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Youth activity around the diocese
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families needed With the help of Catholic publications, several Catholic foreign exchange students found caring host families for this past school year. Adrian from Hong Kong learned to water ski and ran track and was an honor student. Lorenz from Germany went hunting with his host brother and attended Catholic schools. Aksinja from Italy learned to dance and said she loved her Catholic host family. Rafael from Germany learned to play baseball. Sebastian from Ecuador played soccer all the time and loved his host family. Daisy from Hong Kong joined her sister’s Girl Scout troop. All attended Mass with their host families. Many eager Catholic students are awaiting a volunteer host family for this August. Students speak English, have their own insurance and spending money, and a culture to share with their host family. The host family provides a separate bed, food, and parish. Local experienced coordinators help with the program, overseeing and monitoring. For information, call 1-800-296-ERDT or check out on the website at www.erdtcentral .org. Active Catholic youth from many nations have applied and are waiting.
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Local boys learn about seminary life, vocation
Luke Yearout, Matt Stacey and James Hutfles recently attended "Companion 2006" at Conception Seminary. The boys spent three days learning about seminary life, vocation, and their faith. There was also time for the "Wacky Olympics." Three seventh grade boys from the Diocese of Dodge City recently spent three days at Conception Seminary in Conception Mo., for "Companion 2006," a camp for boys entering the 6th, 7th, or 8th grades. Luke Yearout of Lake City, Matt Stacey of Kiowa, and James Hutfles of Sharon, were among nearly 50 young boys from across several states who attended the weekend to take a closer look at seminary life, and to explore their own vocation. "I thought the trip looked like it would be fun," Yearout, 12, said. "We played games and did a lot of praying. It was pretty cool. Being there really made me think more about [the priesthood]." Stacey, 12, said that the thought of becoming a priest had been in the back of his mind, and he thought the trip might be beneficial. And beneficial it was. When asked his favorite part of the trip, he replied, "Probably all of it, because when we got there the first thing we did was go straight to a prayer service. We prayed about five times a day, for the three days we were there. The first night we prayed the entire Rosary." Their team leader was seminarian Todd Nance, who took time on the third day to talk about what it is to be a seminarian, and a future priest. "They can be kind of crazy sometimes," Stacey said with a chuckle. "They’re a lot of fun to be around. I’ve thought a lot about it, and I kind of considered [entering into the priesthood] a little before, and now that feeling is a lot stronger." When asked how he enjoyed the trip, Hutfles replied enthusiastically, "It was fantastic. It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot of things." He said that the idea of becoming a priest had crossed his mind a few times prior to the weekend, and that since his experience he has "thought about it a lot more." "The seminarians were nice," he added. "They told us that it’s something that they like to do, that they enjoy." The weekend also included the "Wacky Olympics," in which, among other competitions, the boys had to "build cardboard boats and paddle them across the pool," Stacey said. "Ours didn’t win, but it was a lot of fun." When asked if it was a worthwhile event, Yearout replied, "Yeah, I would encourage other youth to attend."
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LaCrosse student takes first in
state KofC poster contest
Miranda Seidel (center), of LaCrosse Elementary School, was chosen as the state winner of the Age 8-11 Division of the Alcohol Awareness and Abuse Poster Contest. She was sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council #2970 of LaCrosse. Her poster was chosen as the winner of the local council contest, the District #47 winner and finally the State Winner. Miranda’s poster has been sent to New Haven, CT where it will be judged on the International level. Pictured with Miranda are Mary Beth Peach, Health and Physical Education Instructor at the LaCrosse Elementary School, who oversees the students’ drawing and completion of the posters, and Benny Viegra, local contest coordinator for the Knights of Columbus.
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