Weekly Parish Newsletter - Saturday, August 1, 2020

Farewell Sr. Mary!

This week our parish community had to say farewell to our wonderful Sister Mary Toeckes who is moving to Choteau, Montana to care for her 93-year-old sister. Sr. Mary said she will miss everyone and appreciates everyone’s kindness over so many years. If you would like to send her a card or spiritual bouquet, please send to the church office at PO Box 26, Chewelah, WA 99109. We will make sure everything is forwarded on to her new address. If you would like to contact her directly, you can email mtoeckes1@gmail.com. Thank you, Sr. Mary, for your many years of dedication to our parish and our community. We will miss you dearly!

In June 2018, Sr. Mary celebrated her 60^th Jubilee as a Dominican Sister. Here is a little on her background (printed in our parish bulletin June 17^th, 2018). Sister Mary Toeckes made her religious profession as a Poor School Sister of St. Dominic at Kettle Falls, WA in 1958. The congregation members at Kettle Falls became the Dominican Sisters of Spokane in 1986 and merged with the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1995. Sr. Mary’s primary ministries have been nursing and chaplaincy. She studied nursing at Seattle University and completed chaplaincy training at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane. She’s worked as a nurse at Holy Family Hospital, Pondera County Hospital in Conrad, Montana, Mt. Carmel in Colville and St. Joseph’s in Chewelah. She retired in 2008 as director of pastoral care at St. Joseph’s Hospital and long-term care. Her home parish is Guardian Angel, Power, in the Helena Diocese. Sr. Mary celebrated her 60th Jubilee in Sinsinawa, WI on June 3^rd, 2018.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday, August 2, 2020

Mass will not be available for our parishes on youtube this week; Fr. Mike is working on ways to keep that up. However, our Pastor Fr. Kenny St. Hilaire livestreams his masses in Colville each weekend on Youtube that everyone is welcome to watch. The Cathedral and other parishes also provide options for Mass at home as well.

North Stevens County Mass Live Stream

Mass Readings

This Week's Homily

Fr. Mike Ishida

All you who are thirsty come to the water

This is one of the more famous scripture passages but do you see its deeper meaning?
It points not to mere earthly food or water but to Heaven and to the restoration of our relationship with God. Here on earth it points to the gift of the Eucharist, the real bread from heaven that the manna prefigured
God designed us for himself and thus being made in His image we seek him even if we don’t realize it

The feeding of the five thousand

The feeding with bread and fish prefigures the Eucharist the source and summit of our faith. It was a miraculous feeding. The idea that there was no miracle and people shared is completely false
At Mass when we receive this, we receive Christ himself under the guise of bread and wine. God is physically present in sacramental form and it is no symbol
In John 6 Christ said we must eat his body and drink his blood or we have no life in us. Guess where this happens? How do we receive him? Do we do so with reverence asking for the graces we need to please him? Or are we careless
The Mass and the Eucharist also point to heaven and getting there which is the whole purpose of this life.

We also publish Fr. Mike’s Homily notes online each week for those interested. Here's the link to all the Sunday homilies on our website:

Sunday Homilies

Sacred Heart Saturday Mass Schedule

Mass at 6 pm at Sacred Heart tonight

Mass is celebrated at Sacred Heart Church on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturdays of the month at at 6:00 pm. This schedule change is being made to minimize priest burnout as Fr. Mike and Fr. Kenny assume the responsibility for nine churches in Stevens and Ferry counties.

8 am Sunday Summer Mass Schedule

August 2 at Holy Ghost, Valley

Mass is at 8:00 am at Holy Ghost every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sunday and at St. Joseph's (Jump Off Joe) at 8:00 am every 2nd and 4th Sunday. Remember to make your checks out to "St. Joseph's Church" for donation at St. Joseph's Masses.

Sunday Mass Family Resources

St. Joseph the Worker Family Page

St. Joseph the Worker is a church website that shares an overview of the Sunday Mass themes through their Family Page. It includes a simple summary of the Gospel lesson and an idea for an activity related to the theme to help remember it. The Family Page is also downloadable as a PDF.

Sunday Mass Family Page

Holy Heroes Mass Prep

Holy Heroes offers a Children's Mass Prep page each Sunday including a video illustrating the Gospel of the Week to be easier for children to understand. Holy Heroes also includes the Readings of the Week in a PDF form and a Mass Prep Quiz and Coloring Page.

Children's Sunday Mass Prep

Catholic Kids Media Homilies Video

Catholic Kids Media publishes a video illustrating the week's readings along with a short homily lesson. It's a great video to watch before mass as a first introduction for that Sunday. Watch it a few times if you need to!

Catholic Kids Homilies

St. Mary's Preschool enrollment now open!

Our preschool is open to children 3-5 years old. Contact the office for more info or to schedule a time to pick up a registration packet. Please share with anyone that might be interested! See the press release on our website with more information about our fantastic preschool!

Preschool Information

Other Parish News

August 8^th/9^th Masses

The August 8^th and 9^th masses for the Parishes of South Stevens County will be celebrated by Fr. Ed Marier as Fr. Mike covers masses in North Stevens County for Fr. Kenny that weekend.

Rectory Garden

Fr. Mike is planning out a small garden at the rectory and is looking to borrow a rototiller or another tool to break up the ground to prepare for his garden. Contact Father if you have the right tools or would like to help in anyway. Thank you!

Please donate to the Food Bank

Fr. Mike encourages all parishioners to bring any food bank donations to masses, if possible, to help those in need. Father has offered to personally deliver the donations to the food bank weekly. Thank you for your generosity during these times!

Confession Available By Appointment Only

Confessions will be heard by Appointment Only. Contact Fr. Mike at 935-4106 or email mishida@dioceseofspokane.org to schedule. Confessions can be heard at any of the Catholic Parishes of South Stevens County.

Visit our Website!

Connect With Us!

Contact the office at 509-935-8028 or southstevens@dioceseofspokane.org

Contact Fr. Mike Ishida at 935-4106 or mishida@dioceseofspokane.org

Email Secretary Kellie Trudeau at ktrudeau@dioceseofspokane.org

Follow us on Facebook or Visit our website for all the updated information in one place (including Sunday and Daily Mass schedules) www.chewelahcatholic.org

Everything Helps!

We could still use your help if you would like to donate to our parishes! Any donations are welcome!

Just mail a check (payable to the parish of your choice) to:

St. Mary of the Rosary
PO Box 26
Chewelah, WA 99109

Thank you for your support! Please let us know if you have any questions regarding anything in this newsletter or anything else you might want to add to Flocknote newsletters. Thank you!

Our August 2 Bulletin

Attending Mass during the Pandemic

All Catholics in the diocese are still dispensed from attending Sunday Mass.
Those who are vulnerable, at risk, or otherwise concerned must remain at home
Anyone with even the slightest symptoms or feelings of sickness must remain at home.
Parishioners are required to wear face masks whenever they are indoors for Mass, except while receiving Holy Communion.
Social distancing (6 feet) must be maintained. (Members of a single household sit together.)
Congregational singing is prohibited.
Communicants are encouraged to receive the Eucharist on a flattened hand.
Parishioners are not to congregate before or after Mass.

Read Complete Reopening Requirements Here

Other Resources

Sunday Readings at USCCB

Diocese of Spokane

Primer on Spiritual Communion