This month students will learn about the Saints during RE classes.  Please ask your children about this and check their folders for papers and parent information . 
 
All Saints Day/All Souls Day
The first two days of November each year, the Church commemorates two linked feast days: All Saints (November 1 a Holy Day of Obligation) and All Souls (November 2). All Saints is easy to understand: we remember all those who have lived lives of heroic holiness, whether the Church has canonized them or not. On All Souls, we remember all those who have died, not just the spiritual superstars.  The Church has prayed for the deceased from the beginning.  We realize that in God’s hands rests their judgment and His mercy.  Our concerns matter to God and by offering our prayers for our deceased loved ones is most fitting. On the feast of All Souls Day, many also visit the graves of loved ones to pray for them.  Masses for the Holy Day of Obligation are as follows: Friday, November 1^st 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. at St. Mary Church. A Vigil Mass will be held on Thursday, October 31^st at 5:30 p.m. at St. Mary Church.
 
National Vocation Awareness Week
November 3-9, 2019 is National Vocation Awareness Week. A time set aside to think about the vocations each of us are called to by God: single life, marriage, consecrated life or as ordained deacons and priests. All students will receive a prayer card to help them pray to know their vocation in life and classes will pray as a group for the seminarians on the Diocesan prayer schedule for the day. Students in grades KN-6 ^th will also have activity sheets that they will work on in class. Please talk to your children about vocations and ask them what was discussed in class.
 
Calling all Parents!
This Sunday, November 3 ^rd while your children are in RE class, please stop by the upstairs room of the Parish Center to watch and discuss the movie “Connect” by Kirk Cameron. This DVD discusses how parents can equip their children to thrive in an ever-changing digital environment…while avoiding the dangers that are around the corner. It is very informative in keeping safe with all the technology available at our fingertips. The next parent meeting will be on Sunday, December 8 ^th.  In December, we will have a round table discussion on keeping the faith and passing it on to our children when one parent is Catholic. If you have a suggestion for upcoming parent meetings, please let me know.
 
Homework
Students in grades KN, 1 ^st, 3 ^rd/4 ^th, 5 ^th/6 ^th, and 7 ^th/8 ^th had work sent home last month to be completed and returned to class on November 3 ^rd. Please check your students’ folders and work with them on completing this. The theme was either Ordinary time or the Liturgical year. Let me know if you have any questions.
 
First Reconciliation
Parents, please help your children learn The Act of Contrition, the Ten Commandments and the questions for their interview.  Interviews are scheduled for this Sunday, November 3, 2019 during RE class.   
First Reconciliation is on December 7^th at 9:00 a.m. at St. Mary Church.  Please plan to arrive no later than 8:50 a.m. There will be a reception following First Reconciliation in the Church Hall for students and their families. Please let me know how many in your family will be attending no later than this Sunday, November 3^rd.
 
Confirmation
A parent meeting for students preparing for Confirmation in the fall of 2021 will be held on Sunday, November 10 ^th at 9 a.m., St. Mary Church. We will meet upstairs in the nave (main body of the church). Please contact me with any questions you have.
 
Religious Education Class Family Advent Event
On Sunday, November 17^th Religious Education Classes will all meet in the church hall with their family. Students are expected to attend as they would a RE class. This is the third year for the Family Events and we have some fun things planned. Information was sent earlier this week. Please contact me by Sunday, November 10^th with the number of people participating from your family in the activities or if any High School students would like to volunteer.
 
Junk Food Collection
We will be collecting “junk food” in November.  The “junk food” will be packed in the Thanksgiving Ecumenical Food Baskets.  The “junk food” basket will be in the Church Hall during Religious Ed classes through November 10^th.  Please encourage your children to bring in their favorite junk food or any unwanted Halloween candy.
 
Maryknoll Student Essay Contest 2019
Maryknoll Student Essay Contest 2019 This contest is open to students in grades 6-8 and grades 9-12.  The topic this year is “Courageous Missionaries.” Pope Francis challenges young people in his letter Christ Alive, “Learn to swim against the tide, learn how to share Jesus and the faith he has given you.” Students are asked to tell how and with whom they share the good news of God’s love.  More information can be found at www.MaryknollSociety.org/Essay or call the office. The deadline is November 15, 2019. 
 
The Thanksgiving Food Baskets will be put together on Saturday, November 16^th at the Durand United Methodist Church.  There is always a need for help in sorting & packing (9am) and delivering (10am) the baskets, please consider helping out.
 
Changing of Worship Books
The weekend of November 23^rd and 24^th, we will be putting the new worship books in the pews at St. Patrick Church after the 4:30 p.m. Mass and at St. Mary Church after the 10:30 a.m. Mass.  Everyone is invited to help, especially the seventh grade class as part of how they live their faith.
 
Socks, Hat & Mitten Collection
Preschool & Kindergarten students are asked to participate in a service project.  A collection will be taken until December 8^th for new hats, mittens/gloves and socks.  Students may put their donations in the basket located on the table in the Church Hall.  These will be included in the Ecumenical Council’s Christmas Gift program.
 
Christmas Party
St. Anne CCW will hold the annual Christmas party Wednesday, December 11^th. Social Hour will begin at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6p.m. This is open to all women (elementary age and up).  There will be a dinner followed by a silent auction with proceeds going to the Durand Ecumenical Council.  Ladies are needed to sponsor a table to decorate.  If you love the season and would like brighten up a dinner table, contact Jeanine Schwab at 815-289-9866. Please consider attending this with a daughter, mother, aunt, friend, etc.  This is a wonderful time to spend with friends and family. More information will be in upcoming bulletins.
 
Advent 2019
Sunday, December 1 ^stis the first week of Advent. I know the Elf on the Shelf is something that many families use…I don’t think this was around when my kids were small. Here is something that you may want to do that expresses what the season is about for Christians…The Shepherd on the Search. You can find information on www.shepherdonthesearch.com where you can purchase the shepherd & story book. They also have daily activities you can download or print off. The shepherd and book are also available on Amazon ($25.99).
 
Bake Sale
December 15 ^th the High School Religious Education class will be holding a bake sale.  We need your help…baked goods and buyers are needed!  Please try to have items to the parish center by Friday, December 13 ^th.  Funds will be sent to Habitat for Humanity, Rockford.  Habitat for humanity builds simple, decent, affordable homes that are sold to families currently living in substandard housing.  What a great way to live out the Corporal Works of Mercy to shelter the homeless.
 
Saint Facts
Saint feast days to be celebrated worldwide are listed on the official Roman calendar for the universal church. There are at least three saints for almost every day of the year.  As early as 100 A.D. Christians began honoring other Christians who died asking them for their intercession.  Canonization or the process used to name a saint has been around since the tenth century.  Prior to that time the saints were chosen by public acclaim.  In 1983, Pope John Paul II made changes to the process.  After death, often many years in order to give perspective, the local bishop investigates their life and writings for heroic virtue, martyrdom and orthodoxy of doctrine.  A Panel of Vatican theologians evaluates the candidate.  After approval by the panel and cardinals of the Congregation for Cause of Saints, the pope proclaims the candidate “venerable.”  A miracle is needed (except for martyrs) as proof the person is in heaven and can intercede for us.  This miracle must happen after the candidates death and as a result of a specific petition to the candidate.  Then, the pope proclaims the candidate beatified or “blessed” and the person can be venerated by the people.  Only after another miracle (for martyrs also), will the pope canonize this person a saint.
 

St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Feast day:  November 17
During the general audience, Benedict XVI introduces the figure of St. Elizabeth of Hungary as an example of how "faith, friendship with Christ, creates a sense of justice, equality of all, the rights of others and create love, charity, and from this comes the hope and certainty that we are loved by Christ and Christ's love is waiting for us. " St. Elizabeth was born in Hungary in 1207, the daughter of Alexander II, King of Hungary. At the age of four she was sent for education to the court of the Landgrave of Thuringia, to whose infant son she was betrothed. As she grew in age, her piety also increased by leaps and bounds. In 1221, she married Louis of Thuringia and in spite of her position at court began to lead an austerely simple life, practiced penance, and devoted herself to works of charity. Her husband was himself much inclined to religion and highly esteemed her virtue, encouraging her in her exemplary life. They had three children when tragedy struck - Louis was killed while fighting with the Crusaders. After his death, Elizabeth left the court, made arrangements for the care of her children, and in 1228, renounced the world, becoming a tertiary of St. Francis. She built the Franciscan hospital at Marburg and devoted herself to the care of the sick until her death at the age of 24 in 1231. St. Elizabeth is the patron saint of bakers, countesses, death of children, falsely accused, the homeless, nursing services, tertiaries, widows, and young brides. Her symbols are alms, flowers, bread, the poor, and a pitcher.

 
St. Andrew
Feast day: November 30
Patron of Fisherman
Andrew, like his brother Simon Peter, was a fisherman. He became a disciple of the great St. John the Baptist, but when John pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Andrew understood that Jesus was greater. At once he left John to follow the Divine Master. Jesus knew that Andrew was walking behind him, and turning back, he asked, "what do you seek?" When Andrew answered that he would like to know where Jesus lived, Our Lord replied, "Come and see." Andrew had been only a little time with Jesus when he realized that this was truly the Messiah. From then on, he chose to follow Jesus. Andrew was thus the first disciple of Christ. Next, Andrew brought his brother Simon (St. Peter) to Jesus and Jesus received him, too, as His disciple. At first the two brothers continued to carry on their fishing trade and family affairs, but later, the Lord called them to stay with Him all the time. He promised to make them fishers of men, and this time, they left their nets for good. It is believed that after Our Lord ascended into Heaven, St. Andrew went to Greece to preach the gospel. He is said to have been put to death on a cross, to which he was tied, not nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people who gathered around their beloved Apostle. Two countries have chosen St. Andrew as their patron - Russia and Scotland.
 
*Information on saints taken from www.catholic.org and OSV’s Encyclopedia of Saints.