February 25, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we continue to try to serve you as best as possible, we have made a few changes that hopefully will be of benefit to you. One of the more common comments I have received is that people don’t know whom to call to reserve a room, set up a special Mass, how to get things in the bulletin, etc. To that end we have revised the second page of the bulletin to include these and other reasons why a person may want to reach out to the parish and to whom they should call/email. Included in this list is the phone number to call if there is something that is broken or not working correctly in a meeting room.

All leaders of ministries should have received a packet to schedule meeting space and facilities for the next fiscal year. If you have not received it, please contact Tom Leeman. The priority in scheduling will be based on our mission as a parish. The order (from highest priority to lowest) is: Celebration of the sacraments and preparation for these celebrations; growing in knowledge of our faith (school, faith formation, confirmation, bible studies, etc.); growing in relationship with Christ (prayer groups, devotions, etc.); growing in community and our service to others (Knights of Columbus, service ministries, social activities); any other parish organization or activity; ministries, groups, and events from outside the parish. My hope is that this will make it easier for all our ministries to use our beautiful facilities to draw closer to the Lord and one another.

In Christ,

Bishop Tim Freyer

February 18, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Years ago, a non-denominational minister I knew asked me why we Catholics “make such a big deal about Lent since it is not in the bible.” It is true that Lent is not in the bible, however we see the number 40 (there are 40 days in Lent) and the practices we undertake in this season used repeatedly in the bible. Before Jesus began his public ministry, following the call of the Spirit, he went out into the desert to fast and pray for 40 days and was tempted by the devil. Jesus gives us the example of spending significant time in prayer and fasting, especially before something important is going to happen or if we need to make a major decision. In the book of Exodus, when God finally freed his people from slavery in Egypt, they wandered in the desert for 40 years before entering the promised land. This time was a time of purification and helping the people to have the right spirit so that they could fully appreciate the good things waiting for them in the promised land. Noah spent 40 days in the ark during the time of the great flood, when God purified the earth of that which was evil. So, the idea of lent has a biblical basis, calling us to prayer, fasting, being purified of our sins and preparing us to have a heart ready to receive the graces of Easter.

Please plan on joining us for our Lenten mission on March 4-5. I have known Fr. Duy Le since he was discerning going to the seminary and have heard him speak many times. He is insightful and his passion for the Lord is contagious.

In Christ,

Bishop Tim Freyer

February 11, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Wednesday we begin the holy season of Lent in which we draw closer to the love of Jesus manifested by His willingness to suffer and die on the cross for our salvation. In addition to fasting on Ash Wednesday (you might want to celebrate Valentine’s Day on Tuesday—the traditional day to feast before Lent began) and Good Friday, we are called to abstain from meat (beef, chicken, pork) on Ash Wednesday and every Friday until Easter. The reason we do so is that these small sufferings remind us of how much Jesus suffered for each of us.

In addition, we are invited to strengthen the disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. This Lent consider spending extra time each day in prayer, maybe praying the stations of the cross (feel free to join us for Stations and Soup) or the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary or reading the Gospel accounts about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and all that happened through the time of His death. Fasting or giving up something strengthens our willpower just as exercise strengthens our muscles. The more we do so, the stronger our willpower will be when we are faced with temptations. Almsgiving (if you have not made your PSA gift, this is a great opportunity) allows us to share in the generosity of Jesus who gave Himself to us at the Last Supper and gave us His own mother to be our mother as he died on the cross.

These disciplines are to help us grow in the awareness of God’s love for us, to gain control over our passions and to be grateful for the blessings we have received. I hope you will take advantage of these wonderful disciplines.

In Christ,

Bishop Tim Freyer