Here are some helpful resources:
- See how you can help the Afghan Refugees.
- Help us fill the shelves of St Anthony's food pantry in Neopit.
- View the pick of the week on Formed.org
- Ideas for living the four key discipleship skills.
- Please pray for those intentions on our prayer tree.
- The Xavier school system has something fun planned for kiddos!
- Check out this week's new meaningful meals starter question, and faith sharing help!
- There will be a memorial mass for Sister Sue Dietz, on Oct 3rd, 2021.
- 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.
Service & Justice Commission is sponsoring collection for Afghan Refugee Assistance at STM
Catholic Charities across Wisconsin are partnering to support efforts at Fort McCoy to welcome and care for Afghan Refugees. We are working collaboratively with the United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) at Fort McCoy to establish Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Centers (MWR) for the Afghan guests, as well as assist with basic needs. We are offering assistance via our Immigrant and Refugee Services and are here to help in any way we can to welcome the stranger.
Highest need items to be collected (at this time only NEW items can be accepted):
·Clothing (bulk items accepted): **Summer/Fall clothes only, no Winter clothes at this time??**
·Men's-unbranded, modest clothing like shirts, pants, socks, shoes, and undergarments in various sizes
·Women's-unbranded, modest long-sleeve crew neck shirts, long pants, socks, shoes, and undergarments to remain culturally appropriate in various sizes
·Children's-mirror gender appropriate recommendations above in all age ranges and sizes
We will have collection boxes in the gathering area. Donations will be accepted until September 29th.
Would you like to partner with us? Here are other ways to do so;
1.PRAY. For the safe passage of refugees as they embark on a journey, we can only begin to imagine or
understand.
2. DONATE. Make an online donation today. Your donation will be used to get needed supplies, housing, provide services, and help refugees along their journey to building their lives in Wisconsin and becoming part of our community.
We sincerely appreciate your partnership.
St Anthony Food Pantry
Can you help us fill the Neopit food pantry? We are planning a food delivery to our sister parish, St. Anthony, Neopit, next month. You may leave your non-perishable food donations in the STM shopping cart OR you may also make a cash donation marked for “Neopit.” Please have all items to STM by Sep 24th. Thank you for your generosity!
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 all of our Discipleship Formation Sessions at our STM Facebook page. Other formation videos can also be found there.
New COVID liturgical guidelines
Bishop David Ricken has announced the reinstatement of the Sunday Mass obligation in the Diocese of Green Bay. On the weekend of August 15, 2021, the parishes of the diocese will welcome the faithful back to Mass. Please see the Bishop’s column and the accompanying video on the lifting of the dispensation. There are also some parish resources included below to help out priests and
pastoral leaders prepare with the faithful for the August 15 weekend.
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.
- In thanksgiving for God's many blessings.
- For my daughter, that she gets a better job.
A memorial Mass will be held on Sunday, Oct. 3, for Sister Sue Dietz. She is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph-Third Order of St. Francis, who died during the past year. Due to COVID-19, a funeral Mass could not be held. Sr. Sue was a catechist, a member of the Pastoral Care Commission, co-founder of the Prayer Shawl Ministry, and founder of Heart-to-Heart Care, a miinistry to the elderly. The Memorial Liturgy will be held at St. Thomas More Parish, 1810 N. McDonald Street, in Appleton. All are welcome to the 2 p.m. Mass with Fr. Dave Beaudry as celebrant. Family, friends, and parishioners are welcome to attend this celebratoin of life. A luncheon for all will follow in the fellowship hall. For a food count, RSVP the parish as soon as possible at (920) 739-7758.
New Beginnings
This past week, I began a new course of studies on discipleship. Here is a poem from John O’Donohue’s book, To Bless the Space Between Us, that was shared as we began:
“The Renovaré Vision is simple and straightforward: a life of flaming love for God with all our “heart, soul, mind, and strength” and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:29 – 31).”
Richard Foster, Renovare founder
In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.
For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.
It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered...
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 animal or insect do you wish humans could eradicate?
Probably going to get a lot of mosquito answers. But depending on where you are and if they have a special hatred for a creature, you might get a different answer. If you get the mosquito answer, you could always talk about the best way to get rid of the evil pokey buzzing things.
And for that "faith talk"...
based on this weekend's readings
TAKE TIME TO CHAT
- Why was it hard for the disciples to grasp the idea that Jesus would be
killed? - What does Jesus mean when he says, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all”?
- Share a time when you have welcomed someone “in Jesus’ name,” that is, for
the sake of Jesus.
... or you can just use these questions at a meal or any time for a "faith walk"!
Adult Question: What evidence do you see in the world around you that many do not accept Jesus' teaching on power and ambition?
Child Question: Why do you think Jesus says if you want to be first you should take care 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.
Bishop David Ricken has announced the reinstatement of the Sunday Mass obligation in the Diocese of Green Bay. On the weekend of August 15, 2021, the parishes of the diocese will welcome the faithful back to Mass. Please see the Bishop’s column and the accompanying video on the lifting of the dispensation. There are also some parish resources included below to help out priests and
pastoral leaders prepare with the faithful for the August 15 weekend.
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.
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).
