Faith Formation Family News

April 23, 2014 CONTENTS:

* “The Little Ones” Cartoon *

1. Faith Formation Sessions for NEXT YEAR. 2. THANK YOU to our Catechists and Helpers 3. Events Not to Miss

Archdiocesan Priest and Seminarian Basketball Tournament (Friday, April 25)

St. Gabriel’s Spring Rummage Sale (May 1 – 3)

St. Gabriel’s Plant Sale (May 9 - 11)

St. Gabriel’s Annual Spring Tea (Saturday, May 10)

Vacation Bible School (Time to Register!)

4. Prayer of the Week – On the Canonization of Saints John XXIII and John Paul II 5. Articles for Parents from At Home with Our Faith

Lost and Found

6. Safety for Our Children: Our Volunteer Code of Conduct

7. Rediscover:Faith Imitation of Christ and Christian discipleship

8. News from The Catholic Spirit 9. Think Positively: A One-Minute Meditation 10. Videos With a Message

Catholics Come Home Evangomercials: Heavy Burden & Eucharist

Kelley Mooney's Spiritual Adaptation of Lyrics for Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"

All 14 Stations of the Cross depicted on skateboards

How Great Thou Art/The Mission

Love Is All/Playing for Change

Unsung Hero

Nature’s Seacoast at its Best

The Resurrection of the Lord

And at the end of this email . . . .

Easter Greetings to All

1. FAITH FORMATION SESSIONS FOR

NEXT YEAR

Registration Forms for 2014-15.

I will have Faith Formation Registration Forms for next year available this Sunday, April 27.

They are based on the assumption that our program will remain pretty much the same next

year.

You can access the form here:

http://storage.cloversites.com/stgabrielthearchangelcatholicchurch/documents/Registratio

n%20Form%202014-15.pdf

ONE GOOD REASON TO REGISTER NOW: Tuition rates will stay at this year’s level, at least

through June 30. If there is a rate increase for next year’s tuition, it will take effect on July 1,

2014.

OTHER GOOD REASONS TO REGISTER NOW:

1) Avoid the Back-to-School rush next fall.

2) Help the FF Office get a head start on all the administrative tasks of registering

students!

EVALUATION FORMS FOR FAITH FORMATION.

I will ask both the Children and the Parent’s to fill out an evaluation form this Sunday evening.

If you’d like to fill them out in advance, here they are:

STUDENT EVALUATION FORM:

http://storage.cloversites.com/stgabrielthearchangelcatholicchurch/documents/Evaluation

%20Form%20-%20Student%20p.pdf

PARENT EVALUATION FORM:

http://storage.cloversites.com/stgabrielthearchangelcatholicchurch/documents/Evaluation

%20Form%20-%20Parent%20p.pdf

CATECHISTS FOR 2014-15.

Several of this year’s catechists are able to return next year, but a few are moving on.

Please begin thinking now if God may be calling you to share in this important ministry.

Contact me if you’d like more information about what this entails.

2. THANK YOU TO OUR

CATECHISTS & HELPERS

We really appreciate all you do for our children:

Please join me in thanking these generous, and dedicated and talented people. PRESCHOOL, KINDERGARTEN & NURSERY: Jenni Stankewitz, Kathleen Esh,

Rhonda Pantilla, Eileen Quigley, Michelle Anderson and many helpers.

GRADE 1: Janet Krawczak

GRADE 2: Tara Carter

GRADE 3 Liane Pederson and Jennifer Hartnett

GRADE 4 Kathleen Esh,

GRADE 5 Bob McSherry

EDGE - GRADE 6, 7, 8 Ben Martinka & Kris Jamison

GRADE 9 (1YC): Marilyn Zayac & Mark Kociemba,

GRADE 10 (2YC) Sandy Behnken

SUBSTITUTES: Sister Janet Stelken, Steve & Paul Klappa, Jeff Weaver,

Peggy Haertzen, Marlene Smith, John Kielb, Sharon & Shelly Mattson, Greg

Delander, Cindy Racchini, Nick Hickman, Linda Kelly, Mary Jelinek

OFFICE HELPERS: Anna Pravinata, Peggy Haertzen, Liz Stoeckel.

Would you like to join this fun group next fall?

It would really be preferable if we could have two adults in each classroom.

Maybe you’d consider being a catechist assistant, and see how it goes. I’d be

happy to discuss this possibility with you.

3. EVENTS NOT TO MISS

ARCHDIOCESAN PRIEST AND SEMINARIAN

BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT This Friday, April 25, 2014 De LaSalle at

High School

5:00 PM – Free will donation

barbecue

6:30 PM – St. John Vianney

Seminary vs. Saint Paul Seminary

7:30 PM – Dunk Contest

8:30 PM – Priests of the Archdiocese

vs. Winner of seminarian game

Mark your calendars for the 2014

Archdiocesan Priest and Seminarian

Basketball Tournament. Come watch the seminarians from the Saint Paul Seminary and Saint

John Vianney College Seminary, as well as the Priests of the Archdiocese (including Fr.

Liekhus). In addition, there will be a dunk contest between the Catholic High Schools in the

Twin Cities. Best of all, it's free and open to the public.

ST. GABRIEL’S SPRING RUMMAGE SALE

At the St. Joseph’s campus – Social Hall

Thursday, May 1: from 9:30am–8:00pm

Friday, May 2: from 9:30am–5:00pm

Saturday, May 3: from 9:30am–12:00pm

We will be accepting rummage sale donations from Saturday,

April 26 through Wednesday NOON on April 30. We take

everything except: TV sets, large stereo sets, consoles, computers, carpeting, microwaves,

appliances, baby car seats (not allowed to sell them), old tires and wheels, large windows, box

springs and mattresses, water beds, used toilets, toxic chemicals/paint and hide-a-beds.

Furniture must be in good condition. Pick up is available Monday through Wednesday morning.

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MORE VOLUNTEERS!! · There are a variety of jobs for all to do, especially sorting and pricing.

· There are even sit down jobs for those who cannot stand for a long time.

· Men are needed to work with the hardware and furniture areas.

· Another opportunity to volunteer, especially men, is for set up on Friday, April 25

and teardown at 12:00pm on Saturday, May 3. · Food donations are always very much appreciated from Saturday until Friday. It takes a

lot of food to feed all the people who run the sale.

If you have questions or if you need items picked up, please call Suzanne at (952) 938-2401 or

Janet at (952) 935-5151 or during the week of the sale, call the social hall (952) 938-8968.

ST. GABRIEL’S PLANT SALE

Saturday & Sunday, May 10 & 11

h Campus At the St. Jo n’s

Purchase plants for your Spring Gardens, or for a

Mother’s Day gift!

Volunteers are always needed, especially to help

unload the truck on Friday, or help with the Sale on

Saturday or Sunday. Contact Mary Rivers 952-

210-2161 or mermerrivers@yahoo.com to sign up.

ST. GABRIEL’S ANNUAL SPRING TEA

Saturday, May 10, from 11:00am to 1:30pm

Social Hall at St. Joseph Campus

Food/Entertainment/Fellowship

MOMS: BRING YOUR DAUGHTERS!

$7.00 Adults

$4.00 12 yrs and under.

Limited seating - Reservations are required by calling Janet at

(952) 933-2085.

Volunteers are always welcome for set-up and serving.

PARENTS! It's NOT TOO EARLY to register your children for Vacation

Bible School! (August 4th - 8th.)

Contact Kathleen Esh for a Registration Form now.

kmeyesh@yahoo.com or 952-933-7610.

And if you would like to Volunteer - let me know! All Volunteers are

required to have a Background Check and Virtus Training, if it has not

been completed before.

4. PRAYER OF THE WEEK

On the Canonization of Saints John XXIII

and John Paul II

We praise you and we bless you, good and gracious God,

for giving us Saints John XXIII and John Paul II

to be our brothers on the path of holiness

and examples of hope and light for the world.

Let their courage embolden us,

their missionary zeal for the Gospel inspire us,

and their contagious joy be ours

as we continue their work of preaching the good news

to a world in need of your divine mercy and love.

Saint John XXIII, pray for us!

Saint John Paul II, pray for us!

Blessed be God, for ever!

Amen.

—Diana Macalintal

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' website has a wide variety of articles on

the canonization plus a nice timeline for both JPII and good Pope John XXIII. Check out these

resources.

5. ARTICLES FOR PARENTS from

LOST AND FOUND

Dealing with: Seeing echoes of the death and resurrection of Jesus in our own daily lives. Finding support and “perspective” about our “troubles” as parents.

My brother’s son and his wife just had their first baby, a little boy. His name is Colin

David, David being my brother, who died of cancer when his son was only 3 years old.

Two years ago these two young people were almost killed in a car accident when

another driver crossed the center line on a two-lane road. The wife’s dad, who was

driving, didn’t make it. My nephew and his wife endured months in the hospital and in

rehab; they will live with the physical and emotional effects of that accident for the rest

of their lives.

So this baby boy is indeed a blessing.

I called my nephew on Christmas Day, little more than a week after the baby’s birth.

He told me he and his wife had gotten each other a few presents, “But, you know, with

the baby, we really don’t need anything else.”

In this story lie echoes of the sacred stories we Christians read aloud to one another

during Holy Week: stories of suffering, death, and new life, of love that triumphs over

death.

Sometimes these echoes in our lives are dramatic, but often not. The everyday test for

us lies in recognizing this pattern of dying and rising to new life as it happens over and

over in the years of family life. You have to die to your old life when you welcome

children into your life, when your bright 10-year-old turns into a moody, “don’t touch

me” 11-year-old, when your kids leave your home for their own lives.

I look back on the year my son was 4. He had been pretty much a delight till then, but

at this age—I recall what some battle-weary friends wrote on their “Welcome, baby”

card when he was born: “Enjoy them while they’re little, because soon they grow up to

be monsters!” All day my son fought with me, refused to cooperate on the simplest of

activities. Angry, he called me “poo-poo head.” At bedtime he’d say sweetly to my

husband, “I love you, Dada,” turn to me and say, “I kind of like you.” I found relief,

finally, in a book which, along with strategies, offered this message: Don’t worry, every

parent of a 4-year-old secretly fears they are raising a juvenile delinquent. I emerged

from my fog of discouragement a little wiser, having learned that I would survive having

a child who didn’t always like me. And when my strong-willed pistol of a daughter

came along a few years later, I had fewer illusions—a good thing, too.

A friend tells of his parents relocating to another town just in time for his senior year of

high school. His mom reassured him that it would all work out, but he told her bluntly

no, it wouldn’t. “I won’t forget the look on her face, how bad she felt that all this was

happening,” he writes, “how much it hurt her to see me in pain. I ended up living with

another family the next year so I could finish at my high school, which I know was a

huge sacrifice for my mother, who basically missed my senior year.”

Living with the other family taught him to see his own more clearly. “I learned a lot

about just how much my parents cared about me,” he writes, “even letting me follow

my own desire to stay at my old school rather than live with them, which I know is what

they really, really wanted.”

What was it Jesus said? “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it

remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). Amen to

that.

By Catherine O'Connell-Cahill, from the pages of At Home with Our Faith, Claretian Publications’ print newsletter for parents on nurturing spirituality in the home. Winner of the Best in Class award in 2013 from the Associated Church Press, as well as a First Place General Excellence award from the Catholic Press Association for the past four years running.

6. SAFETY FOR OUR CHILDREN:

Our Volunteer CODE OF CONDUCT

FYI, here is the CODE OF CONDUCT that all our Catechists (and other volunteers who work with children) sign before they begin. This is just one part of our plan to

make St. Gabriel’s a safe and sacred environment for all our parishioners, and especially our children.

VOLUNTEER’S CODE OF CONDUCT For volunteers with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

As a volunteer, I promise to follow the rules and guidelines in this Volunteer’s Code of Conduct as a condition of my providing services to the children, youth and/or vulnerable adults of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

As a volunteer, I will:

Treat everyone I serve with respect, loyalty, patience, integrity, courtesy, dignity and consideration.

Use positive reinforcement rather that criticism, competition, or comparison when working with children, youth or vulnerable adults.

Maintain confidentiality in all matters related to normal parish business. Comply with the mandatory reporting regulations of the State of Minnesota and with the

Archdiocesan sexual abuse policies to report suspected child abuse. I understand that failure to report suspected child abuse to civil authorities is against the law.

Cooperate fully in any investigation of abuse of children, youth or vulnerable adults.

As a volunteer, I will not:

Touch or speak to a child, youth or vulnerable adult in a sexual or other inappropriate manner. Strike, spank, shake, or slap children, youth or vulnerable adults. Humiliate, ridicule, threaten, or degrade children, youth or vulnerable adults. Accept or give gifts to children, youth or vulnerable adults without the knowledge of their

parents or guardians. Smoke or use tobacco products while engaging in volunteer activities with children, youth or

vulnerable adults. Use, possess, or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs at any time while

volunteering. Use, possess, or show pornographic materials to children, youth or vulnerable adults at any

time while volunteering. Use profanity in the presence of children, youth or vulnerable adults.

I understand that as a volunteer working with children, youth, and/or vulnerable adults, I am subject to a thorough background check including criminal history. My signature confirms that I have read this Code of Conduct and that as a volunteer ministering to children, youth and/or vulnerable adults, I agree to follow these standards. I understand that any action inconsistent with this Code of Conduct or failure to take action mandated by this Code of Conduct may result in my removal with children, youth and/or vulnerable adults. Date: _________ Volunteer’s printed name: ________________________________________ Volunteer’s signature: _____________________________________________________________

7. REDISCOVER: FAITH

Want to learn more about your faith?

Check out http://rediscover-faith.org/ for their large collection of answers to questions of

importance to all of us.

For example, here’s a short explanation of:

Imitation of Christ and Christian discipleship http://rediscover.archspm.org/belonging/topic.php?id=67

74

8. NEWS FROM

The April 17 edition:

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=dd6794cf-afb0-46dd-bafb-e54d065566e4&c=80b5cc70-35a9-11e3-bb5c-d4ae52843aae&ch=8254af60-35a9-11e3-

bb78-d4ae52843aae

9. THINK POSITIVELY: A One-Minute

Meditation

When a person drowns himself in negative thinking he is committing an unspeakable crime against himself.

-- Maxwell Maltz

Negative thoughts can rule our lives as compulsively as an addiction. The feelings of power we get from holding a dismal and gloomy outlook deprive us of the positive and pleasant parts of life. Some of us have said, "If I expect the worst, I won't be disappointed. If I think the worst about myself, no one else can cut me down." It is like

taking a driving trip and looking only for trash and garbage in the ditches, ignoring the beauty beyond. Indeed, what we see may be real, but it is a very limited piece of the picture. When we have relied on negative thinking, it feels risky to give it up. We cannot do it in one day. We can begin by imagining ourselves with a more open attitude toward ourselves and the world. Then we can try it out as an experiment in little ways, with no commitment. Finally we reach the point where we can take a risk and entrust God with the outcome. Today, I will experiment with hopeful and positive thoughts about what happens.

You are reading an adaptation from the Hazelden book:

Touchstones By Anonymous

10. VIDEOS WITH A MESSAGE

CATHOLICS COME HOME EVANGOMERCIALS:

The CATHOLICS COME HOME organization is asking its supporters to

share its 30-second evangomercials. Here is "Heavy Burdens,"

released by Catholics Come Home at the beginning of Lent.

On Holy Thursday, Catholics Come Home released a commercial

on the Eucharist to highlight the True Presence of Jesus in the

Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of our Catholic faith.

CCH said, "the institution of the sacraments is a unique gift of Jesus to His Catholic Church. So, on this Holy Thursday, when Christ

celebrated the first Mass with His apostles, we are excited to celebrate that special

sacramental gift to us, by releasing our new Eucharist evangomercial."

CCH has a companion website, GoodConfession.com, that depicts the "dynamic duo of

sacraments--Confession and Holy Communion--that should take center stage in the spiritual

lives of Catholics to help them grow in holiness not just during Lent, but all year round."

Kelley Mooney's Spiritual Lyrical Adaptation of Leonard Cohen's

"Hallelujah"

Kelly Mooney tells the story, “We were at Easter Mass in our own parish in

Iona, P.E.I., and I had sung a song that ended with the word Hallelujah being repeated. After Mass, our parish priest asked if I would sing Leonard

Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah.’” This is the world video premiere of Kelley Mooney's approved spiritual adaptation of the lyrics for Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". She is

accompanied by the Chorale Voce dell' Anima led by Monette

Gould on June 1, 2010, at the Monument Lefebvre in

Memramcook, New Brunswick, Canada.

You can listen to this 8:25 minute rendition at: Hallelujah . Here are the lyrics:

A crown of thorns placed on His head

He knew that He would soon be dead

He said did you forget me Father did you?

They nailed Him to a wooden cross

Soon all the world would feel the loss

Of Christ the King before His Hallelujah

Hallelujah x4

He hung His head and prepared to die

Then lifted His face up to the sky

Said I am coming home now Father to you

A reed which held His final sip

Was gently lifted to his lips

He drank His last and gave His soul to glory

Hallelujah x4

The soldier who had used his sword

To pierce the body of our Lord

Said truly this is Jesus Christ our Savior

He looked with fear upon his sword

Then turned to face his Christ and Lord

Fell to his knees crying Hallelujah

Hallelujah x4

Took from his head the thorny crown

And wrapped him in a linen gown

And laid him down to rest inside the tomb

The holes in his hands, his feet and side

Now in our hearts we know he died

To save us from ourselves oh hallelujah

Hallelujah x4

Three days went by again they came

To move the stone to bless the slain

With oil and spice anointing hallelujah

But as they went to move the stone

They saw that they were not alone

But Jesus Christ has risen Hallelujah

Hallelujah x4

Hallelujah x4

All 14 Stations of the Cross depicted on skateboards

Pope John Paul II said that it's possible to be modern and

profoundly loyal to Jesus Christ. These young Chileans put this

thought into practice. They combined something as modern as

skateboarding, with their faith. The result lòoks like this: the 14

Stations of the Cross painted on skateboards.

Its creators called it Via Crucis SkateArt. The meditations for each station are the very ones

Pope Francis prepared for the Way of the Cross at WYD 2013 in Rio de Janeiro. They came up

with the idea after attending the event.

The creators are 11 young Chileans from the city of Temuco.

They say SkateArt is a reflection of their hopes and concerns.

For eight weeks, the pieces will be on display across their city.

Through Via Crucis SkateArt, they found a way to convey their

message for Holy Week.

Watch a 1:06 minute video at SkateArt Stations of the Cross.

The Mission/How Great Thou Art Story behind the video & song:

We've set an ambitious goal to film in front of all Seven

Wonders of the World. We started with the Great Wall of China with this 4:32 minute video:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCaH-...).

We set our sights on our next Wonder in Brazil: Christ the

Redeemer. This incredible piece of art soars 10 stories in the air,

stretches 100 feet wide and weighs 1.4 million pounds (630,000 kg).

But even more impressive is that it was built in the 1920's on a peak of a sheer 2,300 ft. (700

meter) cliff overlooking Rio de Janeiro.

Not far from this inspiring statue are the Iguazu Falls -- a natural Wonder of the World, made

up of 275 waterfalls that stretch across 1.7 miles.

We chose music that would be worthy of such incomparable locations. We combined the

melody of the heartfelt hymn of praise "How Great Thou Art" with the beautiful theme from the

movie "The Mission." This movie powerfully depicts the lives of men that lay down their lives

for others, and was also filmed at Iguazu Falls. "How Great Thou Art" praises God and all that

He has done for His children on this Earth. The two harmonize so beautifully with each other.

Watch/Listen to this 3:55 minute video of the Piano Guys in Brazil at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHV6BjuQOZQ.

Love is All/Playing for Change Playing For Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. To celebrate the launch of their new website

(http://playingforchange.com), they invite us to view this new Song

Around The World of children across the globe performing "Love Is

All". Lets make the world a better place one heart and one song at a time...

Watch/Listen to this 3:37 minute song at: Love is All You Need.

NATURE’S SEACOAST AT IT’S BEST 17 year old declares, “This is the Best Thing I Have Ever Filmed! I'm

so happy with this footage. Everything came together perfectly for

this flight: the wind dropped, the sun was low and orange and the tide

was almost completely in. In fact, this footage is straight out of the

camera. Apart from the obvious cuts and transitions, I've done no

editing or color correcting whatsoever. It's just not needed.”

The location is on the north Cornwall coast in England, near Newquay. The music is Hans

Zimmer's "Time". Check out this 2:49 minute capture of God’s beautiful creation Nature's at

Seacoast at its Best.

UNSUNG HERO: What is it that you desire most? This man's simple acts of kindness truly make a beautiful difference. Even though it’s a life insurance commercial and has subtitles, it still has a heart-touching message as he seems to live the gospel message of

Alleluia.

Check out the 3:05 minute video Unsung Hero. at

THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD (A “between Sundays” reflection from THE FIVE LOAVES.)

Easter Week

The Resurrection of Our Lord

- Matthew 28:1-10

Jesus meets the women who have gone to the tomb and says, “Do not be afraid. Tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” What are the miracles of God’s presence and sustaining love we have experienced this year through the words and actions of friends, family, neighbors or even strangers? Just as the Risen Lord encountered the women, the first disciples, and the two on the way to Emmaus, we must pay attention to the unexpected ways God walks with us, teaches us, and invites us to see with “new eyes.” Christ is risen. Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

You can watch the 6:15 minute video here: http://www.thefiveloaves.com/

[The video changes each week, in preparation for the upcoming Sunday’s readings. In order to

see this particular video AFTER this Sunday, click the Playlist tab to view videos from previous

weeks.]

And at the end of this email . . . .

EASTER GREETINGS TO ALL.