Praised be Jesus Christ! And a very happy Mother’s Day to our Moms! For many, it’s a chance to tell Mom we’d be lost without her – most Moms probably get a nice breakfast or lunch today, as well as possibly flowers or chocolate. I looked up a website to see what gifts are popular for Mother’s Day and at the top of the page this is what it said: “A mother’s love is a force like no other. Shop our sentimental selection of Mother’s Day gifts, from ban- gles to necklace charms, that let her know how much she’s loved.” Weren’t the Bangles an 80s pop band that played such forgetta- ble songs as “Walk Like an Egyptian” and “Manic Monday?!” The main point of this day is to thank God for the women whose love made our lives possible. We give a blessing at the end of Mass to all women because each of them is called to become a mother, either physically or spiritually. We also remember the mothers who have suffered the loss of a child, arguably the greatest sor- row one can endure in this world. From miscarriage or abortion, cancer or car accident, losing a child leaves a terrible hurt in a mother’s heart. The Mother of God always prays for you as she knows your hurt and the terrible loss that never goes away. One day in Heaven these little ones will be restored to you, and no longer will you know the pain of “Rachel, weeping for her chil- dren and refusing to be comforted because they are no more,” (Matthew 2:18). Another group of mothers that we re- member are those who cannot bear children for various reasons. Infertility is a heavy cross that some carry and their sadness is a lonely one that many never notice or acknowledge in any way. A friend of mine suffered this for many years and it was very diffi- cult for her to rejoice as all of her friends were having children and she could not. Maisie Ward once wrote about G.K. Chester- ton and his wife Frances, who were never able to conceive, “What was unusual both with Gilbert and Frances was the fact that they never allowed their disappointment in the matter of children to make them sour or jealous of others who had the joy that they had not. All through their lives they played with other people’s children; they chose on a train a compartment full of children; they planned amusements, they gave presents to the children of their friends.” On a lighter note, we can think of all the Moms who are officially recognized as saints: from Mary, the Mother of God to her own Mom, Saint Anne, one could arguably show that history has been most affected by spiritually potent Moms. Saint Helena’s faith made it possible for Christianity to be legalized; Saint Monica’s undying devotion for her son softened Saint Augustine’s heart so that he could repent from worldly ways and become a towering saint; and we thank God for Saint Zelie Martin, whose daughter Saint Therese of Lisieux is widely regard- ed as the greatest saint of modern times. Many more things one might say, but let’s end with a little poem titled, “What mums do”: “Cook and clean, wash and fold, keep me warm when I am cold. Drive me here, take me there, Mum, you sure are everywhere. School and sports, we have such fun. And you’re there when our day is done. Tuck me in to bed so tight, that is when we say goodnight.” May God bless all Moms, that they may always find joy in such an august vocation! Your friend in Christ, Father Martin
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Thank you to the ladies who attended the annual Mother/daughter Breakfast held last Sunday morning. This was very well attended by the grandmothers, mothers, daughters and those women who have influenced us and are special in our lives. A “thank you” to those men, young and old who helped Saturday with preparation work and on Sunday morning at the breakfast. Without the help of these volunteers this event sponsored by the Holy Name Society could not take place, each year. Thank you to Todd Rueth and Tom Springob, your Holy Name officers who took their time and talent to plan, organize and make sure this breakfast takes place.
During the month of May, the Social Justice Committee members of the parish will be collecting “Baby Shower Gifts” for the Hannah Center. A “Wish List” will be provided in the Play- n’Pack, placed in the gathering room of church. Also this year is the “Baby Bottle” to take home and place your loose change in during the month to be returned back to the church at the end of May. The Family Life Committee has decided to Not to Participate in the “Rose Sale” for the Hannah Center. We encourage you to please participate in the Baby Shower and Baby Bottle collections. Thank you for your past support of the Rose Sale. The “Priestly Ordination” of Deacon Aaron Becker will take place on Saturday – June 24th, 2017 @ 10:30 @ the St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral in La Crosse. A bus has been acquired for parishioners to have transportation to La Crosse and back on June 24th . Cost of $15.00 per person is to be paid when you register. Space is limited to 49 bus seats and will be filled on “First Come” basis. Please register by calling parish office @ 715-659-4480 and talking to parish secretary, Judy. A required Mandatory “Adult Medical Release and Permission Form” is needed and Judy will provide one for you, when you register. You are asked to bring the form with you on Saturday morning, June 24th . The Progressive Travel Bus will be in the church parking lot @ 7:45 am and leaving @ 8 am for La Crosse. If you are not able to personally go to the cathedral for Aaron Becker’s ordination, the event will be live streamed for those who are unable to a end but wish to watch using their computer or other connected device Use this link at: www.diolc.org/live the day of the ordination mass. During the “Month of May ” the rosary only will be recited 20 minutes before Mass * Needed: Parishioners of the parish to lead the congregation in reciting the rosary. A sign-up sheet can be found on back table in gathering room. Your help in be- ing a prayer leader (Ladies, men or young adults) in reciting the rosary would be greatly appreciated. Parishioners * Please show respect for the rosary being prayed and enter church quietly. Thank you. BASEBALL FANS: Save the date: Thursday-July 20, 2017 for our “Parish Family Night” with the Wausau Woodchucks, organized by the Family Life Committee. Watch the weekend bulletin in June for the sign up details.
News from the USCCB:
U.S. Bishops Chairman Calls on Senate to Strip Harmful Proposals from House-Passed Health Care Bill - WASHINGTON—After the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628), Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, called on the Senate to strip out the harmful provisions of the bill when the chamber takes it up for consideration....Read More News from the Pope: Pope: 'Vatican media reform must embrace the challenge of change' - (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has urged members of Vatican media platforms not to be afraid of reform, and to embrace the challenge of change that will enable them to bring the message of the Gospel to all.....Read More News from the Church: American priest said to read souls on the way to being named a saint - Pope Francis today approved a miracle attributed to the American Roman Catholic priest and Capuchin, Fr. Solanus Casey, paving the way for his beatification. Born Bernard Francis Casey, on 25 November 1870, in Oak Grove, Wisconsin, “Barney” (as he was known) was the sixth of sixteen children to Irish immigrant parents. When he was a boy he contracted diphtheria, which left him with a permanently raspy voice; two of his siblings died of the illness. After working as a lumberjack, a hospital orderly and a prison guard (where me befriended two of Jesse James’ cohorts), he felt a call to the priesthood and was admitted to the Capuchin Order in Detroit in 1897....Read more Youth Rummage Sale May 18 & 19 the youth will be holding a rummage sale at St. John’s in the Columbia Rm. You are invited to donate your gently used items by bringing them during office hours to St. John’s rel. ed. Office on Wed afternoon, May 17 from 3-6pm or Thur., May 18 from noon -3pm. You are also invited to come purchase items from this sale to support our youth. Sale times are Thurs., May 18, 3-6pm and Fri., May 19, 8am-3pm St. John's school Columbia Room 307 N. Walnut Ave. For more information please contact Mr. Dan Kitzhaber.
CATHOLIC Adventure Camp July 9-14. This is for teens currently in grades 6-12. Crosswoods Christian Adventure Camp, located south of Ashland, has been reserved for the Diocese of La Crosse! This high adventure week will offer you the chance for rock climbing, repelling, canoeing, mountain bike riding, low ropes and high ropes, adventure trails, hiking, and time for prayer, the sacraments and reflection on God’s marvelous creation. The total cost will be about $400 for youth and $200 for adults. Signup soon. Financial help is available. If you have any other questions, please contact Mr. Dan Kitzhaber. Steubenville Youth Conference for teens presently in grades 8-12 An awesome, high energy event with 2,000 other teens . PLUS: we'll roll up our sleeves and lend a hand while serving others. It will be at St. Thomas University in St. Paul, July 28-30 The cost will be about $260 includes most meals, transportation, & all housing For more information, please contact: Dan Kitzhaber Young Adults There will be a gathering for all young adults in the area on the 2nd Tues of each month at 6:30pm in St. Francis Hall at St. John’s. We will learn more about Divine Mercy. There will be time for socializing, snacking, praying and learning! For more information contact Dan Kitzhaber or Fr Sedlacek. Praised be Jesus Christ! “Most people (during the Middle Ages) got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet while getting married.” People come up with some pretty crazy explanations, don’t they?! For the record, the quote claims things that are untrue. When we were kids we had a weekly bath and even that required a lot of flowers to keep us presentable to the public. The moral of this story is to be critical of what you read. St. Paul’s admonition to “test all things and retain what is true” (1 Thes. 5:21) is as relevant today as it was when he wrote it. What follows is a brief fi- nancial history of the parish and a chance to decide whether or not my version is accurate. From what I’ve read and learned from parishioners, Christ the King has always been a generous parish. In the beginning they were a mission church but eventually built the parish church (1938) and had their own resident pastor. The biggest renovation project was in 1994, when the gathering space was built on to the original church. Of all the improvements over the years, this was a significant one that continues to allow us to grow as a commu- nity because we have the space to get to know each other after Mass. When we pray we grow closer to God and that communion is then extended to our parish and the greater community when we spend time with each other. For the record, our gathering space is one of the nicest I’ve ever come across. In terms of future projects, we will be replacing our kneelers sometime this month. They are completely worn out and that will be in preparation for the day when we have to replace our pews. God willing, the pews will give us another 10-20 years, but the kneelers will fit them when we have to take that step. Our sound system will need to be replaced at some point too, but again we hope for a few more years with the present system. At this time in our parish history our level of giving is robust and allows us to both pay our bills and con- tinue to update our physical plant while also serving our peo- ple and the greater community. However, financial life ebbs and flows, which makes bequests very valuable as a founda- tion that steadies our ship. If you’ve never considered naming Christ the King in your will this might be the time to think and pray about it. For those who leave a gift to the parish, some make a specific request as to how it will be used (e.g. some- one recently left a generous gift to be used for our CCD pro- gram) while others choose to simply leave money to the par- ish to decide how to use it. For example, a parishioner did this last year and we’re using it to repair some of the crumbling concrete on the south side of the church. These are things you can think about and pray about; the best way I’ve ever heard is to consider the question, “If I can do more, should I?” Oh, and don’t forget to take a bath sometime this month!
May God help us to be cheerful givers! Your friend in Christ, Father Martin During the month of May, the Social Justice Committee members of the parish will be collecting “Baby Shower Gifts” for the Hannah Center. A “Wish List” will be provided in the Play- n’Pack, placed in the gathering room of church. Also this year is the “Baby Bottle” to take home and place your loose change in during the month to be returned back to the church at the end of May.
The Family Life Committee has decided to Not to Participate in the “Rose Sale” for the Hannah Center. We encourage you to please participate in the Baby Shower and Baby Bottle collections. Thank you for your past support of the Rose Sale. The “Priestly Ordination” of Deacon Aaron Becker will take place on Saturday – June 24th, 2017 @ 10:30 @ the St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral in La Crosse. A bus has been acquired for parishioners to have transportation to La Crosse and back on June 24th . Cost of $15.00 per person is to be paid when you register. Space is limited to 49 bus seats and will be filled on “First Come” basis. Please register by calling parish office @ 715-659-4480 and talking to parish secretary, Judy. A required Mandatory “Adult Medical Release and Permission Form” is needed and Judy will provide one for you, when you register. You are asked to bring the form with you on Saturday morning, June 24th . The Progressive Travel Bus will be in the church parking lot @ 7:45 am and leaving @ 8 am for La Crosse. If you are not able to personally go to the cathedral for Aaron Becker’s ordination, the event will be live streamed for those who are unable to a end but wish to watch using their computer or other connected device Use this link at: www.diolc.org/live the day of the ordination mass. During the “Month of May ” the rosary only will be recited 20 minutes before Mass * Needed: Parishioners of the parish to lead the congregation in reciting the rosary. A sign-up sheet can be found on back table in gathering room. Your help in be- ing a prayer leader (Ladies, men or young adults) in reciting the rosary would be greatly appreciated. Parishioners * Please show respect for the rosary being prayed and enter church quietly. Thank you. BASEBALL FANS: Save the date: Thursday-July 20, 2017 for our “Parish Family Night” with the Wausau Woodchucks, organized by the Family Life Committee. Watch the weekend bulletin in June for the sign up details.
News from the USCCB
U.S. Bishops Chairman Urges House Members To “Insist on Changes” To Proposed Health Care Bill - WASHINGTON—As the U.S. House of Representatives appears poised to vote on the American Health Care Act (HB 1628), Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, stressed that remaining flaws in the bill will harm poor and vulnerable people and called on members to insist upon changes.....Read More News from the Pope: Pope Francis sends video message ahead of Egypt visit - (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a video message to the people of Egypt ahead of his Apostolic Journey to the country, saying the “world needs peace, love and mercy”....Read More News from the Church: Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines Tackle the Eternal City - This week University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has led his team to Rome, an extraordinary team bonding experience and a unique opportunity for the players, many of whom had never been outside the U.S. On the Wolverines' agenda: three football practices, cultural immersion, a weekly papal audience, and an opportunity to see Pope Francis up-close and personal. For Coach Harbaugh, a life-long Catholic, the trip affords an opportunity to celebrate his faith with his own family. His 15-month-old son, John, will be baptized this week in St. Peter's Basilica; and his youngest daughter, eight-year-old Addie, will be receiving her First Holy Communion in the Eternal City....Read more Youth Rummage Sale May 18 & 19 the youth will be holding a rummage sale at St. John’s in the Columbia Rm. You are invited to donate your gently used items by bringing them during office hours to St. John’s rel. ed. Office on Wed afternoon, May 17 from 3-6pm or Thur., May 18 from noon -3pm. You are also invited to come purchase items from this sale to support our youth. Sale times are Thurs., May 18, 3-6pm and Fri., May 19, 8am-3pm St. John's school Columbia Room 307 N. Walnut Ave. For more information please contact Mr. Dan Kitzhaber.
CATHOLIC Adventure Camp July 9-14. This is for teens currently in grades 6-12. Crosswoods Christian Adventure Camp, located south of Ashland, has been reserved for the Diocese of La Crosse! This high adventure week will offer you the chance for rock climbing, repelling, canoeing, mountain bike riding, low ropes and high ropes, adventure trails, hiking, and time for prayer, the sacraments and reflection on God’s marvelous creation. The total cost will be about $400 for youth and $200 for adults. Signup soon. Financial help is available. If you have any other questions, please contact Mr. Dan Kitzhaber. Steubenville Youth Conference for teens presently in grades 8-12 An awesome, high energy event with 2,000 other teens . PLUS: we'll roll up our sleeves and lend a hand while serving others. It will be at St. Thomas University in St. Paul, July 28-30 The cost will be about $260 includes most meals, transportation, & all housing For more information, please contact: Dan Kitzhaber Young Adults There will be a gathering for all young adults in the area on the 2nd Tues of each month at 6:30pm in St. Francis Hall at St. John’s. We will learn more about Divine Mercy. There will be time for socializing, snacking, praying and learning! For more information contact Dan Kitzhaber or Fr Sedlacek. |
MASS SCHEDULE
Tuesday - Friday: 8:00 AM Saturday: 4:00 PM Sunday: 8:00 AM & 10:00 AM RECONCILIATION
Saturday: 3:15 - 3:45 PM OFFICE HOURS
Monday - Thursday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Friday: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM Stay Connected with Our ParishWelcome from Our PastorWelcome to Christ the King Catholic Church! Ever since 1938 this parish has been assisting souls in their quest for deeper union with God. Our mission statement is essentially found in the stained glass window above the main altar: “For Christ our King.” Insofar as God made us and we belong to Him, we have come to... Read More
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