The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights how he prayed before every major event in his life:

“Jesus prays before the decisive moments of his mission: before his Father’s witness to him during his baptism and Transfiguration, and before his own fulfillment of the Father’s plan of love by his Passion. He also prays before the decisive moments involving the mission of his apostles: at his election and call of the Twelve, before Peter’s confession of him as “the Christ of God,” and again that the faith of the chief of the Apostles may not fail when tempted” (CCC 2600).

The Catechism further explains that “Jesus’ prayer before the events of salvation that the Father has asked him to fulfill is a humble and trusting commitment of his human will to the loving will of the Father” (CCC 2600).

We should pray before committing to our own vocation, whether it be marriage, priesthood, or consecrated life, but also before any other major decisions that come after.

Get your home blessed in the New Year! If you would like your home blessed, please contact the parish office at 651-777-8116 or email us to schedule a time for Fr. Peter to stop by & bless your home.

The Knights of Columbus will be hosting a pancake breakfast this Sunday, January 28th from 9:00 - 11:30am in conjunction with our Presentation School Open House to kick of Catholic Schools Week! Bring your family to enjoy pancakes, eggs, sausage, along with coffee, orange juice, & milk. Free will donations will be accepted.

Troop/Pack 461 Scouts are teaming up with Presentation’s HEO (Help Each Other) for the weekend of February 3, 2024 to collect additional non-perishable food items. This promotion will benefit the Salvation Army, Maplewood. Just bring your donations as usual to the weekend Mass. We will have many strong helpers to deliver the food so be as generous with your donations as you would like! We appreciate your participation and generosity. Together we can fight hunger! Last year we delivered over 250 pounds of non-perishable food items.

Today’s Gospel states that Jesus “taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22). He proved his authority with accompanying signs, such as casting out a demon. The people were astonished. Today, many of us waver between craving real authority and rebelling against authority altogether. We criticize our leaders for being too weak or the Catholic Church for being too firm. Some even ask, “Why can’t the Church loosen up her doctrines and get with the times?” The truth is, the Church cannot “change with the times.” Jesus, who “is the same today, yesterday, and forever,” founded the Church (Hebrews 13:8). However, together, we can continue to stay strong in the way God is calling us and, through your support of the Catholic Services Appeal, spread the Good News as we always have. Here at Presentation of Mary, we’ll begin next week — stay tuned for more information!

Volunteers are needed to help at Fish Fry Dinners! Spend some time on a Friday evening during Lent helping out at a Fish Fry dinner. There are multiple opportunities for you to get involved, and have fun while helping! Visit the SignUp Genius below to pick a day & time to help! This is a great opportunity to get involved with the whole family!

The Loaves & Fishes Ministry will be taking collections next weekend, January 27 & 28. All donations can be placed in the canisters at each entrance of the church. Your donation allows us to purchase the food which we prepare and serve monthly at Dorothy Day. Last month, the group was able to serve 350 meals, thanks in large part to your support! Thank you to all who support this ministry!

The clothing donation bin behind the school has been removed, so there is no longer a place to donate used clothing on campus. There are a number of charitable organizations that accept clothing donations in the area.

1st Place: Mary Rebeck and Pete Koegel - 3000

2nd Place: Carol Adam and Karen Kuritz - 2750

3rd Place: Rita Casura and Nancy Willy - 2500

Middle School Math, Science, and STEM Teacher positions: full or part-time available. Contact Sue Lovegreen at slovegreen@presentationofmary.org or 651-842-6032 for more information.

Start the New Year of right! NOW is the time to get your child registered for the 2024-2025 school year. We are on track to have an increased enrollment again next year so make sure you save your child's spot in their class before it's too late! Please note all Financial Aid Applications are due by February 23, 2024. Visit https://presentationofmaryschool.org/new-families/enrollment-affordability/.

Bring your friends and family to dine at Mac's Dinette in North St Paul on Monday, February 19th between 4pm-close and 30% of your food and beverage purchases will be donated back to the school! You MUST bring a printed flyer with you to earn us the donation. Flyers are available in the back of church, can be printed from the school website, or call the parish office and we'll print one for you!

Save the date to help us kick of Catholic Schools Week by coming to the All-School Open House on Sunday, January 28th. We’ll begin the day with Mass at 9:30, followed by a pancake breakfast in Kenney Hall (cash or check only), and then the school will be open until 12:30pm for you to tour the school and complete fun activities and/or browse through the Scholastic Book Fair to pick up your favorite titles. RSVP for this fun event at https://forms.gle/FTySvNKyUS9Lp3Yf8.

We believe that creating a strong parent-school partnership is paramount to student success. To continue to grow that partnership, we are excited to host a forum for all parents and guardians of children in grades 3-8 (children do not need to attend Presentation school), Navigating Social Skills and Social Media: Preparing for Adolescence! Join us on Tuesday, February 6 at 6:30pm in the Middle School Math Room as Beth Carver from the Phoenix School Counseling leadership team leads us through an impactful presentation. RSVP below.

Great Scott! The 2024 Presentation of Mary Catholic School Gala is coming back to Presentation on Saturday, April 13, 2024! We need you to take action now, so you don’t get left behind! 

April may feel a long way off, but the planning and preparations for our Panther Pride Gala are well underway already! Please make sure you've read all of the information on the Gala web page to understand all the ways you can Raise Your Hand to ensure the success of our biggest fundraiser! Donate a theme basket, wine, beer, or spirits, become a sponsor, get a Gala t-shirt, or even join the planning committee! If you have any questions, contact the school office at 651-777-5877.

Donate Items to the Panther Pride Gala! We are collecting items for our silent and live auctions. Put together a fun theme basket or donate tickets to a fun event. Do you have a special skill such as cooking or woodworking? Donate a cooking lesson or a few hours of carpentry assistance! Get together with some friends and donate a hosted dinner party! The options are limited only to your imagination! Questions? Contact Gala Chair, Linda Charnowski, at lprazak@presentationofmary.org.

Beginning the weekend of February 3-4 you can find students selling tickets at church entrances before or after most masses. They will also be selling them at our Soup Supper and Fish Fry nights during Lent in Kenney Hall. Tickets are $10 each and can win you one of three prizes: 1st Place: $1,500 cash (donated by the DuFresne family) 2nd Place: 1/4 Cow (donated by Sandberg Cattle Company) 3rd Place: $500 cash (Donated by the Auction Committee).

Do you know someone in need of prayers? Contact Kay at the Parish Office at 651-842-6022 so they can be added to our Prayer Line.

You can also contact her if you are interested in joining the Prayer Line!

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.