St. Leo's Catholic Parish Community Newsletter — January 2021

St.

Leos’

Parish Community

Inside JANUARY 2021

MEET THE HELD FAMILY:

Sharing Stewardship Gifts with Generosity

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ew things bring greater joy than getting to share something you love with others. And often, teaching others about something that interests us also provides an opportunity to go deeper in our own understanding and appreciation of a topic. For St. Leo’s parishioner Melody Held, this has been her experience in serving as a catechist in our Religious Education program.

“I enjoy being a Religious Education teacher,” Melody says. “I like to think that I may be ‘planting seeds’ of faith in the small children that I teach.”

Born and raised Lutheran, Melody began learning about the Catholic faith while dating her husband, Virgil, a cradle Catholic, and became Catholic herself after going Virgil and Melody Held and their through the RCIA process. The couple daughters love being part of the was married at St. Bonaventure Catholic community at St. Leo’s.

Church, in their hometown of Columbus, Neb., and recently celebrated their seventeenth anniversary. While Melody loves sharing her faith with her Religious Education students, for her and Virgil, there is nothing more important than sharing their faith with their own children.

“It was important for us to raise our children Catholic and to be continued on page 2

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A New Year, New Challenges, New Opportunities

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St. Leo’s Website Offers Faith Formation Resources to Help Guide Us Through Uncertain Times

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The Patron of Catholic Schools in America St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

7 Blessed Sacrament

Parish Thrift Store

Bringing God’s

Mercy to Others

Through Faithful Service

MEET THE HELD FAMILY good role models for them,” she says.

Melody, Virgil, and their daughters, Jacinda and Ivy, are involved in our community at St. Leo’s in several ways. Virgil, who is passionate about recognizing and using one’s gifts in service, is a member of the Stewardship Council.

“My family and extended families have been involved in parish life for as long as I can remember,” Virgil says. “We’ve all been given unique gifts from God, and giving back to our parish however we can — in time, talent or treasure — and being stewards of His Church is important.”

In addition to being a Religious Education catechist, Melody is also a Eucharistic Minister and member of the Ladies of St. Leo’s. Their daughters serve as Religious Education classroom aides, and as a family, they often serve as greeters for Sunday Mass. Both girls attend Youth Ministry events, and Jacinda looks forward to traveling to Detroit on a mission trip this summer, while Ivy is an altar server and part of the choir.

“Raising kids in today’s world is incredibly busy,” Melody says. “We attend Mass as a family every weekend and make our faith a priority, not only on Sundays but every day of the week.

“Children follow by example, and they will do as they see,” she adds. “As parents, I think it’s important to pray for our kids’ faith daily. Talking with them about our faith and praying together as a family is also really important.”

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Amid the challenges of the past year, Virgil and Melody have found several ways to continue prioritizing their faith and relationship with God, even when attending Mass in person or taking part in their usual parish activities wasn’t possible.

“Not being able to physically attend Mass and receive the Eucharist was tough,” Virgil says. “We can use these situations to continue to rely on God and trust in His will, that He’s got this under control.”

“Prayer is extremely important in keeping your faith strong and draws me closer to God,” Melody adds. “One thing that I have found helpful is finding Bible verses that are fitting for the struggles that we are going through.”

The Helds encourage other parishioners to consider how they might use their particular talents in service to our community. In addition to helping our parish, Virgil offers a reminder that using our gifts to glorify God is an expression of gratitude for all the ways He has blessed us.

“God has given everyone very special and unique gifts,” Virgil says. “Recognizing our talents and blessings and being a good steward of the gifts given to us and giving back to our parish are acts of gratitude and appreciation for everything we have.”

Thank you, Melody, Virgil, Jacinda, and Ivy, for all the ways you give back to our parish community! We are grateful for your presence and generosity in service.

“God has given everyone very special and unique gifts.

Recognizing our talents and blessings and being a good steward of the gifts given to us and giving back to our parish are acts of gratitude and appreciation for everything we have.” — Virgil Held 2

A Letter From Our Pastor

A NEW YEAR, NEW CHALLENGES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES Dear Parishioners,

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t is a new year, and it is my prayer for all of you — and for me, as well — that we can take new steps on our faith journeys, and seek new ways to live out discipleship and stewardship.

Pope Francis once commented on his perspective of our modern approach to life. He said, “Certainly, possessions, money and power can give a momentary thrill, the illusion of being happy, but they end up possessing us and making us always want more, never satisfied. I have learned that the most important thing is to put on Christ in your life, place your trust in Him, and you will never be disappointed.”

The pope has been called “the world’s parish priest.” As we pray for one another in this New Year, may we all ask the Lord to help us appreciate Pope Francis’ approach to life, his simple way of seeing things, and his very basic way of appreciating things. I would hope that we see this year as a time for opportunity, a time to deepen our relationship to Christ, and for that matter to one another.

If we really wish to change our lives and the lives of others, there are two easy ways to do it.

We are blessed with many opportunities in this parish to pray, but as much as it is important for us to take advantage of those, we also need to develop a strong personal prayer life. Recall the young Samuel, who was not quite sure what to do with his life, or what direction to go. When he finally settled on that one important prayer, “Speak, Lord, for I am listening,” Samuel gave us the hint as to what we need to do. Prayer is a two-way street, and part of that is taking the time to listen to God.

The second important way is to exude joy. Christ certainly called us to do that. Pope Francis has had much to say about joy, as well. The Holy Father says, “Joy cannot be held at heel; it must be let go. Joy is a pilgrim virtue. It is a gift that walks — walks on the path of life, that walks with Jesus… proclaiming joy, lengthens and widens that path.” We must seek that joy and then we need to share it. That is truly our call. Joy translates quite easily into “love your neighbor.”

Yes, there may be challenges ahead in 2021, but we must focus on the opportunities, and then exert the effort to benefit from those opportunities. Happy New Year!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. Donald A. Buhrman Pastor

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ST. LEO’S WEBSITE Offers Faith Formation Resources

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f social isolation and being in quarantine, along with the other safety measures needed during this pandemic, are causing stress for ourselves and our faith, there is help at the click of a keyboard or mouse.

St. Leo’s website, at www.saintleos.org, is full of resources that we can access to let us know that we are not walking this walk alone.

“We compiled a bunch of different resources,” says Jodi Stauffer, Director of Children and Family Ministries. “The website is a treasure trove that really has been underutilized at this point. If people explore it, they will find they are spending more time with it than they anticipated. There is so much there they can use, or even use as a springboard where to go next.”

Adults will find faith formation materials at hand. Studies by Jeff Cavins are available

St. Leo’s website, at www.saintleos.org, is full of resources that we can access to let us know that we are not taking this journey alone.

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through Ascension Press. Adults and young adults may also find a wide variety of podcasts.

“People can safely and securely delve into their faith a little more,” Jodi says, noting that often the Internet can serve as a “rabbit hole” of misleading information.

“We have young adult material,” she says.

“They tend to want to learn about their faith in a different way. So we have podcasts. They are not traditional, but they are a great way to evangelize and find commonalities with other Catholics.”

There also is material for middle school, high school, and elementary parishioners, as well as material that parents can call up and share with their children.

When the pandemic restrictions were put into place, St. Leo’s stepped up to offer these online programs.

Our website’s “Just Breathe” option offers a number of helpful ways to deal with the feelings of anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

to Help Guide Us Through Uncertain Times “We wanted to meet people where they are. We want them to be aware of where they need to be and we want to meet them. We want to ask, ‘How can we walk this walk with you?’ No one wants to be on this journey alone. We try to do what we can to be where they are.”

— JODI STAUFFER, DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRIES “We wanted to meet people where they are,” Jodi says. “We want them to be aware of where they need to be and we want to meet them. We want to ask, ‘How can we walk this walk with you?’ No one wants to be on this journey alone.

We try to do what we can to be where they are.”

St. Leo’s livestreams daily and Sunday Masses that also can be accessed any time after the Mass times through the parish Facebook page and YouTube channel.

“If streaming Masses is what is needed — it’s doing what we can to send a positive message that we’re still here and what can we do to be there for you,” Jodi says.

A feature added to the website is the “Just Breathe” option. It addresses the need to deal with the feelings of anxiety caused by the pandemic.

“It has lots of what you can do to calm yourself,” Jodi says. “You can maybe delve into simple silence, a song, or the Bible. There are links to help you find a sense of calm in this pandemic, and find a center. We all know we need Jesus. This helps you to center yourself so you can ask the right questions.”

Jodi suggests that one way to calm oneself is to watch daily Mass before bedtime.

“It’s usually only 30 minutes,” she says, “It’s

A wide variety of faith formation materials are at hand on our parish website, including video presentations.

a great way to calm your mind, body, and soul, and get a really restful sleep. You’re hearing God’s Word right before bed.”

She also suggests watching Mass with one’s children before their bedtime in place of a traditional bedtime story.

For everyone to be aware of the online resources available, Jodi asks that everyone update their contact information with the parish, including email addresses, cell phone numbers, and landline phone numbers.

“We want to stay connected with our parishioners,” she says. “Our website is one of the ways we do that.”

If you would like more information about resources available online, or if there are issues finding material on the website, please call Jodi Stauffer at 308-382-4753.

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THE PATRON OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS IN AMERICA

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

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s the first American-born canonized saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton’s entrance into history was guided by Divine Providence. Born on Aug. 28, 1774, just months after the Boston Tea Party, Elizabeth’s childhood witnessed pivotal events in the formation of our country — the Continental Congress, the Declaration of Independence, and the American Revolution. At the time of the foundation of the new Republic, in a society predominately hostile toward Catholicism, a flower blossomed that would forever change the shape of education in the United States.

Elizabeth Seton was born into a wealthy Protestant family in New York City. Her life, although materially blessed, was not without suffering. Elizabeth’s biological mother died when she was only 3, and her younger sister, Catherine Josephine, died at the age of 2. A spark of faith, however, was visible even in her early childhood. When questioned about her sadness concerning her sister’s death, Elizabeth simply responded, “Kitty is gone up to heaven. I wish I could go there too.”

Elizabeth grew into a beautiful woman, courted lavishly by handsome young men from prominent New York families. At the age of 19, she met a charming New York financier, William Seton, and the couple was wed in 1794. They remained in high society until her father-in-law’s passing, which left them to care for William’s seven younger siblings, along with three children of their own.

Consequently, the Seton finances crashed.

The couple traveled to Italy — it was here that William’s health failed him, and he died in December 1803. Providentially, Elizabeth was left in the company of a strong Catholic family where she witnessed the practice of the faith. In a letter 6

to her sister, Elizabeth wrote, “My sister dear, how happy would we be, if we believed what these dear souls believe, that they possess God in the Sacrament, and that He remains in their churches...”

After an eight-month stay, Elizabeth returned to America, and she began to investigate Catholicism more deeply. She was besought by Protestant friends who hoped to dissuade her. At this time, Elizabeth prayed repeatedly, “If I am right, Thy grace impart, still in the right to stay. If I am wrong, oh teach my heart to find the better way.”

In 1805, after much interior struggle, Elizabeth became Catholic.

Abandoned entirely by her family and friends, she resolved her financial difficulties through teaching.

In 1807, Elizabeth was invited to establish a Catholic school for girls in Baltimore. The task was daunting, and Elizabeth labored intensely, explaining how “from half past five in the morning until nine at night, every moment is full — no space even to be troubled.” After winters spent in continual hardship and sacrifice, the school flourished and, within years, Mother Seton planted the seed from which sprang the parochial school system — along with hospitals and orphanages.

Before her death in January 1821, she was the active mother of five — although two of her daughters died young — and the spiritual mother of a full-fledged religious congregation known as the Sisters of Charity. She was canonized in 1975, and her feast day is celebrated on Jan. 4.

Thanks to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the Catholic parochial school system remains vibrant and active. And as we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, we are thankful for the sacrifice of this loving wife, devoted mother, foundress and all-American saint.

BLESSED SACRAMENT PARISH THRIFT STORE Bringing God’s Mercy to Others Through Faithful Service

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ny parishioner looking for a way to live more deeply in stewardship — by offering one’s time and talent as a disciple of Christ — has a perfect opportunity to do so by volunteering at the Blessed Sacrament Parish Thrift Store.

While the store is a ministry of Blessed Sacrament Parish, St. Leo’s also promotes the store and provides volunteers. Volunteers are always needed to help sort and arrange items, as well as serve the customers. One does not need to be a member of any particular group or club to volunteer.

The Thrift Store is located on the southeast corner of 4th St. and Eddy St. “Volunteering at the Thrift Store is a personal commitment,” says Donna Douglass, Parish Outreach Coordinator. “Each person contacts the store and they make a schedule that will work for them.”

In her work in parish outreach, Donna has often found that parishioners want to become more involved in the parish, but need some direction.

“I think a lot of times, people want to help, but they do not know where to start,” she says. “Then maybe they see a need in the bulletin for volunteers at the Thrift Store and it begins. Once, you start helping and giving of yourself, you know you are doing the right thing.”

This sense of knowing one is doing the right thing by giving of oneself is at the core of our faith.

This is essentially what it means to be Christian.

Donna has many opportunities to witness this firsthand in the areas of outreach that St. Leo’s offers — but particularly through the Thrift Store.

“We are bringing Christ and God’s mercy to others when we serve others,” she says. “It is exactly what God wants us to do. It is our job as continued on back cover

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2410 S. Blaine Street Grand Island, NE 68801 (308) 382-4753 | www.saintleos.org

BLESSED SACRAMENT THRIFT STORE Christians to make sure all people have their basic needs met. When you help others with a smile on your face, you are bringing Christ to them.

You have no idea how your interactions may have changed their day or week. When you know you are treating people like Christ wants you to, that action itself inspires you and maybe others to do more.”

Thrift Store volunteers find that amid the

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physical work they do of moving and sorting items, as well as arranging merchandise, they also perform perhaps the greatest work in how they kindly and cheerfully greet those entering the store, many of whom are the area’s needy.

“To be treated with dignity even if you have very little is so powerful,” Donna says. “Each person is God’s creation and when we treat others with our time and our love, we are changing lives.”

With flexible hours available, volunteering at the Blessed Sacrament Parish Thrift Store is simple and convenient.

If you would like to volunteer at the Thrift Store, please call 308-384-0532 and note in your message that you would like to help out at store.

To help at the Food Pantry, please contact Marie Schuster at 308-379-9238. To help with CarePortal or the Saturday night meal, please refer to the bulletin for updates.

LITURGY SCHEDULE Daily Mass: 9 a.m., Saturday: 5 p.m., Sunday: 8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

Confession: Saturday 4 - 4:30 p.m. Adoration: First Friday of the Month, 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Abide Adoration: Fourth Sunday of the Month, 7 - 8 p.m.