Saint Elizabeth Parish Religious Education Preparation PREP (CCD) Mrs. Mary Spieker Director of Religious Education dirreled@sercc.org 610-266-0695 St. Elizabeth s Parish web site: http://www.sercc.org/ February 2019 Holy Father's Prayer Intention for February - Human Trafficking: For a generous welcome to the victims of human trafficking, enforced prostitution, and violence. The month of February is dedicated to the Holy Family. This year the entire month of February falls within the liturgical season of Ordinary Time which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green, the symbol of hope, is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. Feasts for February The feasts on the General Roman Calendar celebrated during the month of February are: 2. Presentation of the Lord, Feast 3. Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday 5. Agatha, Memorial 6. Paul Miki and Companions, Memorial 8. Jerome Emiliani; Josephine Bakhita, Opt. Mem. 10. Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday 11. Our Lady of Lourdes, Opt. Mem. 14. Cyril and Methodius, Memorial 17. Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday 21. Peter Damian, Opt. Mem. 22. Chair of St. Peter, Feast 23. Polycarp of Smyrna, Memorial 24. Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/02.cfm
Saint Blaise Feast Day: Sunday, February 3 The Blessing of the Throats Saint Blaise s Story We know more about the devotion to Saint Blaise by Christians around the world than we know about the saint himself. His feast is observed as a holy day in some Eastern Churches. We know that Bishop Blaise was martyred in his episcopal city of Sebastea, Armenia, in 316. The legendary Acts of St. Blaise were written 400 years later. According to them Blaise was a good bishop, working hard to encourage the spiritual and physical health of his people. Persecution of christians still raged in Armenia. Blaise was apparently forced to flee to the back country. There he lived as a hermit in solitude and prayer, but he made friends with the wild animals. One day a group of hunters seeking wild animals for the amphitheater stumbled upon Blaise s cave. They were first surprised and then frightened. The bishop was kneeling in prayer surrounded by patiently waiting wolves, lions and bears. The legend has it that as the hunters hauled Blaise off to prison, a mother came with her young son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat. At Blaise s command the child was able to cough up the bone. Agricolaus, governor of Cappadocia, tried to persuade Blaise to sacrifice to pagan idols. The first time Blaise refused, he was beaten. The next time, he was beheaded. Saint Blaise is the Patron Saint of: Throat Ailments English Wool Combers https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-blaise/ SACRAMENTAL UPDATE REMINDER Children preparing for the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist should attend Liturgy of the Word on Sunday, February 24 at the10:00 AM Mass. First Reconciliation We congratulate the following children who have received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time on Thursday evening, January 24. Please continue to pray for them and for their families as they begin preparation for the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
Oscar Quintero Gionni Flores Eric Frankl Cole Griffin Mia Hawkes River Kocher Mahalia Marcajoux Kyle Nguyen Dylan Reed Jesse Reed Mateo Flores Justin George Dominic Guedes Madison Korup Bella Le Kristen Nguyen Mary Perinotti Olivia Roesler Confirmation Students preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation: Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 20 @ 4:30 P.M. with Bishop Edward Cullen at St. Mary s Parish - Confirmation Interviews are scheduled for Monday, February 4. Service hours must be completed at this time. CONFIRMATION PRACTICES: Confirmation practice for all candidates is Wednesday, February 13 at 6:00 PM at St. Mary s Church 122 W. Union Street, Catasauqua. Practice will last approximately 45 minutes to an hour. All parents are asked to come into church to pick-up their children. Candidates will be given their Confirmation robe at this time. PLEASE NOTE: The Sacrament of Reconciliation is being offered every Saturday at St. Elizabeth Church from 3:30 4:15 PM as well as before each weekend Mass. Confession will bring your child into the state of grace needed to receive Confirmation. Sponsors are also encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation at a suitable time before the Confirmation ceremony. A Second Confirmation Practice A Second Confirmation practice for candidates and their sponsors is planned for Sunday, February 17. Candidates are asked to attend the 10:30 AM Mass at St. Mary s and sit in the assigned seats. Practice will follow immediately after Mass. All are invited to a light lunch after practice in the parish center across the street. Dismissal time will be around 12:30 PM.
CONFIRMATION CELEBRATION VOLLEYBALL & PIZZA PARTY MONDAY, APRIL 8 Where: St. Elizabeth Parish Hall Who: 8 th grade PREP & St. E s School Students Food: All you can c eat pizza & drinks Time: 6:15 PM 7:30 PM You worked hard to prepare for Confirmation this year, so now is the time to kick back and share the Spirit with your classmates and friends. Are you up for the challenge! Hope to see you there! ATTENDANCE Parents are responsible to make certain that their child does make-up work if they have exceeded our three-absent per year policy. I will only notify you of how many make-up assignments are necessary, your choices of assignments, and when they are due. I am sorry if you find this an addition burden, but in all fairness this has been the policy at St. Elizabeth s PREP and all are reminded each year of this policy. Without some kind of accountability, our policy and program would become meaningless. All parents with students over the three-absent limit will be receiving a note via e-mail by mid-march. Then it is in your hands to carry out the assignment in a Christian spirit. If you have any questions or can offer a substitute makeup opportunity such as service hours, please contact me directly. Masses & Prayer Services Planned! Many thanks to our 6 th grade class for the beautiful Pro-Life Mass they hosted on January 28. Our 5 th grade PREP class will soon begin to plan for our St. Joseph Feast Day Prayer Service to be held on Monday, March 18 at 6:15 PM. All parents and families are welcome and urged to attend and pray with us! Monday, March 18 St. Joseph Feast Day Prayer Service Planned by 5 th grade PREP Monday, April 15 PREP Closing Mass All are welcome to attend! For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20
Homework Please check to make sure your child has completed the homework assignment given each week. In most cases, homework is given weekly with an added e-mail reminder. Our PREP teachers work very hard preparing lessons and challenging our students to complete work and come to class ready to share. Together, we can train our children to know, understand, and value our faith through our own words and examples. We will have our annual Cookies and Milk fundraiser this Monday, February 11 to benefit the Missionary Childhood Association. http://www.propfaith.net/onefamilyinmission/mca.aspx The cost is only $2.00 for two cookies and a cup of milk or water; however, we gladly accept extra donations for this important cause! (If your child has a food allergy, please send in an alternative snack.) Thanks for your support! Mark Tuesday, March 19 on your calendar to come and enjoy a decisious meal as we host the Community Meal for the Whitehall- Coplay Hunger Initiative from 4 6:30 PM in the Parish Hall. February 2019 St. Elizabeth Youth Ministry for Grades 6-7-8-9-10 Upcoming Events for Spring 2019 Theme of the year: Evangelization SUN 2/10: Fudge with Father! @ Parish Hall, 6-8pm SUN 2/17: Christian Family @ YM Room, 6-8pm Who doesn t like fudge! Help Father Pendzick make his favorite recipe. We will pack some to sell at the March breakfast! February is dedicated to the Holy Family. This meeting we will focus on growing in faith with our families with snacks of course
March 2019 SUN 3/3: Talks & Tunes @ YM Room, 6-8 pm Exploring how music brings us together and can bring us closer to God! SUN 3/10: St. Patrick s Day Flowers/Fudge Fundraiser! @ Parish Hall, 8:30-11am Let s meet up at the parish breakfast to sell St. Pat s Day flowers and delicious Father s fudge! Presidents Day There is no class on Monday, February 18, because of the holiday. Enjoy your long weekend! Inclement Weather In case of inclement weather, please watch for an announcement of cancellation for St. Elizabeth PREP Classes, Whitehall, on WFMZ. I will try to get the message announced as soon as possible. Rule of Thumb: If the Whitehall-Coplay School District has cancelled classes or has an early dismissal, we will not have class. WFMZ TV Note: Schedule delay or closing information will be listed on our website and not on Channel 69 (except for extreme weekend weather conditions). The Origin of St. Valentine The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom. http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=159 February Birthdays Happy Birthday to: Leah, Justin, Gionni, Mateo, Olivia, Aaron, Aubree, Landon, Guillaume-Gift, Mrs. Kelly Smith & Mrs. Spieker.
Remember to come to Holy Mass each weekend to strengthen your soul for another week of challenges! Mass times at St. Elizabeth s are: Saturday 4:30 PM Sunday 8:00 AM & 10:00 AM Guardian Angel Prayer Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom God s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. Happy Valentines Day! I ll be thinking and praying for all of you. Mrs. Mary Spieker Director of Religious Education CLASS SCHEDULE 2018-2019 2019 SAINT ELIZABETH PARISH PREP (CCD) PARISH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM 6:00 PM 7:30 PM FEBRUARY 4 Monday Class 6:00 7:30 PM (Confirmation Interviews) 11 Monday Class 6:00 7:30 PM MCA (HCA) Cookies & Milk Fundraiser- $2.00 pp 18 Monday NO CLASS Presidents Day Holiday 25 Monday Class 6:00 7:30 PM MARCH 4 Monday Class 6:00 7:30 PM (Adoration) 6 Wednesday Ash Wednesday Mass 7:00 PM 11 Monday Class 6:00 7:30 PM 18 Monday Class 6:00 7:30 PM St. Joseph Prayer Service or Mass (6:15) Hosted by 5 th Grade 25 Monday Class - Confessions during class for grades 2-8 6:00 7:30 PM