One of the differences between my previous assignment and here is the amount of daily Masses that we need to cover: two every day. What a service it is to our parishes, and to the city, that we can offer two different times for you to take in a daily Mass or two every week. There is no better way to make your day better than by attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receiving the Lord in the Eucharist. I saw these 5 reasons to attend Daily Mass from the Diocese of Salina, Kansas. So I share them with you as well:

1. Receiving Christ in the Blessed Eucharist gives us the strength to fight selfish pride and sin.  Pride and ego are two of the many demons most of us must battle constantly.  We desire pleasure, things, convenience, notice, etc.  It’s a constant struggle to weaken these impulses.  It takes supernatural strength to combat ego; and we can get that strength from our Lord present in the Eucharist. The sanctifying grace that pours through us when we receive the Body and Blood of Christ allows us to stop before engaging in a selfish sin.

2. Praising God first thing in the morning is the most important thing on our daily calendar. “First things first”, as they say. And since we’ve been blessed to be a member of this one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, we should understand that it’s a privilege and a gift that we can make God the first and most important person in our day by worshipping Him in His temple. Going to Mass is making an offering to the Lord who is the source of all our blessings.

3. The Mass is my ongoing spiritual formation.

One beautiful thing about the Mass is that it is so drenched in scripture.  Attending Mass daily allows us to soak in God’s Word. Reading and reflecting on the daily scriptures the evening before makes the Mass seem even richer and more fulfilling. The Mass helps us get a full Catholic education in Christ - stewardship, the sacraments, the saints - 260 days a year.  It helps us grown in the Lord a day at a time.

4. The Mass heals. Every Mass is a healing experience. It heals wounds caused by our sinful nature, it heals our relationship with God and with one another, bringing us closer to our Lord, giving us opportunities to draw near and receive Him not only in the Word, but also in the Blessed Sacrament.

5. You meet your Creator, your friend, your love.

It is good to be a friend and lover of God.  On the day we see Him face-to-face, we will realize that which we have missed throughout our lives. Find your shelter in the wings of the Lord.  Find it, every day, in His Holy temple.

In Christ & Mary Immaculate,

Fr. Tony

The Holy Rosary Society invites all women to their next in-person meeting, this Saturday, August 7th.  We meet in the St. Mary Star of the Sea Social Hall at 1:30 pm.  First there is fellowship and prayer, followed by the formal meeting.  We usually finish around 3:00 pm. Please join us for prayer and fellowship even if you can't stay for the meeting.  Contact Rosary President Renee Zurn at 218-723-1321 for more info. -- Face masks recommended for unvaccinated.  

The Parish Picnic for the Cathedral and St. Mary Star of the Sea will be held on Saturday, September 11  at the Holy Rosary School campus following Mass. Please note, Mass at the Cathedral will be celebrated at 4 PM this day. Stay tuned for more details regarding this wonderful and fun upcoming parish event! We will also be posting volunteer opportunities in August.

A second collection will be taken this weekend to help meet our 2021 UCA goal. Thank you for your generosity!

Do you want to learn how to share your faith in a non-confrontational, joyous way? St. Paul Street Evangelization has mobilized thousands of Catholics to fully participate in the work of the New Evangelization through its workshops. That doesn’t mean you have to become a street evangelist. The workshop focuses on basic methods for evangelization that anyone can use.

With that in mind, St. Benedict Parish has invited St. Paul Street Evangelization to lead their half-day workshop for all active parishioners on Saturday, August 21, 2021, 9:00am–12:00pm. The cost of the workshop is $25; to register contact: adam@stpaulse.com

Now Hiring: Spread the word— exceptional educators needed! Stella Maris Academy is seeking a full time Pre-K teacher and a full time K-4 teacher.  Visit www.stellamaris.academy/employment to apply today!

East Duluth Catholic Faith Formation, a collaborative effort of the parishes in East Duluth, is accepting applications for the Director of Relational and Youth Ministry for 6th – 12th grade students. This is a part-time position with flexible hours. We are looking for someone who possesses a sincere and demonstrated ability to share their Catholic faith in the dynamic environment of a larger-scale middle and high school religious education program. The director is responsible for opportunities whereby faith can be sparked and nourished through retreat experiences and other opportunities for building relationships with our young people. Please see the full job description here. If you are interested in this position, please send a cover letter, resume and references to lauren.mccracken@duluthcatholic.org.  

The Diocese of Duluth’s Office of Marriage, Family, and Life has now opened registration for our First Annual Catholic Family Camp at Big Sandy Camp and Retreat Center in McGregor, MN, on August 13-15. Family fun includes campfires, swimming, waterslide, volleyball, hiking, pontoon rides, laser tag, Mass, Adoration, and family prayer time. There is lodge space, RV, and tenting sites. Food is included and no dishes. For more information, go to  Marriage, Family and Life | Diocese of Duluth . A limited amount of financial support is available by a generous benefactor. Preference for allocation will be given to participants with larger families. So “Go for the Fun, Stay for the Faith!” Questions can be directed to betsy.kneepkens@duluthcatholic.org.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society: Please continue to support us especially with your prayers. Questions, call Dcn. Jim at 218-348-6258.  We meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at 6pm.  1st Thursday at SMSS; 3rd Thursday location: TBD.  Email svdpduluthmn@gmail.com or call Deacon Jim for details.

KofC.org/JoinUs Call Bob Spehar: 218-349-5051

The Diocese of Duluth's Pastoral Center is filling their building maintenance position. This role is casual, therefore one will be called upon as needs arise. The successful candidate will assist in maintaining and monitoring building operations, equipment, and grounds of the Diocese of Duluth. The goal is to maintain an efficient, safe, and effective environment for staff and visitors. Please contact Mary Rasch at mary.rasch@duluthcatholic.org for a job description and an application.