St. Michael the Archangel Pastorate
Sacred Heart, Remington
Sts. Peter & Paul, Goodland
St. Augustine, Rensselaer
Friday Flocknote - January 20th, 2023
Father Joshua Bennett, Missionary Pastor fr.jbennett@dol-in.org
Marie Oliver, Director of Operations marieoliver@parish.dol-in.org
Kris Dobson, Coordinator of Continuing Formation and Evangelization kdobson@parish.dol-in.org
Sarah Hall, Coordinator of Youth Religious Education shall@parish.dol-in.org
Natalia Brady, Administrative Assistant for the Pastorate nbrady@parish.dol-in.org
Nancy Goodwin, Bookkeeper for Sacred Heart & Sts. Peter and Paul ngoodwin@parish.dol-in.org
A Message From Our Pastor
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” Jer 1:5
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade which legalized abortion in the United States. While this decision was finally overturned this past June after much prayer and work of so many fighting for the unborn, the effects of Roe vs. Wade have permanently scared our nation and our world. Prior to 1973 when abortion was left to state legislatures, only 4 states (New York, Hawaii, Alaska, and Washington) had laws allowing abortion on demand. Several other states had several ballot initiatives that had successively failed. As a result of the Roe vs. Wade a nationwide culture of abortion was ushered into our nation overnight.
Since January 1973, over 63,000,000 children have been murdered in the womb. In a country of 331.9 million people, that is 19% of the overall population, nearly 1 in 5, and nearly 25% or 1 in 4 of all pregnancies since 1973 ended in the surgical death of the unborn child; that’s 63 million people, that if born, would be doctors, nurses, teachers, priests, construction workers, farmers, scientists, authors, musicians… human beings!
The Catholic Church has never waivered in our commitment to defend life at all its stages, and there is no greater assault on human dignity by the destruction of the absolute innocence of the child and the complete defenseless state of the child in the womb, as well as the sheer overwhelming scale to which this practice has been accepted.
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade in June 2022, the court did not make abortion illegal, rather the legal issue is now a matter for the individual states to decide. Thus, our commitment to the defense of life and to protect the defenseless among us demands that we continue this 50 year long battle to do everything we can do to protect the God Given Gift of Life and rebuild the broken culture of life in our nation.
Join me Sunday after 10am CT Mass at St. Augustine for a Holy Hour with our Lord to pray for the Restoration of a Culture of Life. Join me, as well, in Indianapolis on Monday to show our legislature our support for the gift of life we all hold sacred!
Pray with me the Litany for Life here in our bulletin. Prayer will defeat the power of the enemy who wants us to turn on each other. Prayer is our source of hope and strength and for those who have been affected by abortion – which is every single one of us! – in prayer we find healing from our God who loves us so much!
Fr. Bennett
Sacred Heart of Jesus – Have Mercy on Us
Immaculate Heart of Mary – Pray for Us
Sts. Joseph, Michael, Peter, Paul and Augustine – Pray for Us
Litany for Life
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God of all creation…….Lord, have mercy. (repeat after each petition)
Christ, through whom all things were made,
Spirit of life and truth,
On each child just conceived,
For their safety and health,
For nine months of growth,
That an angel may protect them,
For peace and for hope,
On all new fathers,
On fathers who are alone,
On fathers unemployed,
On fathers addicted,
On fathers who are abusive,
On young fathers who are afraid,
On fathers who've run away,
On all new mothers,
On mothers who are alone,
On mothers unemployed,
On mothers addicted,
On mothers who are abusive,
On young mothers who are afraid,
On mothers who are in pain,
On those who defend life,
On those who love the child in the womb,
On those who pray for the unborn child,
On all who work to change unjust laws,
On all who live the Gospel of Life,
On Congressmen who work for life,
On our President,
On the members of the House,
On the members of the Senate,
On all to little to vote or persuade,
On all who work for life,
On doctors of life and of truth,
On residents who love the little child,
On doctors who gaze on life's mysteries,
On physicians who see into the womb,
On surgeons who heal the unborn child,
On all who defend the child in the womb,
On nurses who love little babies,
On nursing students,
On those who first hear the heartbeat,
On those who first feel a kick,
On nurses who cradle the newborn,
On nurses who foster the unborn,
On all who protect defenseless life,
On judges who struggle with justice,
On lawyers who seek to speak truth,
On judges who love life,
On the judges of our Supreme Court,
On those who argues before them,
On the unborn child who rests in their hands,
On all victims of abortion,
On the woman whose memories cause her to cry,
On those whose pain nags and holds on,
On the unborn who rest with God,
On all who seek mercy,
On all who seek peace,
On all who seek healing, and mercy and perfect peace,
Let us Pray: God our loving Father, grant wisdom to those who govern us, compassion and courage to those who work to defend human life, and safety and care to every human being. For you alone who formed us in our mother's wombs, and who call us home to heaven, are God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Youth Ministry Grades PK-12
January
22nd Sts. Peter & Paul and Sacred Heart meet at the
Fulcher Center @ 9:45am ET
22nd Vigil for Life- St. Elizabeth Seton 2:00-4:00 pm ET
25th St. Augustine PK-12 meet @ 6:30 pm CT
29th Sts. Peter & Paul and Sacred Heart meet at the
Fulcher Center @ 9:45am ET
February
1st St. Augustine PK-5 meet for Faith Formation @ 6:30 pm CT
1st St. Augustine 8-12 meet for
College Care Packages @ 6:30 pm CT
1st Peers in Training meet @ 7:00 pm CT
1st Sts. Peter & Paul and Sacred Heart CYO meets for
College Care Packages @ 6:30 pm ET Fulcher Center
March for Life
Eucharistic Holy Hour
Knights of Columbus
Pork Chop Dinner
Saturday, Jan. 21st from 5 to 7pm CT
Confirmation Fundraiser
This is a ticketed fundraiser event; no tickets will be available at the door.
SOLD OUT!
2023 Casino Night - March 13th
Tickets available soon, more details to come!
College Care Packages
We will be preparing College Care Packages for St. Augustine College Students on February 1st. Please provide addresses of college students to Kris Dobson by January 29th. Donations for the packages are greatly appreciated. Monetary donations to help with the cost of shipping can be placed in the collection basket, dropped in the drop box outside the rectory or given to Kris Dobson (clearly mark "College Care Packages" on the envelope). We will send approximately 30 packages.
Thank You from St. Augustine School
As I reflect on the Christmas season and settle into ordinary time, I have to say that “ordinary” does not really seem to be a fitting label for the great things that are happening in the school, and this greatness is in large part a result of your support, your prayers, and your generosity! Our students and teachers were quite spoiled before we left for Christmas break, and a simple thank you does not seem like enough! Know that you are all in our daily prayers and are counted as some of our greatest blessings!
Before Christmas break, the entire school embarked on a Christmas caroling venture around town, which was so enjoyable for all! Thank you to Rose Myers for the yummy cookies, Lori James for the delicious candy, and Christy Fleming & her Willow Switch crew for making over SIXTY hot chocolates! Each of these sweet gestures made a fun day even more memorable!
Several packages from the teachers’ Amazon Wish list were delivered to the school, items for our community outreach projects were dropped off, and the donations for our Parish Wish List fulfilled ALL of our wishes! Wishes for new DVD players, wiggle chairs, giant sticky notes, alternative seating options, puzzles, books, toys, and more are being enjoyed by students and teachers alike! We are also excited to have the funds to order a second water bottle filler for the “kindergarten/first-grade” hallway, which our very handy Mr. Phil Nagel has agreed to install. This level of generosity leaves the teachers and me in complete awe!
Thank you, THANK YOU, thank you…and may God bless each of you! Please join us next Sunday as we kick off Catholic School’s Week with a student-led Mass and fellowship at the Knights of Columbus Hall breakfast afterward!
With love,
Mrs. Nagel, Staff, and Students
Sacred Heart Spaghetti Dinner
February 19th from 5-7pm ET
We are serving spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and ice cream.
Proceeds go toward Sacred Heart CYO for activities.
Christian Women of St. Augustine/
St. Michael the Archangel Pastorate
Please join us on Monday, February 6th for Rosary at 9:30am CT in the church and followed by a 10am meeting in the church basement. We will be discussing yearly budget, funeral dinners, Lenten luncheon, cleaning of church, and other items for parish. Come for refreshments and socialize!
2022 Contribution Statements
2022 contribution statements were emailed on Jan. 18th. If you did not receive yours or would like one mailed, please contact the church office or email Marie marieoliver@parish.dol-in.org
Sacred Heart Restore & Grow Campaign
As of January 13th
Elizabeth Waymire’s 95th Birthday Party
Elizabeth Waymire’s 95th Birthday Party
Sunday, January 29th
1:00-4:00pm CT
Knights of Columbus Hall
No gifts, please
RSVP (219) 863-5292
Sunday of the Word of God — January 22, 2023
In 2019, Pope Francis established the Sunday of the Word of God to be celebrated each year on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. As the Holy Father stated in his apostolic letter instituting the observance, “Devoting a specific Sunday of the liturgical year to the word of God can enable the Church to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world” (Aperuit illus, no. 2).
To celebrate this observance, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, through a grant from the American Bible Society, will offer a Sunday Seminar Series of five videos about Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church. These videos, offered in English and Spanish, will be offered by some of the finest biblical scholars in the United States and will be accompanied by discussion/reflection questions and suggestions for further reading.
The videos will be made available on the Sunday of the Word of God, January 22, 2023 at: https://catholic.bible/sunday-of-the-word-of-god/
Through these videos, we hope to bring people into an encounter with the Scriptures, particularly the Gospel. May the people of God be inspired and challenged to see, understand, and engage with scripture in a new, prayerful way.
Parish Happenings
Evangelization Opportunities
Calling all men within our pastorate!
"We are Catholic men who seek to Rekindle the Fire of Christ's love within us, and become better leaders, friends, husbands, fathers and sons; the men God calls us to be, through prayer, fellowship, faith and spiritual service to our family, parish and community." --
Men's Apostolate, Diocese of Ft. Wayne-South Bend
Diocese Events and Updates
Open Office Hours
Pastorate Office at St. Augustine
318 N McKinley Ave., Rensselaer IN, 47978
Tuesdays & Thursdays from 12:30-5:30pm CT
Father Bennett & Marie Oliver will be available throughout the week by appointment, please call ahead (219) 866-5351
Sacred Heart Mailing Address P.O. Box 159, Remington, IN 47977
(219) 261-2302 - Remington/Goodland
