Thursday, January 25, 2018

01.28.18

Campus Ministry Bulletin
vol 26 no 16

January 28, 2018 - Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ Deuteronomy 18:15-20 + 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 + Mark 1:21-28 +
Masses this Sunday at 10:30 am and 6:30 pm







Mass Intentions:
Sunday1.2810:30 am
6:30 pm         
For the SAU Community                
Monday     1.29Noon+ Wayne Gesell, '47
Tuesday     1.304:30 pm+ Fred Boher, '58
Wednesday     1.319:15 pmFor Student Intentions
Thursday     2.01   4:30 pm+ Michael Fitzpatrick, '92
Friday       2.02Noon+ Joseph Waugh, '48           

This Week's Activities Include:

Sunday: RCIA 7:30 pm (Lower Chapel)
Tuesday: Bridge Bible Fellowship 8:30 pm (Chapel)
Wednesday: Ambrosians for Peace and Justice 8 pm (Lower Chapel); 9:15 pm Mass & More (Grotto)
Thursday: Music Ministry Rehearsal (Chapel)

Sacrament of Reconciliation Offered Before Every Daily Mass
Monday/Friday - 11:15 am
Tuesday/Thursday - 3:45 pm
Wednesday - 8:30 pm


Campus Ministry Offices - Lower Chapel
333-6132 or ministry@sau.edu  
Twitter: @SAUCampusMin
Fr. Thom Hennen, Chaplain
Chris Clow, Director of Music and Liturgy
Kaitlin Depuydt, Director of Service and Social Justice
Tammy Norcross-Reitzler, Director of Faith Formation
Paul Burd, Grad Assistant

Prayer Ministry - send intentions to BeesKnees@sau.edu.

Sign Up for Campus Ministry Events any time during the year!  Go to: www.tinyurl.com/campusmin2017.


What’s Around the Corner?
Thought it hardly seems possible, it will only be a few short weeks before we begin Lent.  I don’t know about you, but no matter how far in advance I know when Lent is starting, it always seems to catch me off guard.  This year might be a little easier, as Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine’s Day, February 14.  Nothing says romance like an ashy smudge on your forehead and a day of fasting, right?  All joking aside, now is really the best time to start thinking and praying about how we, both as a community and as individuals, will make this season truly different.  Each year so much emphasis is placed on giving up something, and this is not all bad.  However, simply giving up something for forty days is of little value if it doesn’t create some greater awareness within us or cause us to change in some significant and lasting way.  To help us in this effort, there will be several offerings during Lent from Campus Ministry, including a weekly time of Eucharistic Adoration on Sunday evenings after our 6:30 Mass, several student-led faith sharing/study groups, not to mention our Spring Break Service Trips (see below for more information - applications are due Jan. 31).    There are also many local opportunities for direct service to those in need.  Perhaps instead or in addition to “giving something up” we would consider taking something on in order to grow in the ways of faith learning and justice.  Keep your eyes open and ears to the ground for some of these wonderful opportunities to deepen your spiritual life.  In the meantime, please be assured of my prayers as we continue to ease into the new semester and look to the sacred time to come. ---Fr. Thom     


•A Note from Kayla Decker’s Family
Dear St. Ambrose faculty, staff, and students,

  Words cannot express how thankful we are for all of the love and support shown to us during this most difficult time of losing our dear Kayla. We have been told that the prayer service that was held at the chapel on the evening of Kayla's death was just beautiful and we are touched by this kind gesture. We know that Kayla and our whole family have been in the thoughts and prayers of you all and we can't thank you enough for this. The number of people from Kayla's St. Ambrose family who have offered their sympathy to us by attending her services, sending memorial gifts, signing cards, or calling and messaging us, has been truly heartwarming. Also, we are comforted to know that you are all making sure she will never be forgotten there at St. Ambrose, the home she dearly loved. Once again, thank-you all for everything.

Sincerely,
Kayla Decker’s Family


•CRS Speaker From Malawi
On Friday, January 26 at 2pm in the Beehive, we have the privilege of hosting a speaker from Malawi through Catholic Relief Services.  Our speaker, Mictor Chaola, is the CRS Agricultural Specialist in Malawi, a small country in southern Africa that relies heavily on agriculture.  Due to the instability of farming, districts across the country have in the past, survived on food distributions by aid organizations, however, the staff at CRS Malawi work to teach the country’s people how to survive and prepare for these situations, resulting in long-term solutions for improving livelihoods and eradicating hunger, instead of just providing food for the short term.   As we continue the year of Globalization, please join us for this presentation on Friday!

•Service Trip Applications Due WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31!
Have you noticed the info about service trips on the cafeteria tables?  We’re excited to share about spring break service trips!  Applications for the trips are available now and due by Wednesday, January 31st.  Applications can be found in the gathering space, lower chapel, or online here.  Our trips are:
- Holly Springs, Mississippi - Working with Sacred Heart Southern Missions doing home repair projects, disaster relief, and serving a meal at a soup kitchen.
 - Grafton, Illinois - Working with Living Lands & Waters doing river clean-up along the Mississippi River, removing invasive species, and trail restoration as we learn about environmental sustainability efforts with the organization.
 - Chicago, Illinois - Working with the Well of Mercy, a maternity home for single moms before and after baby's birth, until child is age 5. Help with household projects that support the families, cooking and cleaning projects.  The Chicago trip is for female students only.
Let Kaitlin know at ministry@sau.edu if you have questions.

•Confirmation Preparation
Anyone interested in preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, please contact Tammy Norcross-Reitzler at ministry@sau.edu.  Sessions will begin in early February.

•Spring Retreats
Mark your calendars for our upcoming spring retreats!  This semester Antioch is Friday, March 2nd - Sunday, March 4th.   It’s a great opportunity to get off campus with your peers and take time to deepen your faith.   The Busy Student Retreat is our on campus retreat and will be April 8-12th.  During this retreat students meet with a spiritual guide for 30 minutes a day at time that works in their schedules.

•Peer Campus Minister Applications for 2018-2019
Applications for the 2018-2019 Peer Campus Ministers are now available!  Peer Campus Ministers are undergraduate students who live in each of the Residence Halls and work with the Campus Ministry staff to develop and coordinate opportunities for spiritual development and faith sharing in their hall community.  Those who are accepted will work an average of 5-8 hours per week, and earn a $2000 stipend, in addition to selecting their housing early.  For more information and a complete position description contact us at ministry@sau.edu.  The online application is available here: https://tinyurl.com/PCM1819app.  Applications are due Friday, February 23.

•Service on Saturdays
Our project this weekend is full - thanks for the great response to participate in the blanket-making project.  For next weekend, Saturday February 3rd from 8-10am, the River Bend Food Bank is asking for help with their backpack party, making packs of food for kids to take home from school on the weekends.   These mornings are a fun way to get your steps in and work with others in a face-paced assembly line!  Let us know at ministry@sau.edu if you would like to sign up!

•Finding the Path
The Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery in Rock Island will be holding a discernment retreat Feb. 17-18 at the Benet House Retreat Center at the Monastery.  Single Catholic women age 18-50 are invited to come together for a time of reflection and learning about the the Sisters’ life of common prayer and purpose.  Come experience the joy of this life and gain a better sense of your own path!  The retreat is free of charge.  For more information or if you are interested, please contact Sr. Stefanie McDonald at smacdonald@smmsisters.org or check out their website: www.smmsisters.org

•Spring Break Discernment and Service Trip
Looking to do something more with your spring break? Join Presentation sisters and other college students for a service and discernment trip to Chicago on March 11-15. Experience daily opportunities for service, prayer, and reflection in a community of faith. For more information go to bit.ly/service_2018 or email Sr. Jessi at vocations@dubuquepresentations.org.

•Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Trip
Help build a house in Clemson, South Carolina this spring break.  The cost of the trip is $175.  Registration deadline is Feb. 10th.  For more information contact Quetzal Morin. 

•Love Yourself Discussion Group
Peer Campus Minister, Jenny Dickes, leads a small group on Mondays at 7 pm in the 2nd floor Franklin Lounge.  Participants look at messages of love from God in Scripture and are challenged to consider how they love themselves and others. 

Thursday, January 18, 2018

01.21.18

Campus Ministry Bulletin
vol 26 no 15

January 21, 2018 - Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ Jonah 3:1-5, 10 + 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 + Mark 1:14-20 +
Masses this Sunday at 10:30 am and 6:30 pm







Mass Intentions:
Sunday1.2110:30 am
6:30 pm         
For the SAU Community                
Monday     1.22NoonLife
Tuesday     1.234:30 pm+ Dale Wittenborn, '71
Wednesday     1.249:15 pmFor Student Intentions
Thursday     1.25   4:30 pm+ Caroline Griffin, '16
Friday       1.26Noon+ Catherine Anthony, '83           

This Week's Activities Include:

Sunday: RCIA 7:30 pm (Lower Chapel)
Monday: Peer Campus Ministers 8:30 pm (Lower Chapel)
Tuesday: Bridge Bible Fellowship 8:30 pm (Chapel)
Wednesday: Ambrosians for Peace and Justice 8 pm (Lower Chapel); 9:15 pm Mass & More (Grotto)
Thursday: Music Ministry Rehearsal (Chapel)

Sacrament of Reconciliation Offered Before Every Daily Mass
Monday/Friday - 11:15 am
Tuesday/Thursday - 3:45 pm
Wednesday - 8:30 pm


Campus Ministry Offices - Lower Chapel
333-6132 or ministry@sau.edu  
Twitter: @SAUCampusMin
Fr. Thom Hennen, Chaplain
Chris Clow, Director of Music and Liturgy
Kaitlin Depuydt, Director of Service and Social Justice
Tammy Norcross-Reitzler, Director of Faith Formation
Paul Burd, Grad Assistant

Prayer Ministry - send intentions to BeesKnees@sau.edu.

Sign Up for Campus Ministry Events any time during the year!  Go to: www.tinyurl.com/campusmin2017.


Welcome Back!
Except for a few days after Christmas when I went home to Ottumwa to visit family, I was pretty much around here for most of the break.  What a boring place this is without all of our students, faculty and staff!  It was like an animal that had gone into hibernation.  Don’t get me wrong, the quiet and slower pace was a welcome change after a very eventful first semester as Chaplain.  Still, it was very strange.  But the temporary absence of the Ambrose community was a powerful reminder to me of what this place is all about.  It was great to see life returning to the campus, especially with the return of our students.  Even in the bitter cold, it felt like spring.  Of course, the events of the last few weeks before the end of the first semester are still affecting us.  The deaths of two of our students in successive weeks, Ethan Flaherty and Kayla Decker, came as quite a blow to the whole community.  We barely had any time to process or grieve before we were in the throes of finals week and then off for break.  Please be aware that many will still be mourning, each in their own ways, as we start this new semester.  We cannot and should not simply sweep these events aside because they happened last semester.  Without dwelling on the sadness and loss we feel, we do need acknowledge it.  I would urge our students, faculty and staff, especially those who were close to Ethan or Kayla, to take advantage of the counseling services available here on campus, as well as the opportunity to visit with me or any of our Campus Ministry team.  Let us continue to keep Ethan and Kayla’s families in our prayers and to support each other even as we return to the routines and activities of campus life, and let us honor their memory by our lives. Welcome back and blessings to all in this new year! ---Fr. Thom      


•Sign Up for Campus Ministry Activities!
A warm welcome to all new students joining us this semester, and welcome back to all our returning students!  At the beginning of each semester we offer students a chance to sign up for all of the campus ministry activities - from liturgical ministries, to retreat opportunities, to service.  If you already filled it out in the fall, you don’t need to do so again; however, if you’re new or haven’t had a chance to sign up yet this year, you can do so online at www.tinyurl.com/campusmin2017, or email us at ministry@sau.edu to learn more about all the Campus Ministry programming.

•Love Yourself Discussion Group
Peer Campus Minister, Jenny Dickes, will lead a small group on four consecutive Mondays at 7 pm in the 2nd floor Franklin Lounge beginning this Monday, January 22nd.   Participants will look at messages of love from God in Scripture and be challenged to consider how they love themselves and others.

•Announcing Service Trips!
Have you noticed the info about service trips on the cafeteria tables?  We’re excited to share about spring break service trips!  Applications for the trips are available now and due by Wednesday, January 31st.  Applications can be found in the gathering space, lower chapel, or online here.  Our trips are:

  • Holly Springs, Mississippi - Working with Sacred Heart Southern Missions doing home repair projects, disaster relief, and serving a meal at a soup kitchen.
  • Grafton, Illinois - Working with Living Lands & Waters doing river clean-up along the Mississippi River, removing invasive species, and trail restoration as we learn about environmental sustainability efforts with the organization.
  • Chicago, Illinois - Working with the Well of Mercy, a maternity home for single moms before and after baby's birth, until child is age 5. Help with household projects that support the families, cooking and cleaning projects.  The Chicago trip is for female students only.

Let Kaitlin know at ministry@sau.edu if you have questions.

•Liturgical Ministers
A schedule for 2nd semester liturgical ministers (lectors, extraordinary ministers of holy communion, server/sacristan, and greeters/ushers) will be created soon.   If you didn’t serve last semester and you are interested this semester, please contact Campus Ministry at ministry@sau.edu.

•Music Ministry
All SAU students are invited to help lead music for Sunday and weekday masses, and other prayer services.  Music Ministry is open to students of all musical skill levels.  This is a great time to start if you haven’t been before.  Rehearsals are Thursdays at 7pm in the Chapel.  Email Chris Clow at ministry@sau.edu to learn more!

•Confirmation Preparation
Anyone interested in preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, please contact Tammy Norcross-Reitzler at ministry@sau.edu.  Sessions will begin in early February.

•CRS Speaker From Malawi
On Friday, January 26 at 2pm in the Beehive, we have the privilege of hosting a speaker from Malawi through Catholic Relief Services.  Our speaker, Mictor Chaola, is the CRS Agricultural Specialist in Malawi, a small country in southern Africa that relies heavily on agriculture.  Due to the instability of farming, districts across the country have in the past, survived on food distributions by aid organizations, however, the staff at CRS Malawi work to teach the country’s people how to survive and prepare for these situations, resulting in long-term solutions for improving livelihoods and eradicating hunger, instead of just providing food for the short term.   As we continue the year of Globalization, please join us for this presentation next Friday!

•Spring Retreats
Mark your calendars for our upcoming spring retreats!  This semester Antioch is Friday, March 2nd - Sunday, March 4th.   It’s a great opportunity to get off campus with your peers and take time to deepen your faith.   The Busy Student Retreat is our on campus retreat and will be April 8-12th.  During this retreat students meet with a spiritual guide for 30 minutes a day at time that works in their schedules.

•Peer Campus Ministers 2018-2019 - Applications Available Soon!
Be on the lookout for applications to be a Peer Campus Minister for the 2018-2019 academic year.  Peer Campus Ministers (PCMs) are undergraduate students who live in each of the Residence Halls and work with the Campus Ministry staff to develop and coordinate opportunities for for spiritual development and faith sharing in their hall community.  They will have 5-8 hours of work per week.  Compensation includes a stipend and early selection for their housing.  Email us at ministry@sau.edu to learn more!

•Finding the Path
The Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery in Rock Island will be holding a discernment retreat Feb. 17-18 at the Benet House Retreat Center at the Monastery.  Single Catholic women age 18-50 are invited to come together for a time of reflection and learning about the the Sisters’ life of common prayer and purpose.  Come experience the joy of this life and gain a better sense of your own path!  The retreat is free of charge.  For more information or if you are interested, please contact Sr. Stefanie McDonald at smacdonald@smmsisters.org or check out their website: www.smmsisters.org.