This past Wednesday eight St. Mary's students received mandation from Archbishop George Lucas to be Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. To become an EMHC one must have a great respect and reverence for the Holy Eucharist, a desire to be a person of service in the Church, and a willingness to grow in the deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Those who were mandated are Miranda Pribil, Tayler Kelly, Sarah Vandersnick, Ella Spencer, Luke Loecker, Alex Fuhrer, Tait Sibbel, and Tyler Timmerman.

11.    Our Lady, Queen of Victory - Before every athletic event game St. Mary's athletes call on Mary for her powerful intercession.

12.    Sportsmanship - It is not unheard of for a referee to come to the sidelines and tell coaches they should be proud of St. Mary's students and the way they act on the field or court.

13.    Do More with Less - Because every penny counts at St. Mary's we do our best to make sure we use every gift we receive to its fullest potential.

14.    Family - At St. Mary's there's definitely a sense of being part of a larger family. There are so many people who pull together to make things happen that's it's hard not to feel united by a strong family bond.

15.    This Place Runs on Faith - There's no other way to explain how this place keeps going. It has been running on the faith of dedicated individuals and families for over 110 years. It's simply amazing.

16.    Anonymous Volunteers - Every once and a while you'll see someone doing something for the school, not because anyone told them to do it or because they want the credit, but because they love this place and are proud to support it.

17.    The School is More than a Building - Maybe St. Mary's doesn't have the bestandmostexpensivefacilities,buttheschoolismorethanabuilding. This school is about forming students in the image of Jesus Christ through the hands of Mary - something that the most money in the world can't buy.

18.    Alumni - We love our alumni and love it when they come home. Because of St. Mary's supportive alumni, this school knows it stands on a solid foundation.

19.    Service - The students and staff strive to imitate Jesus Christ who came to serve, not to be served. Service is not just taught; it's practiced.

20.    Appreciation - During the first weeks of school it's not hard to find last year's senior class come back to say goodbye and thank you before they leave for college.

Brought to you by Project 110 Tell us why you love St. Mary’s.    Email: klgtomjack@gmail.com

Lincoln, Neb., Aug 26, 2010 / 08:24 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Hoping to win funding for a new and much needed kitchen, Pius X High School in Lincoln, Nebraska is competing in a department store's national contest for a $500,000 cash prize.

Pius X High School, as of today, is the leading Catholic school in the nation competing in the Kohl's Cares online voting contest on Facebook. 

“The company is donating $500,000 to 20 schools nationwide who receive the most votes,” explained Pius X development director Michelle Birkel in an e-mail to CNA.

The high school is currently listed as being in 12th place, with the voting ending on Sept. 3. Birkel noted that the school is “working really hard” to spread the word.

“We are in great need of a new kitchen,” Birkel said. “For years, the food services have been housed across the parking lot and the lunch workers have to cart it across the parking lot,” she continued, adding that the “harsh” Nebraska winters make the situation more challenging. Adding to the problem, the building that houses the food services “is slated to be torn down.” 
 
“Several schools in the lead have banded together and are getting nationwide if not worldwide coverage asking their faith community to vote, and they are zooming up,” the development director added. “We desperately need our own Catholic faith community around the country and even worldwide to help us.”

“It's free,” Birkel said, noting that anyone with a Facebook account “can give us 5 votes.”

Pius X High School is one of two Catholic schools listed in the top 20, and there are reportedly five Catholic schools nationwide in the top 100. 

“Voters can cast up to 20 votes, with a 5 vote maximum for each school,” Birkel said. “Wouldn't it be wonderful if your readers can lift up all of the Catholic schools in the top 100?”

Vote Here

Another great thing to love about St. Mary's is the inspiring community involvement.  This summer saw countless hours of volunteer work, donations from alumni and parishioners, and a tireless spirit to make St. Mary's great.  Thank you to all who give us one more reason to love St. Mary's.

This year St. Mary's is celebrating her 110th year of serving O'Neill and the surrounding communities.  As an ongoing project throughout the year, we will be making a list of 110 reasons to love St. Mary's.  Have any suggestions?  Just leave us a comment below.

1. Prayer - We start and end our days in prayer and through it learn to develop a personal relationship with God.
2. Jesus Christ - He is the reason for our school.
3. Mass - It's not just a part of the week, but the heart of who we are.
4. Priests - We have the rare privelege of having two priests not only involved in every aspect of the school but also as part of the faculty.
5. Teachers - Our teachers are passionate about what they do.
6. Retreats - All 7-12th grade students have the opportunity to take a break from activities and enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
7. Parents - Our parents are extremely involved in not only the development of their children, but in the development of the school.
8. Affordable Tuition - We have the lowest tuition in the Archdiocese of Omaha.
9. Small Class Size - Teachers are able to give more attention to individual students.
10. 110 Years - One the of oldest private institutions in Holt County still in operation...with no plans of shutting down.