September 4: Message From Fr. Hottovy

Dear Parishioners,

The outpouring of prayer for Mario Herrera and his family continues to be incredible!  Many have expressed to desire to want to do more to help Mario but the most powerful, real and effective thing that all of us can do is continue to lift up Mario and his family in our prayers, fasting and sacrifices.  Prayer is real.  Prayer effects real change.  Prayer isn’t a sentimental act to make us feel better but is direct communication with our all Good, all Loving, and all Merciful God.  He is the Divine Healer and He listens to our pleading.  Trust in Him and continue to entrust this serious situation to Him.

We will be continuing our annual tradition of our Marian Mass, Rosary and Candlelight Procession September 16th at 7:00 pm here at St. Teresa Church.  I hope you can join us for this beautiful evening of prayer especially as we have so many things to pray for: an end to the pandemic, our upcoming elections, and peace for our country.  It will be on a smaller scale this year but nonetheless will be a wonderful opportunity to entrust all of our petitions to Our Lord and our Lady.

In Jesus and Mary,

Father Hottovy

Pastor | St. Teresa Parish

 

:: NEW & UPDATED PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS ::

 

CONFESSIONS: SCHEDULING UPDATE: Beginning September 5th, we are returning to our traditional Saturday confessions times, which are 3-4pm and 5-5:15pm (or until the last confession is heard). We are still using the sacrisities for confessions.

Herrera Family Prayer Support & Notes

  • Bracelets that say Herrera Strong will be sold after all weekend Masses except 8am for $3 each. Proceeds will go to the LPD and the Herrera family.
  • Smoothie King @ 51st & O St Wednesday, September 9th, 25% of all smoothie sales—including door dash and online orders—will go to Mario and the Herrera family in addition to any free will donations. Let’s gather together and continue to show them our support and give them our love in this difficult time.
  • Cards for the Herrera family may be put into the drop slot at the Parish Office (rectory).
  • More Information You may take a blue card from the back of the church which details how the family may be helped with prayer, with donations, and a link to the Caring Bridge updates

Men’s Club Meeting

Men of the parish are invited to join the Men’s Club. A meeting is planned for Sept 9 (and each 2nd Wednesday of a month). Meet in church at 7:30 for a rosary followed by a gathering in Kaczmarek Hall afterward.

Godteens: Registration is still open for the 2020-21 school year. If you haven't already signed up, you can register HERE or use the QR code in the printed bulletin. Home meetings begin this week!

Spiritual Adoption

Thank you to all who spiritually adopted a baby this past week. So far, 56 babies have been adopted and 36 families are participating.  It is not too late to join in. Commitment cards,  prayer cards and information sheets  are in the back of the church.  Please see the attachment (or bulletin insert) for a great story about Spiritual Adoption.

 St. Teresa Giving & Parish Income | August 2020

Each month, we need to give/collect $110,500.00 to meet our budget. There were FIVE weekend collections in August; the total came to $127,293.93 which is $16,793 OVER our goal. Well done and thank you!

 Welcome by Baptism: Michael Augustine Rajewski, son of Tim and Sara. Congratulations!

:: REPEAT PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS (for your convenience) ::

Mass Attendance is steady 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 of 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.

Marian Mass

  • As part of the Fatima Project, St. Teresa's invites you to attend our annual Marian Mass, multi-language Rosary, and Candlelight Procession on Wednesday Sept 16 at 7pm.  Due to present restrictions, this parish event will take place at St. Teresa Church.
  • The Blessed Mother asked for "many prayers" to offset the evils of 1917 and for future generations. Let us gather as one to pray for an end to Coronavirus, civil unrest in our country, and for God's hand upon the upcoming elections.
  • Note: We are looking for volunteers to lead the multi-language Rosary.  Please contact Lee Hotovy at shotovy@msn.com to volunteer.

Good Friday Collection: Because of the pandemic, many missed the opportunity to donate to the Pontifical Collection which is normally taken up on Good Friday. This collection benefits Christians living in the Holy Land. This collection will take place on September 13, 2020.

We will NOT be having a parish picnic this year (normally celebrated around our Titular Feast Day of Oct 1st) again—due to health concerns.

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.

Our St. Teresa Thrift Shop is open for business!

  • Here are the guidelines:
  • Masks must be worn.
  • Children under 12 will not be admitted
  • The number of shoppers may be limited.
  • Please donate only during store hours.
  • September Hours are Fridays 4-8 and Saturdays 9-3 BUT the store will be closed Labor Day weekend.
  • The Thrift Shop always needs volunteers! For more information, call Barb Bechtoltz: 402-499-9735, Karen Restau: 402-309-9769, or Ann Reinke 402-560-4114.

 

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.

Are you interested in learning more about your faith or are you considering becoming Catholic?

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 Highlands Golf Course on Sunday, Sept 13th.  For more info or a registration form, please contact Dale Theisen at 402-430-0973.

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 sr.mary-ruth@cdolinc.net 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 :: 

St. Joseph School, Lincoln, is seeking a faith-filled, dynamic teacher for a full-time first grade position. The position involves furthering the mission of St. Joseph Catholic School by teaching students and working collaboratively with teachers and staff to support a positive learning environment. Salary based on educational background and experience. Please send resume and references to kevin-naumann@cdolinc.net.

The All In Bible Study will be meeting at St. Joseph’s next week on Tuesday, September 8 from 8:30pm-9:30pm.

FATHER/SON PROGRAM “In His Image” for boys age 10-14 and their fathers will be held Sunday, October 4th, 2020 from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at John XXIII Diocesan Center and virtually.  This program is designed to educate boys on growing up and becoming a man. Pre-registration is required. Cost is $25 per father/son or $35 per family in person and $10 virtually.  To register, visit https://lincolndiocese.regfox.com/fatherson  Questions, please call the NFP Offices 402-473-0630 or email naturalfamilyplanning@cdolinc.net

MOTHER/DAUGHTER PROGRAM “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made” for girls age 9-13 and their mothers will be held Saturday, October 3rd, 2020 from 9 a.m. to noon at John XXIII Diocesan Center and virtually.  This program is designed to educate girls on growing up and becoming a woman. Pre-registration is required. Cost is $25 per mother/daughter or $35 per family in person and $10 virtually.  To register, visit https://lincolndiocese.regfox.com/motherdaughter Questions, please call Jen Davis at 402-261-6375 or email jmdavis17@gmail.com

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 October 5th,

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 Social distancing measures & precautions will be in place.  Attendees are asked to wear a mask for entrance into the building.

Menopause Information Session. Michele Chambers, CFCP, will be speaking about the health, hormonal, and charting implications of menopause on October 26th at 7 pm at the John XXIII Diocesan Center. The event will also be held virtually. Event is free, pre-registration requested at https://lincolndiocese.regfox.com/menopause Questions, please call the NFP Office at 402-473-0630 or email naturalfamilyplanning@cdolinc.net

 

:: REPEAT DIOCESAN ANNOUNCEMENTS :: 

The Seiker family is looking for a nighttime caregiver for Vince & Theresa Seiker from 10pm to 7am Monday through Thursday (it is possible to divide/reduce the number of days). CNA experience is preferred. $20 per hour. If interested, please call Susan at 402-975-9191.

 

Newman Institute Fall Seminars are now open for registration. Owing to COVID, the seminars will be available either in-person (limited to 15) or online. Because of their popularity, both spring seminars will be repeated. Dr. David Arias will teach "In Wandering Mazes Lost": Seven Philosophical Errors, including relativism, Marxism and transgenderism. Dr. Helen Freeh will teach Tolkien, Friendship and the Pursuit of the Good. The seminars meet for 90 minutes on alternating Monday evenings, with the first classes in mid-September. See newmaninstitute.com for details. Priests, pastors, religious and students pay half price. Dr. Freeh also gives the fall's first Reborn in Wonder lecture: Standing on a Knife's Edge: The Battle Between Hope and Despair in J.R.R. Tolkien, at 7 PM, Wednesday, September 9. The in-person public lecture, which will also be live-streamed, will be held at the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center at UNL.

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!

  • September 10-13: Work of the Holy Angels | For men or women | by Opus Sanctorum Angelorum (non-standard)
  • September 26: One-day retreat for Men by Fr. Gary Coulter “Saint Joseph and Saints for Men”

For more information, a complete list of retreats, or to register, please visit Our Lady of Good Counsel’s website.

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 JPIIRetreatLincolnNE@gmail.com 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 JPIIRetreatLincolnNE@gmail.com for more information. This event is sponsored by Spirit Catholic Radio 102.7 FM KVSS.

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.

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May God bless you and keep you!

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