My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Fr Reiser has completed the third Icon of Christ in  Glory with all the Saints and will be unveiling it on  November 1st at the 5pm Mass at St John Vianney.  November 1st is also All Saints Day – what   fitting day to unveil and bless the Icon especially on  the day we celebrate all the Saints in our lives.  Christ in Glory with all the Saints was initiated by Fr Reiser as a Capital Campaign for St John Vianney to help pay off the three million loan that was incurred for the renovation of our Church and the building of the  Narthex, Social Hall and Parish Offices in 2003.  Thanks to your generosity, our current debt is down to $780,000.

In this weekend’s Bulletin, we are publishing the Financial Reports for the fiscal year of July 1st 2024 to June 30th 2025.  While we are a Family of Parishes and have some shared resources, each of our Parishes are responsible for its own finances.  I would like to thank you for your generosity and dedication to our Family of Parishes. Your support makes It possible for us to do the good work we do every day.

We will be soon sending an appeal letter inviting your continued generosity to support our Parish priorities.

The Nebraska Department of Education, on October 6th, recognized seven schools in Nebraska as Blue Ribbon Schools. A prestigious designation awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.  Mary Our Queen Catholic School was one of the seven schools to be recognized as a 2025 Blue Ribbon School. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is one of the highest honors a school in the United States can receive, recognizing overall academic excellence or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

The Blue Ribbon recognition underscores the collective work of faculty and staff in fostering a rigorous academic environment. Mary Our Queen was recognized in the Exemplary High Performing School category, marking it as one of the state’s top schools in overall achievement.

Blue Ribbon Schools are recognized for data-driven instruction, effective teaching methods, professional development, and strong collaboration between educators, families, and communities. The program highlights schools that serve as models of innovation and effectiveness nationwide.

The Nebraska Commission of Education will be visiting Mary Our Queen on Wednesday October 29 to officially present this honor to Mary Our Queen Catholic School.

As Pastor, it is a tremendous privilege to be part of this honor that began 60 years ago since the founding of our School.  Not only does this honor belong to the hard work and dedication of the teachers and staff of Mary Our Queen but it also belongs to all who laid the foundation to shaping our School into the wonderful School we are today.  Congratulations are in order.

We have prepared a Faith Formation Guide for our Family of Parishes. The idea of providing this guide is for you to reflect on your own personal faith journey in light of the opportunities that are offered here in our Family of Parishes.  This Faith Formation Guide will be available on our website and in the narthex of our Family of Parishes.

Blessed week ahead,

Fr Marc