The Shepherd - 9/1/23

TheST. COLUMBA SHEPHERD

FORMERLY THE FRIDAY FOCUS GUIDANCE FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

EACH WEEK THE ST. COLUMBA SHEPHERD

provides all the information you need to know and links to things that you might need to cross off your list. Stay organized by reading it every week and making sure that you add events and deadlines to your calendar!

LET'S DO IT!

BACK

TO SCHOOL MASS & POTLUCK - RSVPS NEEDED!

EPlease join us for our Back to School Mass on September 9th at 5:00 in Claire Viles Park. We ask that all students wear their school uniforms on Sunday best. Dinner will follow in the school gym. On the menu. for the evening is pulled pork with delicious Serious Texas BBQ sauce...and YOUR best sides! Leave Aunt Bethany’s (in)famous jello mold recipe at home and show up with your family’s favorite summer side dish to share.

SCHOOL LUNCHES

We still have quite a few families that haven’t made their selections for hot lunch plans for the 1st semester. Please take a minute to complete the appropriate form below:

Preschool Lunches

K-8 Lunches

RSVP HERE!

ST. COLUMBA SCHOOL APP

Our app company went through some changes over the summer, and we need to ask those of you who downloaded the St. Columba School App last year to please delete it and go to your App store to add the new and improved version. The app has some great quicklink resources to calendars, the lunch menu, Blackbaud, and more. There is also a handy staff directory page to connect you with your student’s teachers. When downloading the app, please allow notifications as we will send reminders and things like snow day notifications directly through the app.

FIRST PARENTS ASSOCIATION

MEETING: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH, 5:30PM

The Parents Association will meet monthly during the school year, normally on the last Tuesday of each month. The first meeting of the 2023-2024 school year will be held on Tuesday, September 26th at 5:30pm. We will discuss upcoming Parents Association activities and thoughts on the upcoming school year. All are welcome! We would love to see you there!

MORE SCHOOL HAPPENINGS

SAttendance Line: Please call our attendance line, 828-9356, to excuse your child’s absence.

Parent Pick up Line: Thank you all for your patience as we get in the habits of the parent pickup routine! Just a friendly reminder that we ask those who are getting out of their cars to please not park in the pickup lines. Across the street works the best!

School Masses on Youtube: Please join us every Wednesday at 8:15 for our school Mass The faculty helped start off the school year last week and 8th grade will be leading the liturgy next week. If you can’t join us in person, you can always stream the Mass on the St Columba Youtube Channel HERE

Service Hours: We are working on a complete list of ways that you can complete your service hours for the year and will be sharing that and the way we will be tracking hours in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, please keep your eyes out for different needs at the school and jot down your hours. A few great ways to work on your hours are shared below.

Service Hour Opportunity - Mass & Potluck Setup: Glenn Gundrey needs help setting up for Mass in the Park and the potluck in the gym If you are able to help get everything ready for this special night, please meet Glenn on Saturday, September 9th, at 3:00.

Service Hour Opportunity -Back to School Dinner Serving: Ms. Kristyn could use some help in the kitchen serving the main dish for our Back to School potluck. If you are willing to help, please email office@stcolumbaschooldurangoorg

THE PARISH CONNECTION

AT ST. COLUMBA CHURCH, WE ARE DEDICATED TO CREATING A VIBRANT AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS SEEKING FAITH FORMATION. HERE ARE SOME OF THE EXCITING ACTIVITIES THAT WE OFFER EACH WEEK. WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR THESE EVENTS AND EXPERIENCE THE WARMTH AND HOSPITALITY OF THE ST. COLUMBA COMMUNITY.

Attention parents of PreK - 5th grade!

Please join us for Theology Night with Fr Kevin and Julie Romero, Faith Formation Director, on Tuesday, September 5th, 6:30pm - 7:30pm at the parish center

We would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to sign up here Child care is provided on the sign-up link

IIt's with great enthusiasm that we announce Family of Faith at St Columba, an exciting new approach that supports parents in forming children in Christian faith.

A Christian home is a place where children receive the first proclamation of faith For this reason, the family home is rightly called "the domestic church," a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues, and of Christian charity (CCC1666) This year, we will dive into the profession of faith, as confessed in our Creed. This first session will give an introduction to the program of the year. Learn more about this great opportunity to grow in faith and fellowship with other families here

*Light refreshments will be served.

THE PARISH CONNECTION

JOIN A PARENT SMALL GROUP!

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO JOIN A SMALL FAITH-SHARING GROUP WITH FELLOW PARENTS. WHETHER YOUR CHILD IS IN PRESCHOOL OR 8TH GRADE, THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW OTHERS ON THE PARENTHOOD JOURNEY THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT RESULT WILL DEEPLY ENRICH YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A ST. COLUMBA PARENT! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!

YOUTH CHOIR WILL BE ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH THIS WEEK

3:10-4:00

THE HISTORY OF ST. COLUMBA

St. Columba, also known as Columba of Iona, was an influential Irish monk, missionary, and scholar who lived during the 6th century. Born in 521 in Gartan, Ireland, he was a member of the powerful O'Neill clan. Known for his strong religious devotion from a young age, Columba entered the monastery of Moville and later studied at the renowned Clonard Abbey under the guidance of St. Finnian.

Columba's life took a significant turn when a dispute arose over a copy he had made of a Psalter owned by St. Finnian. This conflict escalated into a battle in which many men lost their lives. In remorse for the bloodshed, Columba sought penance and received guidance from an elder monk, St. Molaise. Following his penance, Columba felt a strong calling to spread Christianity and embarked on a mission to Scotland.

In 563, Columba and a group of followers arrived on the island of Iona, off the western coast of Scotland. There, he established a monastery that would become a center of learning, spirituality, and missionary work. Columba's leadership and charisma attracted many disciples, and his efforts played a crucial role in converting the Picts and other inhabitants of northern Britain to Christianity.

Columba was known for his dedication to writing and preserving manuscripts. He is believed to have transcribed and illuminated numerous books, contributing to the preservation of both religious and secular knowledge. His most famous work, the "Columba Psalter," is considered one of the most important manuscripts of early medieval Ireland.

Throughout his life, Columba continued to engage in missionary work, often traveling to various parts of Scotland to spread the Christian faith. He was also involved in mediating conflicts among different tribes and chieftains. St. Columba passed away on June 9, 597, leaving behind a legacy of religious fervor, intellectual pursuit, and evangelism. His influence extended beyond his time, shaping the religious and cultural landscape of both Ireland and Scotland. The island of Iona, with its monastery, became a significant pilgrimage site, and St. Columba's impact on Celtic Christianity endures to this day.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!