Parish Newsletter May 2023
Message From Father Angi

Life is all about God, people and love. We all need people in our lives who understand us. We need people who think of us, look out for us, accept us, bring out the best in us, and challenge us to be the best we can possibly be. Likewise, we need to be that person for others. One individual in our family of parishes who looks out for us and challenges us through music to be the best we can possibly be is Dave Auxier. Dave has been the Director of Worship and Music for Immaculate Heart of Mary for twenty-five years. After twenty-five years, Dave has decided to retire as of July 1, 2023. However, he plans to continue to worship at our family of parishes and if needed to fill in for our music directors. He will continue as a member of the Pathways Team until its completion and the Leadership Team is formed. It is another chapter of Dave’s life that he is embarking upon. He has truly been a blessing to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and me as well as an advisor. He will be truly missed by us all. Dave is assisting me in hiring a new Music Director for Immaculate Heart of Mary and Director of Worship for our family of parishes.

Also, Michelle Markert has taken a new position at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish as a music director and will leave St. John Fisher May 7. Her formation of a choir at St. John Fisher and lively music will be missed. We wish her well in her new position. Dave is assisting me in a search for a new music director at St. John Fisher and has successful found coverage for the remaining weekends of May.

There comes a time in everyone’s life that they embark on a new journey, a new path and follow wherever God is leading them. Our prayers support their journey as we are truly thankful for all they have done for us. 


Sincerely,

Fr. Steve
First Holy Communion

Congratulations to the Second Graders of our parish who are receiving our Lord for the first time today! May God continue to bless them with His everlasting mercy and love.
Mass Intention Changes

With the elimination of the 8:00 am Saturday morning Mass at Guardian Angels, any previously requested mass intentions will be moved to the 3:30 pm Mass on that same Saturday. Thank you for your understanding. 
Celebrate with Us: 50th Anniversary Ordination Mass and Reception for Fr. King
Increasing Stewardship at Guardian Angels

At Guardian Angels, we are a parish that cares for the poor, supports missions in our own land and in other nations, and thinks of others before ourselves. We embrace stewardship as a way to give our time, talents, and treasure to serve God through the gifts He has bestowed upon us. Financial giving is typically the hardest aspect of stewardship for most people. It requires us to put our faith in God and that He will fulfill our needs, even in sacrificial giving. However, just as attending Mass and performing charitable works are pillars of our Catholic faith, so is generously sharing our money to support the mission of our parish.

The need for strong Catholic parishes and the ministries we provide continues to grow. In order to continue to support and grow in our community, funds are required. The generosity of our parishioners and your financial stewardship support our parish through staff wages, maintenance and grounds, and tuition stipends, just to name a few. Without this support, our parish will not be able to serve our parish, school, and community. Just as the pandemic and inflation has impacted so many, it has impacted Guardian Angels parish as well. We are enduring rising prices to maintain our ministries. While we know some of our parishioners have increased their offertory contributions throughout the past 3 years, we hope to increase our overall offertory giving by 6% so that we can continue to serve to the best of our ability.

Whatever our circumstances, we are all being called in this moment into a loving relationship with God and each other. We ask that you spend time in prayer and reflect on how God is calling you to be the person He created you to be – grateful and generous – and how you can share your gifts and talents with our community.
Bid-N-Buy and Major Awards Raffle

The Bid-N-Buy committee is pleased to present an online auction June 9, 10 and 11 this year! We have been busy preparing a great event for you, but we need all hands on deck to be successful! Any donation you can make is greatly appreciated.

Major Awards
Major Awards raffle tickets were mailed to parishioners' homes and are available to purchase in the rectory. The grand prize for Major Awards is $12,500! A winner will be drawn on June 11th.

We will have three early bird drawings this month:
  • May 14: $250
  • May 21: $150
  • May 28: $100

Bid-N-Buy
Here's how can you help from the comfort of your couch!
  1. Check out the Amazon Wish List. Put your online shopping skills to good use! You can always donate an Amazon gift card in any amount and we will use it towards our bigger items. Click here to view the list. Please make sure to include your name and address with any donation so we can send you a thank you and tax receipt form. You can also use the wish list to get ideas-just let me know if you purchase elsewhere and I’ll take the item off the list.
  2. Donate lottery tickets in any amount.
  3. Do you have season tickets to local sports events? Can you spare a couple of tickets? We would love to offer tickets to the Reds, Bengals, FC Cincinnati, UC, XU, Ohio State, Notre Dame, UD, etc.
  4. Do you have an experience you can offer? Maybe a tour of your small business or you have a contact with someone at a restaurant, brewery, or factory?
  5. Send in a cash/check donation to the rectory. Please make your check out to Guardian Angels and mark your check as "Bid-N-Buy Donation."
Guardian Angels Church
6531 Beechmont Ave
Cincinnati, OH 45230

A display will be set up in the gathering space featuring tags with needed items. Take a tag and return it with your donation. Don't forget to include your name so I know who to thank! Gift cards are needed for entertainment, restaurants, and shopping.
 
The deadline for returning donations is June 1, but sooner is better! Registration for online bidding will be open May 10. To register, click here.

Thank You To Our Sponsors

Thank you to the local businesses who are sponsoring our Bid-N-Buy and Major Awards this year!

If you own a business and are interested in sponsoring this fundraiser, you find details about what opportunities are available on our website.

Angel Sponsors
Bid-N-Buy Sponsors
Event Weekend Sponsors
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Children's Liturgy of the Word Returning in May
Step Up Sunday

Are you interested in getting more involved at Guardian Angels? Do you feel called to do more to help the Church’s mission but can’t figure out where to start? Do you want to connect with fellow parishioners outside of Mass but aren’t sure how, when, or where to do it? Please join us in the Gathering Space immediately after the weekend Masses on May 20 and 21 for “Step-Up Sunday.” Representatives from several of GA’s parish service organizations (PSOs) will be on hand to tell you more about what their organization does and how you can be part of it. No commitments required—this is an informational event only and just a chance to meet fellow parishioners and to find a greater sense of belonging at Guardian Angels. See you there!
Greeters and Gift Bearers

How can your family contribute to the success of our liturgies? We need individuals, couples and families to serve as greeters (stand at the Gathering Space doors and welcome Mass attendees to our parish) and gift bearers (bring up the bread, wine and collection basket at the Offertory Procession during Mass). We need volunteers for all 3 of our weekend Masses. Contact Kay Froehlich (kfroehlich@gaparish.org) or Mary Fey (mtfey13@gmail.com) if you have any questions. Thank you for volunteering to serve in these important ministries. Your help is much needed and appreciated! Sign up here.
Bible Camp

Food Truck Party VBS invites children of all ages to get on a roll with God as a parade of Food Trucks rolls into their neighborhood for the summer's biggest party!

Children are invited to pray as Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:11; "Give us this day our daily bread." These words serve as a reminder that everything we have comes from God — and that it's by turning to God in prayer that all of our daily needs are met.
 
GA’s Bible Camp runs from Monday, June 19 through Thursday, June 22 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
 
Click here for more information.
 
We are also in need of incoming 7th grade and 8th grade and high school volunteers. Contact Mrs. Froehlich to volunteer.
Eastside Catholic Youth Ministries
 
Eastside Catholic Youth Ministries (ECYM) is the group of ministries serving our Family of Parishes. There are a wide range of opportunities for students in grades 5-12, open to youth of all schools and faith backgrounds. Join us as we seek to have fun, enjoy fellowship, and grow as disciples. For event details, please watch for emails from Bradley Barnes or visit gaparish.org.
 
If you would like information about upcoming opportunities, please contact Bradley Barnes at youth@gaparish.org or 513-624-3148.
Camp Gaudeo Spots Still Available
 
Spots are still available for Camp Gaudeo! Camp is always an incredible time of gathering the youth of our parish, and we’re so excited to see what God has in store for June 26th-30th and July 10th-14th. Email Bradley Barnes for more information.
 
We are currently looking for high school students who are interested in volunteering for this event. We are typically able to offer 50+ hours of community service credit, and high school counselors participate in all activities for free! Register a current high school student through this Volunteer Application Form. 
Volunteer Healthcare Professionals Needed
Young Men's Faith and Fellowship

When: 1st and 3rd Monday every month from 8:00-9:00pm 
Where: Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Room B in the undercroft or by zoom 
Age: 20s - 40s 
Join together in brotherhood with other men to grow in virtue and faith. Each session combines the best research from science with the teaching of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of a man fully alive and capable of transforming himself, his family, and greater society. Contact the group at mensfaith@gaparish.org for more information or to join via Zoom.
Young Women's Faith and Fellowship

When: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays every month from 8:00-9:00 pm. Upcoming dates are May 10, May 24, June 14, June 28, July 12, July 26, August 9 & August 23
Where: Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Room B in the undercroft
Age: 20s - 40s
Join together with other women to expand your Catholic faith and build meaningful relationships as we dive into various faith studies from the Blessed is She, Rooted devotional. No prior knowledge or materials needed; come as you are! Contact the group at womensfaith@gaparish.org for more information.  
Fathers Team

Each Friday, Fathers Team will be meeting for Fathers Team "Lite” which consists of a review and discussion of the upcoming Sunday's scripture readings. All GA fathers are invited to join either in person or via Zoom. Our meeting will start at 6:05 am Friday morning and last for one hour. Together we explore the readings and consider how the scripture's message can be applied to our daily lives. If you are holding back because you’re not an expert, join the crowd....neither are any of us! Join us in person in the Undercroft (Conference Room B), or by Zoom, this Friday at 6:05 am. Contact us at GAfathersteam@gmail.com for the zoom information, or to get on the GA Fathers Team email distribution.
RCIA Program

The St. Gregory the Great Family of Parishes will be combining efforts to create one RCIA program for those interested in learning more about the Catholic faith. Meetings will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary on Thursday evenings as well as dismissals after 9:30 a.m. Mass at IHM. If you know someone interested in becoming Catholic, please contact Jay Mather (513) 388-4188.
Parish Reminders
Make Offertory Donations Online
Giving to Guardian Angels Parish has never been easier. Offertory donations can be made online. If you are interested in establishing a one-time or recurring gift through our online platform, just click the button below. Once you have an account setup, you can make any changes to your giving yourself through the website.
8am & 10am Masses Streamed Each Sunday
The 8am and 10am Masses are livestreamed each Sunday and can be viewed on our YouTube channel and Facebook page live or they can be played back on either channel at a later time.
School News
Enrollment Open For 2023-2024 School Year

Enrollment is now open for all students entering preschool through eighth grade for the 2023-2024 school year. You'll find all the information you need on the school website.

If you missed our Open House events but would still like to learn more about our school, we invite you to take a personal tour. A tour allows you to meet with our administration to discuss the classes and programs available through GA and have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. These are typically done during school hours so you can see what a typical day is like for students. Call the school office at (513)624-3141 to schedule a tour.  
School Masses

Please join our school community in celebrating the Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the school year. Grade level Masses are offered on most Tuesdays for Kindergarten through 5th grade and Wednesdays for 6th through 8th grade. All-School Masses are held throughout the year and are live-streamed to the Guardian Angels YouTube channel. Visitors are welcome to attend any school Mass, although seating is limited for all-school Masses.
Please include our school community in your daily prayers!
School Playground Hours

We want to remind everyone of the hours of operation for our newer playground equipment. The portion of the playground that was installed last year sits outside the area where our old equipment sat. Since it is outside the mulch area and is now closer to other property lines, the portion of the equipment with the slide CANNOT be used outside of the posted playground operating hours. Those hours are 8:00am-6:00pm. 
Other News
Learn More On FORMED.org
 
Did you know that all parishioners have access to a bevy of incredible Catholic content through Formed.org? Parishioners can use this platform to discover the many ebooks, audio resources, movies and Bible studies that are available on your phone, tablet, smart tv or computer.


If you are new to the website:
  1. click on sign-up
  2. Choose I belong to a Parish or Organization
  3. Search Guardian Angels Parish (make sure you select the one on Beechmont in Cincinnati)
  4. Then create your own account

This treasure trove of material is provided as a gift to you as a valued member of our Faith Family.
Stay Connected with GA on Social Media
Stay up-to-date with all things GA by following us on social media. 
Guardian Angels is active on several social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The links to our social media channels at the bottom of every parish newsletter.
Bulletin Advertising Available
Our bulletin publisher is looking for new advertisers and sponsors. Thanks to our sponsors, the bulletin is published weekly at no cost to our parish. Please consider purchasing an ad. Your ad and participation make the bulletin successful, and you attract customers! If interested, please email Sherry Montel or call/text her at 614 301-7444.

Advertisements and sponsorships can be purchased for a business, family, charity, in Honor or in Memory of a Loved One, or to support the church or a community service organization, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters. We appreciate your support.
Have News to Share?
If you are part of a parish organization and have news you would like to share with our community, please email the parish office. To be included in next month's newsletter, your information must be received by the last Monday of this month.