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Fight FOCA Postcard Campaign
A bill in Congress called the "Freedom of Choice Act" or FOCA, represents the most serious legislative threat to unborn children ever. FOCA would create a "fundamental right" to abortion that government could not limit but would be required to fund and support. It would overturn a broad range of pro-life policies currently allowed under the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade abortion decision: laws protecting parental involvement in an underage daughter's abortion decision, laws upholding conscience rights, limits on abortion funding, bans on partial-birth abortion, and so on.
Jan. 24-25, our parishes will join Catholics across the country in a Postcard Campaign sending a message to Congress: Please oppose FOCA and retain laws against government funding and promotion of abortion. You will have the opportunity to sign postcards to your U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators. Please plan to participate in this important event, sponsored by Nebraska Catholic Conference and the US Bishops Conference.
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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
First observed from January 18-25, 1908, the octave of Prayer for Christian Unity has now been a tradition for over 100 years, see more online. The whole Christian community throughout the world is invited to pray in communion with the prayer of Jesus "that they all may be one" (John 17:21). The theme Chosen for this year is "That they may become one in your hand." (Ezekiel 37)
Here in Ashland, the day will be observed by having a Covered Dish Potluck Dinner sponsored by the Ashland Ministerial Association on Sunday, January 25, 1:00 PM at the Ashland First Christian Church. I hope many can attend this afternoon potluck and all will pray to build unity among all Christians.
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Nebraska March for Life
The Nebraska Walk for Life will be Saturday, January 31 this year, beginning at 10:00 AM on the West Side of the State Capitol in Lincoln. Sponsored by Nebraska Right to Life since 1974, the walk is opportunity to stand in opposition to Roe v. Wade and in support of women and girls facing unplanned pregnancies. Contact Fr. Coulter for information on carpooling (this is a two-hour service opportunity for Confirmation students).
After brief remarks at the State Capitol, participants will walk eight blocks through downtown Lincoln arriving at the University of Nebraska Student Union (14th & "R" Sts., second floor) to hear Keynote Speaker Michael Clancy at approximately 11:30 AM.
Michael Clancy was a freelance photographer in Nashville when a routine assignment during medical surgery resulted in a photo of the first known human interaction between a child in the womb with a person on the outside. During a fetal surgery, the baby Samuel Arias reached his hand out of the womb. Attempts to squelch the photo and call it a fake propelled Michael into leaving the world of photography and entering a new mission, that of revealing the truth about the development of the unborn child in the womb.
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Confirmation Classes
Our Confirmation students in the Fifth through Seventh Grades have already been preparing in their classes and doing service hours in the community as part of there preparation for when Bishop Bruskewitz comes for Confirmation on Sat. Mar. 28, 7:00 PM for the Confirmation Mass at St Mary Ashland (all are invited).
On Wednesdays at 7:00 PM, Feb. 11 through Mar. 25, the Confirmation students will be with Fr. Coulter during CCD each week to complete their immediate preparation for Confirmation. It is imperative that all students attend these classes and also the mandatory retreat that will be Friday March 6 from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM at Carol Joy Holling.
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Marriage Savers
 The Ashland Ministerial Association will be signing a Community Marriage Policy on Friday, February 13, 1:00 PM at Ashland City Hall. All are welcome to join us as we commit to do a better job preparing couples for a lifelong marriage, enriching existing ones and saving those in crisis.
Therefore the Ashland Ministerial Association has invited Mike and Harriet McManus of Marriage Savers (www.marriagesavers.org) to come to Ashland and hold a training conference February 13-14. They will train both clergy and couples from the congregations to be marriage mentors, who PREPARE couples for a healthy marriage, ENRICH existing marriages, RESTORE troubled marriages, and SUPPORT stepfamilies.
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Fellowship Opportunity
A New Parishioner Potluck will be Sun. Feb. 22, 1:00 PM. It's been two years since we last held this, and since then we have 18 new families! All are invited to come meet our new parishioners and welcome them to the parish at this potluck luncheon with a Mardi Gras theme (only 3 days before Lent).
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Youth Group Raffle
 The Knights of Columbus are once again this year sponsoring a Couple's Getaway Raffle. Be sure to buy a chance to win a night stay for two at the Lied Lodge & Conference Center at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City. The package includes dinner, breakfast, and many of the other attractions at the Arbor Day Farm. Buy one chance for $2 or three chances for $5 from any member of the Youth Group or Knights of Columbus.
As many of you know, this annual raffle supports the Youth Group, and helped three members of our parish attend World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia last year. Besides their other activities, some of our youth are hoping to attend World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid, Spain.
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Ash Wednesday and Lent 2008
Mardi Gras means Lent is upon us. Ash Wednesday is February 25, and Mass will be held at 9:15 AM at the Ashland Care Center, 6:00 PM at Greenwood, and 7:30 PM at Ashland with the CCD students.
During Lent - besides your regular Lenten practices of prayer, sacrifice, and almsgiving - consider joining us in studying St. Paul by reading "St. Paul: A Bible Study for Catholics" by Fr. Mitch Pacwa S.J. We will hold a six-week study every Tuesday beginning March 3 at 6:30 PM, St. Mary Church Basement. Sign-up to buy a copy of the book ($8) and read it on your own or with our study group.
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Take Note...
A six-week St Paul Study Group will be Tuesdays of Lent at 6:30 PM beginning March 3.
Confirmation Retreat is Fri. Mar. 6, 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM.
Confirmation will be Sat. Mar. 28, 7:00 PM at St Mary Ashland.
First Communion is scheduled for Sat. Apr. 25, 5:00 PM at St Mary Ashland.
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