With only two Sundays before we begin Advent, and next Sunday being the Feast of Christ the King (the last Sunday in Ordinary Time), it is fitting that we celebrate our parish feast day today so more of us can participate.

For the rest of the Church, the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on November 21st each year. It is an unusual memorial in that it is one of those days that is not a Saint’s day nor one that celebrates a Biblical event like the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, but instead is based on a tradition that appears in the early church.

In about 150 AD, a short work, falsely attributed to James, described Mary’s birth, her childhood, and finally concludes with the visit of the Magi and the martyrdom of the Holy Innocents. It is in this book we learn the traditional names of Mary’s parents (Ann and Joachim) as well as the event we celebrate today.

The book describes, how, at age three, Mary was brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord in thanksgiving for her birth (her parents were older and childless until she was born). She was invited into the temple, entered willingly, and stayed until she was 13. There, she was educated by the priests who served in the temple.

At that age, so the story goes, when the priests decided she could stay no longer, they sought someone to care for her. Enter Joseph, who becomes her guardian at this time. Interestingly, in this book, he is older, a widower, and not very enthusiastic about getting married again, but he is chosen to care for her and takes her into his home.

This book became well-known in the middle east but it was never considered authoritative so it did not become part of the New Testament. Therefore, we probably should read these stories with that in mind. Yet we still celebrate the tradition of the Presentation of Mary from this oldest source.

In 543 AD, Justinian I built a church dedicated to Mary in Jerusalem near the old temple ruins in honor of her presentation. The memorial continued to be celebrated after the church’s destruction and made it to southern Italy in the ninth century. By 1585, it became a universal church celebration.

Today, as we recall Mary’s lifelong love of God, her submission to God’s will, the titles she bears, and the events of her life, let us ask her to pray for us that we might become better disciples of her Son.

-Deacon Mike Powers

Reminder that our Sunday Faith Formation Program has begun!

Faith Formation is for students in Kindergarten through Confirmation (8th grade and older).

An adults segment will also be held simultaneously as the younger students and is strongly encouraged for FF parents and any adults who would like to continue to learn more about our Catholic faith.

Click here for more information and to download the registration forms and this year's calendar.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) has started, but it's not too late to join if you're interested!

Do you, or someone you know, wish to join the Catholic Church and/or receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist for the first time as an adult or learn more about your Catholic Faith?

Any adults who wish to deepen their Catholic faith are invited to join as well. A wonderful time to come together and ask questions to deepen your understanding of the faith.

Registration forms can be found here, on our website, or in the back of church. Contact Kay Mottaz at 651-842-6022 or email her at kmottaz@presentationofmary.org with any questions.

The Giving Tree is a Presentation of Mary ministry designed to help make Christmas special for those in need. We are honored to be able to offer this assistance again this year. Gift suggestions will be hung on our Giving Tree in the Kennard Street entrance beginning later this month. If you need assistance or you know of a school or parish family or an individual who needs assistance with Christmas gifts, please contact Kay Mottaz at 651-842-6022 or kmottaz@presentationofmary.org. Forms for families to fill out are available in the Kennard Street entrance and can be placed in the collection basket. All inquiries and requests are held strictly confidential and due for submission by November 15th.

 Ministry Highlight:

The Loaves and Fishes program began at Presentation in 1981 with a goal to prepare and serve monthly meals to those in need. They began serving out of the basement of Assumption Church to about 50-60 people. Since then, the program has moved to the Dorothy Day Center and serves beautifully cooked meals to over 300 people on the first Wednesday of each month. There are two teams of over 50 volunteers, Food Shoppers, Cooks, Servers and Cookie Bakers who provide meals at Dorothy Day to the many homeless people they serve. In its 40+ year history, this ministry has not missed even one monthly meal! Collections to support Loaves and Fishes are taken in canisters placed at the church entrances on the last weekend of each month. If you are interested in learning more about how you can support this ministry, contact Karen & Pete Simons at 651-779-2366.

Presentation of Mary CCW is hosting a Holiday Boutique on Saturday, November 12th in the School Gym from 9:00am-2:00pm. Stop by to peruse craft and vendor booths. Breakfast and lunch will also be available for purchase. Interested in being a vendor? Registration forms can be found in the back of church as well as on our website at https://presentationofmary.org/ccw-holidayboutique/.

The Knights of Columbus are hosting a pancake breakfast this Sunday, November 13th, from 9am-noon. Please join us in Kenney Hall for delicious food and fellowship! Tickets for meals can be purchased at the event, cash or check.

Please mark your calendar for Saturday, November 19th for Turkey Bingo hosted by the Presentation Men's Club. Food will be served from 6-7pm and Bingo will run from

7-10pm in the School Gym. Pick up a flyer with coupon attached in the Kennard Street Entrance!

Join us after Mass on November 20th in Kenney Hall for donuts, coffee, and fellowship! Free will offerings accepted.

On Saturday, December 3rd, from 8:00 am—1:00 pm in Kenney Hall, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the American Red Cross are hosting a blood drive. Please join our mission and schedule an appointment today! To make an appointment, visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/ or call Barb Swanson at 651-395-0453.

Appointments only. No walk-ins.

To the Presentation of Mary Parish:

It is with a heavy heart I share with you the need for me to step down as Parish Music Director and Music Teacher. In the past couple of months there have been a series of health issues that have come into play for me, enough so that it has affected my ability to give the Parish and School everything I feel they need and deserve. Out of fairness to the staff at Presentation, the students in the school, and the families in the church, I need to step away to get to the bottom of the issue. Please know how much of an honor it has been to serve this Parish and School. This has truly been a difficult decision for me. I assure you that the Music Ministry will continue to move forward and you will be in good hands! Thank you for all of the support and prayers you have given me these past few months. They have not gone unnoticed! Peace to all of you!

-Pamela Herbert 

All school and church events can be found on our live online calendar here - make sure to check it out to stay up to date on all the amazing things taking place around campus!

We need help covering Extended Care on the following dates: Friday Dec 2 in the AM & Monday Dec 5 in the AM. Please contact the school office at 651-777-5877 if you are able to help.

Join us on Sunday, November 20th for our next All-School Mass. Students will greet, read, and carry up the gifts. Any student wearing their uniform to Mass can earn an Out of Uniform pass!

Please join us to learn more about our wonderful Preschool, Kindergarten, and Middle School Programs. Preschool/Kindergarten Information night is Wednesday, November 30th at 6:30pm and Middle School Information Night is Tuesday, December 6th at 6:30pm. Spread the word to your family and friends, we love meeting new people!

RSVP at https://presentationofmaryschool.org/information-nights/.

On Tuesday, November 22nd the morning Mass will be held at 8:45am instead of 8am. This will be a Mass of Gratitude in appreciation for all those that support our school through prayer, participation, and generosity. Please join us in giving thanks for all of our friends and supporters.

Second grade has been working so hard the last couple of weeks on their Personal Narratives! They chose something that really happened in their life that they could remember well and wrote a story about it. They learned the different steps of the writing process and worked hard coming up with ideas to write about, planning out their writing, creating a draft, and then publishing their work. They did their best work and really took time making sure that their handwriting was neat, their picture had detail, and their story was clear. So much fun to read them and share them with our classmates! 

Every time you save, share, comment, or like one of our posts or stories, more people get to see the great things happening at Presentation. So next time you're scrolling, make sure you take a second to interact with our posts and help us spread our community's story even further!

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Do you know anyone looking for a welcoming community and an excellent academic environment for their children? Presentation of Mary School welcomes children from infancy through eighth grade. Visit our website at presentationofmaryschool.org for more information.

The Loaves & Fishes Ministry provides hearty and nourishing meals to those in need at Dorothy Day. Contact the parish office if you would like to learn more about donating or volunteering with this ministry.

Protection of Youth: All employees, and volunteers who interact with minors, are required to complete and maintain safe environment credentials (E3) through the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. To ensure successful completion of these requirements or if you have any questions regarding our safe environment practices or would like more information on what is needed to volunteer, please contact our Safe Environment Coordinator: Kay Mottaz @ 651-842-6022 or email kmottaz@presentationofmary.org.

To learn more about reporting suspected abuse, please also visit: www.safe-environment.archspm.org/report-abuse/Report.