Gulf Pine Catholic

16 Gulf Pine Catholic • July 5, 2024 BY TARA MELEONES I first met Libby Cornell, later to become Libby Wagner, when my daughters, Kathryn and Rhyne entered St. Thomas School. Kathryn had attended kindergarten at St. Thomas the year before and we fell in love with the school. The following year Kathryn entered first grade with Libby as a brand- new teacher. Libby navigated her first year beautifully, teach- ing the students reading, writing, and arithmetic, their prayers, and beginning preparation for First Communion….even while planning a wedding! We had fallen in love with St. Thomas School the year before, but after a few weeks with Cornell, Kathryn and her class fell in love with their teacher and enjoyed every day of their first-grade year. Libby showed her students daily that she loved them in so many ways but there could be no doubt of how much she loved them when she invited the entire class to her wedding. While it was becoming the trend to exclude chil- dren from weddings and having “adult only” events, Libby and Chuck invited the entire class, their sib- lings, and parents to celebrate their big day. This event epitomizes the big, beautiful, gentle heart of a wonderful woman and a wonderful teacher. Someone once asked my daughters the teacher that had the most impact on their lives. Both girls said that it was Libby Wagner. Libby’s gentle nature and big heart, her love for her family, and her devo- tion to her faith, her church, and her school have been an inspiration to her students and their parents, to her colleagues, and to her community. Libby Wagner Teacher serves as inspiration to students, parents, her colleagues, and her community S t . V incent de P aul E lementary S chool , L ong B each The SVD Laity Partners of Our Mother of Mercy organized a Family Day Retreat on Saturday, June 22, focusing on the concept of the Domestic Church. It was a delightful day filled with food, family, and fun, combined with insightful sessions. During the retreat, we were reminded to heed God's call, and to fulfill our responsibilities, particularly in guiding the youth, despite being raised in the Catholic faith. One of the attendees sent an email saying, “Thank you for inviting us to take part in such an enlightening event. The retreat gave me a stronger sense of community and purpose. Jamion’s talk emphasized self-reflection and empathy, while the Deacon’s insights on service and faith were truly inspiring.” We, as the Domestic Church, carry Jesus and His teachings into our homes every Sunday after Mass. The question we must ask ourselves is, how are we living out our faith? How are we passing on our faith to our spouses and children? Does our home reflect the presence of God, exuding love and kindness to others? Is it unapologetically Catholic? Let's consider what changes we can make in our lives and homes to create an environment where God is welcomed as a part of our family. O ur M other of M ercy P arish , P ass C hristian Family Retreat Day Matt Maher, Lourdes musical, diverse artists to perform at the National Eucharistic Congress BY OSV News INDIANAPOLIS ( OSV News ) -- Musical per- formers from a variety of backgrounds will invite those at the National Eucharistic Congress to faith- filled worship through song. The July 17-21 event features plenty of new Catholic music, including the twowinning compositions of theNational Eucharistic Revival Music Competition sponsored last year by the U.S. bishops. Attendees have the unique oppor- tunity in the evening July 18 to preview “Bernadette de Lourdes, the Musical,” which is coming to the U.S. in 2025 after a successful run in France. In addition to the musicians performing for the individ- ual tracks and on the main stage at the congress, the event also features two stages for performances throughout the week. These stages include artists such as Nick and Nikki Garza, a husband-and-wife duo with five children from Mesa, Arizona; Louisiana-based artist John Finch; the group Liveloud ; Louisiana musician Grae McCullough; and a local Indianapolis Mariachi group, Mariachi Sol Jalisciense . A popular bluegrass band of Dominican friars, The Hillbilly Thomists , and the New Orleans-based gospel choir, the Voices of St. Peter Claver , take the stage during the week as well. In addition to the musical performances, Giancarlo Bernini, a Catholic magician, is part of the entertain- ment for the congress. There is also a dance perfor- mance from Danza Azteca Guadalupana .