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November 13, 2005
“To
bring one more soul closer to Christ and to help someone
along the way”
For over seventy-five years, we have been blessed as a
Church to give back to the larger community the gift of
quality education. Next week many of the recipients of that
gift have been invited back to once again visit the place
where their educational formation began. Sunday, November
20, 2005 our Church community invites back the Alumni of St.
Ailbe School to an Alumni Mass at 11:00 A.M.
Two years ago we created as Church an outreach to our Alumni
through a new ministry called the Office of Development
directed by Sr. Kathryn Harnett. It is not a typical
outreach created by a Church to reach out to the students
educated at a parish school; but St. Ailbe Church is not a
typical place. It has been our intention as a Church
community to reach out to our students in a new way after
they graduate from our school. By reaching out, we are
inviting our alumni to a further participation in the life
of our Church community.
As most are
aware, our elementary school and pre-school are open to all
children in our community. Most of the students and their
families belong to other faith traditions; but we
unapologetically invite all to discover our faith tradition
by reaching out via education. This outreach is very
similar to the St. Ailbe Faith, Hope, and Love Apartments.
Most of the residents are not members of our Church however
our intention/mission as Church is “to bring one more soul
closer to Christ and to help someone along the way”. Our
outreach ministries such as our education system, health and
wellness ministry, housing, and community development
attempt in different ways to address our mission.
Sunday, November 20, 2005 there undoubtedly will be many
former students and their families once again visiting the
place where so many blessings were received. Under the
direction of Sr. Kathryn and her “team”, invitations have
gone out, calls have been made, and the connection has once
again been reestablished.
Please pass the word about this festive gathering at our
Church and school next Sunday. It will be a great
opportunity to reconnect with a bit of the past as we people
live in the present and hope for the future.
Every day is a new day at St. Ailbe Church. We are always
mindful of our past as we live in the present and look
forward with great hope toward the future.
We thank God for the families that have entrusted their
children to our care. We are confident that the children
who were blessed to attend St. Ailbe Catholic School are
better individuals today because of the firm foundation
exhibited here. We WELCOME ALL who will revisit St. Ailbe
Church..
On the Battlefield for my Lord,
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