Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Dec. 4th
First Reconciliation
5:30 p.m. (Nave)
Thursday, December 5th
First Reconciliation
6:30 p.m. (Nave)
Friday, December 6th
First Friday Eucharistic Adoration
6 a.m.-7 p.m.
(Chapel)
Saturday, December 7th
Youth Bake Sale
6 p.m. (Gathering Space)
Sunday, December 8th
First Reconciliation
9:30 a.m. (Nave)
Youth Bake Sale
9:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. (Gathering Space)
Nativity Play Practice
11:30 a.m. (Room 203)
Confirmation class
6-8 p.m. (MPR)
Monday, December 9th
Serve breakfast at The Banquet
5:30-8 a.m.
Thursday, Dec. 12th
Baptismal Planning Class
6:30 p.m. (Parish Office Conference Room)
Sunday, December 15th
KC French Toast Feast
8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. (MPR)
Nativity Play Practice
11:30 a.m. (Nave)
Advent Reconciliation Services
2 p.m. (Christ the King & St. Mary Parishes)
Advent Reconciliation Services
7 p.m. (St. Katharine Drexel & St. Lambert Parishes)
Monday, December 16th
Parish Council Meeting 6:30 p.m. (Parish Office Conference Room)
Discipleship Committee Meeting 7 p.m. (Room 203)
Advent Reconciliation Service
7 p.m. (Holy Spirit Parish)
Tuesday, December 17th
Theology on Tap
"The Reality of Mary"
Brittney Klein, guest speaker 7 p.m.
(Luciano's North,
431 N. Phillips Ave.)
Advent Reconciliation Services
7 p.m. (St. Michael & St. Therese Parishes)
Thursday, Dec. 19th
Christmas at the Cathedral
7:30 p.m.
(St. Joseph Cathedral)
Friday, December 20th
Serve supper at the St. Francis House
5-7 p.m.
Christmas at the Cathedral
7:30 p.m.
(St. Joseph Cathedral)
Saturday, December 21st
Men's Group
7:30-9 a.m.
(Gathering Space)
Christmas at the Cathedral
1 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
(St. Joseph Cathedral)
Sunday, December 22nd
Nativity Play Practice 11:30 a.m. (Nave)
Christmas at the Cathedral
2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. (St. Joseph Cathedral)
Tuesday, December 24th
Christmas Eve Mass
4 p.m. & 10 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 25th
Christmas Day Mass
9 a.m.
Parish Office closed
Tuesday, December 31st
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Vigil Mass 6 p.m.
Wednesday, January 1st
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
Mass 9 a.m.
Parish Office closed
Friday, January 3rd
First Friday Eucharistic Adoration
6 a.m.-7 p.m.
(Chapel)
Wednesday, Jan. 8th
RE Teachers' meeting
6:30 p.m. (Room 203)
Thursday, January 9th
Baptismal Planning Class
6:30 p.m. (Parish Office Conference Room)
Friday, January 10th
Serve breakfast at The Banquet 5:30-8 a.m.
RESTART w/Fr. Larry Richards 7 p.m. (O'GHS)
Sunday, January 12th
1
st Holy Communion Parent Meeting
9:30 a.m. (Chapel)
Wednesday, Jan. 15th
1st Holy Communion Parent Meeting
5:30 p.m. (Chapel)
Friday, January 17th
Serve supper at the St. Francis House
5-7 p.m.
Saturday, January 18th
Men's Group
7:30-9 a.m.
(Gathering Space)
Wednesday, Jan. 22nd
Prayer Rally & Walk for Life
6:30 p.m.
(Sioux Falls First Church)
Sunday, Jan. 26th
SKD School Pancake Breakfast 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. (MPR)
Sunday, January 26th - Friday, January 31st
Catholic Schools Week
Tuesday, January 28th
Anointing Mass
6:30 p.m. (Nave)
Tuesday, January 28th
Theology on Tap
"Who Cares about Squirrels?"
Dr. Chris Burgwald, guest speaker
7 p.m. (Luciano's North
431 N. Phillips Ave.)
Friday, Jan. 31st
Bishop O'Gorman Catholic Schools Mass
10 a.m. (Elmen Center)
Saturday, February 1st -
Sunday, February 2nd
Reckless--
a Catholic
couples conference
988-3755
Check out upcoming
Programs at
605-988-3775
FARM & RURAL Stress Hotline
1-866-679-6425
Check out one or three-day silent retreats for men & women, couples, inner healing, and Marian retreats and Days of Recollection at
broom-tree.org
(605) 263-1040
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As we come close to the season of Christmas, I notice that many people put a very high value on the this day. They want perfect gifts, joyful gatherings, great food, easy travel, and great memories. Of all the holidays, it seems that Christmas evokes the most nostalgia and places the highest expectations. We want it to be just perfect.
But of course life isn't perfect. There are many aspects of our lives that are still longing for redemption. Sometimes our relationships are raggedy. Many of us carry disappointments like old friends. Illnesses cause us anxiety, and even the weather can raise concerns. Life really is messy.
Life was messy for the Holy Family too. I'm sure Mary would have preferred to give birth to Jesus in the comfort of her own home. She certainly didn't want to travel to Bethlehem at the end of her unexpected pregnancy.
She surely expected someone to provide a clean, private space for the birth of her baby. The primitive stable wasn't nearly as picturesque as the Christmas cards show it. On that first Christmas, life was messy.
But Jesus came anyway. Right into the middle of that mess, the Son of God entered. He brought joy to His frazzled mother. The angels who announced His birth proclaimed peace on earth. He gave hope to the humble shepherds who showed up to give Him honor.
Very often Jesus seems to prefer messiness to nice, shiny places where people seem to have life all figured out. As we follow the Gospel, we see that Jesus often came to those who were sick or disabled, those who sinful or marginalized, those who needed help. He sometimes even counseled families on how to get along with each other.
If our lives are little messy, it's good to claim our messiness and to know that we have lots of fellow travelers. Even if our lives are messy, we can still have a great Christmas if we simply invite Jesus to be with us. He comes and makes His home with us, as He made His home with Mary and Joseph on that first messy Christmas.
That's really the essence of Christmas, that Jesus comes to redeem us right where we are. So no matter where or how you celebrate Christmas, be sure to invite Jesus to be an honored guest.
I suggest that each of us should spend a few minutes each day in quiet, reflecting on God's Word for the season. "The Word Among Us" is an excellent resource for those who wish to stay focused during the days of Advent. Our parish is happy to provide a copy for anyone who might benefit from it.
Father Gregory Tschakert
St. Katharine Drexel Parish
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Advent Angel Tree
 Each Advent season, St. Katharine Drexel parishioners have the opportunity to select gift tags from the Advent Angel Tree located in the Gathering Space. Needs for items or wish lists of gifts are written on the gift tags and placed on the Advent Angel Tree.
Planning for the Advent Angel Tree begins early in October. Contacts within our community provide lists of needs and wishes that will help someone keep warm, fed, and hopeful. The Social Ministries Committee provides input as new ideas are welcome. Our St. Katharine Drexel Religious Education students and the St. Katharine Drexel School students color the gift tags. Members of the Social Ministries Committee sort and deliver the collected items. Each gift tag has a "return by" date, as many of the items are gifts and early delivery is appreciated.
This year, the needs and wishes on the gift tags support the following charities: Children's Inn, St. Francis House, Volunteers of America/Spirit Tree in Support of Veterans, Bishop Dudley Hospitality House, Call to Freedom, Lifescape's 2019 Christmas Craft Wishes and the St. Katharine Drexel Food and Diaper Pantry. You may take one or as many gift tags as you wish. There are hundreds of ideas from which to select: kits to create dream catchers, buttons, toolsets, devotional books, gift cards, socks and diapers, just to name a few.
The 2019 Advent Angel Tree is available through Advent. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.
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St. Katharine Drexel Elementary School Named a National Blue Ribbon School
An important part of the U.S. Department of Education, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes outstanding public and non-public schools. In identifying several hundred outstanding schools annually, the program celebrates school excellence, turn-around stories, and closing subgroup achievement gaps.
The National Blue Ribbon School award is the highest award a school can earn.
This award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as examples for other schools throughout the nation. On November 14th and 15th, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the Department of Education celebrated with the 312 public and 50 non-public school honorees at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Pictured is Mike Jaspers speaking to the St. Katharine Drexel School student body. He currently serves on the Bishop O'Gorman Catholic Schools Board. The other guest speakers congratulating our school were Bishop Paul Swain, Father Tschakert, and Kyle Groos, President of Bishop O'Gorman Catholic Schools.
It is a tremendous honor for St. Katharine Drexel Elementary to be named a 2019 Exemplary High- Performing National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. Thank you to the students, staff, parents, and parishioners for helping make this accomplishment possible. We all had a hand in making St. Katharine Drexel Elementary a Blue Ribbon School!
Significance of the award for St. Katharine Drexel School:
- This is the first time one of the Bishop O'Gorman Catholic Schools, other than O'Gorman High School, has achieved the National Blue Ribbon award.
- St. Katharine Drexel Elementary School is one of only 50 of over 34,500 non-public schools in the U.S. recognized for this award in 2019.
- Only 41 schools in the state of South Dakota have been recognized with the award since the creation of the National Blue Ribbon Program in 1982.
Having received the National Blue Ribbon School award during the ceremony on November 14 in Washington, D.C. are Stacy Charron, Principal of St. Katharine Drexel Elementary School and Vickie David, 6th grade teacher at St. Katharine Drexel School.
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When Kathy and Mike Brown moved back to Sioux Falls from Mandan, ND, they joined St. Katharine Drexel Parish. Kathy wanted to get involved in the parish so she joined the Parish Activities Committee. There were two young ladies on the Parish Activities Committee who wanted to organize a rosary-making group. It was the perfect fit for Kathy.
While growing up, Kathy watched her mother make hundreds of mission rosaries. Her mother also repaired rosaries for the church. She said, "A broken rosary means someone is not praying."
Shortly after the group was formed, Kathy was responsible for the purchasing supplies and training new volunteers. They started making rosaries on Saturdays in Lent, and soon there was enough interest for the group to meet every Saturday. When summer came, the interest waned so a few folks started making them at home.
Currently, a group makes rosaries after the Friday morning Mass with three to seven folks on any given morning. People come and go. There are a couple of snow birds, some people lose interest, and recently one member of the group died. Some people join because they have made them before and like to work with their hands or because they get recruited.
The rosaries have gone to the hospitals, jail, and the prison. Some have gone to South America and Zambia. They are used by the parish for Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, RCIA, and by the Welcoming Committee.
The group makes cord rosaries, so they have adopted Our Lady, Undoer of Knots as their patron. They start each session with a "Hail, Mary" and the following prayer:
Dearest Mother, to you we pray,
bless the rosaries we make today.
With loving hands, we add each bead,
then with trust in you we further plead,
bless the ones who in foreign lands
reach for them with outstretched hands.
And pray like we, that God hear our call
for a world united and peace for all.
Please consider joining this active ministry. All are welcome.
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Saturday, February 8th
6-8 p.m.
St. Katharine Drexel Parish
Multipurpose Room
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St. Katharine Drexel Parish on the Web
 Mass schedule, calendar, Online Giving, readings, and much more. Our parish website address is
www.stkdsfsd.org. Check it out!
 Our parish YouTube page includes eight videos. Do you have an idea for a video on our channel? Talk with Fr. Tschakert (275-6870/
 Stay current on parish news and events on Instagram! Search St_Katharine_Drexel and follow us today!
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 Real Presence Catholic Radio
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