Our SIS ministry began in 2004, as we led Emmaus Retreats for the women of St. Clare.

1/31/26

Dear friends,

   As we finish up Catholic Schools Week, we can feel very proud of our St. Clare School: Grades 1-8, which is serving some 232 students this year and  and our St. Clare Daycare and Preschool, with its 80 youngsters.  It is good to know that we support these valuable and effective programs for over 300 children in the Portland area.

    Deacon Bill's subject this week is the Beatitudes. It's worth reviewing just what Jesus listed as the blessed ways to live our lives.

   This Thursday, Feb. 5, from 5:30 to 7 pm. will be our Dinner Talk #3.  This one is on Evangelization and our speaker is our own Fr. Don Guttmann.  

   On  February 7 we will be able to say a loving farewell to our longtime friend (over 60 years as a St. Clare's parishioner) Dr. Martin Lees. His funeral will be at 11 a.m., Saturday morning and our hearts are with his wife Betty and all the family.  

    Eucharistic Adoration will be in the church Saturday, Feb. 7,  afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m.  Benediction at 3:45 pm.  

    Saturday evening the 7th will be the St. Clare Italian Dinner. There are two servings available--4 p.m. and 6 p.m.--and it is also possible to order take-out meals.  See bulletin for information on purchasing tickets. RSVPs are needed by Monday--This Monday, Feb 2.  

    Lenten discussion groups will begin on Sunday, February 15 (Ash Wednesday is the 18th.)  The book under discussion will be Made for Heaven by Fr. Agostino Torres, CFR. Signup sheets are available near all the church doors.

   The ACTS Retreat for Women will be March 12-15 (Thursday to Sunday). Registration is open.   See Bulletin

   St. Vincent de Paul especially needs: cleaning and hygiene products: shampoo, dishwashing soap and laundry detergent.  Also vegetable cooking oils.

    Registration is now open for Camp Howard in case you have some eager young campers.

Evelyn Underhill was a British "Anglo-Catholic" writer. This prayer of hers, I think, can help us look at how we're doing in our efforts to live the Beatitudes:  O Lord, penetrate those murky corners where we hide memories and tendencies on which we do not care to look, that you may purify and transmute them.  The persistent buried grudge; the  bitterness of that loss we have not turned into sacrifice; the private comfort we cling to; the secret fear of failure which saps our initiative and is really inverted pride. O Lord, we bring all these to you, and we review them in your steadfast light. Amen.

Blessings  on your start into the second month of our New Year. May it be a blessed week for you and for your dear ones.

Sheila Cullen