MAY | 2022
CONTENT PAGE 2
The Rosary: Our Lady’s Lasso
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Are We Truly an Easter People?
PAGE 4 Moms Are Praying Ministry: Lovingly Interceding
for Our Students, Community and World PAGE 6
The Faith Journey of St. Philip Neri Patron Saint of Holy Fun
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Teacher Appreciation Week Extending Gratitude to the Educators of Our Parish School
END-OF-THE-YEAR SCHOOL PICNIC Celebrating Community and a Successful Academic Year
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ll activities, food and fun are in motion for the End-of-the Year School Picnic, May 27th. The picnic is a beloved tradition at St. Peter School on the last day of school. Parent volunteers, the Grade School Association (GSA), as well as returning eighthgrade graduates, will staff the activities, ranging from the snack booths, lunch, games, and the DJ station. The celebration of Mass always is part of the day. The decision whether to hold Mass in the church or outdoors, as was done last year, will be made later this month. “Usually we have the classes broken down into small groups of 4 or 5 children with one volunteer accompanying them,” says Jenny Willingham, GSA President. “They rotate around the picnic for snacks, the train, and the photo booth. Some play on the playground and the older kids last year had a kickball game going. They have fun playing with their friends all day.” The train is the same one used during the
Our entire St. Peter School and parents gather for a glorious day to mark the end of the school year.
Parish Picnic and is an activity geared to the younger students. A parent volunteer drives it, while other volunteers help the students when they board and leave the train. Mindee Miller, Picnic Chair, organizes, plans, and executes the activities of the day. She coordinates with the GSA and parent volunteers to make sure all goes smoothly and that all the continued on page 5
ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
THE ROSARY: Our Lady’s Lasso T
here was a priest who once said, “It is no coincidence that rosaries look like lassos, as Our Lady wraps them around lost souls and pulls them out of the depths of hell.” This thought is comforting but provokes inquiry — what exactly is the Rosary, how does one pray it, and why should one pray it? Since May is the month of Mary, this is a great time to consider the theology behind this intense spiritual weapon. There are two putative origins of the Rosary. For many centuries, it was believed that the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Dominic and exhorted him to encourage the use of the Angelic Salutation — or Hail Mary — for the conversion of souls and comfort of the afflicted. Modern scholarship traces the Rosary back to Irish monasticism of the ninth century. Monks would pray all 150 psalms or “psalters” every day, a form of prayer too complicated for uneducated laypeople without access to copies of Scripture. So, many began reciting the Lord’s Prayer or the Angelic Salutation in response to each psalm, keeping count with pebbles or a knotted rope. Through many centuries, the Rosary evolved into three sets of five mysteries, each mystery consisting of 10 Angelic Salutations and one Lord’s Prayer recited while meditating upon the life, death or glory of Jesus Christ. In The Secret of the Rosary, St. Louis de Montfort expounds the dynamics of the Rosary. The prayer consists of both vocal or exterior prayer, and meditative or interior prayer. The first vocal component of the Rosary, the Creed, is important because faith is “the foundation of all Christian virtues, of all eternal virtues, and also of all prayers that are pleasing to Almighty God.” The Lord’s Prayer is the “perfect prayer” to the God of heaven because it was authored by Christ, is free of all human limitations, and “contains all the duties we owe to God, the acts of all the virtues and the petitions for all our spiritual and corporal needs.” The Hail Mary blesses the name of Mary and her Divine Son and implores her powerful intercession as mediatrix of graces.
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But the Rosary is not simply a physical incantation. Vocal prayer is accompanied by contemplation of the mysteries of Christ’s life and the virtues of the Virgin Mary. It is by lifting the incorporeal soul in prayer that one quiets the passions, tastes the peace of Christ, marvels at His loving plans and promises, and grows in the desire to emulate Him and His sinless mother. Because the soul animates the body, a strengthened soul means nobility of action and a will that is commensurate with the will of God. As St. Louis de Montfort says, “The Rosary is a blessed blending of mental and vocal prayer by which we honor and learn to imitate the mysteries and the virtues of the life, death, passion and glory of Jesus and Mary.” The Rosary’s emphasis on both vocal and meditative prayer caters to man’s nature as an embodied soul — one’s entire being, both physical and spiritual, cries out to God in praise, repentance, thanksgiving and supplication. Thus, it is no surprise that the magisterium and countless saints have encouraged devotion to the Rosary. Pope St. John Paul II said of the prayer, “The Rosary is my favorite prayer, marvelous in its simplicity and its depth.” The late pontiff also added five more “luminous” mysteries to the Rosary to help the faithful meditate upon significant moments in Christ’s earthly ministry.
A LETTER FROM OUR PASTOR
ARE WE TRULY AN EASTER PEOPLE? Dear Parishioners,
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uring a visit to Croatia several decades ago, when he was pope, St. Pope John Paul II proclaimed, “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people, and Alleluia is our song.” Are we truly the Easter people? I think we should be. This is still the Easter season, and it continues throughout May until Pentecost Sunday, June 5. What does that mean, however, to be “Easter people”? Being an Easter person has much to do with how we view our faith and live it out. Stewardship people are Easter people. Jesus is so alive for us on Easter Sunday morning. He needs to be alive for us and in us every day, and certainly in these days that follow Easter so closely. At the time of His Resurrection, His followers did not whisper “He is risen” — they shouted it and rejoiced! That is how we need to approach our faith as well. During Lent, leading up to Easter, we did not use Alleluia in our liturgies. We put it away until Easter, and I missed it. But then, it made it even better when it came back over and over on Easter and throughout this Easter season. St. Pope John Paul II was telling us all that we are not just an Easter people, but we are also an Alleluia people. We are called to exemplify Alleluia in everything we do. Think about it.
Who is an Alleluia person? Certainly, people who seem to brim over with the Good News — who constantly reflect the joy of being a Christian and a Catholic. It is also possible to be an Alleluia person in quiet ways, but others need to see that God is alive in us in everything we do. Easter began with the Easter Vigil, but it did not end on Easter Sunday. That was only the beginning. The 50 days from Easter to Pentecost is known as the Easter Season, so we are not winding down from Easter — we are in the midst of it. We became Easter people at our Baptisms. We should be Easter people every day and every week and during every season. Being an Easter person is acknowledging our call to discipleship and stewardship. We should begin and end everything with Alleluia. Alleluia means quite simply “Praise to God.” It is not just something we sing, chant, or say. It is something we live out. By living our lives in praise of God — stewardship is, after all, a way of life — we can be and are an Easter people. In Christ, Rev. Msgr. Leo J. Enlow
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ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
MOMS ARE PRAY
Lovingly Interceding for Our St
Moms Are Praying is a parish ministry that began in 1990 by mothers of students at St. Peter School. The group is currently led by Susan Peters, who joined in 2005 when the first of her four daughters enrolled in the school.
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ntercession is an important way in which we can accompany one another, carrying each other’s burdens to the Lord, relying on His unfailing love and mercy. We can all use prayer warriors by our sides, and for the students and teachers at St. Peter School, a group of women has dedicated themselves to be these warriors. Moms Are Praying is a parish ministry that began in 1990 by mothers of students at St. Peter School. The group is currently led by Susan Peters, who joined in 2005 when the first of her four daughters enrolled in the school. “We just love the bond that we have as a small group and enjoy coming together each week and praying for each other’s families, our school, common struggles, and common themes that we share weekly,” Susan says. Each week, students in first through eighth grade are asked to write their prayer intentions on forms, which are then collected by one of the
moms on Thursday morning, right before the 8 a.m. meeting of the prayer group in the Martha Jane Room. Students’ intentions often include their pets and parents, sick family members, personal intentions such as freedom from anxiety, and prayers for our sister parish in Haiti and the children who attend school at Chaddock, a nearby non-profit. Students also write prayers of thanksgiving, giving thanks to the Lord. Susan estimates that she collects about 150 to 200 prayer intentions every Thursday. She carries them in a bag and then divides them into piles to distribute to each woman who comes to pray. Meetings begin with a general prayer, followed by a reading from a devotional. Then each woman reads her stack of intentions aloud to the group before saying a prayer. Members also include their own personal prayer intentions when it’s their turn to pray. Meetings typically last an
YING MINISTRY:
tudents, Community and World hour and are concluded with the Lord’s Prayer. Though the group was initially created by mothers of students, any woman from the parish is welcome to join. Mothers are free to bring their children, and there are often babies and children under 4 years old in attendance. “It’s 45 minutes to an hour where we come together, experience a break from the busyness of life, close our eyes, be still and come to God,” Susan says.
If you would like to join this ministry, or for more information, please contact Susan Peters at boandsusanpeters@comcast.net or 573-822-2234.
Students’ intentions often include their pets and parents, sick family members, personal intentions such as freedom from anxiety, and prayers for our sister parish in Haiti and the children who attend school at Chaddock, a nearby non-profit. Students also write prayers of thanksgiving, giving thanks to the Lord.
END-OF-THE-YEAR SCHOOL PICNIC
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needs are met. Last year, there were changes to the activities because of COVID-19 restrictions, but this year promises to be a traditional picnic. “It’s a really nice sendoff for the kids before they go their separate ways for the summer,” Jenny says. “Some won’t get to see each other until school starts again. So they have a lot of fun having snacks, and lunch, and enjoying all the activities.” Principal Cindy Venvertloh looks to the picnic as a way for the students to celebrate their school community, both with the celebration of Mass during the day, as well as with the activities throughout the school grounds. The schoolteachers also take part.
The school picnic on the last school day of the year allows our students to have a fun day together with their friends before summer vacation begins.
A call for volunteers will be sent out to the student body through Signup Genius, although parishioners who want to help may also contact Mindee Miller at mindee_miller@yahoo.com. 5
ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
THE FAITH JOURNEY OF ST. PHILIP NERI Patron Saint of Holy Fun
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an a saint have fun on the way to attaining holiness? Many would say that St. Philip Neri definitely fits that bill. Born in 1515 in Florence, Italy, St. Philip Neri showed his fun side from the time he was a boy. One such incident almost cost him his life. Seeing a donkey loaded with fruit for market, the impulsive and spontaneous little boy jumped on the donkey’s back. Surprised, the donkey lost his footing, and along with the fruit and young Philip, tumbled into a cellar. Miraculously, Philip was unhurt. Philip’s father struggled financially, so 18-year-old Philip was sent to work with an older cousin who was a successful businessman. During this time, Philip found a favorite place to pray in a spot upon a mountain that had been turned into a chapel. During these hours of prayer, Philip is said to have decided to leave worldly success behind and dedicate his life to God. Eventually, Philip went to Rome. In 1548, Philip formed a confraternity with other laymen to minister to pilgrims who came to Rome without food or shelter. The spiritual director of the confraternity convinced Philip he could do even more work as a priest. After receiving instruction from this priest, Philip was ordained in 1551. As a young priest, Philip learned to love to hear confessions. Young men especially found in him the wisdom and direction they needed to grow spiritually. But Philip began to realize these young men needed something more than absolution — they needed guidance. So, Philip began to ask the young men to come by in the early afternoon when they would discuss spiritual readings, and then stay for prayer in the evening. Philip understood it wasn’t enough to tell young people not to do something — you had to give them something to do in its place. So, at Carnival time,
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when the worst excesses were encouraged, Philip organized a pilgrimage to the Seven Churches with a picnic, accompanied by instrumental music for the midday break. After walking 12 miles in one day, everyone was too tired to be tempted! Philip was known to be spontaneous and unpredictable, charming and humorous. He seemed to sense the different ways to bring people to God. One man came to the Oratory just to make fun of it. Philip wouldn’t let the others throw him out or speak against him. He told them to be patient, and eventually the man became a Dominican. On the other hand, when he met a condemned man who refused to listen to any pleas for repentance, Philip didn’t try gentle words. Instead, Philip grabbed the man by the collar and threw him to the ground. The move shocked the criminal into repentance and he made a full confession. Humility was the most important virtue he tried to teach others, as he continually worked to learn it himself. Some of his lessons in humility seem cruel, but they were tinged with humor — like practical jokes — and were related with gratitude by the people they helped. His lessons always seemed to be tailored directly to what the person needed. Philip did not escape this spiritual mortification himself. As with others, his own humbling held humor. There are stories of him wearing ridiculous clothes or walking around with half his beard shaved off. The greater his reputation for holiness, the sillier he wanted to seem. But Philip was very serious about prayer. He was so easily carried away that he refused to preach in public and could not celebrate Mass with others around. But when asked how to pray, his answer was, “Be humble and obedient and the Holy Spirit will teach you.” Philip died in 1595 after a long illness. His feast day is on May 26, just in time to kick off the season of summertime fun.
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK Extending Gratitude to the Educators of Our Parish School
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hen it comes to celebrations, May is always a special month. It’s the month of Mary, and it’s the time when we celebrate Mother’s Day. We also celebrate St. Joseph the Worker, the earthly father of Jesus, and St. Philip Neri, the patron saint of laughter and joy, to name a few. During the month of May at St. Peter School, we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. The Grade School Association (GSA) takes the first week of May to treat the teachers. In addition, parent volunteers fill in for recess and lunch duties so teachers can enjoy a catered lunch one day. This allows staff members to eat all together, which doesn’t happen on a regular day. Principal Cindy Venvertloh says every day could be a day to celebrate the fantastic teachers at St. Peter School. She truly appreciates each teacher for the gifts they contribute to the St. Peter School family. “These ladies and gentlemen work very hard here,” Mrs. Venvertloh says. “We want to appreciate them every day. We don’t have the time, though. I hope they truly know how much they are appreciated.” There are various treats and gifts given to
teachers from the GSA all week — from bagels to a daily gift card drawing. One year, a “shout-out” board was initiated so teachers and staff could share their appreciation for one another. Another year, each teacher received their favorite dessert. Mrs. Venvertloh has been in the field of education for 29 years and has served St. Peter School as Assistant Principal for 10 years and Principal for seven. She feels blessed by each teacher with whom she’s had the pleasure to work with through the years. Though some have come and gone, they are always part of the St. Peter School family. “I have an amazing team,” she says. “God has surrounded me with wonderful people.” Mrs. Venvertloh recognizes that the wages here are different from the public school. But that doesn’t change the dedication of these teachers. “They aren’t just working when the kids are here,” she says. “They work all year long and into the evenings. But the teachers truly feel this work is their mission.” The dedication of St. Peter’s teachers is evident by the number of years some have worked at the continued on back cover
Teachers were treated to a Christmas meal by Mrs. Venvertloh and the office staff.
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TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK school. Several have been here for more than 30 years, some more than 20 years, and a few more approaching the 20-year mark. In addition, several teachers are themselves alumni of St. Peter School. “It’s neat that we have a few teachers who were taught by current teachers,” Mrs. Venvertloh says. Mrs. Venvertloh wants to take this opportunity to truly appreciate the entire St. Peter’s School family and, most especially, the teachers. “It’s hard to find only one way that the teachers impact these students,” Mrs. Venvertloh says. “They get to know these kids, not just as a student, but
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as a whole person. The students are an extension of their family.” Mrs. Venvertloh is always touched by the prayers that are added to her morning prayers over the loudspeaker. Students and staff are aware of the needs of others, and the whole school prays for those needs. Around Christmastime, office staff and Mrs. Venvertloh also cook an appreciation meal for the teachers. Parent volunteers come to cover the classroom duties so teachers can eat together. Make sure to give a big thanks to all the teachers you know during Teacher Appreciation Week!
“They aren’t just working when the kids are here. They work all year long and many times into the evenings. But the teachers truly feel this work is their mission.” — CINDY VENVERTLOH, PRINCIPAL MASS SCHEDULE Weekend Masses Saturday: 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Weekday Masses Mon-Sat: 8:00 a.m., except for Wednesdays: 8:30 a.m.
Reconciliation Saturday: 7:30-7:50 a.m., 3:30-4:30 p.m. or by appointment
