Parish Newsletter February 2020
Preparing for Lent

Ash Wednesday is February 26th
Ash Wednesday Mass Times:
7:30am, 9:00am, 7:00pm

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (April 10) are days of fasting (limited to one full meal and two smaller meals with nothing between meals) and abstinence (from meat). The other Fridays of the season of Lent are days of abstinence from meat. The law of fasting binds all Catholics from their 18th birthday to their 59th birthday (Canons 97 and 1252). The law of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years and older.

Guardian Angels will have Stations of the Cross in church each Friday of Lent at 7:00pm. All are welcome!
If you are looking for different ways to build your faith this Lent, there are a number of free resources available to our parishioners through Formed.org.

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
Soup & Supper Speaker Series in Lent
Sacrament, Sacrifice and Service: God’s Plan for Lent

Join our parish family during Lent as we prepare our hearts in anticipation of our Savior’s death and resurrection. Share a meal and discover God’s plan for you during Lent. We’ll begin with soup, chili and fellowship at 6:00pm, followed by a presentation at 7:00pm.
RSVP and sign up to share a dish on the specific dates below:

March 2 : Fr. Andrew Moss, Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary Instructor of Canon Law 
March 16 : Jessica Rinaudo, Editorial Director for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
March 30 : Mt. St. Mary’s Seminarian Anthony Marcelli
Fish Fry Fridays Start This Month
Guardian Angels hosts a fish fry dinner  every Friday during Lent  in the undercroft from 5:00-7:30. There is no Fish Fry on Good Friday. Everyone is welcome! There is plenty of food for families to eat-in or carry out. Fried and baked fish, shrimp, cheese pizza, mac-n-cheese, french fries, cole slaw, and baked goods. Senior dining will be available for parishioners in Room B. There is also a craft corner for children. Children must be attended by an adult at all times.
We do need volunteers to help work each week of the event. Please contact  Marianne Glassmeyer  if you would like to volunteer.

We feature a Craft Corner every week at the Fish Fry events. The Craft corner is in need of donations. Egg cartons for the paint, paper towels, and markers would be much appreciated! If anyone needs service hours, children grades 5 and up are welcome to help in the craft corner. Just email Lisa Mastruserio to sign-up.

PTA also runs a Bake Sale during the Fish Fry events. You can donate baked goods or sign-up to work that sale here . The money raised at the bake sale goes towards supporting our GA teaching staff.

And please stop by our Religious Education table set up at each Fish Fry with Lenten and Easter resources for children and adults!
40 Days for Life
Guardian Angels parishioners volunteer to cover two of the 40 Days for Life event where we have someone continually praying from 7:00am to 7:00pm at Planned Parenthood’s abortion facility. Many of our working parishioners try to cover our early and late hours and those available during the day fill the hours in between.
 
Please consider joining us as many of our “regulars” can no longer participate mainly for health reasons. Sign up at  40daysforlife.com/cincinnati  or on the bulletin boards in the gathering space.  The GA dates are Wednesday, February 26th and Wednesday, April 1st . Questions? Problems signing up? Contact  Luann Rowekamp .  A flyer for the campaign is attached .   
Rite of Election
Please pray for our RCIA candidates as they prepare for full initiation into our Catholic faith. They will celebrate the Rite of Sending at the 10:00am Mass on Sunday, March 1 and then go forth to the Rite of Election at the Cathedral later that afternoon.
2nd Grade Retreat
Second grade parents, mark your calendars for Saturday, March 7 for a retreat for your 2nd grader and you! It will be a morning spent in prayer, crafting, and gearing up for your special First Holy Communion Day! More details to follow.
GA Athletics Boosters Scholarship
Guardian Angels Athletic Program strives to provide a positive sports experience, while teaching the fundamentals of each sport and preparing children for high school athletic programs. The GA Booster Board is dedicated to providing the best possible athletic program for the children of our parish. Catholic Youth Athletics furthers the mission of the Catholic Church by providing sports experiences for the youth that are firmly rooted in the Catholic faith tradition, based on the goals of the Catholic Youth Ministry, and aligned with the evangelizing mission of the Catholic Church.
This spring, the GA Athletic Boosters will again award two $1,500 non-renewable scholarships to one male and one female 8th grade student enrolled at Guardian Angels school or a student parishioner enrolled in CCD to help with the costs of a Catholic high school education. Click here for eligibility and application.  The deadline is Friday, March 20 .  
Guardian Angels Follies Presents: Follie the Yellow Brick Road
Save the dates for the 2020 Angels Follies Performances of Follie the Yellow Brick Road ! Show Dates are April 17, 18, 19, 24 & 25;all performances are at 8:00pm except for April 19th which is at 3:00pm.
Tickets will be available online through the  Follies website .
 
Guardian Angels Follies is a Parish Service Organization that has been dedicated to raising funds for the Guardian Angels Church and School for 56 years. Funds raised have helped bring to life projects such as the Science Lab, Parish Center, student scholarship fund, steeple lighting and many more.
 
Stay up-to-date with news about this year's production through the  Follies Facebook page .
Registration is Open for Bible Camp in June
North Castle is hidden in a frozen land. The King’s valiant Knights are on a quest in search of the King’s Armor. But the armor isn’t what they think it is.
Knights of North Castle: Quest for the King’s Armor , invites children to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power by exploring how we put on the armor of God. Kids will take on the role of brave Knights and begin their quest each session by opening the King’s Book.

GA’s Bible Camp runs from Tuesday, June 16 through Friday, June 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

Parents need to complete a camp registration form as well as an Archdiocese Release Form to register each child attending camp.

Incoming 7th and 8th grade and high school students are needed as volunteers at Bible Camp. If interested, complete the attached volunteer form along with the Archdiocese Release Form and return to the Religious Education Office.
School News
Come Learn More About Guardian Angels School
We hold several events each year to introduce families to Guardian Angels School. All offer a different insight so feel free to attend all of them, or choose the one that fits your needs.

Informational Coffee
Our Informational Coffee events provide parents an opportunity to see classes in session but also talk with other current GA parents about their experience here at Guardian Angels School. We hold one of these events in the Fall and one in the Spring. Our next coffee is scheduled for  Thursday, February 20th at 9:00am. A flyer with more information is attached . If you'd like to attend this event,  please RSVP to Tiffany Strah .

Personal Tour
You are always welcome to call and schedule a personal tour of Guardian Angels School. You will 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. 
Scholarships Open to Guardian Angels School Families
Guardian Angels School will begin accepting scholarships provided through the EdChoice Scholarship Program and the EdChoice Expansion Program for the 2020-2021 school year.

The EdChoice Scholarship Program provides state-funded scholarships to students who live in neighborhoods for designated public schools (the designation includes specific schools, not entire districts). The state has expanded this list of designated schools to include several local public schools. Families who live in neighborhoods covered by these individual schools can apply for a $4,650 scholarship to use towards tuition at a private school (Guardian Angels). It is important to note that this scholarship is only for incoming students who do not currently attend a private school. However, incoming kindergarten students of current Guardian Angels school families (living in one of these designated public school areas) can apply for the scholarship. Click here for the complete list of designated public schools.

The EdChoice Expansion Scholarship is an income-based program for families in grades KDG-6 who have an income at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Families of students currently enrolled at Guardian Angels can apply for this scholarship, unlike the traditional scholarship described above.

If you have any questions, please contact our school principal, Corey Stoops .
Other News
Bulletin Advertising Available
There are available advertising spots in our parish bulletin. Our representative with Diocesan Publications, Sherry Montell, is hoping to fill every spot! If you are interested in advertising in our bulletin, please contact Sherry directly at 330-716-4707 (feel free to text) or by email at smontell@diocesan.com.
Thanks to our sponsors/advertisers and Diocesan, the bulletin is published weekly at no cost to our parish. Please consider purchasing an ad. Your ad and participation makes our bulletin successful, and you attract customers!
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 and a community service organization, such as Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts of America.
Online Offertory Giving Available
As Guardian Angels Parishioners make a pledge commitment for the coming year through the Stewardship campaign, we want to make sure you know online giving is available.

Donating is simple, safe, and completely secure. On the parish website, you can now set up a recurring weekly or monthly transaction using your checking, savings, or credit card account. You can decide how much to give to any collection and make changes any time, day or night.

If you would like to enroll in Online Giving, please visit the parish website .
If you have any questions or concerns about the program or would like help setting up your account, please email Jamie Wilmers or call her at 513-624-2200 .
Family Rosary
GA is blessed to have Eucharistic Adoration almost every Thursday from 3:00-9:00pm. We begin those hours with the Family Rosary at 3:00pm. We say five decades of the rosary and rotate which mysteries we pray. It takes about 20 minutes. We will be praying each week for our Guardian Angels school and parish community. ALL ages welcome. 
Click here to see which Guardian Angels School classes will be leading throughout the remainder of the year.
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.

Facebook serves as our primary social channel to keep families informed about upcoming events, news, and other information regarding our school and parish.  If you want to make sure you see information posted through the Guardian Angels page, please make sure you  go to our Facebook page , click Following (just under the cover photo), and then choose See First. This way anything we share will still be seen in your newsfeed.

You can also follow us through our  Twitter page .

And new this year: we've just launched an Instagram account !

You will also be able to find links to our social media channels at the bottom of every parish newsletter.
Amazon Shopping Supports GA
Just a reminder, y ou can now support Guardian Angels Parish when you shop at Amazon.com! GA is a participant in the AmazonSmile Program. You can  sign-up   to have a portion of your purchase come back to Guardian Angels. When you make purchases through the AmazonSmile page, and have GA selected as your beneficiary, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products back to GA.  You have to be shopping from smile.amazon.com page of the site for GA to receive the benefit.  
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 Tiffany Strah. To be included in next month's newsletter, your information must be received by the last Monday of this month.