23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time; September 4, 2022
From Father Nathan...
Dear Friends at Saint Mary’s Immaculate Conception Parish and Saint Frances Cabrini Parish:
Praised be Jesus Christ! In mid-August I was very fortunate to be able to return for nearly two weeks to some of the places and faces of my 2019 sabbatical. The main location of my visit was to the monastery “Stift Heiligenkreuz” which lies roughly 30 minutes west of Vienna, in Austria. This is a Cistercian monastery, home to just over 100 men, the vast majority of whom are from Germany and Austria. Not only is the Medieval-and Baroque- era grounds lovely and peaceful, but the community itself is markedly warm, vibrant, and holy. There is a wide range of ages and backgrounds in the house with many young, new members.
True to the European monastic tradition, it is also a community that interacts continually with the surrounding area, with Heiligenkreuz at the center of the Catholic life of the region. The priests and brothers there staff several parishes, welcome the locals to their community prayers, offer continual confessions, blessings, devotional opportunities, Catholic formation opportunities, and also serve the pilgrims passing daily along the Via Sacra which is Austria’s oldest pilgrimage route on which the monastery sits.
Most interesting for me when I visit there is the opportunity to talk with the men and with the locals about the state of the Church in Europe, especially in the German-speaking territories. It is also an opportunity for me to share a bit with them about what the Catholic Church is like in America since many of them are not directly familiar with our experience here.
Sadly enough, it could probably be said that Heiligenkreuz is among the few bright spots in an otherwise very bleak German and European Christian landscape these days. When I would share with them how active our parishes are here, how many people come to Mass, how we run our own schools with our own donations, how many volunteers we have, how many seminarians we have, etc, etc, many of them are astounded. One of them shared with me that he finds great hope in the American Catholic church, and that hopefully one day they will emerge out of their Continental winter of faith into a future, spring-time of evangelization.
All this by way of saying that for all of the challenges we have here in the American Catholic church, and indeed we do have them, one sometimes does not appreciate just how truly lively, amazing, and vibrant we are here until one gets a first-hand look at other places where the faith really is all but dead. I returned home with a renewed appreciation not only for the great gift of that monastery, which most definitely represents the next surviving generation for what will be a very small German church, but an appreciation also for our parish communities here in West Bend. We are so fortunate here in so many ways.
As I’ve observed previously, one complication to the picture is that Christian Europe still exists as something like a cultural museum-piece. It’s buildings, artwork, and many customs are still everywhere, rather like seeds lying dormant and waiting to sprout again. For many residents of Europe these things are mere symbols and not expressions of lived faith, and yet they are still attached to them in ways that are deeply rooted. In the pockets of Europe where faith is still alive, especially in some of the rural Alpine areas where I often travel, the synthesis of the State, the Church, and the Culture are seamless in ways that we in America cannot even begin to grasp. America has never officially had a state religion, or a majority religion, in the ways that Europe had for most of its history. Meaning a danger for us here is that often our faith, while lively, is usually practiced in a very private manner that is not truly of the Gospel. Europe can learn from us, and we can learn from them about what it means to be a Catholic culture.
To that end, please pray for me and for 45 other pilgrims who will be leaving for the Alps on September 11th so that we can view the showing of the famous Passion Play in Oberammergau. Ordinarily I would not be engaging in two overseas trips to the Alps in 6 weeks time, but with Covid re-scheduling, and life events being what they have been for me, all of this landed together during this time of the year.
The pilgrimage to the Passion Play will be for us who are going an opportunity both to learn from the Catholic roots of the parts of Europe that shaped our American Midwestern life so heavily, and it will also be an opportunity for us to evangelize post-Christian Europe by visiting lovely churches and chapels not as tourists, but as believers. Maybe we will inspire our onlookers. I am hopeful we will come back inspired and enlivened by the cultural Catholic beauty that so many of them now take for granted. Please pray for our safe travels there and back and know that everyone here back home will be in our prayers as well.
Mass on Labor Day will be at 9am at Saint Mary’s Immaculate Conception Parish. No Mass at SFC on Labor Day. The Parish Office is also closed on Labor Day.
Readings for the week of September 4, 2022
Sunday: Wis 9:13-18b/Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14-17/Phlm 9-10, 12-17/Lk 14:25-33
Monday: 1 Cor 5:1-8/Ps 5:5-6, 7, 12/Lk 6:6-11
Tuesday: 1 Cor 6:1-11/Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b/Lk 6:12-19
Wednesday: 1 Cor 7:25-31/Ps 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17/Lk 6:20-26
Thursday: Mi 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30/Ps 13:6ab, 6c/Mt 1:1-16, 18-23 or 1:18-23
Friday: 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27/Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6, 12/Lk 6:39-42
Saturday: 1 Cor 10:14-22/Ps 116:12-13, 17-18/Lk 6:43-49
Next Sunday: Ex 32:7-11, 13-14/Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19/1 Tm 1:12-17/Lk 15:1-32 or 15:1-10
39TH ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE
October 15th through the 22nd.
We will need your treasures, help and bakery.
Drop off of your treasures will start October 15th.
Watch for more info next month.
We will need your treasures, help and bakery.
Drop off of your treasures will start October 15th.
Watch for more info next month.
SPANISH CONFESSIONS
Confessions will be offered in Spanish on
Thursday, September 8th, 2022
4:30-5:30pm
Thursday, September 8th, 2022
4:30-5:30pm
Mission Appeal Sunday: September 11, 2022
Get all the latest updates about our friends in Honduras at:
Are you interested in becoming an Usher?
We would love to have you join us! Training Provided!
Please contact Ed at 262-343-1074.
SCRIP:
SCRIP is available after Sunday Masses in the lobby.
CHURCH CLEANING:
Our next church cleaning is September 24th at 7am.
Many hands make light work. Call Beth at 338-5600 if you have any questions or are interested in helping.
Our next church cleaning is September 24th at 7am.
Many hands make light work. Call Beth at 338-5600 if you have any questions or are interested in helping.
REP ‘22-’23 REGISTRATIONS
Classes start September 6th- Register today!
Please note there is a parent meeting on the 6th.
Forms are now available on our website.
PRAYER SHAWLS:
Prayer Shawls are available in baskets at church entrances as well as the church office. Prayer Pockets, a smaller version that can slip into your pocket and be used as a bookmark, are also available. If you would like to support this ministry, cash donations can be made at the church office.
GARDENING ANGELS
Saint Mary's Gardening Angels are looking for gardeners to adopt-a-plot on the Saint Mary’s campus. Contact Carolyn Fischer at 262-629-5862 or fischercarolyn3@gmail.com
CA$H CALENDARS
SFC school is having our Cash Calendar fundraiser.
You can purchase a calendar for $25, and it gives you 154 chances to win.
Drawings are held every school day.
You can purchase them in the parish office or the SFC school office throughout September. They'll be on sale after Masses on September 25th.
SFC school is having our Cash Calendar fundraiser.
You can purchase a calendar for $25, and it gives you 154 chances to win.
Drawings are held every school day.
You can purchase them in the parish office or the SFC school office throughout September. They'll be on sale after Masses on September 25th.
OPEN NORMAL SCHEDULE ON LABOR DAY
We hope you will join us for a fun afternoon of fellowship at our Combined Parish Fall Family Picnic on Sunday, October 2nd at SFC School after the 10:30am Journey mass. We'll have bounce houses, lawn games, candy bar bingo, music by The Dolce Duo and a burger/hot dog picnic lunch. We are looking for volunteers and donations of movie-sized candy bars for Bingo prizes. Donations can be dropped off at SFC or SMIC parish offices.
CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR MORE DETAILS
CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR MORE DETAILS
Thank you to all who have contributed!
Click the logo for all the details.
For any questions regarding your pledge, payment processing, or changed information, we encourage you to call the campaign office at (414) 769-3459.
For any questions regarding your pledge, payment processing, or changed information, we encourage you to call the campaign office at (414) 769-3459.
We always celebrate The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary on
The second Thursday of September
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September 8th
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In between the 23rd and 24th Sundays in Ordinary Time
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ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK'S QUESTION...
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque is associated with the special 'First Friday devotion.
Click the Logo Above to visit our web information about
this exciting and vibrant ministry with our friends in Honduras.
Padre Tito and another representative from Honduras will be visiting us from September 7th to September 14th. There will be a second collection on Mission Appeal Sunday, September 11th.
STAY CONNECTED WITH US!
COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS
FREE CLOTHING GIVEAWAY
Saturday, September 17, 9am-1pm
Clothes Closet at Salem United Church of Christ
Just north of Hwy H/Cty Rd W in Wayne WI.
Visit us on Facebook: @SalemUCCWayneWI
Grief Support Groups-
5th Avenue Methodist Church; 323 S. 5th Avenue in West Bend
First Thursday of the Month 6:30pm-8:00pm
Questions? Call 262-306-2691
or
FORMED.org offers a Catholic program titled
“Grieving with Hope” for free and can be done at home.
Interfaith Caregivers
Connecting Seniors with Caring Volunteers.
This organization provides local opportunities for both volunteers and recipients. They bring non-medical care, such as light housekeeping, grocery shopping, transportation, or just a friendly visit to Seniors who could benefit from resources necessary to remain independent. To register as a volunteer or recipient, call them at 262-365-0902.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter-
Promotes experiences for couples who want to
make their good marriage even better. Visit http://www.wwme.org/ for details.
Retrouvaille-Help for your Marriage
Please call (414) 502-7685 or email: Milwaukee@HelpOurMarriage.org or visit the website at http://www.HelpOurMarriage.org
SAVE THE DATE-Saint John Bosco Youth Day
Saturday, October 1, 2022
Holy Hill
A Ministry of the Catholic Parishes of Washington County that Educates and Empowers those with Special Needs in their Faith.
Click the Journey Logo for more info.
Normal Mass Schedule
Sundays: 7:30am, 9:30am
12:00pm (Español)
Monday through Friday: 6:15am
Sundays: 7:30am, 9:30am
12:00pm (Español)
Monday through Friday: 6:15am
*Signing for hearing impaired at the 9:30am Mass on the 2nd Sunday of the month
**Low-Gluten Hosts Available at Mass for persons with this specific medical need. Present yourself to the priest-celebrant at any Mass by coming for Communion at the very end of the Communion line as the last communicant. Inform the priest as you approach him for Communion that you need a low-gluten Host.
Normal Confessions and Adoration
Thursdays from 5:30pm-6:30pm
Thursdays from 5:30pm-6:30pm
Normal Parish Office Hours
Monday - Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 12Noon