Sr. Susan's letter to the Parish Community:

Dear St. Agatha Families and Friends,

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven… I write to share some good news with you. My religious congregation, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, has invited me to spend September to June in international study. I am one of eight sisters (of 4000 worldwide) who will be part of this program. In July, 2009 I will return to St. Agatha Parish and hopefully bring with me the richness of this time. I thank Fr. Casey who has been very gracious and helpful in allowing me this time.

I will be living with my SSND sisters in Los Andes, Chile from September to December 2008, and then living at our Generalate (worldwide headquarters) in Rome from January to June 2009. In Chile I will be studying Spanish, mingling with the people, and learning what it means to be a stranger in a foreign land. In January, the eight of us who have been studying separately, will come together in Rome to continue to grow in our internationality. We come from Poland, Africa, Hungary, … and the United States.

I will be leaving the parish as of August 1st and flying to Chile sometime at the end of August. Deacon Dan will arrange it so that I can receive email while I am away, and periodically I will write some reflections on the experience which will be published on our St. Agatha website. It will be wonderful to share the experience with you in this way.

While I am gone Fr. Casey has arranged for an experienced Director of Religious Education, Mrs. Kathy Kimble, to administer our Faith Formation program for grades 1-5. I will setup the program before I go, and Mrs. Ellen Cronin and Mrs. Jenn Caputo, our marvelous Faith Formation Staff will continue in their current capacities, so you should see very little change in the professional program you have come to expect.

In the summer of 2009, I will return to St. Agatha with great joy. I expect that the sabbatical time will have enriched me in ways that I can bring back to all of you, both directly and indirectly.

Let us pray for each other during this time apart.

Your sister in Christ,
Sister Susan Czaplicki, SSND
Director of Faith Formation,
Grades 1-5 and Adult

Our First Communion celebrations have been completed

All four were prayer-filled and inspiring. At the conclusion of each celebration, the families were thanked for keeping the “Light of Christ” burning brightly in their child’s life. Pray that they continue to do this, not only in the life of their child, but also in their own lives.

Following the 9:00am Family Mass on Sunday, May 18th, we processed to the “Mary Shrine” in front of our school and placed flowers on her head. Traditionally, May is the month in which we remember Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother in a special way. It is good for us to reflect on the life of Mary and her relationship with her Son. We can learn so much. Mary trusted completely in God’s plan for her. She was gentle, compassionate and loving. Mary’s example is an excellent one for each of us to adopt!

Click here for more photos from the May Procession..

First Holy Communion
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Groups 1 & 2

Click here for more photos from Group 1

Click her for more photos of Group 4