This Christmas season, Mater Dei Catholic School is again sponsoring the “Gifting Tree” which will allow us to provide gifts to families from the Topeka community. Gift tags are placed on a Christmas tree in our main hallway. Families who would like to participate are asked to take a tag and purchase the requested item listed on the tag. Please wrap your gift and return it to the office with the tag securely attached to the outside of the package. Each tag contains a code, which helps us make sure that each gift goes to the right family. We work to insure that the cost of each requested item does not exceed $20. If you would like to participate, but do not have the time to shop, there are some tags that request a $5 donation. The money collected from these tags helps to provide a Christmas dinner for the families we adopt.

If you would like to participate, fill out the form below and return it to your child’s home-room teacher.

All gifts must be in no later than Monday, December 15, 2014.

If your family has a different Christmas tradition, then please just keep our adopted fami-lies in your prayers this Christmas season.

Thank you for the many ways that you give generously and for your continued support of Mater Dei Catholic School.

God bless you!

Andrea Hillebert

“It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you … yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand.”

Mother Teresa

THE GIFT ING TREE

PRAYER LIST

The children pray every morning for the people on our prayer list. Please

join your prayer with ours for:

Beatrice Rocha, Bryce Kalas, Kent LasKares, Krystan Dawson, Sidney White, Jim Hillebert, Rosalie Cruz, Tim Fluke, Virginia Ramos, Joe Frederick,

Wendell DeShazer, Ann Reif, Greg Grafton, Jim Johnson, Jerry Johnson, Mary Brown, Karen Mead, Aubrey Edds, Jim DeBacker, Rolenda Valdivia, Mirsina Fluke, Katie Cline, Sandy

Fluke, Pat Hanrahan, Bill Campbell, Juanita Hedges, Myra Liles, Mike LaFountaine, Kenny Sanford, Anna Chavez, Mark Meier, Aneesa Eliza-beth, Becky Shirey, and Gus Brian

Valdivia. For the repose of the soul of Morgan Duncan. For the family of Morgan Duncan. May we at Mater Dei Catholic School, work to imitate Jesus as we grow in wisdom, age, and

grace.

.

God so loved the world . . . John 3:16

Special Points of Interest:

Calendars

Partners in Faith ~ Family Advent Calendar

Christmas Giving ~ The Gifting Tree & Kindergarten Collecting for the Humane Society

Children’s Christmas Sale

Mater Dei Parish Christmas Mass Schedule

December 2014 Parent Newsletter

Website: materdeischool.org . E-mail: materdei@materdeischool.org . Facebook: Mater Dei Catholic School—Topeka

“Christ is the reason for this school. He is the unseen but ever present teacher in its classes. He is the model of its faculty and the inspiration of its students.”

MATER DEI CATHOLIC SCHOOL 934 SW Clay St.

Topeka, Kansas 66606

Phone: 233-1727

My student, _____________________________________________________, has permission to take a tag

from the Christmas Gifting Tree.

Parent’s Signature _______________________________________________________________

Please cut and return this form to homeroom teacher.

Volunteers

Children’s Christmas Sale needs volunteers to be the children’s shopping “buddy”.

Volunteers must to be Virtus trained in accordance with the Archdiocese of Kansas City.

Contact Kim Raines at KRaines@kpers.org or call 296-5233 (leave a message).

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS SALE

Thank you

Thank you for outstanding participation in the Thanksgiving Food Drive and Operation Christmas

Child.

Thank you David Wood, Shaun Miller and Cale Herreman for being our WatchD.O.G.S. during

the month of November.

Thank you for supporting Mater Dei Catholic School.

KINDERGARTEN SERVICE PROJECT

The children of want to remember our four-legged friends this Christmas. Mrs. Lorenz’s kindergarten class is collecting items for the Helping Hu-mane Society as an Advent service project. They invite the school and parish to participate. The collection will begin on Monday, December 1st and continue through Thursday, December 18th. To learn more about

HHS, visit http://hhstopeka.org.

ATTENTION - BAKERS AND CANDY MAKERS

SWEET SHOPPE AND CRAFT HOLIDAY SALE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13TH

11:00 AM TO 4:00 PM - ROSSITER HALL

Just in time for Christmas! Here is how the Sweet Shoppe works - When you come to the event you will be given a baker’s box to select a variety of delicious homemade treats and pay by the weight of your box of goodies. Crafts

will also be available for purchase.

We will need donations of candies and treats for this event. When you are baking this Christ-mas Season make some extra for our Sweet Shoppe. Have a favorite recipe, make a big

batch and share it with our parish community.

Hosted by the Mater Dei Altar Society. Ques-tions and to confirm donations, contact Carol

Prim at 845-4557.

NATIVITY OF THE LORD (HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION)

December 24th - 4:00 pm at MDA; 6:00 pm at MDHN; 10:00 pm at MDA

December 25th - 9:00 am at MDHN

MARY, MOTHER OF GOD (HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION)

December 31st - 5:30 pm at MDA; 7:00 pm MDHN

January 1st - 9:00 am at MDHN

CHANGES TO MATER DEI PARISH MANNA PROGRAM

The Finance Council has decided for administrative, financial and availability purposes, to only carry our top five sellers: Dillons Neighborhood Card (5%), HyVee (5%), Kohl’s (5%), Walgreens (5%) and Walmart (2.5%). If you need additional merchant gift cards, you can purchase them using Manna Cards from the Dillons, HyVee,

Walgreens and Walmart cards that we carry. (% we make on Manna cards noted above.)

We will continue to sell the other merchant cards that we have in stock until they run out. Not carrying all the different cards, saves the parish money since we don’t have to carry such a significant inventory. We would appreciate your

help in purchasing the merchant cards that we still have in stock.

You can purchase Manna by calling the Parish Office at 232-7744 or stopping by the Parish Office during business hours (9:00 am to 4:00 pm – Monday through Friday). We appreciate everyone’s support of the Manna

Program.

Items for the Christmas Sale

The Children’s Christmas Sale is accepting the following items (new or gently used): games, toys, CDs, DVDs, knick-knacks, gifts for men such as gloves, tools, hats, etc. We are

in need of tissue paper, bags/sacks with handles.

We are not accepting used clothing, gently used animals, nor large glass framed pictures.

Please send these items to the school office. Thank you.

8th Grade Fundraisers

December 13th & December 18th More information will be available in the

Week-at-a-Glance Newsletter.

December 8th ~ Noon Mass at MDA

will be celebrated by

Archbishop Naumann.

All are welcome to attend.

A message from Mrs. Wicker

“I'd like to thank those who brought toys and such, those families and Scouts who packed boxes and the person who donat-ed 50+ tooth brushes and tubes of tooth paste for Operation Christmas Child!!! We

delivered 36 boxes this year!”

Mrs. Wicker

Upcoming Events

Christmas Concert ~

December 9th

Confirmation Retreat -

January 10th & 11th

Confirmation ~ March 24th

Catholic School Week Kickoff ~

January 24

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 8:00 am - Gr. 1-8 Mass 7K

3 4 5 8:00 am - All School Mass 4F

6

Feast of St. Nicholas

7

8

8:00 am - Gr. 1-8 Mass 4F

Feast of the Immaculate

Conception

9 Christmas Program

Rehearsal

7:00 pm

Christmas Program

MDHN

Feast of St. Juan Diego

10

11 Spirit Day

12 8:00 am - All School Mass 3B

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

13 8th Grade Fundraiser

Sweet Shoppe and Craft Holiday Sale RH

11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Feast of St. Lucia

14

15

16

8:30 am Reconciliation Service MDHN Gr. 3-8 Children’s Christmas Sale Set-Up

17

Children’s Christmas Sale MD Gym

18

8:00 am - All School Mass 2M

End of Second Quarter

Noon Dismissal Christmas Break

begins

19 No School

Christmas Break

School of Faith for

Teachers

20

21

22

23

24

25 Christmas Day

26

27

28

29 30

31 New Year’s Eve 1 New Year Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

2

School of Faith

for Teachers

3

First Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

Fourth Sunday of Advent Christmas Break begins at noon - Thursday, December 18th. Classes resume - Monday, January 5th.

Christmas Break ~ Classes resume - Monday, January 5th.

Christmas Concert

11:00 am

Christmas Parties

11:15 am

Mater Dei Catholic School

December 2014 Calendar

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 1

grilled chicken sandwich

cooked carrots

cooked broccoli

smiles/oranges

Servers: Salma Q.; Iysis S.

2 taco salad

salsa rice

strawberries/peaches

Servers: Josulyn S.; Olivia S.

3 pizza salad corn

pears

Servers: Kayla S.; Ethan S.

4 ham

potatoes au gratin green beans

roll grapes

Servers: Erick T.; Brandon T.

5 corn dogs

ranch potato wedges raw veggies

apples

Servers: Eli W.; Ian W.

8 cheeseburger

smiles raw veggies

oranges

Servers: Laura B.; Sam C.

9 chicken alfredo

salad green beans garlic bread

peaches

Servers: Riley C.; Eric C.

10 chicken patty mash potatoes

gravy/roll green beans mixed fruit

Servers: Cade D.; Emery E.

11 sloppy joe

smiles corn

bananas

Servers: Liz E.; Tobin G.

12 mr. rib

raw veggies baked beans

tropical fruit salad

Servers: Rachel G.; Gage J.

15 teriyaki chicken

rice green beans

broccoli & carrots mandarin oranges

Servers: Aaron K.; Saige L.

16 chicken noodle soup

raw veggies crackers

cinnamon roll pears

Servers: Robert M.; Roni R.

17 deli style sandwich

raw veggies baked beans

fruit ice cream

Servers: Genna S.; Claire S.

18

No Lunch

Noon Dismissal

19

No School

School of Faith

for Teachers

22

29

23

30

24

31

25

January 1

26

January 2

January 5

nuggets and nachos green beans

salsa oranges

Servers: Nicole S.; Jessica S.

January 6

BBQ meatballs

peas/carrots buttered noodles

roll rosie applesauce

Servers: Madison T.; Sera T.

January 7

stromboli salad

cottage cheese green beans pineapple

Servers: Keith T.; Sierra V.

January 8

sloppy joe smiles corn

mixed fruit

Servers: Kanyon A.; Rosie A.

January 9

deli style sandwich raw veggies baked beans

apples

Servers: Cody C.; Jordan D.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Menu is subject to change without notice.

1/2 pint of 1% white, chocolate skim, and strawberry skim offered with each lunch.

Mater Dei Catholic School Lunch Menu

December 2014

Christmas Break ~ Classes resume - Monday, January 5th.

30Make and bless an

Advent wreath. Light the first purple candle each

night this week and reread today’s Gospel reading:

Mark 13:33-37.

1 Read together about

Elizabeth and Zechariah’s special blessing in Luke

1:5-25.

2Set up and bless your

Nativity scene, but leave out the Holy Family.

3Make cookies to bring to a nearby nursing home or

homeless shelter.

4Together, write your Christmas cards. Let older kids address the

envelopes and younger ones seal them.

5 As you purchase gifts this year, consider adding one for a struggling family in your parish. Ask at your

parish office for guidance.

6Attend Confession as a

family and have a special family dinner afterward to

celebrate forgiveness!

7Light two purple candles

in the Advent wreath each night this week.

Sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”

8In honor of Mary’s

Immaculate Conception, attend Mass and pray a family Rosary tonight.

9Take a long walk today in honor of St. Juan Diego and the long journey he took in obedience to Our

Lady.

10 YES!Read about the angel’s remarkable visit to Mary in Luke 1:26-38. Talk about ways we can also say, “yes,” to God.

11Set the Mary and Joseph figures of your Nativity set across the room from

the rest of the scene.

12To honor Our Lady of

Guadalupe, place a rose in a vase in your home and pray a “Hail Mary” whenever you pass it.

13Gather gently used

clothing and toys in like-new condition and donate

them to a homeless shelter.

14Light two purple candles and the pink one for joy.

See which of you can sing loudest at Mass today.

15Pick a Christmas card

you’ve received this week and pray for the person

who sent it.

16Move Mary and Joseph

closer to the Nativity scene. Try to imagine

what it was like to travel to Bethlehem by donkey.

17Put a lamp or electric candle in a window to

welcome the Christ child. Light it each night until

Christmas Day.

18 Send Christmas cards to your pastor, priests,

and religious or ordained ministers who are

important to your family.

19Put up your Christmas

tree but only place a few decorations each day until

Christmas Eve.

20Light a candle and sit in silence for 15 minutes.

Focus on whom it is you are waiting.

21Light all four candles in the wreath tonight. Read today’s Gospel reading,

Luke 1:26-38

22Read the Christmas story (Luke 2:1-14) and reflect on the gift of life given to

us by God.

23Place Mary and Joseph in the Nativity scene.

Add grass or straw to the manger to get it ready.

24Finish decorating your

Christmas tree and light it as a symbol of Christ,

Light of the World.

25

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

© Copyright 2014 by InFaith Publishing Group (800)366-3114 www.partnersinfaith.com l All Rights Reserved

Family Advent Calendar

Put the Baby in the manger and read the story of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:1-20.

While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because

there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:6)