Pentecost is next Sunday, May 27.  Wear red for pentecost.

Join Father Jim Starbuck, noted retreat and spiritual director, and your fellow Catholics on a pilgrimage to Italy.  We will see many religious and historical sights, and the highlight of our visit to Rome will be an audience His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

In addition, we will visit the principal churches of Rome, the Vatican Museum, the Coliseum, and other famous sights.  A special feature of our pilgrimage will be an all-day excursion to Assisi, the home of St. Francis.  

The 8-day trip, October 29-November 5, 2012, departs from Chicago and the cost is $2651 per person.  For further information or to request a brochure call 319-429-4292 or 319-266-5942.

The Queen of Saints office will be closed on Monday, May 28 in observance of Memorial Day.  Have a safe holiday weekend!

On Friday June 1, 2012 at the Vinton-Shellsburg High School Track in Vinton, luminaries will be lit at dusk in memory and honor of family and friends who have battled cancer.  Choose to recognize a loved one or friend and help support the American Cancer Society by purchasing a luminary.  Forms can be found at bank, telephone office & library.  Any questions, please call Sally Donald at 228-8148.

The Van Horne Rec Board will be having their annual can drive on Saturday, June 2 from 8 am - 10 am at the Van Horne Fire Station.  Please separate the cans and bottles for sanitary reasons.  If you are unable to take your cans and bottles to the Fire Station, leave them on the curb by 8 am for pick up or contact Mike Chambers at 228-8683.

Join together in worship, praise, evangelism and love with Bobby Colquhoun and MercyMe on July 13, 2012 at Veteran's Memorial Stadium.  Tickets are on sale at www.PraiseInTheParkIowa.org.

After taking a course at Mercy Medical Center for “Parish Nursing”, Jean Ohlen, RN, (454-6370) is available at St. John’s for assistance with health, caretaker, or placement issues and life decisions.  She can make assessments of health and offer emotional and other support in management of disease and illness.

In home assistance needed for elderly  (90) female, physically healthy, who needs to have minimal eve/night assistance.   This is not a volunteer,  but a paying position:  Background check may be needed. 7 PM to 7 AM, four to seven days a week. Prefer: Assistance from someone of female gender, age 25 and over, trustworthy. Call 319-454-6370 leave a message.

Interested in joining an excellent Catholic singles organization?  The Catholic Alumni Club International is looking to expand into the Dubuque diocese.  We provide a group dedicated to social, cultural, civic and spiritual relationships in a Catholic setting. For more information, please check out the following site or contact Steve at valksr@yahoo.com:  www.caci.org

The updated history of the Archdiocese of Dubuque has been compiled for the 175th Anniversary.  It is available for $25.

In the preface to the book, Archbishop Jerome Hanus, O.S.B. states, "Today's Archdiocese is a living monument to the people who began coming to Iowa in the 1830's, whose numbers swelled, especially in the second half of the nineteenth century and who have given us the stable religious community familiar to all throughout the twentieth century.  Knowledge of this history, and of the trials and successes, should give us confidence in the present and hope for the future."

This hard cover book published by Editions du Signe of France with 332 pages on glossy paper and full color throughout, would make a wonderful gift.  In addition to recapping and updating the archdiocesan history, a large portion of the book is devoted to the parishes of the archdiocese where Catholics live their faith.  There is also a condensed history in comic book style.

To purchase a hard cover book for $25 or the comic book for $5, please call the cluster office at (319) 228-8131 or email us at queenofsaints@netins.net.  If you would like this shipped to you, please add $15 per book to the cost.

Catholic Charities has hired two mental health counselors to work in the Cedar Rapids Office.Maria Cahalan is a licensed marriage and family therapist counselor and is returning to Catholic Charities. Maria provided counseling services in Cedar Rapids between 1998 and 2005. She returns to the Cedar Rapids office at 1430 Second Avenue SE on a part time basis and is available on Monday evenings. She is experienced with marriage and family issues as well as individual concerns such as anxiety and depression. To make an appointment, call 319-364-7121.Rev. Blair A'Hearn is currently a graduate student at UNI in the mental health counseling program. He has completed all of his coursework and will be completing his year-long internship with Catholic Charities working approximately 10-20 hours a week. He will be available for appointments on Mondays and Thursdays. Blair is an Associate Pastor with Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Marion. Blair also has a Master's of Divinity from Wartburg.

A rosary meditation for the homebound, sick, and dying is now available. Titled "Sit with Me", it is a beautiful recitation of the Rosary that includes all 20 mysteries. Pray the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries and experience meditative and scriptural reflections focused on bringing comfort and grace. The prayers are not just for the sick and dying, but all who need healing.  It is led by Archbishop Hanus. Comments have included "This rosary has such meaning for each decade and keeps you attentive throughout" and "Especially good for the elderly. It is so clear and easy to understand."  This makes a wonderful Christmas gift for family and staff members.   Cost is $5 per set.  Contact the Queen of Saints office to order 319-228-8131.

If you or someone you know has children with no health and dental coverage, encourage them to consider enrolling in hawk-i or Medicaid.  There two programs are offered by the State of Iowa.

There are as many as 27,000 children in Iowa without health and dental coverage.  There are many families who are eligible for these programs but they are either unaware of the programs or assume they earn too much money to qualify.  However, a family of three earning  $54,000 or more may be eligible.  Many families are cutting back expenses in these challenging economic times.  Health and dental coverage for children is too important.  No family will pay more than $40 per month for coverage in hawk-i. 

Signing your children up for health and dental coverage in Iowa for as low as $20 to $40 per month and some families pay nothing at all!  Our goal is to help the children get the health and dental coverage they need. For complete eligibility requirements, application, and answers to your questions, visit www.hawk-i.org or call 1-800-257-8563 or contact the cluster office at 228-8131.

Often, major problems can be avoided by early intervention, by finding new ways of dealing with daily problems before they become a crisis. Through counseling, individuals, couples and families learn to work out their problems and have a better chance of staying emotionally healthy. Counseling services are provided, regardless of religion, race or financial status. Individual counseling is available, as well as marriage and family counseling.

For further information or for an appointment, contact one of the following sites:

Ames, 515-296-2759

Dubuque, 563-588-0558, 556-2580

Cedar Rapids, 319-364-7121

Mason City, 541-424-9683

Decorah, 800-772-2758

Waterloo, 319-272-2080

Also check their website: www.charitiesdbq.com

Do you need to go to a doctor or go for medical tests? Benton County Volunteer Program has volunteers available to assist you with Medical Transportation. Grant money is available to help defray the cost of your trip. Please call our office for more information: Belle Plaine-319-434-6078 or Vinton 319-472-2830.