(Contributed photo)
Students at St. Luke School in Plain kicked off Catholic Schools Week with ‘Bingo with the Bishop.’ The afternoon began with Bishop Donald J. Hying celebrating Mass at 12:30 p.m. During his homily, Bishop Hying spoke about the beauty of St. Luke’s church, which was built by the ancestors of some of the school students. Bishop Hying pointed out depictions of Jesus’ life in the stained-glass windows and Stations of the Cross, and spoke about how we find the presence of God and Jesus in church. He also shared stories from his own childhood and early family life.
After Mass, students headed to the church basement to play “Bingo with the Bishop.” Bishop Hying took on the role of the caller, reading out the Bingo letters and numbers.
After a few games, Parochial Administrator Fr. Luke Syse took over the role of caller, with Bishop Hying randomly selecting the Bingo balls from the spinner. To keep things interesting, students played variations of the game, including 4 corners and Blackout. The Bingo winners each earned a small prize after verifying their numbers.
Once the games were done, all students got to pick out a prize, ensuring that everyone went home with a memento of the special day. The celebration continued with students enjoying a cup of hot cocoa, which was a perfect treat for the chilly afternoon. The event concluded with a school photo with Bishop Hying, capturing the joy and unity of the St. Luke’s community.
St. Luke School earned the ‘Bingo with Bishop’ event because they won the diocesan 2024 Giving Tuesday campaign sponsored by the Office of Stewardship and Development. Donors to the Giving Tuesday campaign were able to vote for their favorite Catholic school, and the school with the most votes won ‘Bingo with the Bishop.’ St. Luke School has won the Giving Tuesday campaign two years in a row, highlighting the strong support and dedication of its community. In total, $26,930 were raised to support Catholic school initiatives across the diocese.
Thank you to Bishop Hying, Principal Diane Mueller, and all the teachers and staff for their support in making this a fun and memorable day for the children. A special thanks also goes out to all the donors who supported Catholic schools this past Giving Tuesday. Their generosity and commitment to Catholic education made this unique event possible.
For more information on our Catholic Schools, visit madisondiocese.org/schools.