St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Newsletter — September 2020

SEPT.

2020

Building The Domestic Church: Living Stewardship in Our Family as Pandemic Continues PAGE 2 Stewardship: A Way of Life, Or Just a Fad? PAGE 3

“In Christ, We Can!” St. Dominic Catholic School Ready for 2020-21 Academic Year PAGE 4 Celebrating the Feast of the Archangels PAGE 6

ST. ANTHONY of PADUA

School Office Welcomes Back a Familiar Face Profile: School Secretary Nancy Boone PAGE 7

Prayer Shawl Ministry Members

Lovingly Share their Craft in Stewardship

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henever anyone receives a shawl from our Prayer Shawl Ministry, they will be able to wrap themselves in warmth, love and the comfort of knowing they are kept in prayer.

“We make the shawls for parishioners and other family members and friends who need a little warmth in their life,” says Jan Barnard. “We give them to someone in the military and those in nursing homes, or anyone who needs a little help and love in their life from friends and their parish family.”

Jan coordinates the ministry that, prior to restrictions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, met monthly in the quilting room at the church.

Some members had already been making the shawls at home, but currently everyone is doing so. No matter where the shawls are made, however, a prayer is said for the intended recipient.

The prayer asks God to “touch their hands with love, and asks Him to “fill their yarn and fleece with His spirit.”

“May our work be blessed,” they pray. “May God’s grace be upon this shawl, warming, comforting, holding and embracing. May this shawl be a safe haven, a sacred place of security and well-being, sustaining and embracing in good times and difficult ones. May the person who receives this shawl be cradled in Examples of the different types of prayer shawls hope, kept in joy, and graced with peace and wrapped in love, Amen.” crafted by our Prayer Shawl Ministry await The prayer shawls are made in a variety of styles, depending on the delivery. Each shawl includes a note explaining talents of the makers — crocheted, knitted or quilted. Some members also the prayer shawl, as well as the prayer the continued on back cover

members say as they begin their work.

ST. ANTHONY of PADUA Building The Domestic Church

Living Stewardship in Our Family as Pandemic Continues

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s the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the question of how to strengthen our family faith and continue to live Stewardship as a Way of Life while separated from the sacraments and parish life is being put to the test.

Our priests and parish leaders already have found new ways to minister to our parish family from a distance. Now, it is our own time to shine within our own homes. It is our time to seize this opportunity and continue to build our own Domestic Church.

What is the Domestic Church? Simply put, it is our family — the smallest body of gathered believers in Christ.

The early Church fathers understood the home was fertile ground for discipleship, sanctification, and holiness. And the Domestic Church plays a key role in this as the primary place where we practice coming to intimately love others.

Even before the pandemic, in recent years, our Holy Father Pope Francis placed great emphasis on the family, asking us as Catholics to explore the meaning and the theology of the Domestic Church.

During his address at the World Meeting of Families during his 2015 apostolic visit to the United States, Pope Francis told us, “Love is shown by little things, by attention to small daily signs which make us feel at home. Faith grows when it is lived and shaped by love. That is why our families, our homes, are true domestic churches. They are the right place for faith to become life, and life to grow in faith.”

Now, as the pandemic continues to distance us from our parish and affects the way we live our faith and practice stewardship, it is now more important than ever to discern the unique role God has in mind for our lives, and the lives of our family members.

If your family truly is committed to answering the call to live as intentional disciples of Christ, our response to this call starts in the home through stewardship.

As Catholics, we often associate stewardship with sharing our time, talents and resources with our parish.

We see it as volunteering and helping to build our parish community. Rarely, do we recognize the need for stewardship in our own homes.

But what can you do to live out stewardship as a Domestic Church?

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You can set aside time each day for personal and family prayer. If you are still unable to attend Mass, you and your family can participate in the Sunday liturgy and daily Masses in your home via livestream. Read and reflect each day on the daily Mass readings, which are available online at www.usccb.org/bible. Do some online faith formation together.

Other ideas include simply being kind to each other, doing something extra for your spouse or children, avoiding criticism, or working on being more patient with a family member who sometimes can be challenging to be around.

Help a family member financially during these challenging times. Pray for our family members and each of their unique needs. Spend extra time with a child and our spouse — make that a priority worked into each week.

The possibilities for living stewardship within our Domestic Churches are endless. How we treat each other in our homes is as important as praying together when living out stewardship. In a nutshell, live in your home with your faith-filled family celebrating your Catholic identity!

Stewardship is not just something we do within the confines of our parish walls. It is meant to be lived 24/7, to be practiced anywhere and everywhere. And it begins with our Domestic Church — our families.

By focusing on new ways to share our Time, Talent and Treasure together within our own homes — both during the pandemic and after the storm passes — we can make faith the source and center of our family lives and fulfill our mission as the Domestic Church.

ST. ANTHONY of PADUA a letter from our pastor

Stewardship: A Way of Life, Or Just a Fad? Dear Parishioners,

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adly, there remain a number of people who still misunderstand stewardship. In spite of the fact that it is a biblical term found in the Old and New Testament, some believe it is only about raising funds and increased offertory giving. That limits and restricts its meaning. The misconception that stewardship is only a passing fad couldn’t be further from the truth.

Many of us have lived through our share of fads. Think about some of the fashions that once hung in your closet during your younger days — painful reminders of previous times when fads began and ended as fast as the months passed by. The point is, stewardship should never be placed in that category.

A “way of life” in the spiritual sense is not a passing fad. Jesus never introduced the call to discipleship as something fashionable for a time, and then having it considered out of date. However, I have known some who are very committed to their faith for a time and then say, “I got over it,” and returned to former ways that are not so good for one’s spiritual maturity. If one truly understands and embraces stewardship, they know it is not something you do for a brief moment in time and then “get over it.” It is life-changing — not for a moment, but for all time.

I have confidence and trust in my faith that stewardship remains my way of life, and I pray for you that it is yours, as well. I know it continues to inspire countless numbers of people who want to live lives holy and pleasing to God. Stewardship is an expression of

that desire, and one does not get over it, outgrow it, or deny it once they truly “get it.”

As stewards, it is important to continuously re-examine our commitment to our parish family, our own personal commitment to being Catholic, living the faith we profess, respecting and cherishing the sacraments we receive, and strengthening or renewing our relationship with God by accepting the call to be our Lord’s disciples. Just as discipleship has never been a fad introduced by Jesus Christ, stewardship as a way of life is not one, either.

Understanding that stewardship is a way of life for you and your family confirms that you understand your discipleship, your importance in this parish family, and your baptismal call that began your life as a Christian possessing the potential to do God’s will.

Fads will always come and go. They are momentary fascinations, like a short-term fashion statement. Our lives were intended to be more than a series of fads.

God wanted more for His children than that. Jesus Christ would never have done that to us. He called us to a way of life, not a fad. Let’s celebrate that and pray that each of us will respond appropriately.

Sincerely yours in Christ, Fr. Tom Donovan Pastor

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ST. ANTHONY of PADUA

“In Christ,We Can!”

St. Dominic Catholic School R I

Younger students are paired with an older “buddy” to assist them in various service and school projects

n a current world climate where many of us feel overwhelmed by the uncertainty and challenges around us, the words of Philippians 4:13 are a fitting reminder of where our strength comes from — “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

That’s why, says St. Dominic School Principal Carol Frericks, this message has ultimately been chosen as the theme for the 2020-2021 school year — “In Christ, I Can!” “The Philippians 4:13 choice began with a conversation amongst our faculty reflecting on our 2019-20 theme as it related to faith formation across the school,” Mrs. Frericks says. “As we prayed and contemplated our current situation with reopening schools, we were inspired and selected, ‘I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.’”

Mrs. Frericks says the motto has already become a great source of encouragement for staff and students alike, reminding them that Christ is there, strengthening them and enabling them to succeed, no matter what new challenges may surface in the future. She says it has kept the school positively focused as they work to implement new COVID-19 procedures while also prioritizing the students’ academic and spiritual formation.

“Our specific goals for the 2020-2021 school year, then, will include welcoming students and families back continued on page 5

“It takes a faith community to raise the next generation of Catholic stewards. St. Dominic School is blessed to have our parish, St. Anthony of Padua, who faithfully supports this ministry of the Catholic Church.” — Mrs. Carol Frericks, Principal

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Ready for 2020-21 Academic Year into our school for in-person teaching and learning,” Mrs. Frericks says. “As always, we will provide a safe and healthy learning environment with a few new procedures for protecting ourselves and others due to the Coronavirus. We will also continue to engage in 21st-century learning using Chromebook laptops and iPad tablets with online learning tools, which could be utilized as needed if schools transition into distance learning again.”

Whether in-person or distance learning is in place, Mrs. Frericks says the school’s commitment to promoting spiritual growth and academic excellence while continuously challenging the students to lead and serve will remain consistent.

“We will build on our faith formation study of the fruits of the Holy Spirit from last year by studying our ‘Holy Heroes’ — the Catholic saints who lived their lives sharing the fruits of the Holy Spirit in service to others,” Mrs. Frericks says.

“Again this year, we will celebrate the ‘Holy Moments’ in our lives, when we recognize that we have shared the fruits of the Holy Spirit just like our ‘Holy Hero’ role models.”

As part of this process, a different “Holy Hero” will be showcased during morning assemblies each month to help the students learn about their life and the ways they shared the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The school will also continue utilizing its Buddy System, which cultivates both leadership and service in students by pairing older and younger students together.

“Since we will have some new safety procedures with social distancing in the cafeteria and playground, we plan to utilize our Buddy System to help our youngest students enjoy these new procedures with their buddies,” Mrs. Frericks says. “Everything is more fun when they spend time with their buddies.”

Though the future with COVID-19 remains unclear, it is still bright thanks to our faith in Christ and the continued support of St. Anthony of Padua Parish. Parishioners’ faithful

donations of time, talent and treasure to the school help ensure its continued success.

“It takes a faith community to raise the next generation of Catholic stewards,” Mrs. Frericks says. “St. Dominic School is blessed to have our parish, St. Anthony of Padua, who faithfully supports this ministry of the Catholic Church.”

Whether it’s in the traditional classroom or through remote learning, St. Dominic School remains committed to forming our children academically, socially and spiritually.

Together and grounded in Christ, we know that we can continue to succeed. For more information about St. Dominic School, the 2020-21 school year, and how you can get involved, please call 217-224-0041 or visit www.stdominicquincy.org.

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Celebrating the

Feast of the Archangels E

very Sept. 29, the Church celebrates the feast day of the Archangels — St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael. We are blessed to be inspired by these “servants and messengers of God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 329).

The term “archangels” has its Scriptural basis in the New Testament (1 Thes 4:16, Jude 1:9), indicating a chief or leading angel. “Archangel” generally refers to St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael, as they are the three angels most frequently mentioned throughout Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The fact that these three angels are mentioned by name on multiple occasions indicates the significance of their roles in the history of salvation. It is because of these important roles that we take pause to celebrate on Sept. 29.

St. Michael is mentioned by name on several occasions in Sacred Scripture (Dn 10:13, Rev 12:7), and his role in the Tradition of the Church has been extensively documented. He has been widely referred to as the “great

prince,” and is most often associated with the apocalypse — the final battle against Satan. Christian Tradition gives St. Michael four different roles, but he has primarily been regarded as the patron and protector of the Church.

St. Gabriel is mentioned by name in Scripture (Lk 1:19), and Tradition has also assigned him implicit roles within Scripture where he is not specifically mentioned.

Most important, however, is St. Gabriel’s role as the messenger of God, delivering to Mary the announcement of the birth of Our Savior (Lk 1:26).

St. Raphael is mentioned by name only in the Book of Tobit, where he is responsible for healing Tobias. Raphael means “God has healed” and thus, he has also often been associated with the “angel of the Lord” (Jn 5:4).

The feast day on Sept. 29 gives each of us the opportunity to consider our own role in the Church, as we gratefully commemorate the Archangels responsible for carrying out their roles of defender, messenger and healer.

The feast day on Sept. 29 gives each of us the opportunity to consider our own role in the Church, as we gratefully commemorate the Archangels responsible for carrying out their roles of defender, messenger and healer.

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ST. ANTHONY of PADUA School Office Welcomes Back a Familiar Face

Profile: School Secretary Nancy Boone

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n Aug. 17, St. Dominic School opened its doors to students for the first time following the pandemic-related closures in March. In the midst of all the new changes this year, one returning face is very familiar indeed. Nancy Boone served as the parish and school secretary at St. Anthony from 1989 to 2005, and we are thrilled to have her back in our school office this year!

Nancy is happy to be back in our school and excited to meet the challenge of returning to the role of secretary at St. Dominic. Many administrative forms have moved from paper to digital in the last 15 years, and of course, her position includes some truly unique tasks this year, such as checking the temperature of anyone who comes into the school.

For all that is new to Nancy this year, one thing has remained constant: the joy of working in a grade school setting.

“I love the kids,” she says. “They say it like it is, and they are so loving and welcoming. The kids are just really, really neat.”

One thing that Nancy has found particularly special about her return to St. Dominic is that many of the parents of the current students remember her from when they attended the school themselves.

“What I’m seeing now with the students is that they are the kids of the kids I had at St. Anthony years ago,” says Nancy. “Those kids have now grown up and have their children here. It was funny because one of the parents came in and the principal was introducing him to me, and he said, ‘I know her, she was the secretary when I was in school!’ So you are seeing the next generations come in. They grew up in the Catholic Church and school and are staying with that with their own kids, so that is good to see.”

St. Anthony of Padua School secretary Nancy Boone (second from left) and her family, including son Curtis, her husband, Tom, her daughter, Kayla, and son-in-law Andy.

Nancy also looks forward to the opportunity to continue growing in her own faith as she immerses herself in life at our parish school. Already, she has found herself turning to this year’s motto for the school — “in Christ we can do anything” — as she navigates her way through all the new office systems and procedures.

Nancy and her husband, Tom, have been parishioners at St. Anthony for 36 years now and love that our faith community is so family-oriented and welcoming. They have two grown children and are about to step into another new role next month as they become first-time grandparents!

Reflecting on her return to our parish school office, Nancy is enthusiastic about the year ahead.“I think it’s going to be really good,” she says. “I’m sure I’ll be making special memories throughout the year.”

“What I’m seeing now with the students is that they are the kids of the kids I had at St. Anthony years ago. Those kids have now grown up and have their children here. It was funny because one of the parents came in and the principal was introducing him to me, and he said, ‘I know her, she was the secretary when I was in school!’ So you are seeing the next generations come in. They grew up in the Catholic Church and school and are staying with that with their own kids, so that is good to see.” — Nancy Boone 7

ST. ANTHONY of PADUA 2223 St. Anthony Rd. Quincy, IL 62305 217-222-5996

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www.stanthonypadua.org Daily Mass: Mon, Tue, & Thu - 7:30 a.m.

Saturday: 4:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Sunday: 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

Confessions: Saturday 5:15 - 6:15 p.m.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

continued from front cover

make fleece shawls and wrap blankets. The ministry members make about 60 shawls a year. After they are made, Fr. Tom blesses them and puts a card with the shawl, explaining the shawl and the prayer.

“We have family members who call and ask for a shawl for a relative or friend,” Jan says. “If we know about someone being ill, we will call and ask if they want one. And, also our parish nurse who visits the hospitals, as well as Deacon Harry, give out shawls at the hospital and in nursing homes.”

Many of the members use their own yarn, and some is donated to the ministry. The We Care Society generously pays for the fleece materials. Parishioners also donate cash to help.

“Also, we have expanded as we do blankets for new babies in our parish family,” Jan says. “They come with a little card from the ministry. It’s a good way to minister to people in the parish. They get to know us better.”

The Grief Share group also receives shawls that wrap the recipients in the love and care of the ministry.

As the Prayer Shawl Ministry members freely devote their time and talents in stewardship while they knit, crochet and sew, they do so with the knowledge that their efforts provide a sense of healing.

“There have been a lot of people, when they are prayed for and receive a shawl, find a comfort and use it after the illness passes,” Jan says. “They find comfort knowing parishioners made it and prayed over it. It’s a nice, warm feeling for them.”

The loving act of creating the shawls in stewardship has also drawn the members closer to Christ.

“With the prayers we say, and the knowledge of how much the shawls mean to people, that brings us closer,” Jan says. “We get a lot of feedback. It’s a real rewarding type of ministry for everyone.”

Anyone who is interested in joining the Prayer Shawl Ministry may call Jan Barnard at 217-224-7487.

To learn more about stewardship at St. Anthony of Padua, please contact the Stewardship Committee at stewardship@stanthonypadua.org