A choir of angels?

The Dead Theologians will be Christmas caroling on Thursday, 28 December, the Feast of the Holy Innocents.

We will meet for supper at Steak 'N Shake at 5:30 p.m. and will carol at St. Anthony's hospital at 7:00 p.m. Song sheets will provided.

Join us as we spread the message of salvation as we celebrate the Savior's birth!

Bearing gifts we traverse afar

The Dead Theologians Society gift exchange will be held during our meeting on the Solemnity of the Epiphany when the Magi presented their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Names for the gift exchange were drawn at the meeting held on 10 December; if you were unable to attend that meeting but still want to participate in the gift exchange, let me know and I will arrange it.

If memory serves, I believe we settled on a $5.00 limit and elected for "gag" gifts. If this is incorrect, please correct me.

Meeting reminder

The Dead Theologians Society will meet Sunday, 17 December 2006, in the parish center of St. Anthony of Padua parish at 7:00 p.m.

In the news again

The Effingham Daily News published a second story about the Dead Theologians Society. The second article is in today's issue of the paper, on page D6.

Pictures from the Bishop's visit

Braden asks a question of the Bishop

Bishop Lucas with his DTS sweatshirt

Bishop Lucas blesses the rosaries

Hoods up, by popular outcry
The Dead Theologians Society

Pie baking pictures

Paul and Drew form pie crusts

Craig fills pie crusts

Albert prepares a crust

Braden supervises

Allie delivers a few pies

Continued prayers for Brian

Please continue to keep Brian Schuette and his family in your prayers in the next several days. The doctors have placed Brian on new medication and are observing him closely to note any effects the medicines might have.

No meeting Sunday

N.B.: The Dead Theologians Society will not meet Sunday, 26 November 2006, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King.

The DTS will meet again Sunday, 3 December 2006, the first Sunday of Advent.

Please pass the word along to fellow members.

Making the news

The recent pie baking made the newspapers, both in the Effingham Daily News and the Catholic Times.

The CT article is here.

Message from the youth to the youth

Interreligious Youth Meeting
Nov. 4-8, 2006
Assisi, Italy

Message from Youth, to Youth

We came together in Assisi, called from nearly 30 nations and representing 13 religious traditions, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the historic Day of Prayer for World Peace in 1986. Invited by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and sent by our religious communities and organizations, we young people came here to carry forward the flame of peace ignited by our spiritual leaders 20 years ago in these same sacred spaces.

We encountered one another with honesty and sincerity to build up the bonds of fraternity that unite us all as brothers and sisters in our humanity, fashioned by and in God. From our commonly held desires for happiness, justice and truth, we entered into genuine dialogue.

We shared and learned about each other's cultures and beliefs, not to minimize or ignore our differences, but to grow in mutual respect, esteem and understanding. Though we do not share the same religious convictions, we have all inherited the same earth and share a common responsibility to be faithful citizens of society and to be good stewards of creation.

We prayed according to our respective religious traditions, imploring from God the precious gift of peace. While our prayers were offered in different places, languages and ways, we were united in a single purpose: praying for peace. In this way, we testified to the truth that "prayer does not divide but unites and is a decisive element for an effective pedagogy of peace, hinged on friendship, reciprocal acceptance and dialogue between different cultures and religions" as Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his message for the 20th anniversary of the first Assisi meeting.

We walked as pilgrims to the site of St. Francis of Assisi's conversion 800 years ago, when God called out to Francis "Go, rebuild my house." Likewise today, in the spirit of our respective religions, we young people hear the call to "Go, rebuild our world," which is too often broken by violence and war.

We appeal to all people that peace is not something only to be sought in halls of government, but also in the halls of our synagogues, our churches, our mosques, our temples, our pagodas, our gurudwaras, our atash berhrams, our schools, our workplaces, our homes and most importantly in our hearts.

We will strive to follow the path to peace, guided by the precepts of our respective religious traditions. In the "spirit of Assisi" and with a united voice, we echo the words of that great ambassador of peace, the Servant of God Pope John Paul II, as we cry out:

Violence never again!
War never again!
Terrorism never again!

In the name of God,
may every religion bring upon the earth
Justice and Peace,
Forgiveness and Life,
Love!

We young people represent a new generation and a new hope. We resolve to return to our families and communities, to be advocates for interreligious and intercultural understanding and respect. We accept the responsibility of continuing the dialogue begun here in Assisi and we fully commit ourselves to working for justice and to be instruments of peace in our homelands and in every corner of the earth.

The visit of the Bishop

Here follows the press release I sent to the media regarding the Bishop's visit last night.

The Most Reverend George J. Lucas, Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, met with Chapter 517 of the Dead Theologians Society Sunday, 19 November 2006. His visit coincided with his Pastoral Visitation to St. Anthony of Padua parish in Effingham.

Bishop Lucas spoke to the youth about his life and ministry as a Bishop. He also stressed the purpose of the Church and the local parish as the place to encounter Jesus Christ.

Speaking on the lives of the saints, he reminded the youth that a saint is someone “who follows Jesus to the end” and that “each of us is called to be a saint.” He also told the youth that they are not simply the church of tomorrow, but also the church of today.

At the same meeting, ten new members were received into the Society and were given a black hooded sweatshirt with the DTS logo and a rosary made in the Holy Land for the Society. The Dead Theologians Society in Effingham now numbers sixteen, with several more to be received in the coming weeks. Membership requires either attendance at three consecutive meetings or five meetings overall.

The Dead Theologians Society formed at St. Anthony of Padua parish on Sunday, 1 October 2006. The Society, which is open to high school-aged youth, meets weekly from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Sunday evenings in the parish center. Each meeting includes games and snacks, with time for a teaching about the life of a particular Saint, questions and discussions, shared prayer, a decade of the Rosary, and the Divine Praises. Through the saints of yesterday, the Dead Theologians Society inspires the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow.

Pies for Charity

Some of the members of the Dead Theologians Society will meet Sunday afternoon at 3:00 in the parish center to bake pumpkin pies that will be donated to Catholic Charities. If you are free, come on down!

They have arrived

I am happy to report that the sweatshirts finally arrived today.

Nov. 12th meeting canceled

The meeting of the DTS on Sunday, 12 November 2006, has been canceled. We will resume meeting on 19 November 2006 when Bishop Lucas will be with us.

The Bishop is coming

Bishop George J. Lucas has graciously accepted the invitation to attend the meeting of the Dead Theologians Society on Sunday, 19 November 2006 and will speak on his ministry as a Bishop and Successor of the Apostles.

His Excellency was ordained and installed on 14 December 1999 as the eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. To read more about Bishop Lucas go here and here.

Bishop Lucas invited to attend meeting

Only moments ago I sent an invitation to His Excellency, the Most Reverend George J. Lucas, Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, to attend the meeting of the Dead Theologians Society on Sunday, 19 November 2006.

When I receive word of his availability - either positive or negative - I shall let you know.

Please remember Bishop Lucas in your prayers each day.

Photo: Bishop Lucas institutes then Mr. Daren J. Zehnle, into the Ministry of Acolyte.

October 5th

At the meeting of the Dead Theologians Society this Sunday at 7:00 p.m. we will have a discussion about the movie The Dead Poets Society and how it relates to the DTS.

It is also my hope to be able to finally induct more new members. As of this morning, the additional rosaries I ordered have arrived but the sweatshirts have not. Apparently there is a bit of a delay with the manufacturer. I am, however, hopeful that the sweatshirts will arrive today or tomorrow.

We hope to see you there!

Ministry Fair help requested

After the 11:00 a.m. Mass at the high school this Sunday - November 5th - Msgr. Enlow will present his State of the Parish Address. A Ministry Fair will be held after the Address to help parishioners discover the various ways they assist others and be assisted by others.

The Dead Theologians Society will have a booth at the Ministry Fair from roughly 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Brian Schuette will be staffing the booth to help field and answer questions people might have about the DTS.

If any of you would be willing and free to help out at the booth, we would be very grateful. Adults can talk about what youth ministry is up to but it always means more when it comes from the youth. If you can stay for a fifteen minute slot, great; if you can stay for an hour, great.

I will prepare a display and have some brochures ready. The rest will simply be talking with people. If you want to help with the Ministry Fair, simply let me know or just show up on Sunday.

Calling all artistic types

The DTS will have a booth at the Ministry Fair held in conjuction with Msgr. Enlow's State of the Parish Address following the 11:00 a.m. Mass at the high school on Sunday, November 5th.

As part of the booth we will need a display to give information about the DTS. Would anyone be willing to help put a display together if I give you some information to include?

Meeting with Knights of Columbus

On Wednesday, November 15th, I plan to meet with the Knights of Columbus in Effingham to beg them for additional financial support to help the Dead Theologians Society. Their meeting is at 7:30 p.m. and I can speak either at the beginning, the end or in the middle of the meeting.

Might I ask a couple of our members to join me for the meeting to talk about DTS? Any takers? I might even be willing to buy dinner.

Mural idea

What if we painted something like this on part of the wall? Or do you have in mind something like individual saints? Advise me.

October 29th

On Sunday we will watch the movie The Dead Poet's Society, starring Robin Williams. It is an excellent film and I think you'll enjoy. We will watch it in the rectory living room on the big screen.

We will have popcorn, cookies, hot chocolate and maybe even something else, too.
The movie is 128 minutes so we will not have our usual meeting, unless, of course, you really want to.

Creative juices

Several people have suggested possible ideas for the painting of the DTS room. Options thus far offered are:

1. Paint the room a dark red

2. Paint the room with pinstripes

3. Paint the room checker board style with baby blue and royal blue

4. Paint a mural on the wall

Give the ideas some thought and let me know what you think.

DTS opts for weekly meetings

The Dead Theologians Society voted to meet each Sunday evening from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at St. Anthony of Padua parish during their meeting last night.

The DTS is open to all high school aged youth in the Effingham area. Please come as often as you are able.

After attending three meetings in a row (or five meetings overall) you will be eligible for membership in the DTS. Membership provides you with a black hoodie with the logo of the Society embroidered on it, an olive wood rosary made for the Society in the Holy Land, along with a few other goodies.