• Parish Committees Update – Thank you to people that came out to get the newly formed committees started. All committees have held an initial meeting and ongoing information will be posted to the Committees page.
• Pancake Supper – The Knights of Columbus, Michael C. Kidd Council will host a pre-Lenten
  Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on February 21 from 6 to 8 PM in the Heritage Room. Pancakes, sausage links, fruit and cake will be served. Tickets are $5 and children under the age of 8 eat for free. Look for tickets to be sold after mass next week.
• Warm Nights – We have been asked once again to assist Kettering Baptist Church with their Warm Nights Meals Program. As in the past we have been assigned Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 20, 2012 to help serve dinner and to also assist with breakfast on February 23. If you can help serve or are able to prepare a dish, please sign up next weekend in the back of the church. For dinner February 20, the following dishes are always needed: fried chicken, potato or rice dish, salad, macaroni and cheese, rolls and butter, greens or green beans, dessert, milk, or fruit. The dishes can be dropped off in the hall kitchen on Monday, February 20 between 8 AM – 5 PM. For the breakfast on February 23 the following is needed: grits, oatmeal, donuts, pastries, and fruit juice. These donations will be picked up after the 7:30 PM mass on Wednesday, February 22. For more information contact Margaret Boles at 301.577.2746.
• Vocations Retreat for Men – If you feel Jesus may be calling you, why not give Him a weekend? Cardinal Wuerl is leading a retreat for men in their 20’s-40’s who are considering a call to the priesthood at Blessed John Paul II Seminary (145 Taylor St., NE, Washington, DC) beginning Friday evening February 10 at 7:30 PM and ending on Sunday, February 12 at 12 noon. The retreat will allow men time away from the daily grind and provide an opportunity for prayer and reflection to examine God’s call. It will cost you nothing more than your time. Please contact Fr. Carter Griffin, Director of Priest Vocations at 202-636-9020 or vocations@adw.org for more information and to register.
• 2012 Archdiocesan Women’s Retreat: “Blessed Are You” – All women are invited to St. Marks Catholic Church, 7501 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville on Saturday, March 24, 2012 from 8 AM to 3:15 PM for a day retreat. The day will include Mass with Cardinal Wuerl, presentations, small group discussions, adoration and confession. If you have been looking for way to be inspired, this is it. For more information, please call Sarah Yaklic at 301.85.-4559, to register visit www.adw.org/conferences. The cost is $20 and includes lunch.
• Lector Workshop for beginning and on-going formation will be held on Saturday, February 11 at the Franciscan Monastery, 1340 Quincy Street, NE, Washington from 9 AM to 12 PM. Cost is $5 and pre-registration is required. If interested please email the Office of Worship at liturgy@adw.org and leave your name, phone number, parish, and indicate whether or not you are a new lector. For more information you may call 301.853.4594.
• “SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD” (MATTHEW 6:33)- Many of our parishioners have received a mailing this week from Cardinal Wuerl. He has asked that you make a pledge to the 2012 Cardinal’s Appeal. Please prayerfully consider a generous pledge to the 2012
  Cardinal’s Appeal.
• An open invitation to all adults to attend a session at either of the two RCIA sessions. Classes are free, about an hour in length, materials are provided and when we share our faith, it benefits the whole body of Christ. Below is a brief description of the topics being covered over the next few sessions:
• Sacramental Living - A relationship of prayer and grace flowing from sacraments. We will also give an overview of the seven sacraments.
• Baptism & Confirmation – Becoming a member of God’s family, and His forgiveness and Grace. How we are strengthened in Confirmation to bear witness to our faith.
• Mercy & Justice – God’s mercy and how we respond. Creating a just world that benefits all.
• Virtues – Daily habits of doing good. The Theological and Cardinal virtues discussed in detail.

• Change to Youth Group - Effective immediately, we will suspend Friday night meetings. This is due to the low turn-out/participation of our youth. Our goal is to serve the needs of our faith community; it seems evident that most parish families and their youth have not identified involvement with Church youth ministry as a need with priority. (Excerpt from the January 18 letter sent to parents and teens). The entire letter may be viewed on the Youth Ministry page of the parish website.
• Spaghetti Night followed by the Stations of the Cross will be held on Friday, March 16th if we can get enough support from our teens. This event was well attended last year. The dinner is a FREE meatless spaghetti supper with salad, cooked and served by teens in our parish. Any teen interested in helping with this activity should contact Mrs. Rozanski at 301.249.1167 or by email at holyfamilyprep@msn.com. Service hours are offered.
• 3rd Annual Joint Youth Group Retreat – High School teens of Holy Family and St. Edward’s parishes are joining together for their annual retreat on the weekend of April 27-29, 2012. This year’s retreat will be held at our Lady of Mattaponi and the theme is “Who Do You Say That I Am?” Cost will be $65 per person. (Free to those teens that came and helped at the service project this past summer at OLM). Financial aid is available (please contact Fr. Joe). We need to provide the retreat center with RSVPs now so if you are interested in attending, please contact Mrs. Rozanski no later than February 1, 2012. A $15 deposit will be required.
• Altar Server News – Thank you to the many servers that came to have their vestments fitted. Orders will be placed this week for needed garments.
• Religious Education Meeting Dates/Times – In almost all months, our sessions meet on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Wednesdays or Sundays (depending on whether your child is in the HSPREP or SPRED/PREP programs.) There are a few exceptions. Please review the calendar for these exceptions. Calendars were given to each student at the beginning of the program year and should be in the student’s binder. Copies can be printed from our parish website on the Religious Education page.
• Faith Based Standards for Religious Education – Our new Archdiocesan Standards for preschool through 8th grade will be used in the new school year, beginning in September. These standards are being used in both Catholic Schools and in Parish Programs. Standards are not new to our program, and in year’s past we have made copies of each grade level packet and included them in the student’s folder. Parents should familiarize themselves with the new standards. We have provided a link on our website for your convenience.
• Altar Server, Youth Reader and Youth Usher Schedules are posted to the Ministry page.
• Youth Group meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month from 7-9:00 pm. Guests are always welcome. Please note modified schedule for January through April.

A monthly calendar is also available.