Gehlen opens Catholic Schools Week with special Mass

The week will celebrate the life-long impact of a Catholic education.

Catholic Schools Week is observed Jan 31 through Feb. 6 and is celebrated by the National Catholic Education Association and schools throughout the Diocese of Sioux City.

Bishop R. Walker Nickless will preside at Monday's Mass, which will be concelebrated by 25 former and current priests who have served at Gehlen Catholic.

Four generations of the LeRoy ('47) and Vi (Langel, '50) Kellen family will present gifts to Bishop Nickless during the Mass.

Following Mass, the public is invited to a reception for the bishop and priests in the Kolker Library and Media Center.

The school community has several other special events planned for the week.

On Wednesday, Diocesan Superintendent Dan Ryan will share his thoughts and vision for Catholic education during the 9:30 a.m. Chamber Coffee and the Peter Gehlen Society Luncheon at noon. Three Gehlen Catholic staff members, fifth and sixth grade teacher Kathy Neary; K-8 physical education teacher Steve Shea; and librarian Pat Beitelspacher, will be honored during the week for their 25-plus years of service.

The traditional Thursday Family Picnic will have more familiar faces this year.

By request, the Family Picnic has been expanded to include "empty nesters." The noon lunch will allow the entire Gehlen Catholic family to join together for food and fellowship in both gyms at the school.

"I have always held, and continue to hold, the conviction that Catholic Schools are a tremendous gift and opportunity in passing on our Catholic faith and traditions to our children. Catholic schools provide a values-based education that emphasizes intellectual, spiritual, moral, physical and social values in our students," said Gehlen Catholic President, the Rev. Kevin Richter, a graduate of Spalding Catholic School. "Catholic schools have a far-reaching impact on shaping the world, whether it is through our student's support of our parishes, community, local and international missions to our alumni's chosen ministries years after their graduation."

Richter invites the entire community to join in all this year's Catholic Schools Week activities. They include:

* Sunday, Jan. 31

A Mass thank you

4-7 p.m. - GCAA Spaghetti Dinner, Gehlen cafeteria

* Monday, Feb. 1

8:45 a.m. - Catholic School Week Liturgy - gym

Presiding: Bishop R. Walker Nickless; concelebrants: former and current Gehlen Catholic priests

9:45 a.m. - Public reception for Bishop Nickless and priests - library

* Tuesday, Feb. 2

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day

TEAM lunch for Faculty/Staff & VIPS cover recess and lunchroom duties with casual dress for faculty/staff

* Wednesday, Feb. 3

9:30 a.m. - Chamber of Commerce Coffee - library

Guest: Diocesan Superintendent Dan Ryan

Noon - Peter Gehlen Society Luncheon; Guest: Diocesan Superintendent Dan Ryan

* Thursday, Feb. 4

Noon-12:45 p.m. - 12th Annual CSW Family Picnic, both gyms

All Gehlen Catholic Empty Nesters invited to attend

Cooks' Day Off

* Friday, Feb. 5

Student Appreciation Day

8 a.m. - Faculty Prayer - Chapel

8:45 a.m. - Student Blessing - Gym

Free Jeans Day with various student activities

* Saturday, February 6

"Dividends for Life"

8 a.m. - GCAA Can Drive

State Large Group Speech Contest

The year 2010 marks the 37th celebration of Catholic Schools Week, a joint project of the National Catholic Education Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Gehlen Catholic School is proud to be one of 28 schools in the Diocese of Sioux City and 7,378 Catholic Schools in the United States dedicated to educating and preparing students for a Christian life.