Holy Cross Academy food drive
A food drive at the middle school campus of Holy Cross Academy in Webster Groves collected approximately 6,000 cans for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Students loaded up a bus with the donations Oct. 31, and the food is expected to help around 1,800 individuals. Heather Sasser, Noelle Trueman and Judy Cernich coordinated the efforts for Holy Cross Academy, which has hosted the annual food drive for 11 years.
Aquinas receives grant
Aquinas Institute of Theology has received a supplemental grant of $250,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to fund mentorship accompaniment for its New Frontiers in Preaching to Underserved Catholics Program. The program, currently funded by a $1 Million Lilly Endowment Compelling Preaching Initiative Phase 2 grant, provides comprehensive resources for the formation of permanent deacons and lay pastoral leaders to be master preachers in both the Black and Hispanic Catholic communities through a five-course certificate track. The supplemental grant complements the New Frontiers Master Preacher Certificate through a Mentorship Accompaniment component, enabling post-certificate formation and learning that extends the preacher’s skills through spiritual accompaniment, coaching, peer support and feedback. For more information, visit ai.edu.
Combined Christian Choir Thanksgiving concert
The Combined Christian Choir will offer its traditional Thanksgiving concert, “Bless the Beasts and the Children,” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 214 West Fifth Street in Washington. Joining the choir will be the Combined Christian Children’s Choir, which is open to children from every congregation in third grade or above. All singers are welcome, and there is no audition. There are four rehearsals, with the first at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, at St. Francis Borgia’s Choir room in Jesuit Hall at Main and Cedar streets in Washington. The children will meet the same evening, beginning at 6 p.m. For more information, contact co-directors Katie at
(314) 324-3331 or
[email protected]; or Paige at (314) 583-1522 or [email protected].
Viewing of “O Freedom”
In recognition of Black Catholic History Month, Saint Louis Priory School will host a viewing of “O Freedom,” the story of Mary Ellen Pleasant, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, at the Kevin Kline Theater on the school’s campus, 500 South Mason Road in Creve Coeur. Pleasant was African American and a self-made millionaire who used her wealth to fund abolitionist causes. The viewing will be followed with a talk from Susheel Bibbs, an opera singer, concert artist and filmmaker-producer.
Blue Christmas prayer service
The Ascension Bereavement Community will host a Blue Christmas prayer service on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at Ascension Church, 230 Santa Maria Drive in Chesterfield. The prayer service is for anyone who has lost a loved one, feel overwhelmed with changes in the world, have broken relationships, health concerns, or have a heavy heart. For more information or to request a ride to the prayer service, call Cindy Huger with Ascension’s Bereavement and Grief Ministry at (314) 369-8052.