Our Family, Our Faith and Our Future Campaign
We are approaching the final year of our recent capital campaign. Thank you for your ongoing attention and fidelity to your pledge, and thank you to those of you who are on target to fulfill yours. As a reminder, the campaign benefits three major areas: Building our Community, Sustaining our Mission and, in August, we made our final payment to the Archdiocese that was the third portion of the campaign, Supporting the Larger Church.
Shenanigans Fall Fest
Join us for Shenanigans Fall Fest Sunday, September 24, 11-3 here in our parking lot. Festivities include music, inflatables, train rides, crafts, games, ice cream, and lots of photo ops. Bring the family, bring friends, invite anyone to come and share in the spirit of Holy Family. All of our Shenanigans events are a great way to include and invite others to catch our spirit and experience much of what the Holy Family Catholic Community is about and who we are, and to be as welcoming as we can.
Academy Update
We are off to another great start at HFCA. Enrollment is very strong. We have new students in every grade. Fall athletics have begun including Golf, Cross Country and Girls Volleyball. Weekly Mass hosted by one grade each week has been moved from Tuesdays to Wednesdays at 9:00am.
You may have seen the word WELCOME written in many different languages as you enter door 20 near the gym. We have students in our Academy who speak 27 different languages. This is largely due to the International Baccalaureate part of our curriculum, which incorporates unique international “traits” or learner profiles. This complements our Inquiry Based curriculum making HFCA truly unique and on the radar of companies who transfer employees from other countries who choose to live in our area and are very welcome here at HFCA.
Most mornings at HFCA begin with a Family Prayer. Families record a short prayer on their phones and it is shared with the entire school to start the day. Kate O’Brien, our Principal and Laura Clark, our Assistant Principal extend an invitation to ANY parishioners to share their Family Prayer. Please simply share your name, how long you have been a parishioner and your prayer with the students. This will be a very prayerful way to connect with our students. The students would enjoy any part of your prayer in another language, if you care to share it. Simply record your prayer on your phone and send videos to:
ibpyp@holyfamilyparish.org
Special FM NEXT Sunday, September 17
Our first FM of the year will be a special one for several reasons. First, we are thanking Dr. Peg Hanrahan for her many years of leadership and service for our Family and Teen Faith Ministries.
Second, we will have FM at 11:00am instead of 9:00am. Please take note of the change and plan on joining us for a reception following in the courtyard where you can offer Peg your more personal good wishes.
Third, we will bless and commission Catechists who teach and share their faith with our younger parishioners
Dawn Mayer “In Another Voice” Coming Soon
So many of you have appreciated Dawn’s voice through the years here at Holy Family. She has shared poignant Gospel reflections, given talks and presentations for RCIA and other adult programs, and has had extensive involvement with Family Faith, Adult Faith and our Bereavement Ministry. Currently, Dawn is the Chief Mission Integration and Pastoral Care Officer for Franciscan Ministries.
Dawn will begin sharing short weekly messages on our website addressing current topics, applying faith and scripture to add a deeper perspective to many of life’s challenges. Our Director of Adult Faith, Mary Whiteside, has more details on her page in this bulletin.
Season of Creation
Holy Family’s Creation Care Ministry invites us all to celebrate the Season of Creation. The Season “Celebration” began September 1, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. Our Catholic faith requires dignifying life in all its forms, caring for the common home, and committing to the construction of more just and peaceful societies, to achieve what Pope Francis calls integral ecology in Laudato Si’. This allows all people to recognize ourselves as “the work of the Lord’s creative act,” to contemplate nature and all that dwells in it, and to care for our Common Home.