The injury on Monday of QB Aaron Rogers and the miraculous recovery of safety Damar Hamlin show us just how fragile and remarkably unpredictable life can be.

When Aaron Rodgers ran out of the tunnel at MetLife Stadium this past Monday night, the moment was made for TV. It was the anniversary of 9/11 and Rodgers was holding high an American flag. His new Jets teammates had lined up in jubilant support. The sellout crowd broke into a deafening roar… Less than half an hour after Aaron Rodgers came running out that tunnel, however, those dreams of glory came to a heartbreaking end due to a torn Achilles...

Damar Hamlin knows this from experience. He was at MetLife stadium on Monday night, too. The young safety was on the sideline with his Buffalo Bills teammates, but he was inactive for the game. It was a miracle he was even there. Eight months previously, during another Monday Night Football game, Hamlin had almost died.

Like Aaron Rogers’ injury, it happened during an ordinary play. While he was making a tackle, Hamlin collided with an opposing team member and experienced commotio cordis, an extremely rare condition in which the heart is stopped by a sudden blow. According to Gordon Tomaselli, the former President of the American Heart Association, “The impact induces a potentially lethal heart rhythm disturbance, or arrhythmia, called ventricular fibrillation.”

Millions of viewers were watching when Damar Hamlin suffered sudden cardiac arrest. When people saw that Hamlin wasn’t moving, the entire stadium fell silent. A medical team rushed onto the field. Players from both teams fell to their knees and began to weep and pray. Many fans did the same. Long minutes that felt like hours passed and still Hamlin didn’t move. Eventually, after an ambulance drove onto the field to take Hamlin away, the game was called off – a move unprecedented in NFL history.

There were serious worries whether Damar Hamlin would survive. The young man had to be resuscitated twice – once on the field and later in the hospital ICU. Fortunately, he was able to breathe on his own after a few days and doctors found that miraculously he had not sustained any brain damage. Hamlin remained in the hospital for over a week. Yet exactly 252 days later, the former star safety of Central Catholic Highschool in Pittsburgh was back on an NFL sideline with the Bills, still pursuing his football dreams.

Damar Hamlin would surely have liked to play in the game on Monday night, but he was clearly happy and grateful to be there with his teammates. When he announced back in April that he was returning to football, he said: “I’m taking it one day at a time, and I’m trusting God, you know? I’m walking by faith.”

Saints are made by unforeseen events. ... Hamlin’s words are a direct echo of St. Paul. He once planned to eradicate the Christian faith, before he experienced something unexpected — a vision that left him blind (later followed by arrests, shipwrecks, and countless other unplanned events). ...

As Christians, the unforeseen is so essential to the way we experience Jesus working in our lives that it should be a no-brainer for us to expect and embrace the unexpected. Alas, just like the rest of the world, most of us continue to plot ideal futures for ourselves, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that our lives have another Author. As for Aaron Rodgers, to the dismay of Jets fans it was announced on Tuesday that he is done for the season. That was definitely not in anyone’s script. We will pray that he makes a full and speedy recovery. Hopefully he will see the field for the Jets next season, making a spectacular comeback, if that’s what he decides he wants...

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) begins this fall. Do you, or someone you know, wish to join the Catholic Church, learn more about your Catholic Faith, and/or receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, or Eucharist for the first time as an adult? Preparation for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults begins this October. Registration forms can be found on our website, at the Parish Office, or in the back of church. Contact Kay Mottaz at 651-842-6022 or email her at kmottaz@presentationofmary.org with any questions.

We want to let everyone in the parish know that all ages are warmly invited to join our choir! Weekly rehearsals will be 90 minutes (6:30 - 8pm) and you can invite your friends and neighbors to come join us as well. We pray and sing together as a (growing) family, and like any family we want to include multiple age groups and generations. For now, rehearsals will be on Thursday nights at 6:30. The choir will sing for one weekend Mass (Sunday or Saturday) normally on the 3rd weekend of each month, from September through May, and also for special liturgies including Holy Week and Christmas. Each weekly rehearsal also includes vocal training and techniques. Only requirements to join: be able to read music to some degree of proficiency, carry a tune, match pitch - and truly love to "sing your prayer," from the heart! If you have any questions or ideas, please contact Donna at 408-406-6240 or by email at dstoering@presentationofmary.org.

The Loaves & Fishes Ministry will be taking collections next weekend, Sept 23 & 24. 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. In September, 313 meals were served due to the generous donations from parishioners!

Our Knights of Columbus Council will be selling Booya the weekend of September 16th & 17th after Masses. Proceeds will go towards supporting the needed services provided by two local pregnancy resource centers, Options for Women East in St. Paul & Woodbury Options for Women.

55 Club Luncheons are back! The first 55 Club Luncheon of the season will take place on Tuesday, September 19 at 12:30pm at Blessed Sacrament. The meal will be roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, vegetable, roll and butter, with sheet cake for dessert. The entertainment will be Bingo. Bring your white elephant prizes! The price is $13. Make reservations by calling Teri Garrity at 651- 303-2145.

A relic of St. Jude the Apostle will be at St. Jude of the Lake in Mahtomedi on Wednesday, September 20. There will be the opportunity for veneration from 1pm - 10pm, as well as a Mass at 7pm. All are welcome!

This is the last call for men or women who would like to play 500 cards!The Presentation 500 Card Club will begin on September 25, 2023. We play on the 4th Monday of the month from September through May and need two person teams. If you don't have a partner, we will try to match you with another player. If you don't want to commit to playing every month, would you consider being a sub?

If interested or for more information, please contact Patti Adams at 651-242-8758 or padams9150@aol.com or contact Barbara Schwarze at 651-208-9013 or bschwarze50@comcast.net.

Next Level is a collaborative mission of East Metro Catholic Churches to provide high school youth the opportunity to deepen their relationship with Christ and His Church, and to gain friendships with students who share their faith. Next Level provides youth in 9 through 12 grade an avenue to continue their journey in Christ beyond Confirmation through a combination of community-building and faith-formation experiences and encounters. Transfiguration Church in Oakdale is hosting our kickoff event on September 23, 2023 from 11am - 4pm. Dinner is provided. We will have a Youth Retreat with NET Ministries. There will be time for socializing, small group discussions, prayer, and laughter. This is a FREE event. If you have any questions, or to register, please contact Molly Noel at 651-842-6010 or mnoel@presentationofmary.org.

Do you love to bake? Have you been wondering how to use your gifts from the Lord to serve those around you? Here at Presentation of Mary, we have an opportunity to combine those two passions -- baking delicious treats & serving those in need. We are currently in need of bakers for funeral luncheons. If you are interested in providing baked goods to serve families & loved ones at the parish for funerals, contact Karen at 651-842-6020 or ksimons@presentationofmary.org.

With fun and discovery at every turn, Scouting makes the most of right now. But what’s more, it builds positive character and provides young people a foundation they can stand on to embrace opportunity, overcome obstacles, and make new discoveries.

At Presentation of Mary church, we have a Cub Scout family pack. Both girls and boys (in grades K-5) are welcome to join. Activities include: Day camp, overnight camp (as a family), rocket building, pinewood derby car racing….all in the hopes of working on requirements to earn badges for your scouting level.

We also have a Scouting Troop (9461) for boys (6th graders and older, until the scout turns 18 years old). Activities can include: Canoeing, day camp, overnight camp, hiking (locally) and camaraderie all while working on requirements to advance through the levels of Scouting, maybe even Eagle Scout!

Please contact Vicky Boros (vicky_ boros@yahoo.com) for Cub Scouts or Denise Legato (dflegato@msn.com) for the Troop.

The parish calendar lists our Pack and Troop meetings on a weekly basis. Scouts can join anytime throughout the year.

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!

The Presentation of Mary Discovery Center is currently looking for substitute teachers and is hiring! Full time and part time positions are available. Current openings include: Infant Assistant, Toddler Lead, Toddler Assistant, and Preschool Assistants (multiple shift options). If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Susie Wolter, site director, at susiewolter@ladcfamilies.org.

Connect with parents, alumni, and friends of Presentation while enjoying an afternoon of fun, games, and golf. Bring your foursome, or come by yourself to join us at Oak Marsh Golf Course in Oakdale on Sunday, Sept. 24 for an 18-hole scramble golf tournament to benefit our favorite school. Tee times start at 1pm. A boxed lunch and complimentary drink ticket are included with registration. All paid golfers will receive an 18 hole green fee for future play at Oak Marsh Golf Course. Don't miss out on a great afternoon of prizes, games, friends, food, drinks, and golf! Don’t wait, space is limited, so sign up early! Sponsorship opportunities available as well. Contact Bill Josten at wjjosten@gmail.com to discuss sponsorships.

Click below to register today!

ALSO Don't miss out on this chance to look your best and show off your school spirit when out on the course! We have partnered with Legendary Golf Apparel, a veteran-owned and Minnesota-based business, to design exclusive golf polos embroidered with the Presentation of Mary logo. Even better is that Legendary will donate a portion of all proceeds from these sales to Presentation of Mary School!

Gold level sponsors ($1,000+):

Envision Plastics & Design

Bob and Diane Dufresne

Eclectic Culinary Concepts and Steve Hesse

Aspen Exteriors

GNW machinery owned by Jim Wahlstrand

Blue level sponsors ($500)

Knights of Columbus

Premier Bank

Northstar Property Partners - EXP Realty

We will have need for various volunteers to help throughout the school year with things like recess/lunch supervision, covering Ms. Linda’s lunch break, reading/math buddies for students, & supervisors for AM & PM Extended Care. Volunteer positions during the school year are open to anyone 18+ that is VIRTUS trained.

Contact Ms. Lovegreen if you are interested in Project Day or other volunteer opportunities at slovegreen@presentationofmary.org.

If you have questions regarding your VIRTUS training, please feel free to contact Kay Mottaz at kmottaz@presentationofmary.org.

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.