New Year - New Mission Too!

 

While some states are still enjoying summer, we in Arizona already have students in our Catholic School classrooms and those not in a Catholic School are getting ready for religious education classes that start Sunday, August 17th.

Sr. Joellen has joined me at Our Lady of the Mountains Convent. She is the new Director of Religious Education at St. Andrew's Parish.

She held her first parent meeting on Sunday, August 10 at St. Andrew's Parish.
Saturday, August 11th is her first meeting with all her teachers and classroom helpers.

Saturday Night, we decided to attend Mass at the Mission Church of St. Andrew's Parish located in Whetstone, about 20 minutes from Sierra Vista.
It is a very tiny, tiny church located in the desert.

 

 

The driveway to get to the church. Monsoon clouds are building and did it rain as we drove home in darkness with lightning to guide our way.

4 sided cross along side the parking lot. Notice the monsoon clouds that poured rain on us when we left Mass.

 A Very Small Church but Parishioners with a deep faith and welcoming spirit greeted us when we went through the doors.

Jesus and the Twelve Apostles

 The church is named  Good Shepherd and one can see signs of the parish name throughout the beautiful and prayerful church.

 

Now at All Saints Catholic School, where Sister Carol is the principal, the school bell rang out on Wednesday, August 6th with 101 students - an increase of 21 students!  The goal was to get 100 students for the year.

 A lot of recruitment was done by parents, students and Sister Carol.

Recruiting on a very hot Saturday afternoon with Smokey the Bear to help out.


Fr. Mike, our new pastor, blessed all the classrooms to begin the new school year.

Special blessing for the altar servers who made it all the way with Fr. Mike carrying those heavy candles and the pail of holy water.

A beautiful rainbow after a quick monsoon rain at our school one evening.

A beautiful sunset was enjoyed at our school and parish - Our Lady of the Mountains Church.

 

The school bell is ringing to begin a full week of school and religious education classes.