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	Dear Parishioners, For nearly 35 successive weekends you have seen my face, heard my homilies (and some corny jokes) - you’re probably ready for a new face or two for a change. And so it shall be. Last summer Fr. Ralph Simington proposed the idea of a cruise to Hawaii to a number of us. Several nibbled on the bait, but I’m the only one who took the offer completely. At the time I didn’t realize it was during Lent (I’ve not vacationed before in Lent), but so it is. And I’m on my way shortly! So from March 10-26, Frs. David Schatz and Stanley Hayek will cover the bases. I’ll be thinking of you as we cruise the mighty Pacific Ocean and make our stops in Hawaii. This will be the last one of the 50 states I have visited. Blessed days to you all while I’m gone, Fr. Richard Ament - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lent Bible Study Join us following the 10:00 a.m. mass. Classes will meet in the new media center of the school addition. You may come to any or all classes as your schedule permits. Topics : March 7: Personal Holiness March 14: Sin (Fr. Schatz) March 21: Suffering (Fr. Hayek) Classes are based on Fr. McKenzie’s material and are challenging—both in his ideas and writing style at times. You will be given the material beforehand—if you are not able to attend a class you may pick up the material for the next class at the parish office. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Upcoming activities. . . No Bingo will be played until further notice due to church construction. Watch for further announcements. Coffee and rolls will not be served following 8:00 a.m. mass on March 7 or 14 but will be served on March 21. Thank you to Richard and Joyce Jirak for serving last Sunday. Long Range Planning Committee will meet on Mon., March 8, 5:00 p.m., Joseph Room. Card Party will be held on Tues., March 9, 1:30 p.m., Notre Dame Church Hall. Sponsored by the Social Concerns Committee. Finance Committee will meet March 9, 7:00 p.m., Joseph Room. Sewing Circle will meet March 10, 9:00 a.m., Church Hall. Baptism Classes: If you have not attended a Baptism Class in the past three years, you need to attend a class before your child can be baptized. Next class will be held on Wed., March 10, 7:00 p.m., Joseph Room. Please call the parish office to register, 547-3565. March Dinner will be served on March 11 by St. Patrick’s Circle, serving 4:30—7:30 p.m., Notre Dame Church Hall. Menu: Mike Reicks’ Chicken, Broasted Potatoes, Corn, Cole Slaw, Homemade pies and desserts, rolls, beverage. Adults: $7.50; ages 4—12, $4.00. Carryouts available. Carryout delivery available within Cresco city limits. For delivery, call 563 547-4652 between 2:30—4:30 p.m. Deliveries will begin at 4:30 p.m. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Notre Dame Religious Education Religious Ed. Class on Wed., March 10. Confirmation Class will be held on March 7, 11:00—12:30 p.m., Notre Dame Church Hall. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lenten Radio Rosary on KCZQ, 102.3 at 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and at 8:30 a.m. on Sundays. Area Reconciliation Services this week: St. Benedict, Decorah, March 7, 1:30 p.m.; St. Patrick, Waukon, March 10, 7:00 p.m. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Thank You! We are grateful for all the volunteers who offer their time and talent as good stewards for the betterment of the parish. This week we thank the Altar Servers.		Our Family, Our Faith, Building Our Future On behalf of the Capital Campaign Committee, we thank everyone for their generous response in pledges and outright donations. Pledges to March 2: $2,078,876.00 and payments received: $1,412,269.00. Dave and Barb - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Attention 6th—8th Graders: Spend an afternoon of music and fun with Catholic songwriter, author, performer and music producer, Andy Cloninger, March 14, 1:00—4:00 p.m. in Decorah. For more information, contact the parish office. Donations for Easter Flowers If you would like to donate towards Easter Flowers in memory of a loved one(s), please place your donation in an envelope marked “Easter Flowers” with your name and the name(s) of those you want remembered. Thank you. CCT Dinner Theatre on March 11, 12, 13 at the Heritage Events Center. See Times Plain Dealer and Cresco Shopper for further details. Immigrant Rights and American Values: Seeing with new eyes, Postville: An interpreter’s Experience present by Dr. Erik Camayd-Freixas at 7:00 p.m. in at the Canticle in Clinton on March 8; St. Stephen the Witness Center, Cedar Falls, on March 9; Mount Mercy College, Cedar Rapids, on March 10; and Clarke College, Dubuque on March 11. No registration is required. Old Fashioned Sunday Socials at Immaculate Conception, Elma. The Altar Rosary Society is hosting Bingo with a hot sandwich lunch available for purchase in the church hall. Socials will be 2:00—4:00 p.m. on March 7 and 1:00—3:00 p.m. on March 14. VFW Breakfast March 7, VFW Hall, Cresco. 8:00 a.m.—12:30 p.m. Adults $7.00; Ages. 4—12 $4.00. Pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, toast. First Catholic Slovak Ladies Assoc. Annual Breakfast and Raffle March 7, 8;30 a.m.—12:30 p.m., St. Wenceslaus School—Chihak Hall. Adults $6.00 in advance, $6.50 at the door. Ages 6– 12: $3.00. Our Lady of Lourdes Pork Loin Dinner March 7, 11:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m., Adults: $8.00 Ages 5—10: $5.00. Carryouts available. Empty Bowls Project, March 7, 11:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m., Center for the Arts, Luther College, Decorah. For a $20 donation you will receive a ceramic bowl made by local potters and soup and bread. Donations given to local food pantries and world hunger assistance. Annual Pork Chop Supper, March 14, sponsored by St. Bernard Catholic Church in the Alta Vista Municipal Hall. 3:00—7:00 p.m. $9.00 in advance, $10.00 at the door. Snow date March 21. Hospital Auxiliary Omelet Breakfast March 14, 7:30 a.m.—12:30 p.m., Cresco VFW Hall. Adults $6, Age 12 and under $4. Proceeds to purchase a new adjustable blood-draw chair for the hospital. 3rd Annual Waucoma Toy Show, March 14, Waucoma Legion hall, 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. Free Admission, Lunch available all day. American Legion Soup Luncheon on Wed., March 17, 11:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m. serving chicken noodle soup and chili, hot pork sandwich, dessert and beverage at the Legion Hall in Cresco. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Thoughts to ponder. . . In my lifetime I have lost money. Some of my friends have been taken by death. Most of my splendid plans have crumbled and are long-forgotten. Almost every day something that seems important at the time does not go my way. Every setback offers two alternatives. I can sit and wonder why this happened to me or I can figure out the lesson to be learned and grow into a better person. Both are easy to do, only one is productive. Only one really makes sense. .