From the Associate…
WISDOM FROM THE DESERT

     Lent is a forty-day retreat, a going out into the desert with Christ, a stripping from ourselves all that is not of God.  The surprising secret of the Christ's Kingdom is that this desert, made up of our fasting and repentance and self-denial and good works, is the way to happiness, peace and fulfillment.  Our Lord wants abundant life for us, and is in the process of giving it to us.  But, wise physician, he knows that the way to gain this bursting life is through the death of crucifixion.  He leads us by the hand along this royal road to the kingdom of Heaven, encouraging us as we go by his words and his presence.  So the wise Christian embraces Lent as a joyful time: not something to be "gotten through" but rather a time of sowing the seeds of life and blessing.   
     The greatest spiritual movement in the church began in the third century, when men and women, inspired by this vision, went out literally into the desert, there to pursue the beauty of God freed from all distractions.  This was the      beginning of the monastic movement, out of which has come almost the whole tradition of Catholic religious life.  The Desert Fathers, as those early pioneers were called, left behind them a wealth of homespun wisdom about the spiritual life.  The first of them, the one who first inspired the movement by his holy life, was the great St. Anthony of the Desert.  Let's take a look at some of his sayings during this time of our own Lenten desert sojourn:   
     Abba Anthony said to Abba Poemen, "This is the great work of a man: always to take the blame for his own sins before God and to expect temptation to his last breath."

     He also said, "Whoever has not experienced temptation cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven."  He even added, "Without temptations no one can be saved."

     Abba Anthony said, "I saw all the snares that the enemy spreads out over the world and I said groaning, What can get through from such snares?  Then I heard a voice saying to me, 'Humility.'"

     He also said, "Our life and our death is with our neighbor.  If we gain our brother, we have gained God, but if we scandalize our brother, we have sinned against Christ."

     The brothers praised a monk before Abba Anthony.  When the monk came to see him, Anthony wanted to know how he would bear insults; and seeing that he could not bear them at all, he said to him, "Your are like a village magnificently decorated on the outside, but destroyed from within by robbers."   

     Abba Anthony said, "A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him saying, "You are mad, you are not like us."

     He also said, "Obedience with abstinence gives men power over wild beasts."

     Abba Anthony said, "Always have the fear of God before your eyes.  Remember him who gives death and life. . . Hate all peace that comes from the flesh.  Renounce this life that you may be alive to God."

     He also said, "I no longer fear God, but I love Him.  For love casts out fear."

School News…
ST. JOHN PROBLEM SOLVERS! 
     On Thursday, March 13, 2003, the 6th graders at St. John the Baptist School in New Brighton, hosted the 3rd Annual Invention  Convention.  The Students spent several weeks doing research on a problem to solve using the scientific method.  Requirements for this project were to keep a detailed log book, do research, including the internet, do a bibliography, build, test, and experiment with a real invention.  The students needed to show how their invention is useful to society.  The following received awards:  Alicia Dietsche, Jackie Meyer, Kate Valind, Ashley VanDanacker.
      There are NO CLASSES March 24-28 because of Spring Break.
     Friday, April 4, there is early dismissal at 12:25.  The PM Kindergarten class attends in the morning.  There are NO CLASSES for the AM Kindergarten class. 
     MAT 8 testing for Grade 1-7 on April 8, 9 and 10.  Please do not schedule appointments on these days. 
     Circle April 24 and 25 on your calendar.  Parent-teacher conferences are 8:00am-7:00pm on Thursday, April 24 and 8:00am-1:30pm on Friday, April 25.  Kindergarten conferences are also on Wednesday, April 23, 9:00am- 7:00pm.

Youth Newz…
ODYSSEY-  Odyssey (Jr. High Faith Formation) will not meet March 26 because of spring break in the school       district.  Odyssey will meet again April 2 at 5:00 and 6:30 pm.    JHL will also meet April 2 from 7:30-9:00.
ADULT VOLUNTEERS are needed to chaperone 7th and 8th graders at JHL (Jr. High Live) on Wednesdays, April 2, 9, and 23 from 7:30-9:00 pm.  Having at least three adult volunteers each week allows the jr. high participants more freedom to use the gym and the youth room.  Please call Kathy Udvig (763) 754-7666to volunteer.
SERVICE CLUB IV will meet Thursday, April 3, 4:30-7:30. Contact Kate Roush if you have questions.  (763) 754-7666.
CONFIRMATION- The next confirmation session is    Sunday, March 30, 7:15-8:30.