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Picturing God’s gifts

Dave Borowski | Catholic Herald

Oblate Sr. Susan Louise Eder (left), principal of Holy Cross Academy in Fredericksburg; Fr. Donald J. Rooney, pastor of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church; Aristides Lucas, director of religious education; and Karen Sturtevant, assistant director of religious education discuss the parish religious education effort at the Fredericksburg church.

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Photos of Holy Cross Academy students and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception religious education students are taped to the wall of the Fredericksburg church.

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Fr. Donald J. Rooney, pastor, tapes a student’s photo to the wall of the St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception sanctuary Jan. 14.

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If you’ve visited St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Church in Fredericksburg recently, you saw the photos of
children taped to paper and fastened to the brick walls of
the church’s sanctuary. Beneath each photo are printed words
like “craftsmanship,” “music,” “leadership” and “mercy.”

Father Donald J. Rooney, pastor, refers to the walls as
“living stones.” The wall of photos is a dramatic expression
of the parish’s commitment to its “year of favor,” an effort
to discern how the Holy Spirit is calling parishioners to be
the church.

Father Rooney said that 36 percent of the 5,200 families in
the parish has been there five years or less. This transiency
makes commitment difficult.

Father Rooney said the children’s gallery is part of the
parish’s “Given in Love, Called in Love” theme for 2014-15.
Each parishioner has a gift, given by God and waiting to be
activated said Father Rooney. He said it’s a call to
stewardship and service.

Father Rooney shared the theme in a handbook given to all
parishioners in August 2014. He wrote bout God’s gifts and
said that one thing is certain – God is calling.

“For most of us, we just need to pay closer attention,” wrote
Father Rooney. “Others may have a great awakening as we get
to know ourselves better, and in so doing, realize deeper
relationships with God and our parish family.”

A commitment card accompanied the handbook, and Father Rooney
asked that parishioners fill out the card and return it on
Commitment Sunday last September.

The student photo project was completed for Family Week
celebrations Jan. 5-8. Students from Holy Cross Academy in
Fredericksburg and children in the parish’s religious
education program were asked to write down which of God’s
gifts they are most thankful for.

Parents of the religious education students came to class
with their children during Family Week and toured the gallery
of photos.

Father Rooney said the week was also a way to help promote
vocations to the religious life. Since Pope Francis declared
the period from the first Sunday of Advent Nov. 30, 2014, to
the World Day of the Consecrated Life Feb. 2, 2016, as the
Year of the Consecrated Life, Family Week activities included
a vocational slide presentation.

Family Week was a continuation of the call for commitment
extended to students. Father Rooney said feedback was
positive. One student said about his photo on the church
wall, “I have a place in this church.”

Father Rooney said that the photos will stay up through
February. When the pictures are there, Father Rooney laughed,
“They come to church more.”

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