"WHY BE CATHOLIC?" Do you, your friends, or your family members have questions about the Catholic Church? Are there some teachings that you struggle to understand? Please join us for a new DVD series that answers questions Catholics and non-Catholics alike have about our faith. Dr. Ray Guarendi and Patrick Madrid provide entertaining and insightful looks into the Catholic Church's teachings on a variety of topics. The series starts Monday, October 22, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., in Room 206. There is no pre-registration or cost to attend. Please call Dave Clark at (651) 247-6861 if you have any questions or if you would like to help. Hope to see you there.

SINGLE PARENTS GROUP: Next meeting is Saturday, October 13, 10 a.m. - 12 noon. Please come and join us! We are planning a group outing to a local pumpkin patch and apple orchard for the whole family. Free childcare provided. Please call Jacqui at (651) 633-4188.

CIRCLE OF WOMEN: We invite women of all ages to  our next gathering on Thursday, October 11, 9:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. in St. Joseph Hall. Sharon Callister will be our guest speaker, and her topic is "The Three Lifelines: Faith, Attitude, and Support." Childcare is available; call Shannon in advance at (763) 780-4449 to register your children. Call Carrie at (763) 780-5160 with any questions. Bring a friend and receive a chance to win a fabulous gift card!

PLEASE NOTE: There is an error in our brochure. Please join us for a special Circle of Women Evening on Monday, October 15 (it was not October 5). Information to come.

MEN'S FELLOWSHIP meets 6:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. in St. Joseph Hall every Thursday. For more information, please visit www.sjbmen.org  or call (651) 633-5166. Open to all men who thirst for the Truth.

GETTING MARRIED:

♥ Angela House & Kieran Houlahan on Friday,  October 12, in St. John's Church.

♥ Katherine Knudsen & David Tucci on Friday,  October 12, at St. Catherine's in St. Paul.

"BELLA!" is a life affirming movie being released nationwide on Friday, October 26. Please support this superb movie that won the Toronto Film Festival's Best Picture Award and is enthusiastically recommended by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. For more information, please visit www.bellathemovie.com.

HAS YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER ever told you that a religious vocation is something of interest? How can you assist this journey of discernment? Why not have your family participate in the Traveling Chalice Program sponsored by St. John's Knights of Columbus? It has already begun, more details will follow, and, yes, the answers you seek are included in this program. Please call Brad DuPont for more information at (651) 633-6516.

ON OCTOBER 9, 10 & 11 there is MAT 8 testing for grades 3 - 8. Please do not schedule any appointments in the morning on these days.

NO CLASSES for students on Thursday & Friday, October 18/19 because of the MEA Convention.

PLEASE CONTINUE to save Campbell's Labels for Education Program; General Mills for Education Box Tops; Kemps and Land o' Lakes milk caps; and empty laser and inkjet cartridges and bring them to the School Office.  Please continue to use your Target Guest Card, too.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT will be collecting pop tabs this school year, so please have your children bring your family's tabs to school and drop them in the canister at the bottom of the stairs (lower level near the Art Room).  The tabs will then be sent to the Ronald McDonald House. Please help contribute to this fund throughout the year. Your donations are greatly appreciated.