Sorrow and Joy
Dear Mater Dei Community,
The beginning of Advent has been marked with sorrow by the sudden death of our holy and beloved Bishop Paul Sirba. He was a mentor, friend and spiritual father to so many. A faithful shepherd to us all. Though we mourn our loss, the Lord's own words give us perspective. In the Gospel reading at Bishop's funeral Mass today He says:
"Amen, amen I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." John 12:24
Surely we are already beginning to see the fruit produced by the life (and death) of this holy man. We will have a powerful intercessor in heaven for Mater Dei Apostolate going forward. Fiat voluntas tua (Thy will be done - Bishop Sirba's motto). May he and all the souls of the faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amidst the sorrow, we have joyful news to share about the past month. In particular, we are blessed by the addition of a Dean of Students for Mater Dei Apostolate. God continues to provide. Have a blessed Advent.
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Ad Jesum Per Mariam
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
Day-to-day at Mater Dei
It has been a joy to see the growth among the students over the past three months. They have been working hard to excel in our hybrid education model which requires independence and organization. We offered a study skills seminar for the students and will continue to work with them one-on-one as they develop these skills. They are well on their way to being prepared for college and adulthood.
Parents had the opportunity to meet with instructors for conferences which was an important milestone for everyone. Seeing the genuine care and concern that the instructors have for each student is heartwarming and encouraging. Relationships are deepening as we build up our Mater Dei family.
We continue to face new challenges with code requirements for the education center. Our new deadline is to be finished with the required updates by January. Good things are worth waiting for. Please join us in praying for a smooth end to the process.
Dean of Students
We are excited to announce that we have an addition to our team at Mater Dei Apostolate, Mr. Chris Lemke. Chris will be joining us next semester as our Dean of Students. As Dean he will be responsible for maintaining a positive, orderly and supportive student culture and learning environment in accordance with Christian principals and Catholic intellectual tradition. He will be a mentor and guide for the students. Full job description for our Dean of Students can be found here. In addition, Chris has experience in business, finance and entrepreneurship. It is truly providential the way he has become a part of Mater Dei. His fiat will bring immense blessings to the apostolate. Welcome Chris!
Mr. Chris Lemke
Dean of Students
Chris received his MBA as well as his undergraduate business degree with majors in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from the University of St. Thomas. Out of college, Chris worked with early stage businesses at the Graduate school in the Center for Entrepreneurship and eventually started several businesses of his own. While raising his three children, Chris discovered his love for teaching and coaching youth and was the DRE at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Two Harbors where he also served for many years as a catechist primarily with confirmation classes. In addition, Chris was the head girls basketball and softball coach at Two Harbors High School for the last seven years where he taught business and computer classes and advised the Two Harbors Chapter DECA club.