Bulletin for February 10, 2008

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK

SUNDAY-FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
7:00 For Our Ascension Family
9:00 Lee Miller (Father)
10:30 Don Callahan (Brohard)
12:00 Bill Riggs (Mills)

MONDAY-LENTEN WEEKDAY
9:00 Ida Nash (Family)

TUESDAY-LENTEN WEEKDAY
9:00 Ed Redden (Wife)

WEDNESDAY-LENTEN WEEKDAY
9:00 Jean Sheetz (Sprauer)
7:00 Lenten Evening Prayer

THURSDAY-LENTEN WEEKDAY
9:00 Dr. Kathryn Schubert Moell (Lee)

FRIDAY-LENEN WEEKDAY
9:00 John Bellert (Tischer)

SATURDAY-LENTEN WEEKDAY
9:00 Francisco (Catimbang)
5:00 Ralph Zink (Family)

SUNDAY-SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
7:00 For Our Ascension Family
9:00 Ralph Trame (Wife)
10:30 Loretta Murphy (Family)
12:00 Donald Kochensparger (Shipman)

UPDATE ON FR. RUDY
Some of you might already know that Fr. Rudy (former pastor of Ascension) had his other leg amputated recently. For those who would like to send a card to him his address is Fr. Rudemiller, Western Hills Retirement Center, 6210 Cleves-Warsaw Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio 45233. Please keep him in your prayers.

FIRST COMMUNION PARENT MEETING
Parents of all students preparing for First Communion will meet on Monday, February 11 in the Witzman Center. Fr. Chris will speak; student books, parent guides, and other materials will be distributed. Two sessions will be held: 4:30-5:30 p.m. and 7:00-8:00 p.m.; please choose the more convenient time. Babysitting provided with reservation-call the RE Office 254-0622.

SOUP & BREAD SUPPER
Ascension joins St. Helen in hosting Lenten Soup Suppers for men Monday, March 3, 6:30 p.m. at Ascension with Fr. Chris Worland presenting and for women, Tuesday, March 4, 6:30 p.m. at St. Helen with Mary Woldarski presenting. The topic will be “On Earthly Goods, Love for the Poor, and Work” from the Why Catholic? Life in Christ Book (chapter 11). These suppers are open to ALL parishioners whether or not you are in a Why Catholic? Reservations required to: Jim Murray 253-5171 or jmurray@ascensionkettering.org. A free will offering will be taken.

SCOUT SUNDAY AWARD RECIPIENTS
Last Sunday Ascension Boy Scout Troop 167 and Cub Scout Pack 167 participated in the national celebration of Boy Scout Sunday, during which several religious awards were presented. Please join us in congratulating these boys on furthering their knowledge and understanding of and devotion to our Catholic Faith! Light of Christ (2nd graders)-Connor Blatt. Parvuli Dei (3rd & 4th ) graders-Benjamin Gross and Chris Mann

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Early Childhood: Today is Love Sunday! Parents, please bring children to the school cafeteria by 10:30 and plan on joining them there after Mass.

No classes on February 17-18, Presidents’ Day weekend.

Volunteers needed on Sunday mornings: Scripture catechist for Gr. 6-8; on Monday afternoons, a catechist substitute for Elementary classes. Please call Sue Graham at 254-0622.

YOUTH MINISTRY
Are You Tuned In? – The annual high school Winter Retreat is coming February 15-17 at Camp Kern. Join youth from Ascension, St. Helen, and St. John Neumann for this peer led retreat. Discount registration deadline is February 11. Brochures at church doors.

24 Hour Food Fast – Ascension and St. Helen are offering two simultaneous programs March 7-8 for JH grade 8 and HS grades 9-12. Limited space. Flyers in the back of church.

2008-09 SCHOOL REGISTRATION/ENROLLMENT
School Registration for all children of Ascension parish families begins February 15-March 15. If any openings remain after in-school/in-parish registration then children of non-Catholic families may be enrolled from March 15-April 15. Children of Catholic families who transfer from another area Catholic school with the intention of transferring parish membership enrollment is open from April 15-May 15. Enrollment may be made at the school office between 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. any school day or you may call to have a registration enrollment packet mailed to you home.

Tuition for one child next year will be $2,260, with discounted rates for multiple children. Ascension School offers a full day kindergarten program. Parish families may apply for tuition assistance through the Education Ascension and Fr. Witzman funds. The tuition assistance applications may be obtained at ht School or Parish offices. The deadline for the tuition assistance applications is March 1. Full cost for non-parish and non-Catholic families is $4,520. Ascension School also accepts students with State of Ohio EdChoice and local PACE (Parents Advancing Choice in Education) scholarships. More information and further questions about enrollment may be answered by the school office by phone at 254-5411 or directly by the principal online at devittb@ascensionket.org.

NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
NATHANIEL RICHARD GALLIVAN, son of Sean Gallivan and Jennifer Wellmeier, Alpha Bellbrook Rd. received new life in Christ through the waters of Baptism last weekend. Congratulations to the proud parents, godparents and grandparents.

RCIA RITE OF SENDING
This weekend, at the 5:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday, we celebrate the Rite of Sending with 7 adults and 1 child. We sent 4 adults (David Agee Jr., Kyle Constantinides, Jay Hodge, Sharon Hodge) who are preparing for baptism to the Rite of Election which is celebrated this Sunday evening at Immaculate Conception Church. Combined with this Rite is the Rite to Call to Continuing Conversion celebrated with those already baptized who are preparing to complete their initiation into the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. We send 3 adults (Gloria Mercer, Andrea Slonaker, Nic Webb) and 1 child (Ben Johnson) to celebrate this Rite. As a parish family we surround all of them with our prayers and support during the upcoming weeks of final preparation for the sacraments of initiation.

LENTEN EVENING PRAYER
Evening Prayer can be a special way of fulfilling our Lenten call to prayer not only as individuals, but also as a Christian community. The Marianist Novitiate Community is leading us in this liturgical prayer of the Church at 7:00 p.m., on four Wednesday nights during Lent, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27 and 3/5. Please come and pray with us.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Stations of the Cross are prayed each Friday night during Lent. Come meditate on the mystery of Jesus’ suffering and death as we journey toward His glorious resurrection on Easter. The stations are prayed in the chapel on Fridays beginning at 7:00 p.m.

LENTEN RECONCILIATON SERVICES
There will be two opportunities to attend communal reconciliation services during Lent at Ascension. The first service will take place on Saturday, February 23 at 3:00 p.m. at which RE Middle School students will perform a mime that will help us reflect on the Lord’s generous forgiveness. Another communal celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation will take place on Wednesday, March 12, at 7:00 p.m. On both dates, several priests will be on hand for individual confessions and absolution.

PENITENTIAL RITE
We will celebrate the Penitential Rite next Sunday at the 9:00 a.m. Mass with four candidates. They are already baptized in another Christian tradition and are now preparing for Reception into the Catholic Church and reception of the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. Please keep all four of them (Ben Johnson, Gloria Mercer, Andrea Slonaker, and Nic Webb) in your prayers as they join us in their journey of faith.

LENTEN REMINDERS – FAST AND ABSTINENCE
All Fridays during the season of Lent are days of abstinence from meat. The law of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years of age and older. Good Friday, March 21, is a day of abstinence form meat and also a day of fasting, that is, limited to one single full meal. The law of fasting binds all Catholics from their 18th birthday until their 59th birthday. The Church encourages us to do more rather than less. Fast and abstinence on the days prescribed should be considered a minimum response to the Lord’s call to penance and conversion.

PARENTING POINTERS
As parents we are rightly concerned about how to keep our children safe – not only physically but also emotionally. Let your children know that they can tell you things that worry or scare them. Tell them clearly that if someone touches them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable that they should tell you right away and that you will protect them. Bad secrets need not be kept.

MARRIAGE MOMENTS
As Valentine Day approaches, give your spouse a gift of memory – memorize your wedding vows. “I ____, take you ____, to be my wife/husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.” Few people like to memorize but it’s a way to keep your vow always in mind. Don’t be a chicken. Try it.

LEISURE CLUB MEETING
The Leisure Club will have a meeting February 13 at 1:00 p.m. in Witzman Center weather permitting. If in doubt call Celeste Beach before 12:30 p.m. on February 13.

FOOD PANTRY COLLECTION
The next Food Pantry collection will take place next weekend, February 16-17. This month our special needs include canned fruit, canned peas, jelly, hand soap, Jell-O and puddings. Other canned or packaged foods are always welcome, too, including your leftover (but unopened) Super Bowl snacks. Thank you for continuing to support your neighbors in need.

SICK AND SHUT-IN
As a parish family concerned for one another, we ask your prayerful support for Bert Dexter at Bellbrook Rehab.

OPERATION RICE BOWL
Operation Rice Bowl is CRS’s (Catholic Relief Services) Lenten solidarity program. Again this year, Ascension joins in this program. CRS is the official overseas relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in the United States. 75% of your contributions support CRS’s development projects overseas and 25% remains in our own Archdiocese to fund local hunger and poverty alleviation programs. Rice bowl boxes and envelopes are available at the church entrances. Receptacles will be at the church doors to receive your alms during Lent and first few Sundays of Easter. Those received by Holy Thursday will be presented in the offertory procession at the Mass.

SUMMER FESTIVAL
Planning is underway for making this year’s Super Summer Festival a most successful one. We are once again sponsoring a contest to choose this year’s theme. Elementary school children of all Ascension parishioners are eligible. Forms are being distributed to Ascension School and RE students. For further information contact Donna Sheetz 294-1644.
We are also beginning our book collection for the book booth. If you have finished some good books or are cleaning out your book case, please bring these to the church and deposit them in the marked container in the bride’s room. Shortly you will be receiving raffle tickets for this year’s Super Summer Festival.

ASCENSION’S ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK
Complete calendar online: www.ascensionkettering.org/calendar.htm

SUNDAY
Parish Registration After 9 & 10:30 Masses-WC
Coffee & Donuts After 9 & 10:30 Masses-WC
9:00 Contemporary Choir
10:15 RE Middle School
10:30 Early Childhood
10:30 Traditional Choir
2:00 Common Sense Parenting 5-WC

MONDAY
4:15 Elementary RE
4:30 First Communion Parent Meeting-WC
6:00 Eucharistic Exposition-Chapel
6:30 RE Middle School
7:00 First Communion Parent Meeting
7:30 Men’s Club-WC

TUESDAY
9:45 Bible Study-POB
7:00 St. Vincent DePaul Meeting-POB
7:15 RCIA-WC

WEDNESDAY
1:00 Leisure Club-WC
7:00 Lenten Evening Prayer-Church
7:30 Worship Commission-POB

THURSDAY
6:00 Financial Advisors Meeting-POB
6:30 Bingo-PAC
7:00 Traditional Choir Practice-Church
7:00 Stewardship Meeting-POB

FRIDAY
7:00 Stations of the Cross-Chapel

SATURDAY
HSYM Winter Retreat
4:00 Confessions
5:00 Mass

SUNDAY
HSYM Winter Retreat
Catholic Ministries Appeal Kickoff
Food Pantry Collection
9:00 RCIA Penitential Rite-Church
10:30 Traditional Choir
11:45 HSYM LIFE Groups-YMR
2:00 Common Sense Parenting 6-WC
5:00 HSYM LIFE Groups-YMR
7:00 HSYM LIFE Groups-YMR