Dear Parishioners,
Starting this Sunday we will be resuming Eucharistic Adoration with Exposition. We all have so many things that we are praying for: an end of COVID, a school year that can remain in-school, for peace for our country with so much political, societal and cultural upheaval, and our upcoming elections. Our Lord is the answer to all of the concerns of our hearts. Just as Jesus came to us over the past several months with our Eucharistic Processions, now the Lord invites you to come to Him in this most intimate way. I hope you are able to make the most of this opportunity by committing to a weekly hour but if this isn’t possible at this time, to come and spend time with our Eucharistic Lord often.
Some other important and exciting updates:
- We are coming to the completion of many construction projects that happened over the summer for our school. The school is fully air conditioned! The gym ceiling renovation with acoustical tiles is finished. The new A/C in the gym allows fresh outside air to be brought in. Replacement of windows in the gym and stairwells continues. The new windows – which replace 50+ year-old windows – are double-paned, insulated glass will allows for a significant increase in energy efficiency in the gymnasium.
- School will begin this Monday, August 17. As you well know, this academic year will be unlike any other in our lifetimes. I am so grateful to Sister Mary Cecilia and all Saint Teresa School teachers and staff for their dedication, innovation, and incredibly hard work in preparing to make this upcoming school year a success. Thanks, too, to all of our school parents for your patience and understanding and support of Sister Mary Cecilia, all of our teachers, and myself. We will undoubtedly have to make changes and adaptations in the first weeks of school as we get used to this new “normal.” I ask for your patience, understanding, and cooperation as we get the school year off to a strong start. We are looking forward to having your students back in class and are very grateful for you partnering with us to teach and form your children as Jesus’ disciples.
- Mass Attendance continues to increase for our Sunday Masses. If we get to a point that we reach capacity for weekend Masses, we will direct people down to K Hall where the Mass will be livestreamed and communion will be brought to those downstairs. Our daily Mass attendance is steady and there is plenty of room to spread out in the church. Please join us for Mass if your health permits.
- Planning for RCIA, CCD, Godteens and Religious Education for Intellectually Challenged Youth and Adults are in the works, as we are trying to determine the best way to proceed with these groups.
- We are considering creative ways that we may have a simplified version of our Parish Bazaar this year. There has been communication with our parish groups to see what might be possible.
- Many of you have been very generous in maintaining or increasing your church support in the last four months. Because of lessened attendance at Sunday Mass, our collections have obviously gone down. We continue to have fixed costs such as utilities, salaries, property insurance, etc. Would you please consider maintaining your level of giving or maybe increasing it a little? Your support is important and much appreciated.
Know of my prayers for all of you. May Our Lady, Queen of heaven and earth, intercede for you and protect you at every moment.
In Jesus and Mary,
Father Hottovy
Pastor | St. Teresa Parish
Secretary’s note: Announcements are now being split into new (or updated) and then repeated, to keep things simpler for you to read and understand.
:: NEW & UPDATED PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS ::
Mass & Confessions Updates
- Beginning Mon, Aug 17th, 6:30am Masses will resume and there will be one weekly 5:30pm Mass on Fridays.
- Attendance at the 8:15am School Mass will be limited: The last pew, side chapels, and choir loft will be available for non-student seating.
- Confessions will be heard Thursdays 1/2 hour before Masses beginning August 20th (in addition to Fridays before-Masses and Saturday afternoons.)
- Additionally: The rosary will be prayed in church at 7:30am on weekdays.
Those who are unable to attend Mass or Confessions in person may contact the parish office to schedule a home-visit from a priest for confession and/or communion.
Eucharistic Adoration (Exposition!)
During this difficult time in our community, country and world, we need Jesus more than ever. Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament is vital for the conversion of our world. We want to bring back Eucharistic Adoration, but we need to make sure that someone is present with Jesus the whole time He is exposed. As we ease back into an adoration schedule, Exposition will be Sundays from 1-9pm, Mondays from 9-9, and Tuesdays from 9-9 and will begin August 16th IF all Hours are filled. We will reevaluate on September 29th. If you aren’t able to commit to an hour each week, consider signing up as a substitute. Regardless of whether you commit or sub, please stop by at any time during adoration to make a visit with our Lord, even if only for a few minutes! God loves to spend time with you! An online sign-up has been created HERE to make sure all hours are covered and its link is in the weekly e-mail. If you want to sign up but can’t use the link, please call the parish office for help.
Our SCRIP program is beneficial, indispensable, and ever-evolving … especially as COVID has changed the way we are doing all things. Using SCRIP for even your most basic shopping needs can offer St. Teresa School $150. That’s $100/week x 52 weeks. If 300 families did this, St. Teresa’s would receive $46,800 each year. We are currently at almost $7,000. We can do so much better! Please see the attachment “SCRIP COVID Instructions” for a detailed announcement and then take time to look at the Raise Right Flyer for ideas about how to use this new app.
Fatima Project Update
It’s not too late to join the Parish’s spiritual pilgrimage to Fatima! For more information, please pick up a brochure in church, view the attachment on the most recent e-mail, or find it on our parish’s Facebook Page.
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) will be offered this year. Classes are in the Marian Room from 7:30-9pm on Thursday evenings, beginning on Sept 24th. These classes are for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Invite a friend and plan to attend!
Golf Tournament: St. Teresa's Men's Club is sponsoring a golf tournament. The four-man scramble will be held at Highland Golf Course on Sunday, September 13th. Please contact Dale Theisen (402-430-0973) for more information or a Registration Form.
Construction Updates
The school is fully air conditioned! The a/c is complete and is being tested. It is expected to be fully operational by the first day of school. (Bonus: the gymnasium’s system uses fresh outdoor air!) Replacement of the windows continues and is expected to be complete within two weeks. The new windows are double-paned, insulated glass which will contribute toward the efficiency of our system.
ALL IN | Youth Bible Study
High Schoolers and College Students: come join us for a weekly Bible Study. It will be a great chance to grow in your faith and in a relationship with others from the diocese. The time is now to be ALL IN for the Faith. Meetings will now be held on Tuesdays. The upcoming meeting will be TUESDAY August 18th at Cathedral.
St. Teresa Thrift Shop
is open for business on Saturdays in August from 9-3. Donations can be made during these times at the back door of the store. All volunteers and shoppers must wear masks (which are not provided). We may limit the number of shoppers in the store at one time to adhere to the social distancing guidelines. Only children who are 12 and older and accompanied by an adult will be admitted at this time. To volunteer, call: Barb Bechtoltz: 402-499-9735, Karen Restau: 402-309-9769, or Ann Reinke 402-560-4114.
Kids Night! Fri Aug 21st from 4-8pm All customers are welcome, but children 5 and older can come this night (no more than two children per adult, please). Toys and children’s clothing—including juniors—are half price.
:: REPEAT PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS (for your convenience) ::
Grand Group: Wearing our masks, using hand sanitizer, practicing social distancing and being mindful of how we handled refreshments kept us safe from COVID when we played Bingo last month and we will keep these practices in place for this month’s event. Wendy Tridle from “Organized by Design” is our speaker this month and she is just as anxious to be careful as we are. Wendy will give a slide presentation and answer our questions about organizing and downsizing all the things in our homes that we have accumulated over the years. This event will be held on Fri, Aug 21st at 1pm at KC hall. Let Phyllis know (402-488-9177) if you will attend by Mon, Aug 17th. Don’t miss out!
Godteens: Online registration is open for the 2020-2021 school year for our parish’s high schoolers. The deadline is August 30th. Please use THIS LINK. An Ice Cream Social is planned for Sept 2nd in the school parking lot to kick off the school year.
Parish Giving & Income: In July 2020, we gave/collected $73,921.10. Our budget requires $88, 400 which means we came up $14,478.90 short. Please remember to be generous in your giving. If you do not yet attend public Masses, you may mail in your envelope, leave it in the dropbox at the Parish Office, or donate online.
In-parish Job Opening: St. Teresa Catholic Church and School is seeking a Custodian. This includes general cleaning—keeping the facilities clean and orderly—and upkeep of the parish, school, and grounds, sanitizing surfaces at school and public areas of the church and rectory, mowing and grounds maintenance, snow removal and ice-melt application, and occasional light maintenance and minor repairs. High school diploma or GED is required. For more information, contact the Parish Office: 402-477-3979.
Walk the Little Way for 2020 is gearing up. If you have a business and would like to support Saint Teresa School by advertising on the t-shirts and banner for Walk the Little Way, please contact Janice Swanson at Janiceswanson7 @gmail.com.
St. Teresa School is looking to add to our list of Substitute Teachers for the 2020-2021 school year. If you do not have a teaching or substitute certificate, you may still be eligible to apply for a local substitute teaching permit. This permit requires a minimum of 60 semester credit hours of college coursework and at least one course in professional education. Contact Sister Mary Ruth at 402-477-3358 or [email protected] for more information.
Confirmation: The eagerly-anticipated confirmation of last year’s fifth graders will take place September 19th and 26th at 10am. Please note: attendance is by invitation only.
Pink Sisters & Adoration Chapel: Because the current (COVID-19) Risk Level in our community is high, the Chapel remains closed to the public in order to preserve the health of the sisters and the lay adorers. When the Risk Level lowers significantly, reopening of the chapel will be considered.
:: NEW DIOCESAN ANNOUNCEMENTS :
The Seiker family is looking for a nighttime caregiver for Vince & Theresa Seiker from 10pm to 7am Monday through Thursday. If interested, please call Susan Foley at 402-975-9191.
Men’s Conference: October 17 from 9 am – 3 pm at St. Peter Church in Lincoln. Men on Fire: Take Back What Belongs To You. Online participation option now available! Register online at www.jpiihealingcenter.org
Scholarships available - contact Annette Wemhoff at [email protected] for more information. This event is sponsored by Spirit Catholic Radio 102.7 FM.
Women’s Conference: September 24-26 @ St. Peter Church in Lincoln. Undone: Freedom for the Feminine Heart. Online participation option now available! Register online at www.jpiihealingcenter.org. Scholarships, student and missionary discounts are available - contact Annette Wemhoff at [email protected] for more information. This event is sponsored by Spirit Catholic Radio 102.7 FM KVSS.
:: REPEAT DIOCESAN ANNOUNCEMENTS ::
Upcoming Retreats at Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House
Note: Altar Society or Men’s Club will pay for half of the cost of a standard retreat once per retreat-year for parishioners!
- August 28-30, a retreat for Men and Women will be given (in person) by Father Gary Coulter and Matt Simmons. The topic is Unbound: Freedom in Christ.
- September 4-7, a 3-4 day Directed Spiritual Exercises retreat for men and women (in person) will be given by Fr. Gary Coulter and Fr. Chris Barak.
For more information, a complete list of retreats, or to register, please visit Our Lady of Good Counsel’s website.
2020 Calvary Cemetery Memorial Golf Tournament
This year we are adding a “Memorial Flag” sponsorship, available on each hole of our golf tournament. Your loved ones name(s) would be on the flag and the flag is a keepsake for you after the tournament. With the Memorial Sponsorship, a Friday, 12:15pm Mass at the Mausoleum, date chosen by you, will be offered for your loved ones. Please join us in a fun day of GOLF at Firethorn GC. The 4-person scramble is on Monday, August 17th – Registration & Chick Fil A lunch starting at 11:30am and a 1:00pm start. $150.00 per player/$600.00 per team includes green fees, golf cart, lunch, Firethorn Dinner and Prizes. Sponsorships/Donations are most Welcome. For more information or to sign up, email [email protected] or call 402-476-8787.
Diocesan Confirmation Retreat
All students being confirmed along with their parents are invited to attend the “Confirmed in Mission” Confirmation Retreat! It will be held Saturday, October 3rd from 10am-4:30pm at Camp Kateri. This event is an opportunity for parents and their children to come together to be renewed in the Holy Spirit and prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation. Light breakfast and lunch is provided, and appropriate health measures will be taken. Cost is $15 per person to register. To register or for more information visit: www.lincolndiocese.org/mission
The Benedict XVI Diocesan School of Catechesis is for Catholics wanting to strengthen their intellectual and spiritual formation to empower their evangelical mission in the world. It covers the Creed, the Sacraments, the Commandments, and Prayer (Year I) as well as Salvation History, Church History, Faith and Reason, and Spirituality (Year II). Participants can join in Year I or Year II and classes will be offered in-person and on Zoom simultaneously. The time commitment is one Saturday a month from September to April for two years. The cost is $100 per semester but those who teach CCD, God-teen/CYO, or in Catholic schools receive a 25% discount.
For more information go to www.lincolndiocese.org/bxvi or call 402-473-0631.
The Immaculate Heart of Mary Counseling Center with Catholic Social Services continues to support mental health for the Diocese of Lincoln through the use of telehealth. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health difficulties that adversely impact daily functioning or shadow the joy of living, please reach out. For more information, visit their website at immaculateheartcounseling.org or call 402-489-1834.
::
May God bless you and keep you!
::