NDSF) has announced the titles and audition dates for its upcoming 2016 summer season. In order to explore and celebrate Shakespeare’s final plays, NDSF has selected two works that embody the playwright’s voice at the close of his career. The 2016 season is named “Shakespeare’s Last Words” and will feature adventure, exhilaration and redemption.
The 2016 Professional Company production will present “The Tempest,” and the 2016 Young Company, NDSF’s free Shakespeare-in-the-park touring show, will present “Pericles, Prince of Tyre.”
The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival will be holding open auditions on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival is seeking community and professional actors for “The Tempest” and undergraduate/graduate students for the Young Company. Young Company actors will be cast in both productions. Please prepare one classical monologue under two minutes in length. For more information and to schedule an audition time, contact [email protected].
Call 574-631-3777 or visit shakespeare.nd.edu to learn more about the 2016 Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival and other exciting programs by Shakespeare at Notre Dame.
St. Gaspar del Bufalo Parish in Rome City recently honored the memory of the deceased loved ones at a candle lighting memorial service. The parish is encouraging prayer for loved ones and also for those who have no one to pray for them. Prayer for the deceased is encouraged in November.
Ancilla College named a Military Friendly school, fourth year in a row
DONALDSON —Ancilla College has been designated as a 2016 Military Friendly School by Victory Media, the leader in successfully connecting the military and civilian worlds, and publisher of G.I. Jobs and Military Spouse magazines. This is the fourth consecutive year the small college near Plymouth has been named alongside major universities as a school that actively supports veterans and military family members in pursuit of a college education.
“Ancilla College is focused on students. We don’t have a massive, impersonal campus. Classes have an average of 14 students, led by instructors who work directly with them. That’s the kind of environment veterans can come back to school without getting lost in a sea of undergraduates at a larger institution,” Ancilla’s Vice President for Enrollment Management Eric Wignall said.
“Being Military Friendly, being supportive of veterans and their family members, is important to us. Most veterans earned educational benefits from their service that they don’t use. The transition from military life to civilian can be jarring. At Ancilla, we make sure they know they’ve earned our respect and gratitude and they’ve also earned a place in our classrooms,” Wignall said.
“Post-secondary institutions earning the 2016 Military Friendly School award have exceptionally strong programs for transitioning service members and spouses,” said Daniel Nichols, chief product officer of Victory Media and a. U.S. Navy Reserve veteran.
“Our Military Friendly Schools are truly aligning their military programs and services with employers to help students translate military experience, skills and training into successful careers after graduation,” Nichols said.
“Veterans often do not use their educational benefits and Ancilla is trying to reach out to vets in northern Indiana to change that,” Financial Aid Director Marcy Hopple said.
“One of the benefits of serving your country is access to veterans’ education programs that enable you to begin, or resume your education after you’ve been discharged from active duty, or while serving in the reserves. Veterans attending Ancilla College can receive regular education compensation for which they may qualify through the Veterans Administration” Hopple explained.
St. Thomas bridges the
generations with fall fest
Holly Hickman
St. Thomas the Apostle School in Elkhart enjoyed a fall festival following Grandparents Day on Oct. 16. Attendees were treated to games, hair painting, balloon twisting, inflatables, magic show and the chance to win an amazing raffle basket provided by various classrooms. The new St. Thomas tradition started by Father Jason Freiburger of a priest vs. principal race down the largest inflatable slide continued. The new principal Annette Mitchell gave Father Freiburger a run for his money.
Ancilla works with members of every branch of the service, she said. Even current reservists may qualify for a portion of their tuition, fees and books to be paid through the Military Tuition Assistance Program.
“Both the federal government and nonprofit organizations offer money for college to veterans, active duty personnel, or family members of veterans or active duty personnel,” Hopple said.
For more information about Ancilla College’s commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit Ancilla’s website at www.ancilla.edu/veterans.
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