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JULY/AUG 2022 Vol. 20 Issue 3
on the hill catholic church
Meet Deacon John Leonard and Deacon Jesse Murga
A Mass Schedule Sunday, 7:45 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.
Longtime Parishioners Answer God’s Call to Diaconate
s the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, “Deacons share in Christ’s mission and grace in a special way” (1570). Here at St. Mary on the Hill, we are blessed to have two new deacons recently ordained and ready to serve our parish. Deacon John Leonard and Deacon Jesse Murga, both parishioners of St.
Mary’s, were ordained in May. Deacon John and his family have been parishioners for 15 years. He and his wife have been married for 32 years and they have three grown sons. He works as a Sales Manager at McCorkle Nurseries in Dearing. He first felt a call to the diaconate many years ago but was unsure how to pursue it. continued on page 2
Wednesday, 7:00 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. Thursday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Friday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Saturday, 9:15 a.m., 5:00 p.m. (Sunday Vigil)
Sacrament of Reconciliation Wednesday, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, 3:45-4:45 p.m.
Pro Life Holy Hour Wednesday, 6:00 p.m.
Perpetual Adoration Chapel Chapel is located at the corner of Monte Sano and Bellevue. Deacon John Leonard was ordained to the diaconate this past May.
Deacon Jesse Murga was ordained this past May to the diaconate.
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Meet Deacon John Leonard and Deacon Jesse Murga continued from front cover “In fairness, I also never asked anyone,” Deacon John says. “About six years ago, I saw an announcement for an information session in Augusta in the Southern Cross. With the encouragement and support of our pastor at the time and one of our deacons, I decided that it was time to answer this call. “My discernment entailed a lot of quiet centering prayer (Christian meditation) and listening for God’s guidance,” he adds. “Discernment lasted into the formation process where, at a certain point, I felt a lot of peace and consolation in my decision.” To start his role at St. Mary, Deacon John is serving Mass, proclaiming the Gospel and preaching, as well as leading the Pro-Life Holy Hour from time to time. But his other responsibilities are still under discussion. Previously, Deacon John has served as an altar server, catechist, Eucharistic Minister, and lector. This new vocation as a deacon provides a unique opportunity for Deacon John to serve our parish and evangelize others. “I am most excited about the opportunity to serve the Church I love in a more formal and larger way and to help get people to heaven,” he says. Studying for the diaconate was a rigorous process, lasting about five years, and involving social studies as well as theology. Both Deacon John and Deacon Jesse say the experience was difficult to balance while also living out busy family and work schedules. But it was nonetheless remarkable for both the deacons.
“I was blessed to be in the company of 10 truly outstanding classmates and a great Diaconate Formation director,” says Deacon Jesse. Deacon Jesse has been a parishioner since he joined the church through RCIA in 1987. He has been married to his wife, Carrie for 14 years. He first felt a call to the diaconate about eight years ago. “My initial discernment included a lot of personal prayer,” he says. “The discernment at the beginning of the Diaconate Program was based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.” Before his ordination, Deacon Jesse served in many capacities around our parish community. He has served as a Eucharistic Minister, sacristan, lector, altar server, RCIA assistant, Confirmation preparation classes, serving on Parish Council, and he is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus. Deacon Jesse’s favorite saint is St. Maximilian Kolbe, “for being a light in the darkest of hours,” he says. St. Maximilian Kolbe lived an incredibly selfless life during the 20th century, ultimately giving his life for a man at Auschwitz. He is known for his love of Our Blessed Mother and the Eucharist. To those discerning a vocation, whether to religious life or ordained clergy, Deacon Jesse shares his advice. “Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit about discerning your call, and always remember a call to service in the Church is a call to serve with love,” he says.
“I am most excited about the opportunity to serve the Church I love in a more formal and larger way and to help get people to heaven.” — Deacon John Leonard
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Stewardship: A Need to Give
hen the church needs a new roof or the local food bank needs donations, we jump at the chance to give for the sake of the need. It’s part of our human nature — we identify a need, and we want to give of our time, talent, and treasure to help. But as a stewardship people, we are called to give of ourselves not simply because the Church has needs, but because each of us has a need to give. As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops states in its pastoral letter on stewardship, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, “We need to give our money to individuals and families in need, to the Church, and to other worthwhile charitable organizations because giving money is good for the soul and because we need to return thanks to a loving God for all of the many blessings each of us has received” (67). As fellow members of the Body of Christ, created in God’s image, we should strive to go beyond simply co-existing with one another on earth. The life we live should be fueled by love for each other. This love should dictate how we live — by giving of ourselves. Jesus Christ showed us the perfect example of this self-giving love when He died on the cross. His death was a completely selfless act. He gave
of Himself for our sake, offering us — through that gift — life everlasting. As Christ’s disciples, we follow His example, and we give of ourselves for the sake of others, out of love and an inherent need to give. That’s not to say that we gain nothing through our gifts. In fact, in His goodness, God sees to it that we do. Most of us have experienced what happens when we give of our time, talent, or treasure. We feel as though we get more out of it than we give. If you speak to someone who serves at the soup kitchen or someone who has made it a regular practice to tithe to the Church, you are likely to find that he or she feels blessed to be able to give. As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops points out, “To be a Christian disciple is a rewarding way of life, a way of companionship with Jesus, and the practice of stewardship as a part of it is itself a source of deep joy. Those who live this way are happy people who have found the meaning and purpose of living” (Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, 21). Find out for yourself. Get involved in a ministry. Make a commitment to put some money in the collection basket next Sunday. Don’t wait to find out if there is a need — give of yourself right now. You will be richly blessed for doing so. 3
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New School Year Brings Growth in
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fter an enjoyable break with summer camps and preparing for the new school year, St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School is ready for the 2022-2023 school year! “We finished our last school year strong after all the chaos that the last few years have brought us all,” says Todd Schafer, Principal. Mr. Schafer joined the faculty and staff at St. Mary’s in 2016 as a teacher. As he embarks upon his third year as principal, he is thrilled to see the growth of the community. “Our community is ready for a school year that is continuing more towards normalcy while continuing to grow in academics and our Catholic faith,” he says.
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Our school has the capacity for class sizes of 20 students with three sections per grade. This year, we are looking at full classrooms in kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade, and sixth grade, and an increase in enrollment from 478 students to 490. “One of our greatest strengths as a school is the cultivation of a positive Catholic culture,” Mr. Schafer says. “Our community is filled with joy and rooted in our faith. I can see it every day as our students and staff come in with smiles on their faces ready for a new day. It’s that joy and Catholic identity that has continued to bring more families to our school.” As we approach the upcoming school year, parents can rest assured of increased engagement in the classroom,
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n Academics and Our Catholic Faith particularly in forming our students spiritually and academically. Over the summer, school leadership and local authorities revisited security and the safety plan at the school. Our teachers continued to grow in their training in the Project-Based Learning program to increase the real-world application of their important lessons. This upcoming year, our middle school students will particularly grow in their faith through their abilities to participate in parish youth ministry. The House System returns this year to promote Catholic virtues: House Fidem (faith), House Amare (love), House Civitas (community), and House Ministerium (service). Our
students and staff participate in friendly competition all year long to build school spirit and love of our Catholic faith, while encountering learning opportunities to grow in virtue. Finally, we look forward to serving our community through faith-based service projects. “St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School is a wonderful community that challenges our students in the best ways to prepare them for high school and real-life experiences,” Mr. Schafer says. “As we continue to improve our overall educational experience for our students, I am looking forward to the blessings this year will bring.”
“St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School is a wonderful community that challenges our students in the best ways to prepare them for high school and real-life experiences. As we continue to improve our overall educational experience for our students, I am looking forward to the blessings this year will bring.” — Todd Schafer, Principal
St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School is a K-8 private school and the parish school of St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church. Parents with any questions about the upcoming year are asked to please contact Mrs. Ryan, Administrative Assistant, at 706-733-6193 or smcs@smcsaug.org.
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First Communion:
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES JOYFULLY CELEBRATE SACRAMENT This spring, a number of our young parishioners received their First Communion. We offer our prayerful and heartfelt congratulations to the students and their families!
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Our 2022 High School Graduates NAME
HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDED
COLLEGE
Skyler Bradley Greenbrier HS Donny Loebl Aquinas HS University of Notre Dame Ruthie Lammers Aquinas HS Adam Wallace Richmond Co. Technical Career Magnet School (RCTCM) University of North Georgia Frank T. Gibbs, III Academy of Richmond County University of Georgia Parker J. Ciamillo Aquinas HS (Valedictorian) University of Georgia Walker Edwin Scharff Lakeside HS Augusta University Daisy Poteet Lakeside HS LSU Blaine Branch Westside HS (Valedictorian) Georgia Institute of Technology Elizabeth Stager Davidson Magnet School University of South Carolina Abigail Shaw Davidson Magnet School James Madison University Lindley Brown Davidson Magnet School Savannah College of Arts & Design James Robert Lint North Augusta HS Clemson University Andrew Woo Lakeside HS Augusta University Thomas Woo Lakeside HS Augusta University Kyra Velasco Lakeside HS Mercer University Carter Elliott Aquinas HS Georgia Southern University Camilla Hutto Aquinas HS University of Mississippi Mackey Hewitt Aquinas HS University of Mississippi Jackson Stoehr Lakeside HS Undecided Caleb Acree Richmond Co. Technical Augusta University Career Magnet School Katie Andrews Academy of Richmond County Georgia Tech Cal Ellis Aquinas HS Auburn University
Our 2022 College Graduates NAME
COLLEGE ATTENDED
DEGREE
Tiffany Grace Torchia University of GA (Summa Cum Laude) BA in Communication Studies *will attend University of GA Law School in 2022* Pierre Lefort Augusta University BSN Nursing James Lefort Merchant Marine Academy Engineering Elizabeth Baney Georgia Southern University Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance Christopher Mazurek Augusta University Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity 7
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Augusta, GA Permit No. 475
on the hill
1420 Monte Sano Avenue Augusta, GA 30904 Phone 706-733-6627 www.stmaryonthehill.org
Recent Donations to St. Mary on the Hill St. Mary on the Hill Church In Memory of Helen Wilhelmi Ree and Jim Thrash In Memory of Mary Muir Gary and Louise Muir In Memory of Laura Cameron Ree and Jim Thrash In Memory of Dr. Fred Cox Mike Rucker Connie and Cliff Kimsey, III Brenda and Steve Gavin Julie and Billy Badger In Memory of Greg Poteet Terry and Johanna Bagwell Judge and Mrs. Richard A. Slaby Mike Rucker Janet and Earle Lovering Janna and Leland Malchow In Memory of Kitty Burden Mike Rucker
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In Memory of Frances Dukes Jill Wright In Memory of Bill Berry Mary Ellen and Paul Zielinski In Memory of Katie Walker Mike Rucker Mike and Hannelore Acey In Memory of Michael Joyce Mike Rucker Ken and Cindy Dendinger St. Mary on the Hill Church Choir In Memory of Laura Cameron Gigi and Hugh McCutcheon Trey and Elder Maxwell St. Mary on the Hill Columbarium In Memory of Bryan Schaffer and Patricia Schaffer Peggy Schaffer
Baptisms April 3 Kylo Ezekiel Reyes Son of Paola and Christian Reyes April 17 Grayson Lucas Gadia Son of Aubrey and Jason Gadia Giuliana Marie Count Daughter of Peyton and Joseph Count, III April 24 Jacob Ryan Dillander, Jr. Son of Brittney and Jacob Dillander May 1 Mary Burdell Boone Daughter of Taylor and Peyton Boone May 7 Finnley Rae Davis Daughter of Molly and Jason Davis May 20 Frank Owen Williams Son of Kerri Ann and Daniel Williams
