February 21, 2022

Dear Families,

Mardi Gras is upon us!  The students are allowed to be out of uniform on Friday in Mardi Gras colors. Please keep in mind that we will attend Mass that morning. 

Last Friday, our sweet preschool students celebrated with a parade. This Friday, our Krewe of 4th graders will parade around the parking lot at 10:00 for grades K-3 and again at 10:30 for grades 5-8, followed by a noon dismissal. The school will be closed on February 28 and March 1 for our Mardi Gras holidays.

As we celebrate Mardi Gras, we also prepare our hearts for Lent. We will return to school on Wednesday, March 2.  Please join us for Ash Wednesday Mass that morning at 8:15. Also, during the Lenten season, our students will participate in the Stations of the Cross every Friday at 2:00. 

Sincerely,

Our Bible verse focus for the month of February is:  Matthew 6:33

The prayer we will focus on is the Guardian Angel Prayer:

Each week, we are focusing on a particular virtue as a school. Students have been learning the definition as well as what living the virtue looks and sounds like in our actions and words.

The Cardinal Virtue we are focusing on is Fortitude and the related virtue we will focus on the next week is:

Ways to Cultivate

Prayer: Dear Jesus,  You have given me the gift of this day, the gift of this moment. Help me to use my time well. Give me the grace to do all for your greater glory.

Our next “Just 25” day is this Friday 2/25. Students are invited to contribute .25 cents to benefit the students at the Matim Primary School. 

We will once again support the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Blessing in a Backpack Ministry on Thursday, March 3. Students who bring in an item for the food pantry on March 3 may come out of uniform with their spirit shirts. The following items are requested: 

Our preschool friends had a wonderful parade last week and this week our fourth-grade students will hold their annual parade on Friday, February 25. All students are out of uniform and it is a noon dismissal.

School will not be in session on March 11 as this is a professional development day for our teachers. 

Please do not pull into our main parking lot during carpool times (7:20-7:55) If you have a preschool student, please park in one of the adjacent parking lots and walk your child to their classroom. If you have a preschool and school-age student, your school-age student is welcome to walk down the sidewalk once you have escorted them to the preschool building. 

Students who do not have preschool siblings should not be dropped off in one of our adjacent parking lots or along McKenna Drive. If you are not planning to follow our carpool procedures, you are welcome to park and walk your student down the sidewalk to school, but they are not allowed to be dropped off. Please adhere to these rules. This is for the safety of all of our students. 

In addition, as a reminder, if your child is not picked up by 3:30 p.m., it is our policy that they will be taken to After School Care. If your plans for pickup change, (i.e., you need your child to go directly to after-school care; not to carpool), please call the school office. We will notify their teacher of the change. The phone number to the school office is 342-5474, ext. 1102, and the phone number for after-school care is 342-5474, ext. 1108

We are raising money for the American Heart Association. This fundraiser ends on February 24. We are so proud to announce that our students have raised $3300.00 thus far!  If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Picicci at dpicicci@ccscatholic.com

After Mass on February 11, the following students were honored as overall Cougars of the Month for their grade level. They received a plaque and a gift card sponsored by the Partners in Education. The overall Cougars of the Month were also honored by the Midtown Optimist club at a luncheon.

PK Student: Hattie Lovvorn, sponsored by Patrick Lursen, EA.

K-2nd Grades: Will Clapper, sponsored by Brenda Hetrick P. C.

3rd-5th Grades: Morgan Cowans, sponsored by Knights of Columbus, Corpus Christi Council

6th-8th Grades, Thomas Aquirre, sponsored by Assist 2 Sell Realty

Ms. Kim Langham was honored as our teacher of the month, sponsored by Rehm Animal Clinic.

To join the Partners in Education group, call School Principal Mrs. Martin 342-5474, or Richard March, 401-0466.

Please note, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills will be given to students in grades 2-8 from March 23-April 1. Please do not schedule appointments, vacations, or other activities during these testing dates.

We are so excited that Mr. Stoyka and Miss DeMouy are participating in the 5th Annual Dancing with the Stars - Jacket Style at Ft. Whiting on March 26th! Help them bring home the mirror ball...purchase your tickets or vote for them using the link below:

Proceeds support the St. Augustine Scholarship program at McGill and provide funding for additional programs and special projects that benefit all students.  

Our Kentucky Derby event is our largest fundraiser for the school and it is successful because of the support from our sponsors! Opportunities for sponsorships are available now. Click HERE for more information. Brittany Smith is Derby Chair and she can be reached at brittanyosmith0531@gmail.com with any questions.

You can view our school calendar for the entire year on our school website (you may need to scroll down to see it): School Calendar

A printable copy of the February calendar can be found HERE.

A printable copy of the March calendar can be found HERE.

February 25

Just 25 A is for Africa

4th Grade Mardi Gras Parade, Noon Dismissal

February 28 - March 1

Mardi Gras Holiday

March 2

Ash Wednesday Mass (8:15)

March 3

Food Pantry Thursday

March 4

Stations of the Cross (2:00)

March 11

No School - Teacher Professional Development Day

End of the Quarter

Fish Fry Friday

PARISH OFFICE

Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., second floor of the Community

Center.

TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Parish Office: 342-1852, Fax 342-6313

School Office: 342-5474, ext. 1

Fax 380-0325

SUNDAY MASSES

Vigil: 5:30 p.m. Saturday

Sunday: 7:00, 9:00 and11:00 am

WEEKDAY MASSES

8:15 am Mass: Monday - Saturday

5:30 pm Mass: Monday - Friday

ADORATION

Every 1st Friday of the month following the 8:15 am Mass until 5 pm. Sign up sheet in the chapel.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Grades K–12,

Sundays during the school year, 10:05-10:55 a.m. in school buildings.

BAPTISM, MARRIAGE, ANOINTING OF SICK

Please call the parish office (342-1852) for information about scheduling a baptism, marriage, or anointing of the sick.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Confessions are heard 30 minutes before each Mass.

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (R.C.I.A.)

Please see the published schedule for dates and times, or call the parish office, 342-1852.

TO REGISTER AS A MEMBER OF THE PARISH

Please fill out a Census Form. Census. Forms are available in the church vestibule and parish office.

COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS

For rental information, please call the parish office at 342-1852 or 342-1420.

Fr. Pat Arensberg, Pastor

pastor@corpuschristiparish.com

Fr. Alex Crow, Parochial Vicar

frcrow@corpuschristiparish.com

Mrs. Kristy F. Martin, School Principal

kmartin@ccscatholic.com

Mrs. Jennifer S. Pritchett, Parish Catechetical Leader

ccd@corpuschristiparish.com

Mr. Peter J. Stoyka, Youth Ministry Coordinator

pstoyka@ccscatholic.com

Mrs. Beth Yell, Facilities Manager

facilities@corpuschristiparish.com

Mrs. Theresa Jernigan, Parish Secretary

office@corpuschristiparish.com

Mrs. Wendy Tulo, Parish Bookkeeper

bookkeeper@corpuschristiparish.com

Please bring in your palms from previous years so they can be burned for ashes which will be distributed on Ash Wednesday. Place them in the box on the table in the vestibule that is marked "Palms"

RCIA classes are held every Sunday, unless otherwise noted, in the Adult Ed Room, 10:05 am - 10:55 am

Fish Fry Fridays Volunteers needed Thursdays and Fridays beginning March 10; Thursdays from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm & Fridays from 1:00 pm through the evening. Please call Laura Rahmel, at 504-259-8350, or email lrahmel@gmail.com.

Join us every Tuesday at 3:00 PM in the Chapel to pray the Divine Mercy and Rosary.

Gather Thursdays at 3 p.m. to reflect on the Sunday Gospel and pray together. Meetings will be in the Community Center, 2nd floor Conference Room. All are welcome. Contact Sister Deborah Kennedy, RSM 251-753-4872

Our purpose is to help all men become the spiritual leaders of their families. All

men are welcome to meet for prayer, gospel reflection, and fellowship.

Tuesday Mornings, 7-8 am, 2nd floor Conference Room.

Info: Jay Cox at 401-6070 or Auburn50@hotmail.com.

Wednesday Evenings, 7-8 pm, 2nd floor Conference Room.

Info: David Sheffield, 423-5666 or David.sheffield@uniti.com

Join us in service, grow in spirituality, and open your heart in friendship to neighbors in need. The St. Vincent de Paul Society responds to local individuals and families with food, clothing, and emergency financial assistance. Your help will feed children, prevent evictions and so much more. Financial donations can be placed in the brass poor box in the church vestibule, and clothing and food donations can be left at the St. Vincent de Paul Society table. If you are in need of assistance, call 251-366-6443. To find out how to join us, contact Ann Mackie at annmackie10.am@gmail.com. For more info go to www.svdpccc.org or follow St. Vincent de Paul Corpus Christi Conference on Facebook.

All women are invited to join us on Thursdays from 9:15-10:45 am in the conference room, 2nd floor of the Community Center.  Beginning February 10, we will begin a new video series titled "The Wild Goose". Fr. Dave Pivonka narrates this engaging and beautifully presented study on the gift of the Holy Spirit. Info: Patti Hughes at 251-401-9623 or pm.hughes@comcast.net

If you are considering joining us and are in need of child care please contact Cynthia Wentworth, 251-767-0532 or cynwen@yahoo.com

Grades 9—12, meetings are on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 in the Parish House.  For more information contact Fr. Crow: frcrow@corpuschristiparish.com

Volunteers are needed to donate food, serve, and clean up. For more information, contact Millie Quinones, Chairperson, 808-425-7100 or

Ophelia Gillespie, Co-Chairperson, 251-610-6503.

All are welcome in the Atrium after each Mass for a cup of coffee and fellowship. If you would like to volunteer to prepare coffee, serve, or clean up, please call Glenna Cannon, 251-666-6552

Meetings on the last Monday of each month, 7:00 pm in the Parish House.

Contact: Chad Pugh 251-232-0648.

The CCWC is a group of women in our parish that helps our community through fundraisers which include the Angel Tree, an area nursing home, and Penelope House. We also have meetings on occasion at area restaurants to discuss ideas and planning. All ladies in the parish are welcome to attend. Contact info: Lois, 251-209-2163

6:30 p.m., Tuesdays in the Adult Ed Room, Community Center. September 21, we will begin a new series titled "A Biblical Walk through the Mass" which is a five-part video series taught by Edward Sri. Dave Burchette, 367-6660 or davebur1955@gmail.com Please join us!