Like many seasons and holy days that the church gives to us throughout the year, in November we are asked to honor and pray for those who have died and gone before us. There are several reasons why this is important for us, and I will try to give a simplified reason here.

We start off the month by celebrating All Saints Day (All Hallow’s Day) on November 1st. Not just another “typical daily” Mass celebration, but one that has been categorized as being a solemnity, to be celebrated with great reverence, to be treated like a Sunday Mass with all its glory. Thus, it is also categorized as a holy day of obligation, a day in which we are obliged or expected to attend Mass, where the full set of readings and music will be used.

Why should such a day like this be so important when we already celebrate different days throughout the year for many of our saints already? It’s because we understand and believe that there are many more of our brothers and sisters who are already waiting for us in our Lord’s Kingdom that we may not be aware of. Yes, we have a long list of names of saints already, but I guarantee you that there are many more that go unnamed. Note that even the calendar we use today has seen modifications made to it by the Church over the years, shifting saints around so that other saints could have a turn at being honored. Amazing!

The day after All Saints Day, we celebrate All Souls Day, where we are called to pray for all those who have gone before us, those who are still on their way to joining the saints in our Lord’s Kingdom, in purgatory. This is the “place” where souls who are destined for heaven, continue to be purified so that any remaining stain of sin on their souls can be removed and they can enter through those pearly gates where the saints and our Lord, Jesus, waits for them with joyful expectation! You can believe that!

And for us who remain, our duty is to continue to pray for those who have died but also to strive to live as saints here in this world, battling against the evil one and his minions, while lifting each other to Jesus.

This is an exciting month for us all as we are reminded to live as a saint each and every moment of our lives, especially as we come to the end of the liturgical year with the celebration of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, at the end of this month.

May Your Kingdom come and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

All you holy men and women, our brothers and sisters, saints of God, pray for us!

-Fr Peter

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.

Join us in praying for those who are taking part in our Synod Small Group Leader Training in these several weeks.

The 2023 CCW Holiday Boutique will take place this Saturday, November 4 in the gym from 9am—2pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts for your loved ones. We have about 20 different vendors excited to share their items with you!

Presentation Men’s Club invites you to participate in this year’s Mini-Cad Raffle & Social! Raffle tickets are $50 dollars each, and there are only 100 tickets sold, so you have an excellent chance of going home with the grand prize of $1000! The drawing will take place on November 11th at 7:00 pm in Kenney Hall, with the social beginning after the 5:00 Mass. The social will have buffet style appetizers for $10 per person, as well as Bingo. Winners are not required to be present, and those attending the social are not required to have purchased raffle tickets. This event is a great opportunity to spend some time with our parish family, while supporting the Church and School!

Save the date for our parish Town Hall Potluck on Tuesday, Nov. 14th at 6:00pm in Kenney Hall. Learn more & let us know what you're bringing below!

Mark your calendars for Turkey Bingo on Saturday, November 18! More information to come in the following weeks.

Sign up for the next 55 Club Luncheon! It will take place November 21 at Blessed Sacrament at 12:30 pm. The meal will be turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, veggies, cranberry sauce, and a roll with butter. The dessert will be pumpkin pie with Cool Whip. We’ll have Deacon Mike Powers as the speaker. Call Teri Garrity to register at 651-303-2145.

Our next NextLevel event for high school youth will be serving at Feed my Starving Children on November 28. Follow the link below to register!

On Saturday, December 2, from 8:00am-1:00pm in Kenney Hall, Presentation of Mary and the American Red Cross are hosting a blood drive. Please join our mission and schedule an appointment today at www.redcrossblood.org or all Barb Swanson at 651-395 -0453. Appointments only. No walk-ins.

Every Third Saturday Drive for Veterans

We are now collecting items for Veterans with Every Third Saturday, a veteran support organization in the area. We will have boxes in two of the entrances to collect needed items for their ministry from November 4th-19th. Some of their most needed items are listed below!

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who contributed to the incredible success of our Fall Festival. It is through your dedication, hard work, and unwavering support that we were able to create a memorable and joyful event that brought our parish community closer together.

The Fall Festival is not just a fun-filled celebration; it is an opportunity for us to come together as one parish family, reinforcing the bonds of faith and friendship. Your time, talent, and resources poured into every aspect of this event, from the generous donations to the basket booth, the delectable treats at the cake walk, to the laughter-filled games and activities, truly made it a special day for all.

Your generosity, whether it was through donations, volunteering, or simply showing up with your families, is a reflection of your love for our parish and your dedication to the values we hold dear. Our Fall Festival not only provided moments of joy but also helped us raise essential funds that will support various parish activities and initiatives for the coming year. We were able to raise over $20,000 for Presentation!

In these moments of gratitude, we are reminded of the power of coming together as a community. It is your hard work and support that breathe life into our parish events and make them so enjoyable for all. Your contributions, no matter how big or small, are greatly appreciated.

We look forward to more opportunities to create memorable moments together and continue building our parish up. Once again, thank you for your support, and may God bless each and every one of you.

1st Place – Mary Rebeck and Pete Koegel – 3180

2nd Place – Joe Wisniewski and Carl Madsen – 3130

3rd Place – Patti Adams and Cailin Ashfield – 2270 

We will be hosting a Volleyball Clinic for children in grades 2-8 on Sunday, November 12 from 2-3:30pm. This is a great chance for kids to learn about the game and/or strengthen their skills. Participants do not need to be students at Presentation, all are welcome!

All are invited to attend our Mass of Gratitude on Friday, November 17th at 8:45am. Join us in celebration of the Mass as we give thanks for all those that support Presentation of Mary School.

Join us for one or both of our information nights to learn about the great programming and curriculum that Presentation of Mary School & Discovery Center has to offer families! Middle School Info Night: Thursday, November 30th at 6:30pm. Preschool & Kindergarten Info Night: Thursday, December 7th at 6:30pm. Register for one or both events below!

The Presentation of Mary Discovery Center is currently hosting a great referral incentive. Current families are eligible to receive a referral gift for the successful referral of a new family to Presentation of Mary’s Discovery Center Preschool! There is a $150 Target Gift Card for the referral of a part-time toddler or preschooler, and a $250 Target Gift Card for the referral of a full-time toddler or preschooler! Visit presentationofmaryschool.org/preschool/ to learn more about our Discovery Center.

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.

To all the families who brought their child to the Halloween party in the gym: Thank you!!!! To see the smiles and joy on their faces, all wrapped up in fun costumes, was a sight to behold.

To every adult volunteer from set up and clean up: Thank you!!! This event could not have taken place without your volunteerism.

Last but not least, to our middle school students: Thank you!!!! Your creative energies in the haunted house, and your assistance with the set up of the gym, were instrumental to our Halloween party’s success.

Happy Halloween, everyone!!!

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.