News - October 2023 RSS Feed

Death is a difficult topic to discuss for many people, but it is something we will all face one day. An intentional act of love for your family might be in the form of pre-planning your own funeral, or helping a loved one plan their funeral in advance. Details for the Vigil Service, Funeral Liturgy, and Rite of Committal, could all be decided ahead of time and written down for when your loved ones need that information. We are offering an opportunity to do just that at our Funeral Planning Workshops. You will be given information to understand all the decisions that need to be made, and our Funeral Planning Team will be there to guide you through the process. There are two different times to choose from: Monday, Nov. 13, from 2-3:30 p.m. or Tuesday, Nov. 14, from 6:30-8 p.m. Please pre-register so that we can have materials ready for you at the workshop. You can click anywhere in this article to sign up online, or sign up in the narthex.

All students preparing for Confirmation AND their parents are required to attend the second Confirmation workshop on Sunday, November 5, from 3:30-5 p.m. Sponsors are encouraged to attend as well. The final workshop will be on Sunday, January 7, 2024.

Join us for the 20th Fallback Festival, a Mardi Gras Masquerade! It will be on Saturday, November 4, from 6:30-11:30 p.m. in the parish hall. The evening features music by Next to Kin, a steak dinner for 2, a reverse drawing, silent and live auctions, and a donation bar. Costumes are encouraged. Go to https://stannsofcanyon.org/fall-back-tickets to purchase tickets online or call the parish office at (860) 655-3302.

Are you willing to be a substitute catechist for Faith Formation? We are in need of volunteers who can be on a "call list" for those times when our regular catechists need to be absent. Substitute lesson plans and materials will be provided. Faith Formation meets from 10:15-11:15 a.m. on Sundays. If you are interested, you will need to be Safe Environment trained. There is a Safe Environment training coming up at St. Ann's on Thursday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. Please call Cindy Lewis, Acting Director of Religious Education, at (806) 655-3302, ext. 8 to let her know that you are willing to serve as a substitute.

If you volunteered for The Market, please join us for an orientation session, meet our coordinators and take a tour of our new building. The orientation sessions are scheduled for Sunday, October 29, between the Masses and on Monday, October 30, at 6:30 p.m. Both sessions will be in The Market building. If you are interested in volunteering, please join us for one of the sessions and sign up. We look forward to seeing everyone as we work to support our communities! For more information or to volunteer, visit https://sainthelensoutreach.org/

A few notes about Safe Environment Training (SET): If you are in need of SET, you can attend any training in the Diocese of Amarillo. There will be a training held at St. Ann's on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room. You must be pre-registered to attend any training. Please contact Deacon Dave or Mary Rausch at 806-681-9146 or email [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

The Diocese of Amarillo recognizes October as "Safe Environment Month." St. Ann's has scheduled several Safe Environment activities during the month of October 2023. Please note that the Circle of Grace materials for children and youth are very different from Safe Environment training received by adults. Youth: Those in grades 7 through 12 who come on Wednesday nights will receive the Circle of Grace training on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 6:30 p.m. Otherwise, they will receive the training during normal Faith Formation classes on Sunday, Oct. 15. Kinder-6th Grade: Circle of Grace is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 15. All children and youth participating in Faith Formation will receive age-appropriate lessons as part of the Circle of Grace program. A make-up session is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 22, during normal Faith Formation time in the parish hall for any child or youth who missed the previous trainings.

Children's Liturgy of the Word (C.L.O.W.) needs your help! Do you love St. Ann's children and want to see them grow in their Catholic faith! We would love for you to join us. Volunteering for C.L.O.W. is easy and the time commitment is minimal. The lessons are already planned! Volunteers are needed for all Mass times! C.L.O.W. helpers must be Safe Environment trained. Please contact Chris Hall for more information. (Her contact information is in the October 8 bulletin.)

Come spend some time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament this Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. in the church. Come for however much time you'd like or sign up to come for an hour on the sign-up sheet in the narthex. We hope you will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!

Bring your creatures, great and small to the Blessing of the Animals on the Feast of St. Francis, Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m. For the safety of all present, please keep your pet on a leash or in a crate.