Here are some helpful resources:
- All past Discipleship Formation Live sessions can be found on the STM Facebook page.
- View the pick of the week on Formed.org
- Thank you for participating in the Disciple Maker Index. The results are being compiled and will be presented at our parish Annual Meeting on June 22.
- Ideas for living the four key discipleship skills.
- We are no longer asking you to sign-up for Mass. But be sure to look at the updated COVID liturgical guidelines attached. Be sure to note that moving forward, our Saturday 5 pm Mass is will be a Mass for the vulnerable and we are asking those who participate in this Mass to wear masks. At all other events and liturgies, masks are welcome, but not required.
- A letter from Bishop Ricken in response to the Wisconsin Attorney General's request to review clergy abuse files.
- Please pray for those intentions on our prayer tree.
- Check out this week's new meaningful meals starter question, and faith sharing help!
- This week's Lincoln Log.
- Check out the News, Updates, and Links to the bulletin and other great resources.
- And something to make you laugh.
Know that you are in our prayers.
Ideas for the Four Skills...
Simple is the magic word this year. While these four skills are simple, they take commitment to get started. Please make the effort this year. The long-term benefits are fantastic! We are taking a back to basics approach for Discipleship Formation by focusing on four key skills for individuals and families:
- To use the bible as individuals and as a family
- Idea: Pick a book of the bible to read through during the summer and read it slowly for 10 minutes each morning during your prayer time.
- To pray regularly as an individual and as families
- Idea: Pray with the new parish intentions listed below.
- To share a meaningful meal together regularly
- Include some guests in your meals. What do they think of your discussion?
- To have faith sharing conversations - "faith talks" and "faith walks"
- New questions every week! Use this week's "Faith Talk" questions in the Mealtime Moments section below at a meal or some other time as a chance to go deeper in your faith as a family. It will be awkward at first, but stick with it and it gets easier.
In case you missed it, watch our April Discipleship Formation Session at our STM Facebook page. Other formation videos can also be found there.
New COVID liturgical guidelines
During the pandemic, Bishop Ricken reinstated the dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday and Holy Day Masses in the diocese until further notice. This means that you are not obligated to attend Mass on Sunday (or Saturday night) or Holy Days for the duration of this dispensation. We are encouraging you to consider returning to Mass if you have been away for a while.
Our 5 pm Saturday Mass will have a focus on protecting the vulnerable. We are asking those who attend the 5 pm Saturday Mass to wear masks to protect the vulnerable
At all of our other events and liturgies, masks will be welcome, but not required. We continue to monitor the COVID rates in our area and will make adjustments as needed (see the Lincoln's Log below for the guiding principles).
Attached, you will find the latest COVID liturgical guidelines from the Diocese.
A letter from Bishop Ricken
See the attached letter from Bishop Ricken which responds the the Wisconsin Attorney General's request to review clergy abuse files. I would encourage you to read it carefully.
- Thanksgiving for an amazing community of friends.
WHAT
Congress is trying to force Americans to pay for abortion.
HOW
The Hyde Amendment and similar laws have protected taxpayers from funding elective abortion for 45 years. Now, powerful members of Congress want to take away these laws that both Democrats and Republicans have supported for nearly half a century.
WHAT HAPPENS WITHOUT THESE PROTECTIONS?
Billions of taxpayer dollars could be used to pay for abortion.
TAKE ACTION
Click here to sign the petition to Congress!
Congress is trying to force Americans to pay for abortion.
HOW
The Hyde Amendment and similar laws have protected taxpayers from funding elective abortion for 45 years. Now, powerful members of Congress want to take away these laws that both Democrats and Republicans have supported for nearly half a century.
WHAT HAPPENS WITHOUT THESE PROTECTIONS?
Billions of taxpayer dollars could be used to pay for abortion.
TAKE ACTION
Click here to sign the petition to Congress!
Mealtime Moments...
Remember, a weekly meaningful meal is a key discipleship skill. You can even make them more meaningful by having a "faith talk" around the table. Here is a gentle starter question to get the ball rolling:
What is something you are obsessed with?
This is a great question because you can follow up with lots of questions about what they are obsessed with. I guarantee they’ll have plenty to talk about when it comes to what they geek out on.
And for that "faith talk"...
based on this weekend's readings
TAKE TIME TO CHAT
- Fill in the blank with your own description. The Kingdom of God is like ...
- What is Jesus trying to teach us in the first part of the Gospel reading?
- In the second half of the Gospel reading, Jesus is teaching us about how the Kingdom of God will grow in spite of its small beginnings. In what way does God want to use your family to spread the Good News of Jesus and build the
Kingdom of God?
... or you can just use these questions at a meal or any time for a "faith walk"!
Adult Question: What is the "good soil" that has allowed your faith to grow like the mustard seed and provide shelter for others?
Child Question: How do you help your faith grow like the mustard seed?
Rebooting the Liturgy
As we reboot our liturgy we will be keeping the following principles at the forefront of our practice.
- We continue to be concerned about the poor and vulnerable among us. We are called to take special care of the vulnerable in our midst, especially during this time of the pandemic. As the United States Bishops remind us, “A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.” (USCCB Website).
2. We are all doing the best we can as we adjust to changing circumstances. We are all in different places regarding this time of transition. We want to empower people to make their own decisions (while always expecting the needs of others)...
Exploring His Kingdom Podcast
Check out the podcast for the latest homilies and an interview with Maximus Cabey, the Director of the Encounter School of Ministry which will be hosted at St. Thomas More this year. Find out more and consider enrolling in this life-changing school.
You can also find all the previous episodes at stmcath.org or wherever you subscribe to podcasts.
Notes of congratulation can be sent to Bishop-elect Felton at the following address:
Bishop Daniel Felton
Diocese of Duluth
2830 East Fourth Street
Duluth, MN 55812
Bishop Daniel Felton
Diocese of Duluth
2830 East Fourth Street
Duluth, MN 55812
Sunday Mass with Bishop David Ricken
Please note NEW TIME - Every Sunday at 10:30 AM until the football season begins again. All are invited to tune in every Sunday morning to WFRV-Channel 5 and pray with us from wherever you are! You also may access by clicking this link https://www.gbdioc.org/
Please note NEW TIME - Every Sunday at 10:30 AM until the football season begins again. All are invited to tune in every Sunday morning to WFRV-Channel 5 and pray with us from wherever you are! You also may access by clicking this link https://www.gbdioc.org/
Sacraments: See above for information about the dispensation for Sunday Mass obligation. If you plan to attend Mass this weekend, you can sign up using the sign-up form above or on the website or by calling the office.
We are celebrating weddings and funerals and baptisms and anointing of the sick with some precautions in place. The Sacrament of Reconciliation continues with our regular schedule (see below for details). We have resumed the public celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass with precautions (see above for details).
Our regular schedule for celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation (4:15 pm on Saturday and 9:15-9:45 am on Sunday).
Give us your Feedback...
Let us know what you want in our Wednesday Flocknote by replying. We want this to be useful to you as we grow as disciples of Jesus.