St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church Newsletter — Dec. 22/Jan. 23

Mass Schedule

Sunday, 7:45 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Monday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.

Tuesday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.

Wednesday, 7:00 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.

Thursday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.

Friday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.

Saturday, 9:15 a.m., 5:00 p.m. (Sunday Vigil)

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Wednesday, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m.

Saturday, 3:45-4:45 p.m.

Pro Life Holy Hour

Wednesday, 6:00 p.m.

Perpetual Adoration Chapel

Chapel is located at the corner of Monte Sano and Bellevue.

Mary Saint on the hill

catholic church

MEET Mike Rucker Janet Lovering, AND

2022 Gartland Award Winners from Our Parish

Mike Rucker has a small saying or mantra that surfaces and resurfaces in his mind. He thinks, “Make it LAST,” with LAST standing for “love and service together.” It reminds him that we are all called as Christians to love and to serve.

“Christ commanded that we love one another, and by serving, one provides love and puts others ahead of oneself,” Mike says. “Being involved in parish life and the giving of your time, talent, and treasure is not only a way of expressing love and praising God, but it’s also a way to give thanks and show gratitude for all that our Church family, ordained ministers, and staff do for us.”

This year, two parishioners from St. Mary on the Hill are among the winners of the 2022 Gartland Service Award. Named for the first Bishop of Savannah, the Gartland Award honors parishioners from across our diocese who quietly exemplify stewardship.

Each year the bishop confers the awards on recipients at a special Mass in the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Savannah.

“This has been such a great honor,” says Janet Lovering. “People have been overwhelmingly supportive and so nice to come and congratulate me. Thank you for your notes and your texts. This has been very emotional for me.” continued on page 2

St. Mary’s parishioner and winner of the diocese’s Gartland Award Janet Lovering and her husband, Earle Lovering

St. Mary›s parishioner and winner of the diocese’s Gartland Award Mike Rucker

Mike Rucker and Janet Lovering, 2022 Gartland Award Winners

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Janet first joined St. Mary on the Hill with her parents when they moved to Augusta in 1952. She attended Mount St. Joseph and then Aquinas High School. As an adult, she began giving back to the faith community in ways that also worked for her and her young family of three children.

“I first got involved in parish life as a co-chair for the parish school nursery, and then I helped at the school cafeteria for a couple of years,” Janet says. “It was important to me to volunteer where my children were.”

Janet has three ministries that are very significant to her — the Chavis House Ministry, which provides meals on a quarterly basis to the families of burn survivors staying at the Chavis House; the Apron Ministry, which assists with funeral luncheons; and the Seniors Mass and Luncheon, which provides an opportunity for food and fellowship for our seniors.

“Sadly, during COVID we didn’t have the Seniors Mass and Luncheon, but now we’re able to do it again,” Janet says. “We had a wonderful turnout at the event this year.”

Today Janet has six grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren and continues to give back to the faith community in a variety of ways.

“Stewardship is a gift that draws me closer to God,” she says. “I just enjoy serving people. You meet so many new church members by volunteering, and I’m thankful that I can do it. This parish is my home.”

Similarly, the parish has been a lifelong home for Mike Rucker, who has attended St. Mary’s his entire life

and attended St. Mary on the Hill School for eight years. He was an altar server beginning in the early 1960s, so stewardship was engrained in him at a young age at both school and church.

“Later in life, friends asked me to get involved, and I simply said ‘yes,’” Mike says. “Cherie Wright asked me to be a lector, Patty Maleck asked me to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Donald Thorstad asked me to help in the St. Joseph’s Guild, and Fr. Mark Ross asked me to be involved with the altar servers.”

Mike credits many faith community members with reaching out to ask and encourage himself and others to become involved. Deacon Ken Maleck “planted the seed” for Mike to join the Consolation Ministry, so after he retired, Mike called Barbara Kareis, the ministry coordinator.

“The Consolation Ministry has been particularly meaningful to me,” Mike says. “It adds so much value to a parishioner or a parishioner’s family member when they need support the most. The Christian support this ministry provides is love, care, and compassion. It is quite a blessing to be a part of it.”

Take a moment to congratulate Janet and Mike on receiving the 2022 Gartland Award for their ongoing service to the faith community.

“The St. Mary on the Hill faith community is my family,” Mike says. “It has nourished me for many years. St. Mary’s has always been a big part of my life and has served me well. I thank St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church and School for all they do.”

“The St. Mary on the Hill faith community is my family. It has nourished me for many years. St. Mary’s has always been a big part of my life and has served me well. I thank St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church and School for all they do.” — Mike RuckeR

OKTOBERFEST

Thank you to everyone who helped make our 2022 Oktoberfest such a great event.

Providing

HABITAT for

Homes,

Caring

for the Needy,

Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless — so many service ministries find unique ways to live out the works of mercy and care for the needy, and Habitat for Humanity is no exception. While many of the people who help build houses have no special skills, their willingness to give and learn means that a family will be able to move into a safe home. Rich Dimenna is on the Board of Directors for Augusta/CSRA Habitat for Humanity and he is also the organization’s contact person here at St. Mary on the Hill.

“The work we do is fun and enjoyable so it doesn’t seem like much of a task,” Rich says. “But why am I doing this? As Christians and good Catholics, that’s what we’re called to do — take care of each other.”

The next build that Rich will be working on is sponsored by the Augusta Deanery of Catholic Churches. St. Mary on the Hill, along with St. Teresa of Avila, St. Joseph, Most Holy Trinity, St. Joan of Arc, and Sacred Heart will all be contributing to the building of a brand-new home.

“We see this as a wonderful community-building project,” Rich says. “It helps Habitat and it helps the homeowner who pays for this house, but it’s also building community amongst the various churches.” Building can begin as soon as the proper building permits are approved. While Rich and his colleagues — affectionately known as “the geezers” — put in time during the week, they also join on Saturdays to help the volunteers get situated. Rich and his group of mostly retired doctors, lawyers, and other professionals have the hands-on experience to help new volunteers get comfortable using tools and helping to build.

HUMANITY

Needy, and Living out Works of Mercy

Saturdays begin at 8 a.m. with a prayer and an important safety discussion. The volunteers break up into small groups, supervised by someone like Rich, to do their assigned tasks. They break for lunch, provided by another volunteer group, and then work until the end of the day.

“Our job is to be there to supervise and guide people because some people who volunteer have never picked up a hammer and our job is to show them,” explains Rich.

In his 30 years with Habitat for Humanity, Rich has seen many families leave unsafe living conditions and move into their own home. Many are the first in their family to ever own a home. Their stories have left an impact on Rich. Through home dedications and Appreciation Dinners, he has been able to witness the gratitude and the profound impact these homes have in the new homeowners’ lives.

“Unless you’ve been in their shoes, it’s hard to appreciate what this house means to them,” Rich says.

Volunteering to build a home is both a way to serve someone in need and to learn what goes into constructing a house.

“If you want to know what’s behind the walls in your house or want to understand what a contractor is saying, this is a way to learn it,” Rich says.

If you would like to volunteer with the next Habitat for Humanity build, please email Rich Dimenna at richdimenna@gmail.com . If you would like to donate to the Habitat for Humanity Augusta Deanery Project , please make checks payable to St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church and in the memo area write: “Habitat for Humanity.” Donations may be made online by going to our website: stmaryonthehill.org and clicking on DONATIONS and them selecting Habitat for Humanity Augusta Deanery Project. Thank you for your support of this worthy deanery project.

MEET THE ACREE FAMILY Embracing Service and Involvement in Our Faith Community

DeWayne and Jodi Acree believe in the importance of being actively involved in our parish community.

“We consider our faith to be much more than attending weekly Mass,” DeWayne says.

DeWayne and Jodi have four children — Gabrielle, Lillian, Caleb, and Isaiah. In 2010, The Acree family moved to our community from Fort Wayne, Ind. All of their children attended Catholic grade school, including their two youngest who attended St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School.

“Gabrielle got married two years ago to Joseph Buchieri — she works as an LMT here in Augusta,” Jodi says. “Lillian currently attends the Medical College of Georgia in her third year of medical school. Caleb recently graduated valedictorian of RCTCM and was awarded an Army ROTC scholarship to study Cyber Operations at Augusta University. Isaiah currently attends Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School where he sings in chorale and plays the piano.”

Jodi is a cradle Catholic, while DeWayne converted to the Catholic faith after they had been married for seven years.

“I felt it was important because our children were attending Catholic school,” DeWayne says. “I attended Mass regularly with the family at that time as well.”

The Acree family has been involved in our parish since they moved here in 2010. DeWayne taught seventhgrade CCD, while Jodi joined the Rosary Making Ministry. Jodi also now participates in adoration and the soup kitchen. DeWayne serves as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and also assists as an adult leader of Boy Scouts.

Service runs in the Acree family, as their children are also involved in community life. Caleb assists with Boy Scouts as an assistant scoutmaster and helps with CCD for seventh-graders. Isaiah is an altar server and assists with CCD for third graders. Prior to medical school, Lillian assisted with kindergarten CCD. Gabrielle has previously played violin for Sunday Mass and her husband, Joseph, is also an adult leader with Boy Scouts.

“We feel being actively involved in our community helps us to grow in our faith,” Jodi says. “People coming together sharing experiences, supporting each other, doing good for others, while growing in our faith holds us all accountable to Jesus’ call to discipleship.”

As a family, the Acrees live out their faith in their daily lives. They pray together before bed and before meals. They all try to attend Sunday Mass together and have brunch together afterward.

“We feel being actively involved in our community helps us to grow in our faith. People coming together sharing experiences, supporting each other, doing good for others, while growing in our faith holds us all accountable to Jesus’ call to discipleship.” — Jodi AcRee

(Back row, from left) Joseph Buchieri, Gabrielle Buchieri, Isaiah Acree, Lillian Acree, Caleb Acree; (front row, from left) DeWayne and Jodi Acree

Meet the Acree Family

“It keeps us connected as a family, and Jodi and I feel blessed to have all of our children local so that we can practice our faith together,” DeWayne says.

The Acree family feels grateful for the many service opportunities we have in our parish and its dedication to stewardship. They feel they’ve each benefited from serving in the parish community, learning more about the faith, and meeting lifelong friends along the way.

“When we have those moments where we need support, we have met some amazing people eager

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to help,” DeWayne says. “Also, when Jodi had her battle with cancer, the Meal Ministry helped provide meals four times a week for about three months. We felt the love and stewardship of so many people in a tangible way, and we had only been here for a year at that time. That’s a testament to people living their Catholic faith and helping when others need it most. We are forever grateful for those that helped us.”

The Acree family was the first family to receive the Honored Family award from the Knights of Columbus.

Recent Donations to St. Mary on the Hill

St. Mary on the Hill Church

In Memory of John Russell Owen Sr. Lois Owen

John and Katie Owen Jr. and Family Cordes Owen and Family Dr. Carter Monique Owen and Sue Owen Mr. and Mrs. Hal D. Beman III

In Memory of Ron and Sarah Tepool Matthew Wall

In Memory of William C and Shirley Wall Matthew Wall

In Memory of Bill Fulcher Robert and Kim Werner

In Memory of Kenneth White Deryl White

In Memory of Dr. Ronald Bowers

Dr. and Mrs. T. Barrett Trotter

In Memory of Dr. Terrence Cook Dr. Edward Porubsky Michael Rucker Dr. and Mrs. Craig Kerins Dr. and Mrs. Michael B. Rogers

St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School Endowment Fund

In Memory of Dr. Paul Cundey Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Osteen Margaret Chew Dr. and Mrs. Ray Johnson Mary and Yort Shattuck

Dr. and Mrs. Murray Freedman Robert and Marjorie Cole Patrick Glover

Dr. and Mrs. James Carswell III Danny Glover Faye Cundey

David and Janet Hudson Pia Hagler

Dr. and Mrs. Wangsnes Michael Rucker

Richard and Diana Whitlock Jr. Harvey and Martha Jane Sanders

Betty and Ben Callaway William and Marian Clark William Kitchens

David and Rosemary Dyer

James and Melanie Sims Michael and Jacquelyn Cohen Mrs. John D. Reynolds III Lionel Smith, LTD Mark and Marcie Wilhelmi

Saint Mary on the hill

1420 Monte Sano Avenue

Augusta, GA 30904 Phone 706-733-6627 www.stmaryonthehill.org

Baptisms

Sept. 10

Andrei Lian Presto Salvan Son Anthony and Joanne Salvan

Sept. 11

Judah Patrick Garrett Son of David and Lori Garrett

Sept. 18

Josephine Mariah Hall Daughter of Barry and Holly Hall

Hampton Joel Menger

Son of Murphy and Ali Menger

Sept. 24

Cameron Peter Garren Son of Bryan and Lauren Garren

Sept. 25

Margaret Clare Williams

Daughter of Andrew and Maggie Williams

Oct. 1 John Charles Smith Son of Ryan and Mary Smith

Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Augusta, GA Permit No. 475

Oct. 8

Aidan Betanga Alech Son of Johnson Alechendem and Linda Forsong

Oct. 9

Ella Rose Rzasa Daughter of Luke and Nicole Coleman

Oct. 16

Hunter Lamar Howell Son of Christopher and Kori Howell

Theodore McArdle Girard Son of Brian and Alyssa Girard

Oct. 23

John McEachern Zepernick Son of Trey and Kathleen Zepernick

Oct. 30

Sophia Aileen Jones Daughter of Cody and Anna Jones