This past Wednesday, September 14th, we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. And although this Feast will have passed by the time you read this article, it's good to understand why we celebrate this awe-full image of Jesus crucified on the cross.

To the world, the cross is a sign of pain, suffering, and shame; and that’s why the Romans used it so effectively during their reign to send a message to those who would oppose them - it was a stark reminder of the consequence for such actions.

For Christians, the cross is a symbol of those things mentioned, but more specifically, sin in our lives. One would think then that if the cross is a sign of sin, why do we as Christians, as Catholics more specifically, hang them up around our homes and in our churches?

For one, we need to understand that there is a distinction between a “cross” and a crucifix. A “cross” on its own is barren, meaning it does not have the body of Jesus affixed to it. Thus, when we look upon a barren cross, in the eyes of those who do not know Jesus, it may be to them just a couple of pieces of wood put together without significance or a device of torture.

For those who are Christian or have some knowledge of Jesus, they would at least have some understanding that the “cross” is what Jesus carried, suffered and died on, and was taken down from after his death. But an even stronger image given to us is not the “barren cross,” but the crucifix. The crucifix includes the cross, but also the body of Jesus nailed to it. This IS the image of salvation and redemption: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1.29).

What was ugly and shameful (the cross marked with suffering and death) is now made beautiful, as through it Jesus takes our place. With arms outstretched he invites us to himself to come out of the shadows of pain, shame, fear, death, and sin, and to live in his light. The crucifix, the Holy Cross which our Lord hung on, is an image of hope and love that continues to invite us to gather as one family with Jesus as our head.

This weekend, we gather as a parish family for our Parish Fall Festival, to give Jesus praise and thanksgiving for what he has done and continues to do for us, but also, to abide in his love and to remain in his house.

I hope to see you all for the festivities. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors. Pray for one another and bring the fun!

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!

-Fr Peter

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) begins this fall.

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? Preparation for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults begins this October.

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 Knights of Columbus will be selling Booyah in Kenney Hall and the Gym after both the Saturday and Sunday Masses this weekend. Cost: $10/qt, $9/qt if you buy 4 or more. For every quart sold, $3 will be donated back to Presentation of Mary.

Bonnie Thibault will be serving with St. Paul's Outreach as a full time missionary at their national office in Mendota Heights, MN. St. Paul's Outreach aims to build an authentic Catholic community on college campuses, help students develop a personal relationship with Christ that lasts beyond college, and combat the loneliness, isolation, and societal pressure that countless students face each year. Bonnie will be speaking after Mass on Sept. 24-25. She is building a support team of individuals and groups that journey with her financially and prayerfully on mission and is in need of additional help. If you or someone you know is interested in hearing about her story and joining Bonnie's financial support team, she can be reached through email at bonnie.thibault@spo.org or by calling 740-632-3289.

It will be October 18th at noon. The menu is penne pasta with meatballs, salad, Italian bread with butter, and cookies for dessert. Entertainment is a Barbershop Quartet. Please bring hats, scarves, and mittens to donate to those in need (both adult and youth sizes). Register by Friday, October 14th by calling Teri Garrity at 651-303-2145.

Join us at 10am on Saturday, October 1st outside the Kennard Street Entrance with your furry, feathered, or scaled friends for the Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

We hope to see all of you at the Parish Fall Festival. Click HERE to see a guide to all the great activities happening. It's going to be a wonderful event!

Five-Week Grief Support Workshop with Deacon Mike Powers Thursdays: September 22, 29, October 6, 13, and 20 from 6:30-8:30pm in the lower level of the Parish Center. Grieving with Great HOPE is a five-week grief support workshop series that offers a prayerful, practical, and personal approach for anyone who is mourning the loss of a loved one. If you have lost a spouse, a child (including pregnancy loss), a grandchild, a parent, another family member, or a friend, you are encouraged to attend. Video presenters include John and Sandy O’Shaughnessy from Good Mourning Ministry, a Catholic bereavement apostolate. To register click here or contact Kay Mottaz (651-842-6022 or kmottaz@presentationofmary.org).

If you, or anyone you know, would like an opportunity to share your love of music with those of us in the parish, then please consider joining the Music Ministry. In this ministry, we will work together to bring our passion to all who worship with us. There is an Adult Choir, a Children’s Choir, and plenty of room for instrumentalists. Please reach out to Pam Herbert (pherbert@presentationofmary.org) with interest or any questions!

“He who sings prays twice.” -St. Augustine

We are in the process of re-aligning our development and advancement efforts for Presentation of Mary Church and School. To support this effort, we are asking Presentation of Mary parishioners & school families to complete an anonymous survey which can be found here. The information we gather will help us grow and strengthen our parish & school. Paper copies of the survey will be available at the Parish & School offices as well as at the back of the church. A collection box for paper copies will be at those locations. We prayerfully ask that you complete this survey by September 30th.

The School Board recently undertook a project to review our school vision, mission, and values (VMV) to ensure they are a true reflection of our foundation. Families, parishioners, and stakeholders provided input and suggestions to this important work, and we are pleased to share with you the results of the project. Visit the School Board table at the Festival to obtain a copy of the finished product. It can also be viewed on our school website at https://presentationofmaryschool.org/.

Ove the summer Mrs. Lovegreen visited the Holy Land. While there, she prayed daily for every one of our students by name. She also brought back finger rosaries for each student made from olive wood and holy water from the River Jordan for each teacher. Father blessed these at Mass and each child received a rosary. Thank you Mrs. Lovegreen for your love and dedication to our students!

It's your last chance at winning this belt! Registration for the Panther Classic Golf Tournament will close at the end of the day on Monday, September 19th.

Bring your foursome, or come by yourself to join us at Oak Marsh Golf Course in Oakdale on Sunday, September 25 for an 18-hole scramble golf tournament to benefit our favorite school. There will be a shotgun start at 1pm. A boxed lunch and complimentary drink ticket are included with registration. Prizes, games, friends, food, drinks, and golf -- What could be better? Don't wait, space is limited, so sign up now! Visit https://www.oakmarshevents.com/panther-classic.aspx to register today!

Special thank you to our Gold Level Sponsors:

Bob and Marge DuFresne

Envision Plastics & Design

Steve Hesse, Eclectic Culinary Concepts Inc.

Special thank you to our Blue Level Sponsors:

Presentation of Mary Men's Club

Premier Bank

Presentation of Mary's 5th Annual Beer Bust is coming! It will be on Saturday, October 15th from 2-6pm at Roddy's Bar & Grill in North St Paul. Beginning Tuesday, September 20th, tickets will be available at the school or parish offices, or by contacting Mary Davini or Tracy Aguirre. Cash or checks accepted, please note you'll need exact change - we don not have change at the school or parish office.

If you have any items you'd like to donate (tickets to events, gift cards, sports memorabilia, them baskets, booze, beer, wine, etc.)

contact Mary Davini or

Tracy Aguirre.

We hope to see you all there - it's always a blast!

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.

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.