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St. Emily and St. Thomas Becket Parishes
January 22, 2019
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Dear Families,
Families with students who will be celebrating the Sacrament of Penance soon are invited to the
Reconciliation Family Event this week. Choose either Thursday evening or Saturday morning.
It is January, so winter weather is not a surprise.
If you think that class might be cancelled due to snow or ice, please know how to check. We will try to let you know by email if we have to cancel, but we will also post it through the Emergency Closing Center.
If you received notice last semester that your son or daughter (fourth grade and up) needs to memorize a prayer or prayers
, please check in with him or her and make sure that this happens. We only see the students one time a week. You see them for hours every day. The easiest way to memorize something is to say it daily. Like putting laundry in the hamper, brushing teeth or finishing homework, it might be something you need to mention to make sure it happens!
Check ups to see who has finished memorization will resume next week.
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Learning about Islam
Special speaker on January 23
On January 23, we will welcome Ms. Karen Danielson to help our students learn about Islam. Ms. Danielson is an educator and a Muslim who has done various interfaith projects with the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Why speak about Islam?
- It is part of our responsibility as Christians to help our students understand about toleration and respect for all faiths.
- The Archdiocese of Chicago religion curriculum specifies material that students are expected to learn about Islam in fifth grade and above. (I would be glad to supply you with that material.)
- Kids have questions, and we seek to offer an expert who can answer them honestly and respectfully.
Parents are welcome to come and hear Ms. Danielson as well.
As with all speakers on topics that parents might find sensitive, we offer families the option of excluding their child from this activity.
Please let me know if you decide to take this option.
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First Penance / First Eucharist News
Reconciliation Family Event in January
There will be a Reconciliation Family Event for parents and children to share this week.
- Thursday, January 24 at 7:00 PM
- Saturday, January 26 at 9:30 AM
Families can choose which one to attend. Both sessions will be held in Hajdu Hall at St. Emily.
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Project Exodus
Help a family begin life in the United States
Project Exodus is an outreach project we have done the last four years. We collect the items that a family needs to begin life in the United States. (We don't take care of furniture - but all the rest, including linens, towels, and kitchen equipment.) We do this in conjunction with
Exodus World Service.
On the day they land to begin their new life, we meet them at their apartment and set it up so that they can settle in quickly.
We have helped families from Syria, Iraq, Myanmar, and Congo. We don't yet know who we will help this year.
There are 62,000,000 refugees in the world today. It takes between five and twenty years to apply for and receive refugee resettlement status in the United States.
How can you participate?
- Sign up to bring some of the items. Sit down with your kids and decide what you want to contribute and take them with you to shop. (Besides modeling generosity, I have found this project helps to teach kids about setting up a household!)
We hope to have all the items donated by February 13.
- Come with us the day we move them into their new apartment. Because we don't know when refugees will be arriving until about a week to ten days prior, this date is not yet set. Kids have a fantastic time meeting the arriving family and doing the work to set up. "It is like playing house, but with real stuff!" Let Cathy know if you'd like to be included.
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St. Emily Dinner Dance
February 9 - Buy your tickets now
The evening will include cocktails, silent and live auctions, dinner and dancing. Your presence is requested!
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Emergency Closing Information
Know how to be informed
We hope that all our Wednesdays are sunny and dry, but it is Chicago and we realize that winter weather is no joke.
If we find it advisable to close, we will send a blast email to all families that day.
We will also post any closings at the
Emergency Closing Center. Please check there to make sure.
You can also sign up there for email alerts that tell if and when the Religious Education program cancels.
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- January 24 and 26 - Reconciliation Family Event
- February 13 - Target date for Project Exodus items
- February 23 - First Penance Celebration
- March 6 - Ash Wednesday. Class time includes mass at 7:00 PM.
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St. Emily Parish
Catherine Crino, DRE
847-299-5865
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St. Thomas Becket Parish
Renata Sosin, CRE
847-296-9051
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