St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church Newsletter — Apr/May 2022

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Mary Saint

MAY/JUNE 2022 Vol. 19 Issue 3

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Motherhood at Middle Age

Moms of Older Children Invited to Share in Fellowship, Prayer and Formation

W 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.

Wednesday, 7:00 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.

Thursday, 7:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.

e often recognize that moms of young children need support and a space to be together. But motherhood doesn’t necessarily become easier when children get older.

Here at St. Mary on the Hill, we have an opportunity for moms of older children to gather and share in fellowship. Motherhood at Middle Age — or MAMAs — meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month in the parish Senior Center. The group has been meeting monthly for about

three years.

The MAMA group’s primary goal is to offer a space for moms of older children to socialize, grow in faith and pray. Currently, about five to 10 women gather each month.

“This group helps me to see that I am not alone in some of the things that I am dealing with, with my children,” says Kathy Wagner, a current MAMAs member. “It’s a sounding board to talk through things with others.”

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.

Some of the members of the MAMAs group

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Cultivate Your Personal Garden for Christ this Spring

veryone loves springtime. The weather is warmer and beautiful flowers are blooming all around us.

But anyone with a beautiful garden will attest that the flowers do not magically appear as if the season change itself miraculously makes the flowers bloom. Beautiful flowers and lush gardens are the result of the gardener ’s hard work.

Imagine that a man is given some flower seeds.

The man then buries the seeds in the ground and leaves them on their own. As the months pass and rain falls, some seeds may receive enough nourishment to bloom. But simply burying seeds in the ground will hardly make for a gorgeous garden.

Rather, if the man truly wants to enjoy many beautiful flowers, there is much care and work ahead.

Recognizing the hidden beauty within these simple seeds, he must cultivate the ground, plant the seeds in a solid foundation, then water and fertilize them throughout the year. Only then will he see the proper fruit these seeds were made to bear.

This simple illustration speaks to the heart of us this season — not only as we look around at the flowers, but more importantly as we reflect on the springtime of the Church. We are celebrating the great feast of Easter when, through His death and resurrection, Christ offers us the greatest gift of all — eternal life with Him forever. This celebration leads us to reflect on the many gifts God has given 2

us in this life and the fruit they will bear, especially as we look to life eternal.

He has given each of us a multitude of gifts so that we can better serve Him and bring others to Him. Do we notice the hidden potential of our gifts?

Do we see them, like the seed — as seemingly small, yet so full of fruit? Everything we have — our time, talents and treasure — is a gift from the Lord. Do we accept gifts in gratitude, then put them to use by cultivating and nourishing them so they will bear the proper fruit?

Just like springtime flowers that we enjoy, our time, talents and treasure need to be cared for. Our gifts need to be cultivated and nourished. Only then will we see them for what they are — wonderful gifts given by God meant for His greater glory.

Like the seeds, if we use our gifts flippantly, we may see some fruits here and there. But we are called to so much more — we are called to build a beautiful garden. We are called to offer God the most beautiful flowers of all.

This season, as we look at all the beautiful flowers around us and enjoy God’s creation, let us think about the seeds in our own lives. Ask yourself if you have accepted the gifts God has given you — your time, talents and treasure — and have cultivated and cared for them properly. Or, do they just sit dormant within you yearning to bloom?

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Ladies Out to Lunch Group Offers Great Opportunity to See Old Friends and Welcome Newcomers

or over 25 years, a group of women from St. Mary on the Hill has been gathering together every month for food, fellowship, and faith-filled conversation.

“I’ve spent most of my life at the parish, and I really enjoy seeing old friends and welcoming newcomers to this lunch group,” says Kathy Bennett. “I encourage any of the ladies I meet to join us when they can.”

Ladies Out to Lunch (LOL) was formed to help all the ladies of the parish to get to know each other better and to spend time together outside of Mass. It was started by Jane Cashin and three other parishioners — Anne Proctor, Ellen Burroughs, and Wanda Roper — who helped her organize the group.

“At that time, 1997 to 1998, Jane was new to the parish herself and wanted to meet others,” says Kathy Bennett. “It evolved to include all ladies in the Parish.”

Kathy Yawn first discovered LOL when she read a notice in the bulletin after joining St. Mary’s and moving to Augusta two years ago. She had attended the parish before when visiting her son and his family in previous years, but she wanted to meet more women of the parish.

“It was at that luncheon that I met Jane Cashin, a definite angel in my life!” she says. “When Jane decided to move closer to family, she asked me to lead the LOL Ministry, and I responded that I didn’t want to do it by myself.”

That’s when Jane introduced Kathy Yawn to Kathy Bennett. They became co-leaders of the ministry when Jane moved away during the pandemic.

“It is a pleasure and so fun to work with Kathy as she knows the history of St. Mary’s on the Hill and the majority of ladies within the church,” Kathy Yawn says.

“I think we both have enjoyed exploring new restaurants to introduce to the LOL group.”

The Ladies Out to Lunch Group

The ladies meet on the second Thursday of each month at a local restaurant. They enjoy all different types of cuisine, and in the past have gathered for seafood, pizza, Japanese, soul food, Creole, Italian, and for the first gathering after the pandemic, they enjoyed boxed lunch sandwiches.

“We do not meet in December or April, and for one month — usually January or February, we have a potluck with a speaker in the Parish Hall,” Kathy Bennett says. “I have been aware of the luncheon opportunity since its beginning and began to attend when I retired.”

The group will meet again for lunch on May 12, and all ladies are welcome. Call either Kathy Yawn or Kathy Bennett in advance to learn the location and to give them a sense of numbers for the reservation.

Come enjoy lunch and get to know other women from St. Mary on the Hill!

“The meeting dates are included in the parish bulletin the two Sundays prior to the gathering,” Kathy Bennett says. “We have had as few as six ladies and as many as 25 ladies throughout the years. Currently, our oldest attendee is 95 years old.”

If you would like more information about St. Mary’s Ladies Out to Lunch group, reach out to Kathy Yawn at 478-737-9606 or Kathy Bennett at 706-825-9210.

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H IG H LI GHTS OF OU R

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2022 Stewardship Renewal

his past fall, our parish leadership at St. Mary on the Hill conducted the 2022 Stewardship Renewal.

The Stewardship Renewal gave our parish community the opportunity to discern how we are using our gifts of time, talent and treasure in service to the parish and in return to God. This month, we are happy to share with you some of the highlights of the Stewardship Renewal.

• • •

•

There were 698 commitment cards received from 54 percent of active households.

There were 4,680 prayer commitments — the stewardship of time — from 89 percent of participating households.

There were 2,589 ministry commitments — the stewardship of talent — from 80 percent of participating households.

Of these, 812 were new ministry commitments, while 1,777 were recommitments to parish ministries.

There were 619 offertory commitments — the stewardship of treasure — from 89 percent of participating households.

The average pledge was $5,597.

We thank all those who participated in our 2022 Stewardship Renewal. If you did not have the opportunity to fill out and return a commitment card, we invite you to consider the ways you may share your gifts of time, talent and treasure with God and the parish community!

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Sunday Scripture and Prayer Group

Praising God and Growing in Faith and Fellowship

H

ave you ever gone to Mass on Sunday and come home, wondering what the homily was even about? Did you ever feel a little pang of guilt that the whole Sacrifice of the Mass just seemed to pass by you, with one distraction after another taking away your attention?

If so, you may want to think about coming to the Sunday Scripture and Prayer Group.

“Going to the Sunday Scripture and Prayer Group makes Sunday Mass a much more meaningful experience for me,” says JoAnn Nance, who coordinates the group. “Because we review the upcoming Sunday readings together, it is easier for me to pay attention during Mass. I look forward to hearing the priest’s perspective and listening to their homily.”

The Sunday Scripture and Prayer Group is offered every Thursday at 7 p.m. at Fr. Charlie’s House. During their meetings, in addition to reflecting on the readings together, they also sing and offer up specific prayer intentions. JoAnn refers to biblical commentary in a workbook designed for lectors as well.

“We praise God and grow in our faith together,” JoAnn says. “It is so helpful to see what each person is thinking about the scriptures and learn from each one of them. It really helps my spiritual life.”

The group was started many years ago to help others to deepen their understanding of God’s Word and their appreciation of Sunday Mass.

“We are trying to reintroduce this group and get it going again,” JoAnn says. “It helps to have a group like this in our parish because it strengthens our whole faith community. It is beneficial to have smaller groups that gather to share the Catholic Faith and pray together. It brings to life the stewardship pillar of prayer through the Holy Spirit.”

To those who may be interested in coming, JoAnn has some encouraging comments to share.

“Being part of this group gives you a chance to get to know the readings well, and not just hear them once at Mass and say, ‘Oh, that is nice.’

The in-depth discussions help us realize what the scriptures mean to us as individuals, and how we can apply them to our daily lives.”

For more information about this beautiful opportunity to draw closer to the Word of God and your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, please contact JoAnn Nance at 706-631-0954. Anyone may join at any time.

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The May Crowning Celebrating the Coronation of Mary

or many Catholics, May Crownings of statues or icons of the Blessed Mother have become rites of spring. Like flowers blooming or Mother ’s Day, this annual Marian devotion reminds us that the cold of winter is behind us, and it ushers in a month during which the Catholic Church pays special homage to Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Mother of God. Generally taking place during the first weekend of the month, May Crownings bring children — often, recent First Communicants — out in their Sunday best to participate in processions and adorn statues of the Blessed Mother with crowns of flowers or actual gold crowns. Additionally, the children often place roses at her feet, and Catholics carry out similar practices in their homes by placing roses around statues of the Blessed Virgin, or even adding ornamentation to images of Mary. But where did this practice come from, and how did it develop into the tradition that we currently know and love?

The Coronation of Mary had been a popular subject in European art and literature for centuries, but the tradition of the May Crowning can be most accurately traced back to the late 16 th century. Perhaps inspired by the practice of adding ornamentation to Marian icons that had been carried out by some Eastern churches, Pope Clement VIII added two crowns to the icon of Mary with the Infant Jesus in the St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome. The crowns were eventually lost, but were replaced by Gregory XVI in 1837 in a rite that was to become the standard practice for crowning.

While the May Crowning is not an official liturgical celebration on the Church calendar, it is an important practice in honoring Mary as the Queen of the Universe, and its imagery is especially influential in the faith formation of children. As Liz Kelly writes in May Crowning, Mass, and Merton and Other Reasons I Love Being Catholic, “One of the defining aspects of being Catholic is devotion to Mary. I favor no Marian celebration more highly than May Crowning, the feast that recognizes Mary as queen of heaven and earth. To a person of any age, this is a mighty big title, but to a child of five or six or seven, 66

it expands to enchanting, magical proportions. How many queens does one get a chance to meet in a lifetime, much less crown?”

This year, make a special effort to honor the coronation of Mary through participation in a personal or public May Crowning devotion.

BRING FLOWERS OF THE RAREST

Bring flow’rs of the fairest, Bring flow’rs of the rarest, From garden and woodland And hillside and vale; Our full hearts are swelling, Our glad voices telling The praise of the loveliest Rose of the vale.

O Mary! we crown thee with blossoms today, Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May, O Mary! we crown thee with blossoms today, Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May.

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Recent Donations to St. Mary on the Hill St. Mary on the Hill Church

Mary Ellen and Paul Zielinski Ellen Burroughs Elizabeth McLeod

The Harbeson Family Jolie Porter Margaret Kneece Dr. and Mrs. Edward M. Crosland Virginia and Bernard Dunstan, Jr. Patricia Morris Dorothy Wright McLeod Jacquelyn M. Blanchard Roger and Charlotte Templeton Bill and Pam Barrett Jane Barrett Julie and Clarence Blalock Albert Cheatham Richard, Esther and Richard, Jr. Ingram Marquin C. Barrett Hal and Kathy Hinesley Daniel Tidwell Mr. and Mrs. Mason McKnight Travis and Juanita Doss Raymond and Caroline Brady Ken and Ann Bell Edouard and Cheryl Servy J. Carlisle and Janet Overstreet Michael Rucker Linda Walker Floride and Neal Dickert Lois and John Owen Dr. and Mrs. William R. Kitchens David and Maria Tribby Arthur and Mary Ann Milligan Doug and Denina Popplewell Mrs. William D. Jennings, III Lane Jennings Stewart Mr. and Mrs. John W. Gibson Grace and Jeffrey Heck Eve Garren Judge and Mrs. H. Scott Allen

In Memory of Mike Wagner

In Memory of Dr. William Neumann

In Memory of Wanda Roper Diedre Sturgis Biagio and Ruth Ann Vericella William Cocus Ken and Cindy Dendinger Mike Rucker Mike and Carol Roper Mr. and Mrs. Donald Bailie Rebecca Seignious

Michael Rucker

In Memory of Francis X. O’Connell Helene S. O’Connell

In Memory of Adrian Weis Charles and Barbara Meyer

In Memory of Cecilia Kemp Don and Maria Sanders Raymond and Caroline Brady

In Memory of Harry Shurley Mike Rucker

In Memory of David Weber Mary Ellen and Paul Zielinski

In Memory of Joe Griffin Mary Ellen and Paul Zielinski

In Memory of Bernice Ryan Mary Ellen and Paul Zielinski

St. Mary on the Hill School In Memory of David Weber Cathy Fishman

St. Mary on the Hill Adoration Chapel

In Memory of Wanda Roper Donald and Dori Thorstad

St. Mary on the Hill Church Choir In Memory of Laura Cameron George and Susan Andrea

St. Mary on the Hill Communion Kneelers James and Mary-Garner Merz

Baptisms Feb. 12 Anna Katharine Whisenhunt Daughter of Joanna and James Whisenhunt Florence Corley Tobergte Daughter of Katherine and Alex Tobergte Kateri Grace Vazquez Daughter of Grace Lammers and Nathaniel Vazquez Feb. 13 Beau Liam Foushee Son of Shannon and Andrew Foushee Feb. 20 Violet Vaughan Snead Daughter of Kaylee and Tyler Snead Feb. 26 Isabella Reign Rockett Daughter of Moravia and Kacey Rockett Feb. 27 Theodore John Douglas Son of Molly and Palmer Douglas March 12 Jayla Alisson Andales Daang Daughter of Aileen and Jayson Daang

Sabrina Isabelle Odiame Matondo Daughter of Jean and Stephen Matondo March 13 Elizabeth Paige Johnson Daughter of Ashley and Daniel Johnson Mary Elizabeth Goldberg Daughter of Megan and Adam Goldberg March 19 Anna Benson Frances Scherer Daughter of Cassie and Jason Scherer March 20 Liam Martin Brackman Son of Tracy and Jeremy Brackman March 26 Reed Thomas Rost Son of Sarah and Alex Rost March 27 Noah Thomas Martin Son of Amanda and Craig Martin Margaret ReineMarie Compaore Daughter of Alice Zabramba and Hyacinthe Compaore

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Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Augusta, GA Permit No. 475

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1420 Monte Sano Avenue Augusta, GA 30904 Phone 706-733-6627 www.stmaryonthehill.org

Motherhood at Middle Age Some of the group members used to gather when their children were little. All these years later, they have added members and have reconnected in a new stage of motherhood. Katie Conner and Rhonda Wallace decided to start the group again.

“Now, we are at the stage where our children are maybe getting married, having children and just have other adult things happening,” Kathy says. “We are here supporting each other in a different stage.”

The MAMAs group is flexible about how to spend their time together. They currently socialize and watch and discuss a video from The Wild Goose series on the Holy Spirit. Then, they pray together for whatever intentions they each have. Most importantly, they are there to support one another.

“We enjoy this film series because we all know we need the Holy Spirit,” Kathy says.

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“It’s just so good to have people

around you who are good and faithful. They are there to help you without judgment.”

— Kathy Wagner Anyone with older children is welcome to join the MAMAs group.

“It’s just so good to have people around you who are good and faithful,” Kathy says. “They are there to help you without judgment.”

MAMAs meets at the parish Senior Center on the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m.

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