Gala to support community health

SSM Health Foundation–St. Louis, a nonprofit organization established to support the services of SSM Health hospitals, will host its annual gala on Saturday, Oct. 9, to raise funds for SSM Health Community Health. The event will be at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis. Those who are not able to partake in the evening’s festivities are encouraged to donate and/or bid on silent auction items to benefit SSM Health Community Health. The presenting sponsor for the evening will be Edward Jones. Funds from ticket sales, bids on auction items and other contributions will help to support efforts and programs that address the most pressing challenges facing people who are underserved, including food insecurity, homelessness, unemployment and poor access to care and transportation. SSM Health Foundation–St. Louis exists to meet the needs of the community by raising awareness and financial support for various medical outreach and advancement programs throughout the region. To purchase a ticket, donate or learn more, visit givetossmhealth.org/gala, contact [email protected] or call (314) 523-8044.

‘The Giftedness of Black Spirituality’

The Catholic Racial Justice Collaborative and Aquinas Institute of Theology will present a webinar on the theology of Black spirituality Saturday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The webinar will explore the roots of Black spirituality and how it enriches the Church and empowers our faith. For information call (314) 497-1799 or email [email protected].

Manna March

Feed My People will hold its Manna March on Sunday, Oct. 17, at St. Paul United Church of Christ, 5508 Telegraph Road. The event will begin at noon, with the walk beginning at 1 p.m. Register to be a walker for $30; virtual walker tickets are $5. Contact James at [email protected], visit www.feed-my-people.org/events or call (314) 631-4900 x 312 for information and reservations. Feed My People is a multi-church organization that serves the poor and hungry through food pantries and low-cost thrift stores.

Sock drive continues

The Knights and Ladies Auxiliary of Peter Claver Central Committee’s Sock Angel’s campaign continues through October. The campaign seeks donations of new socks for people in need in the local community. The committee is working hand in hand with local parishes to place a donation box in vestibule areas. People also may donate $5 online or with a check or cash to the campaign. The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary, founded in 1909, is the largest Black fraternal organization in the Roman Catholic Church with members throughout the United States. In 2020, the first Sock Angels drive collected 20,000 pair of socks with participation from various Catholic parishes throughout St. Louis City and St. Louis County. The socks were donated to local organizations such as Marygrove as well as many nursing homes. For information, visit www.sockangel.org.

Musial Award to Gretzkys

Wayne and Janet Gretzky will receive the highest award for sportsmanship, the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award. The Gretzkys will be honored at the 2021 Musial Awards taking place at Stifel Theatre in St. Louis at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20. The Musial Awards presented by Maryville University celebrate the year’s greatest moments of sportsmanship and those in sports who exemplify class and character. The national event and its awards are named for St. Louis Cardinals legend Stan Musial, a beloved baseball superstar, civic ambassador and a Catholic who led by example as the ultimate good sport. Wayne Gretzky held 61 NHL records when he retired in 1999 and remains at the top of the league’s list for goals, assists and points. He is known also for his integrity, grace, humility and genuineness, which have been hallmarks of his life and career. He is a five-time winner of the Lady-Byng Memorial Trophy — awarded annually to the NHL player who exhibits the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability. Janet Gretzky, who grew up in St. Louis and married Wayne in 1988, enjoyed a successful acting and dancing career. Behind the scenes, she has made an impact in raising awareness and funds for several charities. The Musial Awards will air as a one-hour special at 4 p.m. on Christmas Day. Tickets for the 2021 Musial Awards, ranging from $10 to $38, are on sale through Ticketmaster. More information and a link to purchase tickets is available at MusialAwards.com/tickets.

Lions’ den

Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski joined Tamiko Armstead, president of Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory High School, and the student body Sept. 24 for a ribbon cutting and blessing to celebrate completion of construction of a new athletic complex at the school, as part of the school’s health and wellness initiative. The school’s homecoming football game played on the new field followed, a 42-21 win by the Cardinal Ritter Lions over St. Dominic High School. Cardinal Ritter College Prep’s health and wellness initiative was funded in large part by the Taylor family and Enterprise Holdings Foundation, with support from other donors — including William T. Kemper Foundation, Centene Charitable Foundation and Edward Jones. The athletic complex is also a community resource for more than 10,000 youth and adults who use the athletics facilities each year, including elementary schools, youth clubs and community-based organizations. Construction began in spring of 2020, and the athletic complex is now fully operational.

Virtual assembly

This fall, the Missouri Catholic Conference is once again hosting its Annual Assembly in the form of a collection of episodes of MCC from the Capitol covering a broad spectrum of issues important to the Catholic faith. This spectrum is highlighted in the varying episodes of MCC from the Capitol; topics include pro-life concerns, refugee resettlement, race relations, the history of the Church in Missouri, Catholic health care, the affordable housing crisis and more. Included is a video message from Archbishop Rozanski of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Check out the 2021 Virtual Annual Assembly at bit.ly/3EULylv.

Citizen Recognition Award

Each year the Missouri Catholic Conference recognizes a Catholic citizen from each diocese who has exemplified good citizenship in promoting Catholic values in the public policy arena and in their local communities and parishes. The recipient from the Archdiocese of St. Louis is Christine Dragonette, director of of social ministry at St. Francis Xavier (College Church) Parish. Dragonette and College Church parishioners are dedicated to helping vulnerable populations in the community.

End-of-life issues seminars

The Roman Catholic Foundation will present The Conversation: A Catholic Perspective on End-of-Life Issues on Saturdays this fall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at several locations across the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The free seminar will include presentations on principles of Catholic bioethics, Catholic funeral and cemetery planning, estate planning and advance directives and charitable gift planning. Dates and locations include Oct. 16, St. Francis Borgia Regional High School in Washington; Nov. 6, St. Joseph in Cottleville; Nov. 13, St. Joseph in Imperial; Nov. 20, St. Gabriel the Archangel in St. Louis. To register, visit rcfstl.org/conversation-fall2021.

Electronics recycle event

The Sacred Heart Green Team is sponsoring an electronics recycling event at Sacred Heart Church, 17 Ann Ave in Valley Park, from 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Oct. 16. Electronics, computers, cell phones, appliances and other equipment will be accepted. While many items are accepted at no cost, fees will be applied to some items. See mrcrecycling.net/recycling-fees for more information.

National Merit semifinalists

Thirty-three students from Catholic high schools in the archdiocese are among approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million that will be offered next spring. The students are Ryan Wahle, St. John Vianney High School; Sean Walsh, St. Dominic High School; Evan Cox, Nathaniel Mose, Cole Pisutha-Arnond, Jacob Sudduth and Mark Zoberi, Chaminade College Preparatory School; Brendan Benigno and David Smith, Christian Brothers College High School; Julia Hartweger and Samantha Oleary, Cor Jesu Academy; Joshua Williams, De Smet Jesuit High School; Juliette Butel and Anna Thomas, Nerinx Hall High School; Julia Castellano, St. Joseph’s Academy; Matthew Broder, Cedric Bruges, James Daniel, Ryan Lally, Wyatt Lewis and David Sadasivam, St. Louis Priory School; and Francis Alford, Jack DuMont, Timothy Gunn, Matthew Leight, Lucas Navarro, Luke Pierson, Nathan Rich, Brendan Stein, Richard Taylor, John Torack, Nicholas Unseth and James Winkeler, St. Louis University High School.