St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Newsletter — November 2020

Vincen de Paul Saint

catholic church | seward, nebraska Inside this Issue 3 Blessed Are the Poor 4 The Facilities

Committee: Serving as Faithful Stewards of Our Parish Buildings and Grounds

6 Teaching Our Children the True Meaning of Stewardship

7 Veterans Day

Services Promote Patriotism in Our Students

The St. Vincent de Paul Society: In Service, Seeing the Face of Christ

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ometimes it can seem easier to give to others in a “disconnected” way — dropping a couple of dollars in a bucket, taking a sack of canned goods at the food pantry, or donating old items from your closet. While all of those things are certainly important acts of service, we should also remember the “face” of the human being in need.

The mission of the St. Vincent de Paul Society is to change that, meeting people face-to-face — even if it’s more recently been six feet away — to see Christ in them and be a tangible witness of His love. It is this personal aspect that sets the St. Vincent de Paul Society apart from many other sources of aid. Since its founding in the 1800s, the focus on individuals has always been continued on page 2

NOVEMBER 2020

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catholic church | seward, nebraska

St. Vincent de Paul Society central to the Society’s vision. In order to fulfill this today, members visit people in their homes to meet people, learn their stories, and assess how they can best help those in need.

“Most of our clients are working people, though they are often folks who are living paycheck to paycheck,” says Frank Daley, who recently completed six years of serving as the President of our parish conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. “Every once in a while, you hit one of those emergencies – the car breaks down and if you don’t fix the car, you can’t get to work and everything falls apart, or it may be a health issue, or maybe someone has been laid off, or the business they worked for closed. We help them over that hump so they can get back on track.”

The type of short-term assistance provided through the St. Vincent de Paul Society includes helping with rent and utilities, and providing assistance with food, clothing, and more. They are also able to help connect those in need with other community agencies if their need is more extensive than what the Society can provide. For many who serve, being involved with this ministry is an eyeopening experience, giving people a glimpse of the need that exists — often right in our own backyard.

“My wife and I have found it to be among the most rewarding volunteer work we’ve done because

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in many cases, we’re making a real impact on the life of someone in our city or county,” Frank says.

“The help is going to someone you’re probably seeing in the grocery store or at church.”

In Frank’s experience, not only has this ministry been an opportunity to help others, but it’s also helped him grow closer to God, by putting his faith in action.

“When you look into the eyes of people, you see the face of God, in Whose image and likeness we’re all created,” Frank says. “With the direction of our Lord to ‘love your neighbor as yourself,’ and to see all of God’s creation as your brothers and sisters, how could you not help if you have the opportunity and ability to do so?”

Frank encourages his fellow parishioners to consider serving those in need through the ministry of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The group meets once a month, and people are then divided into teams who monitor the phone line for a week at a time, handling needs that arise. Monetary donations are also welcome.

“We could use more people to help out with this,” he says. “And if your experience is anything like our experience, you will probably conclude that this was the best volunteer opportunity you were ever involved in.”

“When you look into the eyes of people, you see the face of God, in Whose image and likeness we’re all created. With the direction of our Lord to ‘love your neighbor as yourself,’ and to see all of God’s creation as your brothers and sisters, how could you not help if you have the opportunity and ability to do so?” — FRANK DALEY If you would like more information, or to become involved with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, please contact St. Vincent de Paul Society President Ellen Varney at 402-641-6927, or Frank Daley at 402-641-1005. Those needing assistance or seeking information about holiday food resources can leave a message at our confidential voicemail, 402-646-2299.

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A Letter From Our Pastor

Dear Parishioners,

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Blessed ARE THE POOR

n the historical work of the Church, there has been a preferential love for the poor. Poverty is a way of life chosen by God. God became man and chose a stable and a poor family as His starting point, His apostles were poor fishermen, and the mission of the early Church included caring for widows, the poor and those who are ill or distressed. Service to the poor in the Middle Ages, embraced by religious orders, manifested itself in the formation of schools.

These schools met the need in society to educate the poor and marginalized of society. The Church continues providing hope and strength to children living in a new poverty and brokenness that exists in our world today. Embracing poverty is essential in navigating through this broken world to a future life with Jesus Christ, now and forever.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta gave the keynote address at Harvard graduation many years ago. In her address, she stated that there is great poverty here in the United States. She explained that the poverty she saw was not material, but spiritual. Her address given decades ago is still applicable as spiritual poverty is still present in the United States. Hearts are set more on material goods than spiritual. The number of Christians and Catholics that attend religious service weekly is declining every year. The number of Catholics that believe that Jesus is present in the Holy Eucharist is declining. The increased number of broken families, of teen suicide and addicts are all around us.

Jesus told the apostles that the “Poor will always be with you” and He sent the apostles to care for them.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta gave the greatest example of caring for the poor in our time. She stated, “If I did not see Jesus in the poor, I would have never picked up that first poor man.” Mother Teresa attests that the foundation of charity is the spiritual life. Why are there so many poor people that do not receive help? The answer is in the spiritual poverty that is present in us.

In the Beatitudes written in the Gospel of Luke simply states “Blessed are the Poor.” Material and spiritual poverty is a blessing, not a curse. Let me explain, because it sounds like I am contradicting myself. Poverty enables us to recognize a need for both

material and spiritual goods. When I have not eaten all day, I am hungry and I recognize my need for food. If I have not prayed in days, or attended Mass in years, there is a spiritual hunger. This type of hunger is more difficult for us to identify, because we appease that hunger with material things. When we are spiritually hungry, we may choose to attend a party or a concert, or we may choose to indulge in our favorite food or beverage.

We know there is something inside that we desire, but we have a hard time identifying our spiritual needs.

When we are able to identify our spiritual hunger, then we turn to God to satisfy us. Jesus desires that we see our poverty daily rather than waiting until our lives are a wreck. Daily acknowledgment that we are so spiritually poor and we need God every day, will prevent us from getting to that point where our lives are a wreck.

Acknowledging our daily need for God will prepare us to love and care for the poor around us.

The poor are always around us. The poor are amongst our family, friends and community. The poor around us include those who are both materially and spiritually poor. Jesus fills us to care for the needs of these people around us. He tells us when we care for the material needs of others, we care for Him. When we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless, a drink to the thirsty, and all the corporal works of mercy, we care for Jesus. Jesus also wants us to care for spiritual needs of others. He wants us to instruct others, forgive and bear wrongs patiently, and pray for the living and the dead. The poor are around us, and the satisfaction of our spiritual needs in daily prayer and communion with God, energizes us to care for our own poverty and for the poor around us. Thank God for your poverty and He will help you bless the poor around you.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Msgr. Robert Tucker, Pastor 3

Vincen de Paul Saint

catholic church | seward, nebraska

AN INSIDE LOOK AT OUR PARISH

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Serving as Faithful Stewards of Ou

e are blessed at St. Vincent de Paul with a vibrant parish and school community — and many, many people who work behind the scenes to keep our faith family thriving! With about two dozen regular members and countless parishioners who help out as needed, our Facilities Committee is a wonderful group of people dedicated to ensuring the continued safety and beauty of our church and school campus.

The Facilities Committee supports our two maintenance workers with various projects around the parish — stepping in to help with everything from cleaning, to changing the batteries in our automated faucets, to planting trees. These days, the committee is even busier than usual as St. Vincent de Paul prepares to move forward on remodeling the sanctuary.

The Sanctuary Committee, a subcommittee of

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FAC

the Facilities Committee, has held numerous meetings with an architect to go over the new design elements of the sanctuary.

One of the biggest changes in the sanctuary will be the placement of a crucifix over the altar in place of the current Risen Christ.

“We have a Risen Christ that is original to the building,” says Aaron Busse, Chair of the Facilities Committee. “There is a desire for people to go in and pray in front of a beautiful crucifix and some of those traditional elements that have been refined over the last two thousand years.

With so many parishioners wanting to keep the Risen Christ, we’ve come up with a good plan to relocate it to the entry. So it won’t be off in a corner — everyone will see it as they walk in.”

In addition to placing a crucifix over the altar, other plans for the sanctuary remodel include removing the existing backdrop and having a new one made, replacing the carpet with tile, bringing the tabernacle to the center, and moving the statues of the Holy Family and St. Vincent so that they are on either side of the crucifix. The organ and choir area will also be relocated to a less central location.

After facing significant delays due to the COVID-19 crisis, Aaron is happy to report that the sanctuary remodel is quickly moving forward and hopes that the work will be completed sometime between Christmas and Easter!

As with all things, this enormous undertaking of our Facilities and Sanctuary Committees would not be possible without the generous support of our parishioners. Two years ago, the Sanctuary Committee was able to raise $40,000 through a special appeal. This summer, parishioners once again rose to the occasion of a second special appeal for the sanctuary project. Anonymous

CILITIES COMMITTEE

ur Parish Buildings and Grounds donations have also been received for specific items, including a new organ. Throughout the year, a portion of our collection continues to go into a fund for regular repairs and maintenance.

Thanks to such tremendous generosity our church and school campus continue to be a beautiful and inviting place for parishioners, students, and visitors to come together to learn and worship. Looking to the future, the Facilities Committee hopes to follow up the sanctuary remodeling project with a facility addition that would benefit both our church and school.

For all who help with our facilities maintenance — whether they are attending planning meetings or simply lending an extra set of hands as needed — the rewards are great.

Feeling invested in our faith community brings a sense of pride and joy as we see a deep love for Christ reflected in our parish buildings and grounds.

“I think people get a chance to see how much work goes in,” Aaron says of participating on the Facilities Committee. “If people come in and they’re not really involved, it’s really easy to miss how much work goes into keeping a building clean and tidy. You can say that about all the different things here — about the people who do the work to put together prayer groups or Bible study groups. When people see how much work goes into everything, they get the little itch to be more involved and find something that they are passionate about.”

Are you interested in learning more about how you can help the Facilities Committee?

If so, please contact Aaron Busse at aaronhd04@aol.com or 402-416-2727.

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catholic church | seward, nebraska

Teaching Our Children the True Meaning of Stewardship

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hat is your response when someone compliments your child’s achievements in art, music or sports? Do you say “thank you” as a kind response, or do you thank God for granting your child the gifts necessary for success?

As parents, we serve as the primary educators of our children. Teaching them from a young age that their talents — whether in soccer, chorus or painting — come not from us, but from God, is essential to teaching stewardship. God graciously grants each of us unique skills and abilities, and it is our job to use those gifts to glorify Him. As parents, aunts, uncles, or older siblings, we can guide children in our lives to recognize their God-given gifts. We can further encourage children to use God’s gifts to their full potential, and then thank Him for bestowing them. This teaches young Catholics how to be good stewards. Indeed, not utilizing our talents brings to mind the parable of the servant who buries the treasure his master gives him, instead of using it to create more treasure. God wants us to use our talents wisely and thankfully.

Teaching children to utilize their talents to build God’s kingdom is only one step of the threefold stewardship message. How your children spend their time is also important. As we move through the hustle and bustle of our day — balancing school, chores and extracurricular activities — do we find time to spend with God? It often seems as if 24 hours is not long enough to fulfill our many daily tasks.

So, how can we find the time to teach and demonstrate the importance of sharing our time 6

with God? Simple time offerings include praying on the way to school, stopping by the church to pray for a friend in need, or thanking God for a good outcome on a test. Even learning about a saint over dinner and praying as a family before bedtime can be a valuable time offering to the Lord.

As parents, finding daily prayer time ourselves is also necessary, both for our roles as good stewards and as an example to our children. How wonderful for a child to witness their parent in quiet prayer devotion!

The third tier of stewardship — treasure — is most frequently overlooked when educating our children. Birthday money from Grandma and allowance money doesn’t count — or does it?

All gifts we receive are really from God, and the “first fruits” of those gifts should be generously returned to God — even if they come from Grandma. Starting as early as grade school, children can understand the concept of giving back to the all-giving God if we simply take the opportunity to teach it to them. Witnessing our weekly tithe is a great start, but encouraging them to give in their own children’s offertory envelope is also important. Knowing they are returning to God in thanksgiving will fill them with joy!

Of the many lessons parents instill in their children, teaching them to be good stewards should be a top priority. Our goal as parents is to get our children to heaven to be with our creator, God. Teaching them to be good stewards is a great way to ensure entry.

VETERANS DAY SERVICES PROMOTE PATRIOTISM IN OUR STUDENTS

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s children of God, we are all called to a life of service. The way we embrace this calling is different for each of us — we may serve in grand gestures or small acts of daily kindness; within the walls of our home or out in the broader community. For members of our Armed Forces and their families, service permeates every aspect of life — military personnel and their families dedicate their lives to serving our country, no matter the sacrifice. This month, our nation honored its veterans in a special way.

St. Vincent de Paul School was one of several local schools to celebrate Veterans Day with a special ceremony.

School secretary Janet Kuehl has always enjoyed the Veterans Day programs at St. Vincent de Paul.

“Mrs. Jilg has done the music program for the past number of years on Veterans Day, and we get rave reviews,” she says. “One thing that we have done is ask the children and parishioners to give us names of veterans they would like us to pray for, as well as the branch they served in.

We then read their name and ask that if they are present, they stand. We play the medleys from each branch and ask that the servicemen and women stand while their medley is played.

The colors are taken up by local veterans, and at the end the priest gives a special blessing to the veterans.”

Our Veterans Day programs have always been a tradition dear to Janet’s heart. Her father and father-in-law both served in World War II, her husband has served in the military, and both of her sons have served in Afghanistan. She appreciates the way the school encourages our students to honor the sacrifices of our military service members — and not just on one day of

A past Veterans Day service for St. Vincent de Paul School.

the year. In September, the children sang at the funeral of a veteran who had been the greatgrandfather of one of the students.

“We brought the kids out to watch the 21-gun salute, and the music teacher had taught them a song to sing about the heroes on the line,” Janet says. “Hearing the children singing this song and thanking this man for his service was so beautiful.”

Indeed, it is never too early to teach our children gratitude for the sacrifices of all who serve. In our local community, the American Legion of Seward works to promote patriotism, mentor youth, and foster devotion to our military service members. Legion member Ken Meyer has helped many times with Veterans Day services at our school. Ken served active duty in the Air Force for almost 30 years, followed by another 26 years in the reserves for the Army National Guard. He views the Veterans Day programs at continued on back cover

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Vincen de Paul Saint

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152 Pinewood Avenue | Seward, NE 68434 (402) 643-3421 | stvincentseward.org

VETERANS DAY SERVICES St. Vincent de Paul School and other schools as a wonderful way to honor all service members.

“I think most veterans like to do what they can to make the schoolchildren aware of patriotism and aware of service members who have given their life or their service over the years,” Ken says. “Only one percent of the population serves in the military now. In World War I, everybody had someone in the service, but it’s not as common now, so this helps promote patriotism and respect for the flag.”

Every day, our Armed Forces service members continue to give selflessly of themselves to preserve the safety and dignity of our nation, without asking anything in return. Veterans Day ceremonies like these provide our community with a wonderful opportunity to say “thank you”

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for a gift so freely given.

“I hope they feel honored,” Ken says. “We want to promote awareness of what service members have contributed over the years. This is recognition that nobody asks for, but it’s nice when it’s given.”

“To the brave and to our heroes To the good and to the kind From our hearts we thank you truly All of you out on the line” — Lyrics from a song performed by St. Vincent de Paul students at the funeral of a veteran in September

LITURGY SCHEDULE Daily Masses: Monday thru Friday at 7:00 a.m., Saturday at 8:00 a.m.

Sunday Obligation Masses: Saturday at 5:30 p.m., Sunday at 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.

Confession: Monday thru Saturday: 20 minutes before each daily Mass, Saturday: 4:30 to 5:20 p.m., Sunday: 7:30 to 7:50 a.m. & 9:30 to 9:50 a.m. Other confession times available by appointment.