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New faces at school Discerning New principals named at St. Francis, God’s call Cathedral St. Mark Center, welcomes Villa Maria new, returning Elementary, seminarians, page 3. page 4. www.ErieRCD.org BI-WEEKLY NEWS BULLETIN OF THE DIOCESE OF ERIE September 2, 2007 Church Calendar Events of the local, American and universal church Feast days Rosaries for Kids 15,000 rosaries blessed By Jason Koshinskie by bishop headed FaithLife editor for young hands John Walsh pulled up to throughout diocese St. Mark Catholic Center in a van with 15,000 rosaries ally have a rosary that’s been for Bishop Donald Trautman blessed by a bishop. It means to bless. That’s 795,000 Hail a lot.” Marys. Before handing them out St. John Our Lady Walsh and his wife, Mar- on their visits, Margie Walsh gie, members of St. George instructs students how to use Chrysostom of Sorrows Parish in Erie, are a part of the rosary and goes through Sept. 3 St. Gregory the Great Rosaries for Kids, a joint the prayers. Sept. 8 effort between the World Moving her hands across Photos by Jason Koshinskie The Nativity of the Blessed Apostolate of Fatima and the beads, she said students Virgin Mary the Knights of Columbus. are captivated by the prayer. Bishop Donald Trautman blesses a van full of 15,000 rosaries Sept. 12 The Most Holy Name of the Each year, Rosaries for Kids Schools will sometimes recite while John Walsh of the World Apostolate of Fatima looks Blessed Virgin Mary distributes 15,000 rosaries to a rosary after her presentation. on. The rosaries for the Rosaries for Kids program are given Sept. 13 students throughout the Erie Without exaggerating, annually to every fourth- and tenth-grade student in Catholic St. John Chrysostom schools and religious education programs in the Erie Diocese. Sept. 14 The Exaltation of the Diocese. Walsh said she has received Beginning soon after the thousands of letters over the Holy Cross new school year, the Walshes years from parents and stu- tolate of Fatima and the and keeps a count of who has for Kids has put more than Sept. 15 Our Lady of Sorrows will hit the road, giving ro- dents alike. Knights of Columbus united what. Several women from 300,000 sets of beads in the saries to every fourth- and “Parents say the students their efforts after discovering the Mercy Center on Aging hands of children. tenth-grade student in the swell up with the life of the ro- that both groups were con- also contribute to this effort. The group has also given Confi rmation schedule 40 Catholic schools and reli- sary and feel a part of Christ’s ducting similar programs. According to Spaeder’s them to anyone who wants St. Andrew, Erie – Sunday, September 9 at 2 gious education programs in life while praying it,” she said. The Knights of Columbus records, Helen Trocki is the them, including the Soldiers p.m. Confirmation classes include Sacred Heart, 124 parishes. “They want this. It’s children supplies the funds for the champion rosary maker. Over and Sailors Home and VA Erie, and St. Andrew, Erie. “We always wanted to tell many times that lead us to beads, crosses and string. A the years, Trocki, who is in her Hospital in Erie. Boxes of the children that the rosaries Christ. The rosary is meant for group at St. George, along 90s, has made 37,000 rosaries rosaries were also sent to a have been blessed by a bish- the young and the old, the rich with groups from other par- and counting, and Cornelia group in Florida hoping to Opening Mass of the Holy Spirit op and that the bishop said and the poor. It’s for every- ishes, works year-round mak- D’Aurora has made 8,000. get a similar program started for Gannon, Mercyhurst a special prayer for them,” body.” ing rosaries for the project. Stephen Cash, with the there. John Walsh said. “The little Rosaries for Kids, now in Virginia Spaeder, coordinator Greater Erie Chapter of the “Anybody who needs a Gannon University and Mercyhurst College will kids sit there with their eyes its 15th year, was developed of the rosary makers, orders Knights of Columbus, said rosary, we give it to them,” host their traditional Opening Mass of the Holy wide open, that they actu- in 1993 when the World Apos- the beads, distributes them that over the years, Rosaries Cash said. Spirit, marking the beginning of the 2007-08 aca- demic year for students, faculty and school commu- nity. DID YOU KNOW?: More than 31,000 children are being Bishop Donald Trautman will celebrate Mass at Catholic Education Collection is Sept. 15-16 educated about the faith in Catholic schools and parish 11 a.m. on Sept. 6 at Gannon’s Mary Seat of Wis- religious education programs throughout the diocese. dom Chapel. Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríquez Half of every dollar stays in local parish personnel, tuition assistance grants and continuing Maradiaga, SDB, of Honduras will be the homilist education opportunities for Catholic school teach- drew Karg, pastor of St. Michael. at the 11:15 a.m. Mass at Mercyhurst’s Christ the Each year, the Catholic Education Collection ers. This year, a group of junior high and high school King Chapel on Sept. 7. helps pass on the faith in the Erie Diocese. The Catholic Education Collection is the pri- students who traveled with Father James Campbell This special collection, which will be taken Sept. mary source for bolstering the endowments, Father to Italy will speak about their vocational experiences Cardinal Rodríquez lecture at 15-16, also gives back to local parishes. Half of the Rouch said. visiting shrines and religious areas. collection stays in the parish, and the other half goes “There is a significant ‘giving back’ to the par- In previous years, Elaine Shearer, religious educa- Mercyhurst College – Sept. 7 to the diocese, the majority of which goes to educa- ishes with this collection,” Father Rouch said. tion coordinator at St. Michael, spoke about how the St. Michael in Greenville promotes the Catholic collection helped her receive her certification, and Cardinal Oscar An- tion endowments, which in turn fund many parish- based initiatives. Education Collection through first-hand accounts. Mary Jo Lipani, principal of St. Michael School, has drés Rodríquez Maradi- Each year on the collection weekend, the parish asks talked about various ways the school has been aided aga, SDB, the first cardi- “That money comes right to the diocese and goes into our education and formation endowments,” those who have benefited through the endowments through the collection. nal from Honduras, will over the past year to speak at the parish Masses. Since its establishment in 1991, the endowment pay an exclusive visit to said Father Nicholas Rouch, the Erie Diocese’s vicar for education. “It’s a great way to do it because not only are they has provided more than $1 million in grants. Almost Mercyhurst College on the ones who benefited, but they can witness about every parish and school in the diocese has benefited Friday, Sept. 7. The endowments fund parish and school initia- tives, providing assistance to religious education it through their own enthusiasm,” said Msgr. An- from these grants, Father Rouch said. Cardinal Rodríquez Cardinal Oscar will deliver an open pub- Andrés Rodríquez lic lecture on “Social Jus- Maradiaga, SDB tice and Solidarity in the Globalized World” at 8 p.m. in the Mary D’Angelo ‘Dedication to God and each other’ Performing Arts Center. Tickets are free but are re- quired. Call 814.824.3000 for more information. Anniversary celebrations honor Are you married now? Or just thinking about it? The U.S. bishops launched www.foryourmarriage.org, the couples, marriage as vocation latest part of their multiyear National Pastoral Initiative for Legion of Mary congress – Sept. 8 Marriage. The Web site includes dozens of tips and articles By Emma Lee McCloskey aimed at promoting healthy marriages. The Legion of Mary of for the Diocese of Erie will hold FaithLife Articles available on www.foryourmarriage.org include a congress of all active mem- topics such as: There was a camaraderie and union in the church- bers in western Pennsylva- es that was truly heartfelt among couples who were nia on Saturday, September General marriage stories: A snapshot of marriage in the celebrating milestone wedding anniversaries. U.S., health, safety and sex (benefi ts for married people), 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at “I was a little hesitant about going (to the dioc- Our Lady of Mercy Parish economic impact/fi nances, why married parents are important esan anniversary celebration). It was my wife’s idea,” for children in Harborcreek. The theme said Bill Jackson. Jackson and his wife, Patty, parish- of the congress will be “The ioners from St. George in Erie, attended the Mass at New Evangelization.” For What makes marriage work?: Commitment, common Our Lady of Peace. values more information, contact “But once I was at the church, I felt just great as Ray Sullivan at 814.899.3215. To learn more about we joined others who were celebrating their anniver- Issues couples are facing: Infi delity, addictions, this apostolate, visit the Legion of Mary’s unofficial saries. We became a real faith community. It was an Web page at www.legionofmary.org. fi nances, careers, parenting, illness, intimacy and sexuality, uplifting experience. You look around you and see infertility, domestic violence all these other couples, from St. Marys to French- Blue Mass at St.