“Save us, O Lord our God! And gather us from the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, and make it our glory to praise you.”
+ Psalm 106 [Entrance Antiphon, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time]
Dear Parishioners,
This weekend’s Entrance Antiphon reminds us that the only One who can save us is the Lord our God. We can’t save ourselves. Nor can any of the other worldly substitutes that our culture upholds. And this should bring us consolation, confidence, and peace. Our God desires to save us in any of the circumstances of life, but we have to let Him in to do his redemptive work in our lives. This is where trust and abandonment to God’s plans for us are essential.
This week we celebrate Catholic Schools Week and we have so much to be grateful for! Our Catholic school has been a source of countless graces and blessings for 90 years for our community and beyond. Many vocations to the priesthood and religious life as well as holy marriages have been nurtured here. I know for myself that my vocation to the priesthood was fostered and cultivated by my years in Catholic schools.
May we thank the Lord for the past 90 years of St. Teresa School and ask Him to continue to guide us in His wisdom and to direct our endeavor to continue to ignite a lifelong passion for Christ in our students.
With a heart filled with gratitude,
Fr. Hottovy
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Handy Links:
- Eucharistic Adoration Sign-up
- Parish Website
- Parish Facebook Page
- Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House Schedule
Attachments:
:: NEW & UPDATED PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS ::
The 2020 Contribution Statements (2020 donation records for tax purposes) have been mailed. The snowstorm delayed things but you can expect to receive them very soon.
Air Scrubber by Aerus® | In the first week of February, an Air Scrubber will be installed in the church!
What is the Air Scrubber? The Air Scrubber by Aerus® utilizes state-of-the-art technology developed by NASA to create a safe environment for the astronauts in the international space station. This same technology can be utilized on Earth—in our church, for example—to keep our air and surfaces sanitary.
How in the world? Many air scrubbers take in the air from a building, clean it, and release it again. This system is different. This system, which attaches to our HVAC, uses oxygen and water molecules to create oxidizers (ActivePure Molecules) that are released into the space, killing both airborne and surface pathogens.
How effective is it against the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID)?
- Within an hour, 99.9% of airborne viruses have been destroyed.
- Within three hours, 93% of surface viruses are destroyed and within six hours, 98% of surface viruses have been destroyed.
It’s not just the SARS-CoV-2 virus that will be “scrubbed” from our air, but other contaminants such as dust, allergens, other viruses, and bacteria.
We’re not astronauts … is it safe for us? Yes; It has been shown to be safe to use in indoor spaces with people present and is approved by the FDA. If you would like to learn more, search “Air Scrubber by Aerus” or visit https://www.airscrubberbyaerus.com/
Saint Blaise Blessing of Throats will be offered after all weekend Masses THIS WEEKEND. (Jan 30-31)
Trivia Night 2021 is CANCELLED
Because there were not enough teams registered for Trivia Night 2021, it has been cancelled. We plan on being back and better than ever in 2022!
SOUPER Bowl of Caring
The weekend of Super Bowl LV (Feb 6-7), Godteens will be at the exits of the church after Masses to collect donations which will be given to the Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach. MTK has remained open even during the pandemic and was able to provide over 75,000 meals to people in need in 2020. Please donate to this great cause!
The Seminarian of the Week is Cody Hein is the son of Edward & Gwendolynne Hein of St. Mary Parish in David City, Neb. He is studying College 2 at St. Gregory the Great. Remember to pray for Cody and for his formation.
:: REPEAT PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS (for your convenience) ::
Grand Group
In the last year, due to COVID, we were only able to enjoy four of our planned activities. Hopefully, by the end of February we will all have had our COVID vaccinations and we’ll be able to get together safely once again. Counting on that to be the case, our planning meeting is scheduled for Tue Mar 2nd at 1pm in K.C. Hall. Since we have seven events left over from last year we only have four new events to plan. Have a safe February, get vaccinated, and we’ll count on your help to make some great plans on Tue, Mar 2nd.
Adoration + Exposition
- Exposition will continue until Feb 16th. We need an adorer for Wednesdays from 2pm-3pm so that we can keep daily Exposition. You may use the above link to the sign-up or you may call the parish office for help signing up.
- Note: There is interest in overnight adoration with exposition. In order to see how much interest there is in this, we added the night hours to the signup. If you have a regular holy hour during those times, please sign up so we can see how many openings we have. Thank you to all who make this possible!
Holy Land Rosaries
Rosaries of Olive Wood which were handmade by Christians in the Holy Land are available for purchase in the Parish Office (a minimum donation of $10 per rosary is requested). All proceeds go directly to the support of Christians in the Holy Land. These make wonderful gifts for all occasions!
Dispel the darkness by having your candles blessed! The burning of blessed candles combats disease and demonic presences. If you would like your candles to be blessed, please bring them to the rectory during office hours (9-4, Mon-Fri). If a priest is not available at that time, you may leave them and we will call you to pick them up after they have been blessed.
Online Giving
Online giving is a safe way to give to the parish without using envelopes. We encourage this practice! If you need help beginning, please call the parish office. The link for online giving is in the upper-right hand corner of our parish website: www.stlfchurch.org (or click HERE).
Altar Society Prayer Line
An Altar Society Prayer Line has been established to lift up our prayers to God as a parish community. Leva Orationes Deo is Latin for lift up prayers to God. Requests can be made by e-mailing levaorationesdeo@yahoo.com or by calling (the first caller on the list) Mary Pat McBride at 402-314-1296. All intentions will be sent by e-mail to the Altar Society e-mail list. If you want to participate in the phone prayer line, please contact Mary Pat.
Kindergarten Preview: Future Kindergarten parents: are you interested in sending your child to Kindergarten at St. Teresa School or want to find out more about our program? You are invited to attend Kindergarten Preview on Tue, Feb 9th, from 5:30-6:30pm in the school cafeteria. For more information or to sign up, call the school office: 402-477-3358. Note: incoming Kindergarteners are to be 5 years old by July 31st. In April, we hope to have a separate event where future kindergarten students can come and spend time at school.
New Opportunity to Help Your Parish Many people have received (or will receive) a COVID-19 stimulus payment. If you do not need your payment, now is a great time and opportunity to consider donating all or part of your stimulus payment. Giving to your parish an additional financial gift at the beginning of 2021 is a great way to advance the mission of your parish. Please prayerfully consider this type of gift.
:: NEW DIOCESE-wide ANNOUNCEMENTS ::
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:: REPEAT DIOCESE-wide ANNOUNCEMENTS ::
Marian Sisters are seeking a home health care giver. CNA background preferred. Full day, half day, weekend and overnight hours available. For more info, Contact Mother Ann Marie: 402-786-2750 | sr.annmariezierke@cdolinc.net
Employment Opportunity - Lunchroom Supervisor - Blessed Sacrament School is now accepting applications for Food Service Supervisor. Responsibilities include oversight and preparation of the lunch program, supervision of food service staff, menu planning, purchasing, and compliance monitoring of all state and federal nutrition requirements. Applicants must be able to meet NDE job requirements and pass a criminal background check. Inquiries can be directed to Fr. Mike Morin at 402-937-5785. Please send credentials and a letter of application to: Lunch Supervisor Applications, Blessed Sacrament School, 1720 Lake St., Lincoln, NE 68502.
Cathedral of the Risen Christ seeks a motivated individual to lead communications and marketing efforts as Communications and Marketing Manager. This part-time position will manage website updates, social media marketing, newsletter management and use graphic design programs to create collateral and marketing materials. The selected candidate must possess a keen attention to detail and superior communication skills. Evening and weekend work is required as job duties demand. Preference will be given to applicants who have received a degree and/or have experience in marketing, business or graphic design. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to Jennie Sayker, Director of Stewardship at jsayker@crchrist-parish.org. The final application date is Friday, February 12.
Divorced? Come find comfort, counsel, hope and healing consistent with Catholic Church teachings.
The twelve-week video series & facilitator led Surviving Divorce program begins on February 1st, 2021- 7-9pm, at John XXIII Diocesan Center, 3700 Sheridan Blvd. A suggested donation of $50 covers the cost of the program and includes the Surviving Divorce personal guide and all materials. Classes are kept small and may be registered for by contacting the Family Life Office at 402-473-0620 or familylifeoffice@cdolinc.net
Healing Hearts Support Sessions for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one are being offered to assist Catholics in the grief process. The sessions will be held on six weekly Tuesday evenings beginning February 16, 2021, 7:00-9:00 p.m., at John XXIII Diocesan Center, 37th & Sheridan Blvd. Suggested Donation: $25 (for materials) To register, please call 402-473-0620.