2314 Third Avenue, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69361 (308)632-2541
Mailing address: PO Box 349, Scottsbluff, NE 69363-0349 Fax: 308-632-2146 Website: www.st-agnes-church.com
Parish Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9am - Noon & 1pm - 4pm
Rev. Vincent L. Parsons
Pastor
Sr. Vera Meis, C.S.J. Pastoral Minister
Mass Schedule:
(October - May) Saturday: 4:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00 & 10:30 am (June - September) Saturday 6:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00 & 10:00 am Mon, Tues, Wed, Friday 7 am
Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturdays one hour prior to evening Mass or by appointment (632-2541)
Sacrament of Baptism Please call the Parish Office
Page 2 Year A March 1, 2020
The First Sunday of Lent
A s we begin the season of lent, it is a time to take stock of our life and see whether we have been paying the right amount of attention to what really matters in our life. We are so fortunate to be a people of Faith. It puts all our many and varied life experiences into perspective. Our Faith speaks to all of us no matter who we are or how old. Sometimes during Lent, we focus on the negative things, things that we have been doing poorly, our faults and failings. That is a good thing as long as we lace that with why it is important to change. It is important to change, because those negatives are limitations, are detours, or road blocks in allowing God’s love to penetrate us. This is a side of the coin we don’t think of a lot. God loves us and wants us to experience the rewards of that love. It is this side of the coin to which I would like to draw your attention. There is joy of living and joy IN living, and things we might miss because we get much too serious sometimes. There is a story about a six year old boy whose dog was dying. The parents were concerned that the boy was hardly even looking sad. This concerned them since the dog had always been a part of the family since the boy was born. So they gently broached the subject. They were amazed at his explanation. He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life, like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” He continued, “Well dogs already know how to do that—so they don’t have to stay as long.” If we look at this another way, maybe dogs can teach us wise and stressed out people a number of lessons. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Remember if a dog was the teacher, you would learn things like: when a loved one comes home, always run to greet them; never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride; allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy; take naps; stretch before rising; run, romp, and play daily; thrive on attention and let people touch you; don’t try to guess intentions and be appreciative of everything; avoid biting when a simple growl will do; on warm days, stop, lie on your back and wiggle in the grass; on hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree; when you’re happy, wag your entire body; delight in the simple joy of a long walk; eat with gusto and enthusiasm; be loyal; never pretend to be something you’re not; if what you want lies buried, dig until you find it, and if you don’t find it, try another hole; when someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close and nuzzle them gently; be always grateful for each new day and for the blessings you do have. As we approach the season of Lent maybe we can reflect on some of these things and appreciate what we do have, what God has given us in each new day, the Faith we have been given, how we might not have been as grateful and sensitive as we should have, and thank God he has given us more time to do better.
S a i n t A g n e s
C a t h o l i c C h u r c h
Today’s Readings Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7
Psalm 51 Romans 5:12-19 [12, 17-19]
Matthew 4:1-11
Parish Administration (308) 632-2541 / (308) 632-2146 (Fax)
[email protected] www.st-agnes-church.com
Pastor Rev. Vincent L. Parsons (ext. 2)
Church Office Manager Theresa Trevino (ext. 3)
Pastoral Minister Sr. Vera Meis (ext. 4)
Director of Religious Education Mrs. Terri Calvert (ext.5) [email protected]
School Head Teacher Mrs. Julie Brown (632-6918) [email protected]
School Office Manager Teresa Johnson (632-6918)
Prayer Chain Coordinator Jean Ahrens - (308-672-4632)
Page 3 March 1, 2020
Monday, March 2, 2020 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: †Margaret Pickering by Francis & Mary Heumesser Communal Rosary (4:45pm) Liturgy of the Hours (5:10 pm) Tuesday, March 3, 2020 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: †Mary Cook by Eileen Young Tuesday Discussion Group (8-9 am) Liturgy of the Hours (5:30 pm) Wednesday, March 4, 2020 Daily Mass (7:00am) Intention: Duane Meis by Sr. Vera Meis Liturgy of the Hours (5:30 pm) Contemplative Prayer Group (6:00
Thursday, March 5, 2020 Daily Mass (10:00am) at the Residency Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Friday, March 6, 2020 Daily Mass (5:45pm) Intention: Diane Eickhoff by Eileen Young Liturgy of the Hours (5:30pm) Saturday, March 7, 2020 Weekend Mass (4:00pm) Intention: For the Parish Sunday, March 8, 2020 Weekend Mass (8:00am) Intention: †Jerry & †Don Young by Eileen Young Weekend Mass (10:30am) Intention: †Don Overman by Bernadine & Family
This Week’s Schedule
Important Dates To Remember In 2020
March 1 St. Agnes Penny Carnival April 9 Holy Thursday Mass - 7pm April 10 Good Friday Service - 12pm April 11 Easter Vigil Mass - 8pm April 12 Easter Masses - 8am & 10:30am
Finance Corner
Sunday Collections & ATW Giving
February 23, 2020
Actual $4802.20 ATW $4958.00 Budget $9000.00 Surplus (Deficit) $760.20 VCNIN $1901.00
February Totals Actual $22200.40 ATW $8903.00 Budget $36000.00 Surplus (Deficit) $4896.60 Next Sunday’s 2nd collection is for
Haiti & Uganda
Thank you for your continued giving!
Daily Mass Monday & Tuesday, 7:00am
Wednesday, 8:15am Friday, 5:45pm
Stations of the Cross Every Friday, 5:15 pm
Adoration First Friday’s, March 6 & April 3 Beginning at 8:00am until 5:10 pm
Communal Reconciliation Service
St. Agnes Church: April 5, 3pm Christ the King: April 5, 6pm
Individual Reconciliation April 7th, noon & 6pm
No reconciliation Sat., April 11th
Holy Week Schedule April 9, Holy Thursday, 7pm April 10, Good Friday, Noon
April 11, Holy Saturday, 8:00pm April 12, Easter Sunday, 8 & 10:30am
Fish Fry
Friday, March 6 & 20, April 3 5:30 - 7pm at the School Gym
Soup Supper Friday, February 28, March 13 & 27
following 5:45pm Mass In the Garden Room
2020 Lent/Holy Week Schedule
Monday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18; Ps 19:8- 10, 15; Mt 25:31-46 Tuesday: Is 55:10-11; Ps 34:4-7, 16 -19; Mt 6:7-15 Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10; Ps 51:3-4, 12- 13, 18-19; Lk 11:29-32 Thursday: Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25; Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8; Mt 7:7- 12 Friday: Ez 18:21-28; Ps 130:1-8; Mt 5:20-26 Saturday: Dt 26:16-19; Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8; Mt 5:43-48 Sunday: Gn 12:1-4a; Ps 33:4-5, 18
-20, 22; 2 Tm 1:8b-10; Mt 17:1-9
This Week’s Readings
The First Lenten Fish Fry will be on Friday, March 6th
Deep Fried Pollock, Cole Slaw, French Fries, Cheese Pizza, Dessert, Beverages
Shrimp (extra charge) St. Agnes School Gym
5:30-7:30pm Adults, $8 Kids under 10, $4
Server Schedule Mar 7 4pm Giuliana Suhr Elena Blanco Mar 8 8am Isaac Blanco Matthew Hafner 10:30am Ashanti Arreola Yvonne Kreiling
Lector Schedule Mar 7 4pm Chris Burbach Mar 8 8am Margaret Rood 10:30am Kristin Schiff
First Friday Adoration will be held on Friday, March 6th beginning at 8:00 am and ending at 5:10 pm. All are invited to attend. In our self-centered culture and
classic American emphasis on work, we o en feel we have to accomplish something during our mes of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. We rate our experience by
how 'good' our prayer was, how hear elt our devo on was, or how focused we could remain. Yet prayer and contempla on are fundamentally God's work, in which we are invited to par cipate. We need only to give Him the opening, and He will do
the rest. By coming to adora on, we are handing Him the keys to our hearts, allowing the rays of His love and grace to bathe our souls in the light of His Presence, as the rays of the sun bathe our bodies in light. If we can take the me to pull away
from the business and distrac ons of life and just sit at His feet, He will lead us." — Poor Clares of Perpetual Adora on
Page 4 The First Sunday of Lent
The Journey of Grief
Sundays March 1, 8, 15 & 22 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. St Agnes Church
2314 Third Avenue Scottsbluff, NE 69361
(Come in the South Door—Proceed to Garden Level)
Everyone is Welcome
Contact: Sister Vera at St. Agnes Parish Office—308-632-2541
Or Ellen Ramig at 308-631-0811
The Journey of Grief is a six session program designed to aid the
healing process of grief. Meetings will include information and
discussion.
Discussion will be based on Doug Manning’s Video Series—“The
Journey of Grief”. His presentation about the grief journey is captured
in a personal way with practical advice. Sit with others who are
grieving as he discusses the elements of the grief experience,
the important aspects of a healthy approach to grieving and what grief companions can do to be a helpful part of the journey. The
video topics are:
The Journey of Grief The Definition of Grief
The Dimensions of Grief The Needs of Grief
The Ceremonies of Grief The Normal Reactions of Grief
The Significance of Grief
Daylight Savings is
Sunday, March 8th. We move our clocks ahead 1 hour! We wouldn’t want
you to miss mass!
Page 5 March 1, 2020
Lenten Rice Bowl Lent is a 40-day journey of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. As companions on this journey, we are invited to reach out to our neighbor in need no matter where they live. This Wednesday begins Lent. During Lent you can support the CRS Rice Bowl by picking up a Rice Bowl box from one of the church entrances to use as part of almsgiving. If your child is in the Religious Education program or enrolled in St. Agnes School, they will bring one home for your family.
The St. Agnes Knights of Columbus Council hosting their breakfast buffet on Sunday February 2nd from 8
am - noon. Breakfast includes pancakes, French toast, sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy, and much more. Adults are $8.00 and children are $4.00 each. All are welcome!. Proceeds from the breakfasts go to help several charities in the valley including Camp Scott, Buckboard Riding Academy, local Veterans groups, St. Agnes School and many others.
The St. Agnes School Foundation was established in
1984 to insure long-term financial stability for St. Agnes
Catholic School. The Foundation Board is made up of parishioners of St. Agnes
Church and supporters of St. Agnes School.
The Foundation was created to
accept gifts of cash, investments, property or
memorials. Gifts can also be made as part
of your estate plan.
For more information or questions please contact the
foundation office. [email protected]
308-632-6918
Young at Heart Young at Heart meets next Tuesday, March 10th. Everyone of retirement
age is invited to attend. These meetings are held the second
Tuesday of every month in the Garden Room. Please bring a covered
dish to share.
Rest In Peace Janis Albro, longtime parishioner of St. Agnes .
Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families
First Sunday of Lent Gospel: Matthew 4:1-4
On the Way to Mass: Do you trust in God? On the Way Home From Mass: Have you ever been tempted to sin? What happened? Living the Word: During Lent, we are asked to give alms, fast, and pray. This Lent, consider what keeps you from trusting in God to sustain you. Maybe it is pride, or love of esteem, or valuing possessions too much. What are some commitments you can make to how faith in God? What do you need to fast from? Where should you put your financial and material bounty? How can you grow closer to God through prayer? The goal of these commitments is not “self-help” but growth in faith. How can you grow close to God in these forty days?
Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families 2019-2020
Find Us On
Facebook Twitter: stagnes-church
Instagram: st.agnescatholicchurch Parish Website
www.st-agnes-church.com myParish App
In the App Store on your phone or
tablet
Wednesday Formation Sessions 7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
Feb. 26th (6th-12th grades) Ash Wednesday Mass 7p.m - Church 4th - (6th-12th grades) Lenten Reconciliation 7 p.m. - Church 11th - (6th-8th grades) Formation Sessions (9th-12th grades) Ignite Night 18th - (6th-8th grades) Formation Sessions (9th-10th grades) Formation Sessions (11th grade) Confirmation Formation 25th - (6th-8th grades) Formation Sessions (9th-12th grades) Ignite Night
Sunday Formation Sessions
9:15-10:15 a.m.
Feb. 23rd - (Pre-K-5th grades) 1st - No Sunday formation sessions 8th - (Pre-K-5th grades) 15th - (Pre-K-5th grades) 22nd - (Pre-K-5th grades)
29th - (Pre-K-5th grades
Page 6 First Sunday of Lent
R_ligious E^u][tion Progr[m Email—[email protected] Religious Education Office—308-635-1362
Meet the 2020 Confirmation Candidates
Adam Polk
My name is Adam Polk. I have 6 younger siblings, including my twin Anna. I am a junior in school this year. In regards to extracurricular activities, I am in Show Choir, Choir, Theater, One Acts, Math Club, and Dance outside of school with Tabor Dance Academy. Currently I do not have a job of my own. My main goal for Confirmation is to become closer in my relationship with God. Afterwards I plan to use my talents to serve for the parish and to serve as a cantor.
The Pope’s Monthly Intention Each year, the Holy Father asks for our prayers for a specific intention each month. You are invited to answer the Holy Father's request and to join with many people worldwide in praying for this intention each month . March 2020 Catholics in China We pray that the Church in China may persevere in its faithfulness to the Gospel and grow in unity.
Page 7 March 1, 2020
Higher Ground High School
Week 1: May 31st - June 5th Week 2: June 7th - June 12th
Higher Ground is a five-day Catholic youth program for those who will be juniors or seniors in high school. This program is sponsored by the Diocese of Grand Island's Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, with Fr. Josh Brown as the Diocesan Spiritual Director.
The purpose of Higher Ground is to create an environment where Christian community may be experienced. The activities provide an enjoyable opportunity for the young people to develop a better sense of self, to build positive relationships with others and to grow closer to God.
The week begins on Sunday at 7:00 PM, and ends at 10:00 AM the following Friday. The program runs three successive weeks, beginning the last week in May (Memorial Day Weekend).
Higher Ground Middle School
July 12th - July 16th
Higher Ground—Extreme Faith Middle School Retreat is a five-day Catholic youth program for those who completed sixth or seventh grade in the spring of 2020. The purpose of the Higher Ground Middle School Retreat is to create an environment where we belong and can invite others to belong. The activities provide an enjoyable opportunity for the young people to develop a better sense of self, to build positive relationships with others and to grow closer to God. Higher Ground Middle School .
Family Lent Calendar
Sunday - March 1st Adopt a Lenten saint to be your family’s patron. Learn about him or her and see how you can imitate him or her.
Monday - March 2nd Place a crucifix or picture of Jesus in a central place to keep the focus on him. Tuesday - March 3rd Greet everyone you meet today with a smile, no matter how you’re feeling. Wednesday- March 4th Tonight, have everyone name two things for which they’re thankful and one intention for which they want prayers. Thursday - March 5th Peace starts at home. Resolve to only say positive, kind things today.
Friday - March 6th Set out an empty jar. Put in
a jellybean whenever a child does a good deed or makes a sacrifice. Enjoy at Easter.
Saturday- March 7th Make up a box for a needy family or homeless shelter. Put canned goods, clothing, toiletries, and gently used toys in it.
Partners in Faith-February 2020
Formed on Demand is a great place to look for movies, books, and other resources for Lent for the entire family! The subscription is free and a gift from the parish. Go to www.formed.org to sign in under St. Agnes , Scottsbluff.
Why Do Catholics Do That? Why do Catholics give up meat during Lent? Beginning in the second century, Christians have traditionally given up eating meat as a sacrifice.
Meat was considered a luxury the Church asked the faithful to do without during certain days and seasons. The Church isn’t promoting vegetarianism but is encouraging mindful sacrifice. Today, we are still asked to make the small sacrifice on Fridays by giving up meat – especially during Lent – to recall the incredible sacrifice of Christ’s giving his life on the Cross for our salvation.
Partners in Faith - March 2019
The way, the truth, and the life during Lent To children, Lent can be a time for sacrifice – something they’d rather avoid. Instead, explain that experiencing Lent helps us to find “the way and the truth and the life” that will lead us to Heaven (John 14:6). The way – Let children map out their own journey through Lent. Instead of giving up one thing for the season, choose several, short-term sacrifices. Include days of “fasting” from a favorite food or video game, days of “abstaining” from a bad habit like biting nails or fighting with siblings. Add days of performing good works. The truth – Learn what it means to be a follower of Christ from those who dedicated their lives to him. Read stories about the saints or heroes in the Bible. Tell youngsters that God works through ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. The life – Lent is all about hope. On Easter, Jesus opened up heaven to give us new life. Ask children to commit to continuing habits acquired during Lent that will lead to new life in Christ.
Partners in Faith - February 2020
Page 8 March 1, 2020
Connecting Students and Families through Faith March 1, 2020
School Newsletter
St. Agnes Catholic School 205 E 23rd, Scottsbluff, NE
Ph: 308-632-6918
Sunday, March 1st Penny Carnival
Monday March 2nd Lion’s Club Vision/Hearing Screenings
Dr. Seuss Day Celebra on Wednesday, March 4th
Mass @ 8:15 Friday, March 6th Fish Fry - 5:30 - 8:00
St. Agnes students and staff enjoyed the annual Mardi Gras celebration held on Tuesday, February
25th in the school gym. Individual classes made banners and chose a class King and Queen to lead their group in the noisy, festive parade. Students
and their families enjoyed a dinner of pancakes and sausage, a Shrove Tuesday tradition. What a fun
celebration before we begin a more quiet and prayerful time during Lent.
What’s Happening at St. Agnes School………...
Monday, March 2 Chicken Nuggets Baked Beans Steamed Carrots Roll & Margarine Pineapple Tidbits Helpers: Jody Windhorst Leslie He
Tuesday, March 3 Chicken Fried Steak Mashed potatoes & gravy Peas Pears Helpers: Kristin Schiff HELPER NEEDED
Wednesday, March 4 Turkey & Stuffing Mashed potatoes & gravy Corn 1/2 Banana
Helpers: Jay Wilson Ashlee Wilson
Thursday, March 5 Sausage Stroganoff over noodles Fresh Green Salad Green Beans Apricots Helpers: Mike Zeiler Sarah Zeiler
Friday, March 6 Pancakes Scrambled eggs w/red pepper & spinach Potato Triangles Orange Wedge Helpers: Andrew Dendinger Heather Weitzel
Hot Lunch Menu for March 2nd - March 6th, 2020
Multiplication Muscles Club 3rd grade students are hard at work attempting to master their multiplication facts through 12’s. After passing each
level, a student earns a spot on the muscle’s wall. Once all levels are attained, the student earns the privilege to go out to lunch with their teacher, Miss Brill. To date, 5
students have earned lunch at Runza and multiple more are right on the
edge of earning this reward. Way to go 3rd graders! Mastering these facts
will make math much easier as you move into 4th grade.
Learning About Dental Health Pre-K students learned about
the importance of good dental health habits when dental
hygienist, Holly Vath (Charlie’s mom) and her colleague Cheryl
Trumbull, visited their classroom on Friday, February 21st. They
taught the students about appropriate brushing and flossing techniques, shared a healthy snack, and
provided each student with a new toothbrush and toothpaste. The students enjoyed learning more
about this important personal hygiene habit.
Registration Registration for the 2020-2021 school year was
held during the final week of February. A number of new families have registered for pre-
K which is very exciting. We look forward to meeting them and sharing our love of St. Agnes
School with them. Spots remain open at all grades at this time so if you know of someone considering enrolling in
St. Agnes, please encourage them to stop
by. Current families, please return your registration packets by no later than
March 1. Scholarship applications are due by
May 17th.
Fish Fry Nights Need a night off from cooking? The annual Lenten Fish Fry nights will be held in the school gym on March 6,
20 and April 3 beginning at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 8:30. A dinner of fish,
pizza, tater tots, coleslaw, and brownie are available for $8 for adults and children
under 10 - $4. All proceeds from this event go directly to the school for operational expenses. Please mark
your calendar and attend one or all of the fish fry nights. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Classroom News………...
Pre-K Class By Nichole Boness
February has been a busy month for us. We celebrated 100 days of school, had our Valentine's Day party, learned about dental hygiene, and now we are ending the month with our Mardi Gras celebration. Holly Vath and Cheryl Trumbull were nice enough to come to our classroom, and talk to the kids about dental hygiene. We learned how to brush, floss, and what healthy snacks to eat. The students even got to make their own tooth brushes out of pretzels and cheese. In science, we have been learning lots of new stuff. One of the kids favorite shows to watch is Out of the Box. They love learning how to create inventions with every day supplies that they can find at home or in our classroom. We learned how to make our own parachutes out of a tissue, paper cup, tape, and string, The students enjoyed dropping them down the stairs and seeing them fly. For math, we have been learning how to draw our different shapes and categorizing objections by colors. We did an activity where we used different shapes to make a castle. With this project we also used paint. It was fun to see the kids have fun and get a little messy. The other activity we did was with fruit snacks. Each child got a bag of fruit snacks and sorted by color. Then they counted how many they had of each color. I think their favorite part was that they got to eat them afterwards. February has been full of lots of fun activities. We can wait to see what March brings us!
Fifth Grade Class By Liz Salazar
Another month has quickly passed by in a flurry for the fifth graders! In reading, we have been enjoying four new novels. We are reading Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Ryan Munoz, Rules by Cynthia Lord, and Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald. We are enjoying all these books. They are each about a character that is facing a difficult problem and trying to find a solution for it. We have started studying about the Revolutionary War in social studies. In this unit, we will learn about how the colonists were unhappy with the British. We will focus on how the colonists took actions against the British because of the unfair laws that benefited them. We will also learn about how the colonies declared their independence from England. We will finish the unit by learning about how the colonies won their independence from England and they began to form the American government and country. We began a new unit in science. We are studying the unit Earth’s Water. The first portion of the unit is on the water cycle. We are learning how water moves through the different stages of the cycle. The second half of the unit focuses on freshwater and ocean water. We will learn about how water is found underground and how desalination could make freshwater from saltwater. We have various experiments to complete in this unit to reinforce the concepts learned.