St. Katharine Drexel Parish September 2017 e-Newsletter
In This Issue


Upcoming Events


Friday, September 15th
Serve supper at
St. Francis House
5-7:30 p.m.
 
Saturday, Sept. 16th
Parish Men's Group (GS)
7:30-9 a.m.
 
Sunday, September 24th
Youth Pancake Breakfast (MPR)  8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Sunday, September 24th
Confirmation Class 6-8 p.m. (MPR)
 
Tuesday, Sept. 26th
Anointing Mass (Nave)
6:30-7:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 27th
Youth Large Group Meeting 6:45 p.m. (MPR)

Sunday, October 1st
Sioux Empire Life Chain
(41st Street) 2-3 p.m.

Friday, October 6th    
First Friday Eucharistic Adoration  6 a.m.-7 p.m. (Chapel)
 
Sunday, October 8th
Youth Pancake Breakfast (MPR)  8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
 
Sunday, October 8th
Knights of Columbus meeting (Room 203)
7-8:30 p.m.

Sunday, October 8th
Confirmation class
(MPR) 6-8 p.m.

Thursday, October 12th
Baptismal Planning Class (GS) 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, October 15th
Public Rosary 3 p.m.
(McEneaney Field)

Wednesday, Oct. 18th
Serve breakfast at
The Banquet
5:30-8 a.m.
 
Thursday October 19th
SFPS: high school early dismissal
 
Friday, October 20th
SFPS: no school
 
Friday, October 20th  
Serve supper at
St. Francis House
5-7:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 21st
Diocesan Youth Conference 9 a.m.-6 p.m.(Swiftel Center, Brookings)

Saturday, October 21st
Parish Men's Group (GS)
7:30-9 a.m.
 
Saturday, October 21st
Trunk or Treat  6 p.m. (MPR)
 
Monday, October 23rd
SFPS: elementary and middle school-no school

Wednesday, Oct. 25th
Youth Large Group Meeting 6:45 p.m. (MPR)

Wednesday-Friday, October 25th-27th
SFCS: no school

Friday-Sunday, 
October 27th-29th
SEARCH Sioux Falls (Holy Spirit Parish)
 
Tuesday, October 31st
Anointing Mass (Nave)
6:30-7:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 1st
Solemnity of All Saints Masses at 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
 
Friday, November 3rd    
First Friday Eucharistic Adoration  6 a.m.-7 p.m. (Chapel)

Sunday, November 5th
Daylight Savings Time ends ("fall back" one hour)

Thursday, November 9th
Baptismal Planning Class 6:30 p.m. (GS)
 
Friday, November 10th
SFPS: no school
 
Sunday, November 12th
Turkey Bingo 4-7  p.m. (MPR)
 
Friday, November 17th  
Serve supper at
St. Francis House
5-7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 18th
Parish Men's Group 7:30-9 a.m. (GS)
 
Sunday, November 19th
Youth Pancake Breakfast
8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Sunday, November 19th
Confirmation Class 
6-8 p.m. (MPR)
 
Monday, Nov. 20th
Serve breakfast at
The Banquet
5:30-8:00 a.m.
 
Wednesday, Nov. 22nd
SFCS: early dismissal
 
Thursday-Friday, November 23rd-24th
SFCS: no school
 
Wednesday-Friday, November 22nd-24th
SFPS: no school

Wednesday, Nov. 22nd
Thanksgiving Eve Mass
(Nave) 6:30 p.m.

Thursday-Friday, 
November 23rd-24th
Parish Office closed
 
Tuesday, Nov. 28th
Anointing Mass (Nave)
6:30-7:15 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 29th
Youth Large Group Meeting 6:45 p.m. (MPR)

For more events, visit our parish calendar, where you can automatically add events to your personal calendar!

The Church Exists to Proclaim the Gospel
 
As Jesus prepared to leave this earth after a few short years of public ministry, He knew that His work was not yet complete. Only a few people in Israel had heard the Gospel, and His message of God's love was for all people. For that reason, Jesus established His Church that would complete the mission He had received from His Father.
 
The purpose of the Church has always been to baptize all the nations and to teach them all that Jesus has entrusted to us. Imagine how far the message has already extended beyond those first few followers who received the great commission!
 
That is the reason our parish exists on this corner of the earth too. Continuously we teach the Good News of God's love and invite people into the life of the Kingdom. I think about that especially in the fall when we begin all our new catechetical programs, always searching for new and more effective ways to tell the story of our salvation.
 
I am especially pleased this fall to have a variety of options for adult education. I am heartened by the great response from people who are willing to spend an extra hour or two to explore their faith and to deepen their commitment.
 
In every parish I've served for the past 35 years, there has always been a commitment to form the next generation in the life of the Gospel. This happens both in our parish school and in our Religious Education programs. I remember hearing once that the Church is always just one generation away from extinction if we ever fail in our task of passing along the Gospel.
 
Each year we try to make some adjustments to our Religious Education programs to more fully meet the needs of teachers and students. As society changes and the methods of instruction change in our schools, our religious formation evolves also. We want our teachers and mentors to have the resources they need to fulfill their vital task in the proclaiming the Gospel.
 
This year our long-time Religious Education Director, Gae French, is being assisted by Erin Hericks to help the teachers get oriented. We are pleased with the great response of many experienced teachers and many new volunteers. Each year our program is growing.
 
Recently our parish hired Jordan Pannell to be our Youth Director. While he has been getting acclimated, he has been working to establish some new Y-Disciple groups, planning for our monthly large group gatherings, looking ahead to mission trip options, and getting to know our young people. A big part of this job is recruiting the most effective and faith-filled people to assist.
 
Sometimes the mission of the Church can be obscured by details that might be necessary but not necessarily essential to the mission. Pope Paul VI often reminded us that the Church exists precisely to proclaim the Gospel. That is why we work so hard to fulfill the work that Jesus has given us to do.

I am very grateful for the wonderful response that happens in our parish, again and again, as we look for the best ways to fulfill the mission that Jesus has entrusted to us.
     
Father Gregory Tschakert
St. Katharine Drexel Parish

Society
Volunteer Commitment Weekend     
 
Volunteer Commitment Weekend is coming up on September 16th & 17th. Each fall, we are given an opportunity to pause and reflect on how God is calling us to serve in our parish life. Where is God calling you to serve this coming year? Maybe in a different ministry? Perhaps in a ministry where more volunteers are needed? And, can you think of a family member or friend who would be perfect for one or our ministries, but might need a gentle nudge?
 
During each Mass on the weekend of September 16th & 17th, volunteer cards for youth and for adults will be distributed. God made some of us to work quietly and behind the scenes. God made some of us to be busy on the front lines, working with others. "Though we are many, we are one body." (Romans 12:5) No matter your temperament, your time, or your talents, there is a ministry for you.
 
Please give some thought and prayerful consideration to how you would like to give of your time and talents this coming year. Would you like to serve during the liturgy, in the day-to-day life of our parish community, or outside our parish in the larger community? Or maybe all the above? Some parishioners have asked if there are certain ministries in need of more volunteers. Yes, there are ! We have a strong need for more Ushers and more Weekend Mass Receptionists. Ushers assist with doors before Mass, with the offertory, and with directing pews during Communion. Weekend Mass Receptionists answer the office phone before Mass, usually to confirm Mass time and directions to our parish. They also assist parishioners and guests before Mass with questions . A couple other ministries in need of more volunteers are Children's Liturgy of the Word, our Adult Choir, and Lectors (especially at the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday).
 
We are so fortunate here at St. Katharine Drexel Parish to have many opportunities to serve -- there really is something for everyone! 
 
SharingOurGifts
Study, Prayer, Fellowship Opportunities 

On Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 a.m., our parish is offering a DVD and discussion series on prayer called Talking with God: Lessons About Prayer   by Fr. James Kubicki, SJ.  Fr. Kubicki was the director of the Apostleship of Prayer  for many years. He was recently reassigned to St. Francis Mission on the Rosebud Reservation. Fr. Tschakert leads the early morning group on Wednesdays, and Gae French the Monday evening sessions. From the publisher website : "As you will learn, there is no "one-size-fits-all" method of prayer. These lectures will inspire you to find your own individual way of communicating with God. To do so, you will draw upon the wisdom of St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Teresa of Ávila, and other great teachers of prayer. Throughout this spiritual journey, you will explore such topics as: The Lord's Prayer, various types of prayer (intercessory prayer, contemplation, lectio divina ), the Examen, and discernment, and the roles of imagination and desire in prayer."
 
On Wednesdays at 9 a.m. and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m., Fr. Tschakert leads a Scripture study called Biblical Women in CrisisStudy guides are offered for $10 in the Parish Office. And for more information about this study, please visit the publisher website .
 
On the 3rd Saturday of each month from 7:30-9 a.m., Deacon Denny leads the Men's Group in study, faith-sharing, coffee, donuts, and fellowship. Please contact Deacon Denny at 261-7232 with any questions.
 
On the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Gathering Space, Deacon Denny leads a DVD and discussion series called  "The Wild Goose," which explores experiences of the Holy Spirit.
 
As Fr. Tschakert wrote in a recent bulletin: "Any of these opportunities would provide some additional nourishment for your life of faith during the next months. I often think that one of the great benefits of any study group is spending time with others who are also desiring to grow in faith. Please do come along even if you can't commit to every session."
  
Welcoming
Father Ed Pierce

Fr. Ed Pierce is a member of our parish, concelebrates Mass and helps with confessions every so often at our parish. But I wanted to know more about Fr. Ed, a senior priest who seems always to be on the move in our diocese. I had the opportunity to have dinner with Fr. Ed recently and came to learn just what an interesting person he is, and to marvel at how much he loves Our Lord and the work he still does as a priest.
 
Did you know that Fr. Ed isn't from South Dakota? And also, unlike many around here, he wasn't raised on a farm? Fr. Ed is from Newton, IA. His mother was a teacher and his father owned a local furniture and home furnishing business. He is the oldest of six and has one brother and three sisters (one sister has passed), several of whom followed in their mother's footsteps and became teachers.
 
Some forty-five years ago, Fr. Ed answered the call to the priesthood and has served Our Lord by serving us. His journey to the priesthood, however, was not straightforward. During the Second Vatican Council, Fr. Ed began to question his calling. He decided to take a hiatus from the seminary, during which time he made his way to Sioux Falls and taught Latin and other subjects at O'Gorman High School. After teaching for five years, he came to see his true calling in life and completed his studies for the priesthood in 1972 at Benedictine Seminary in Conception, MO.
 
Fr. Ed has served as a priest throughout our Diocese, not only in several parishes in Sioux Falls, but also in Aberdeen, Mitchell, Pierre, and other stops in between. Even now as a spry 76-year-old senior priest, he keeps a schedule that would put many of us to shame. We all know he helps here at St. Katharine Drexel Parish with Masses and confessions, but as he has for decades, he continues to serve as the confessor to the Carmelite sisters in Alexandria, making the journey west every two weeks. Fr. Ed also fills in as needed in area parishes. During one week this summer, he helped at St. George Parish in Hartford while Fr. King was visiting friends in other states. He will also be assisting soon at Risen Savior in Brandon while Fr. Krogman is out of town for two weeks. And week after week, whenever and wherever called, Fr. Ed is busy helping in the many parishes here in Sioux Falls.
 
What keeps Fr. Ed, a senior priest, so happy to be busy? He told me that being busy is easy: "I have a calling to serve Our Lord by serving others. Everyone has a calling to serve, to give back in thanksgiving for all God has given." Fr. Ed heard and lives his calling and shows little sign of slowing down in answering that call. After my dinner with Fr. Ed, I realized that we all owe him a word of thanks and a prayer. Thank you, Fr. Ed!
Youth
Anointing Mass 

On the last Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., our parish offers a Mass for the Anointing of the Sick. Individuals and families from St. Katharine Drexel Parish as well as from all around Sioux Falls attend to pray and to receive the healing graces. The Mass is not just for the critically ill, but for anyone who is hurting physically, spiritually, mentally, or emotionally; for those needing healing from addiction; and for those needing healing of relationships.
 
Fr. Tschakert and Fr. Ed Pierce hear confessions before and after the Mass. After Mass, too, teams are available for continued prayer, or for one-on-one prayer ministry for something specific.
 
Did you know that both Catholics and non-Catholics may receive prayers at a Healing Mass?
 
Did you know that you can come in proxy for a friend or loved one who needs healing prayer?
 
Old Mission Santa Ines Parish in Solvang, California, has a very nicely summarized description of the graces to be obtained from an Anointing Mass.
 
Approaching Healing Mass with a Healthy Perspective, at short piece at The Catholic Messenger, answers the questions: What is healing? What happens at a Healing Mass? And, who should go?
 
The next Anointing Mass at our parish is Tuesday, September 26th. Please consider attending if you have a need, or if you can stand in as proxy for a friend or loved one. Share this opportunity with family and friends, too, and encourage them to attend. As Julie Dickes told me, "It is a very beautiful evening where healing can come from many avenues: the Holy Eucharist, Confession, and/or prayer ministry."
 
"For I, the Lord, am your healer." Exodus 15:26  
St. Katharine Drexel Parish on the Web   
 
  Mass Schedule, Calendar, Online Giving, Readings, and much more. Our Parish Web page has been updated and redesigned. Check it out!

 
 Have you "liked" St. Katharine Drexel Parish yet? It's a great way to stay up-to-date on Parish events. Visit www.fb.me/stkatharinedrexelsfsd.

Log on to our Flickr site to see photos of our beautiful Sanctuary and Nave as well as our stained glass windows. Want to help us? Contact Carol Deering (212-5218/ tom.carol@vastbb.net) of the Communications Committee.

Our Parish YouTube page includes eight videos. Do you have an idea for a video on our channel? Talk with Fr. Tschakert (275-6870/
gtschakert@sfcatholic.org) or Carol Deering of the 
Communications Committee ( 212-5218/ tom.carol@vastbb.net).