Lieutenant Colonel Echert
(as a Captain in this photo)
Dear AOTM members:
Greetings from the self-declared Pope of South St. Paul, or at least Pastor of two parishes!
Though I am not anxious for the summer to end I am eager for another season of the AOTM. Our numbers have steadily grown and yet the quality and quantity of the food has not suffered in the least. So, too, our presentations have been excellent and well received, with a few good arguments here and there. If you are looking for another faith-filled activity to participate in, consider the "Called By Faith" Catholic Bible study program that meets most Thursday evenings, at Holy Trinity Parish.
This year we will be studying the Gospel of Saint Matthew, with video lectures by Father John Echert, some excellent study notes, and some group discussion. "Called By Faith" is a program home-grown here in South St. Paul and it has proved popular and fruitful for many folks from across the Twin Cities area. And if your wives are complaining that they cannot participate in AOTM, they are welcome to the CBF Bible series, so this may get you off the hook at home and out of an argument.
See you in September, if not before!
Father Echert
8 comments:
Prayers for a full recovery for Father Echert!! Get well Father!
Just a bit more about the bible study, which is wonderful.
The Called By Faith program meets Thursday mornings beginning September 6 for women only, from 9:45am to 11:45 am. If you have small children, there are two children's classes available: one for 2-3 year olds and another for 4-5 year olds. Cost is $60. If you have children in the children's program, the cost for all your children is $30 total (not each).
Father Echert will give a lecture each week and then you are broken into groups for discussion of the assigned "homework," (they will be using material from Catholic Scripture Studies, check their website for an outline of the Gospel of Matthew study).
The evening program is open to all and is a repeat of the morning session.
For more information, call Joan at 651.426.8501 or CalledByFaith@comcast.net
Or, if you are ready to sign up, send your check to:
St. Augustine - CBF
749 - 6th Avenue South
South Saint Paul, MN 55075
swissmiss: I think registration for that series is closed already. I think it closed on August 10th. I had picked up a registration card for it but missed the closing date because I got distracted. I would not have been able to do that day session anyway.
There is an evening co-ed series as well. I think that one is Wednesday nights. That registration also closed on August 10th.
If you hear that they are still enrolling people, that would be good to know.
Fr. Echert is a great teacher/good speaker as well as a very funny guy.
The other thing about Echert is that he is completely normal - a man's man type of guy - there is absolutely no guile in him.
Fr. Serba told me on Saturday that Fr. was not seriously injured - thank God - although this isn't his first mishap on the bike. Did you know he tucks his cassock up under his leather jacket when he rides? - he wears jeans under the cassock of course.
I sense the need for a blog post on the crisis in Catholic adult education in the Archdiocese.
The Men's Seminar with Father Corapi last Lent also filled up over a month before the scheduled date.
It seems to be that many more good speakers and parishes are in demand for performing the Work of Mercy of Teaching the Ignorant (or something like that).
I'm not sure about the Bible Study being full as, in the past, they have allowed folks to come to the study and register at that time and allowed people to register throughout the study at the first meeting of the month. If people are seriously interested, contact Joan to find out. They would like people to register early to know how many studies to purchase. The evening session is co-ed and meets on Thursdays too, watching the video of Father created during the morning session with the ladies group. Same format, just that the lecture isn't live.
Also, Jeff Cavins has some really good studies going on around the Twin Cities. Check his website for the details.
Thanks, swissmiss. I think I'd prefer a live talk in the evening, though I totally understand the reasons for not doing the material live twice.
Did you know that Father has a beagle named Buddy?
I'm just throwing that out since Terry is trying to start a Fr. Echert trivia contest!
As an added bonus question: What priest did Ray speak with when he visited So. St. Paul on Holy Saturday 2007?
(No, Ray, I'm NEVER going to let you forget it) :-)
Criminently, Cathy!
Just because I went to the wrong church for your Confirmation, that doesn't mean that I always am confused about such things.
Father Pedersen at St Augustine's is the quite tall, thin, balding blond priest, right? Generally wears shorts and a tee-shirt around the parish? That's who told me about Father E's promotion.
I'm completely confused. Is there a priest in SSP that is blond and tall and thin? I must need glasses.
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