All youth who have received the Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist are invited to consider becoming a Altar Server during our weekday and weekend Masses. A training program will be offered for all current and prospective altar servers on Sunday, November 11 during the regularly scheduled Faith Formation classes (9-10:15am). Students will only be permitted to attend if they have been registered through the Parish Office (812-952-2853) or bring a signed permission letter to the training. Parents are welcome, but not required, to attend.

Each year, St. Mary Church benefits from the good work of two seminarians assigned to the parish from St. Meinrad Seminary as interns. We are again offering Supper with a Seminarian for those families and individuals wishing to learn more about our current seminarians, those currently assigned to our parish, Deacon Ross Caniglia and Peyton Plessera for dinner at home or in the community. The remaining dates in the first semester are November 10 and December 5. Please contact Rena Phillips to sign up for a date/time at your convenience (first or second semester dates) at (812) 952-2853 or rphillips@frontier.com.

St. Mary Catholic Church’s pictorial directory, produced by Lifetouch Church Directories, is now available for pick up after Mass on November 4/5 or in the Parish Office, Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 3:00pm. One directory is provided free of cost to all families who had a photograph taken for or submitted to the publication. Additional copies are not available for sale. Contact information in this document is for personal use only and should not be copied or shared with others for sales, campaigning or marketing purposes.

It’s that time of year! Christmas is right around the corner! The Breaking Bread Food Pantry, a ministry of St. Mary Church and Dare to Care, is again taking sign-ups from members in the community wishing to receive a food basket for the upcoming holiday. Each basket will include a turkey or ham and other traditional fixins’ for a Christmas meal. If you or someone you know wish to receive a basket, please ask them to visit the Breaking Bread Food Pantry on regular distribution dates to sign up. In addition, donations of food items are gladly accepted. Most needed for the baskets are cake mixes, brownie mixes, and canned fruits. (Please note: we are no longer taking Thanksgiving baskets sign-ups. Those who have pre-registered for baskets, may pick them up on November 19 & 20.) Over one hundred food baskets will be handed out last year for Thanksgiving & Christmas, so all assistance is greatly appreciated!

Bequests, which are gifts made through a will, are an extremely popular way of providing long-term support for charitable organizations like St. Mary Church that are so important in our lives. There are many reasons donors choose to make charitable bequests: the opportunity to make a statement about personal values, the satisfaction of supporting an important cause to benefit future generations, and the chance to leave a legacy to inspire others to give. Tax planning can also be an important factor in this decision. With some foresight, you can make a charitable bequest in a way that will permit you to realize other objectives for your estate. For more information on estate planning please contact Rena Phillips at (812) 952-2853, or by email at rphillips@frontier.com.

The Second Greatest Story Ever Told is a six week course that shares the prophetic voices of St. John Paul II, Margaret Mary Alacoque, Thrse of Lisieux, Maximilian Kolbe, and Faustina Kowalska. Written and narrated by bestselling author Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC, The Second Greatest Story Ever Told shares the history and theology of the Divine Mercy devotion and Marian consecration. Led by Kathy Ann Daily, this six week course will include video lessons, discussion questions and faith sharing on Tuesday nights in Room 104 from 7-8:30pm. All are welcome to come and learn more about the mercy of God!

Jeff Cavin’s Bible Timeline is an 8-week DVD series that walks us through the Old Testament along the road that leads to our salvation. Please come and join us for this Great Adventure beginning Monday, October 29, from 7-8:30pm in Room 105 of the Parish Life Center. (Apologies for the error in last week’s bulletin. Please note this date change.) This series will be led by Chuck Lynch. We will finish the week before Christmas and then go on to various other short courses after the New Year, based on the group’s preferences. All are welcome and no year-long commitment is required.

Mt. St. Francis (101 St. Anthony Dr / Mt. St. Francis, IN) is pleased to offer a men’s weekend retreat, titled A Man’s Approach to God on October 19-21. This men’s weekend will include Mass, Reconciliation, presentations, discussions and plenty of free time to enjoy the trails, woods, and lake! The weekend will be led by Rev. Vince Petersen, OFM Conv. For more information, including registration, please contact Karen Krider in the Retreat Center Office (812) 923-8817.

The next scheduled meeting of Widow/Widowers/Senior Singles is for October 21 at 12:00pm and will be a pitch-in lunch and chili will be provided. On November 3, twenty members will be attending Corydon Live. If you are interested in attending please contact Susan Wohlfarth at 502-645-8018. Future events include the Jaycee Dinner at St. John Lutheran Church on November 11, meeting at St. Mary’s on November 18 and a Christmas party on December 16. Watch the bulletin for more details in the upcoming months.

Sarah Tomes and Curt Daniel were wed at St. Mary Church last weekend, September 29. Congratulations to the newly weds who will be making their home in Sellersburg, IN.

Wednesday group focuses on relativism “WHO AM I TO JUDGE?’ Responding to Relativism with Logic and Love will be offered by St. Mary’s Divine Mercy Prayer Group during the fall of 2018. This is an eight-week study program, featuring Dr. Edward Sri, will begin on Wednesday September 26 at 9:30am. Participants will explore the classical view of morality and the kind of life that flows out of that worldview-a life of purpose, loving relationships, and fulfillment. For more information please contact the group’s leader, Yvonne Abell, at (812) 705-0107 or join us on September 26 to find out more about this study program.

The next monthly "55 and older" Pitch In will be held on September 12. Mass will be offered at 11am followed by lunch and cards. All are welcome!

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at St. Mary Catholic Church's Parish Life Center on Monday, September 24. Please visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor keyword, "stmarylane", to schedule your appointment. Volunteers from the parish are also needed to offer hospitality and assist with administrative tasks on the day of the blood drive. If you are able to help, please contact Vickie Sizemore at (812) 207-8277. All blood types are needed. Each donation can save a life! Please support this important, life-saving ministry!

Help us celebrate our 175 year anniversary with "In Her Own Words," on Sunday, October 7 at 1:00pm Based on the journals and letter’s of Indiana’s first saint and the founder of St. Mary School in Lanesville, “In Her Own Words” tells the story of St. Mother Theodore Guerin. Actress Sandra Hartlieb brings the saint to life, centering this historical portrayal of Mother Theodore on her strength, humor, pioneering hardships, determined spirit and profound trust in Providence. Come learn more about Mother Theodore’s life and the warm welcome she received by the earliest parishioners of St. Mary Church in Lanesville (1854). The performance will also include interludes of music and creative movement featuring Nora Pritchett of Sisterhood Drama Ministry. There is no cost for this anniversary event and reservations are not required. Be sure to spread the word and invite your family and friends to attend!

A Holy Hour for Prayer, Penance and Healing with Archbishop Charles Thompson will be held at 11:00 a.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral (1347 N Meridian St / Indianapolis, IN 46202 ) on Saturday, September 15 (Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows). The archbishop will gather in solidarity to pray for victims of sexual abuse and their families and to acknowledge the pain caused by the failure of the Church in the past. This prayer service, which will include a celebration of the Word with the Solemn Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament, is for the purpose of seeking God’s mercy, healing and grace upon our local Church in Central and Southern Indiana.  Doors will open at 10 am and the service will conclude at approximately 12 noon.   

The Parish Picnic features capital prizes each year. St. Mary Church wishes to congratulate to our 2018 Raffle Winners! Click the link above to see a full listing of prizes and winners.

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive in the Parish Life Center on Monday, September 24, 2018, from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Please visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor keyword: stmarylane to schedule an appointment Volunteers are needed; if you are interested, please contact Vickie Sizemore at (812) 951-2295 or (812) 207-8277. All blood types are needed. Each donation can help save a life. Please support this important and life saving ministry

Do you feel alone in your marriage? If so, there is help. Retrouvaille (pronounced retro-vi with a long i) means “rediscovery” and offers the chance to rediscover yourself, your spouse, and a loving relationship in y our marriage. Tens of thousands of couples headed for divorce have successfully saved their marriages by attending the weekend and follow-up sessions. Retrouvaille is a not spiritual retreat, sensitivity group, seminar, or social gathering. To learn more about the program or to register for an upcoming weekend in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis or Louisville, visit the website at www.HelpOurMarriage.com or www.retrouvaille.org

New Albany Deanery Catholic Youth Ministries will be kicking off the annual fundraising campaign with a dinner on August 28 at Huber’s Plantation Hall at 6pm. This year’s guest speaker is Archbishop Charles Thompson. All are welcome to attend. For more information, please call Sandy at (812) 923-8355 or email sandy@nadyouth.org

In honor of our parish’s 175th anniversary, St. Mary Church is pleased to offer a one-woman-play on October 7, 2018 at 1pm. ‘In Her Own Words’ is based on the journals and letters of Indiana’s first saint, Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence at St. Mary-of-theWoods near Terre Haute, IN. The performance will highlight the founding of the first school at St. Mary Church by St. Theodora in the fall of 1854. Actress Sandra Hartlieb will bring the saint to life, centering this historical portrayal of Mother Theodore on her strength, humor, pioneering hardships, determined spirit and a profound trust in Providence. The performance will also include interludes of music and creative movement by Nora Pritchett of Sisterhood Drama Ministry. Reservations are not required and there is no cost to attend this anniversary event.