Praised be Jesus Christ! This week promises to be one of the more even ul of the year, so let’s get right into the play by play . . . . Tuesday celebrates “All Hallow’s Eve,” which gets its name from the fact that it’s the vigil of All Saints. Needless to say, these days Halloween holds court as both extraordinarily popular and immensely lucra ve. A friend passed along an ar cle wri en by a wonderful priest from the Diocese of Green Bay and some of his insights are especially relevant. For example, Father points out that the trend seems to be toward decora ons of a more evil nature. Some apropos ques ons are, “Why am I so fascinated with death? Why do I have gures of evil and violence in my front yard? How does this re ect my Chris an faith, which abhors vio- lence . . . . and which stands in opposi on to the Devil?” Father concludes by wondering if “there is a direct correla on between the violence, death, and evil that is some mes depicted around our homes or in our costumes at Halloween – and the presence of darkness in our souls.” Certainly something to think and pray about. As for decora ng the rectory, the scariest thing would have to be the framed picture of Father Sedlacek on the mantle! Now the real excitement this week should be that the Feast of All Saints is celebrated on Wednesday (and please remember that this is a holy day of obliga on, meaning that we are required to a end Mass either Tuesday evening or some me on Wednes- day). Some parishes and schools host an All Saints party as a pi- ous alterna ve to Halloween and this can be a powerful way for kids to realize that saints were real people who lived heroic lives. And as the movie industry has recently discovered, people are drawn to super heroes. Thursday is the feast of the Holy Souls and gives us a chance to o er Mass for all who are undergoing puri ca on in Purgatory. This is a somewhat controversial teach- ing of the Catholic Church but also one of the most beau ful. Purgatory is a hospital for souls that s ll need puri ca on before being able to live with God in Heaven. Things like unforgiveness, despair, and greed need to be healed before a soul can enter Heaven, so me in Purgatory is an expression of God’s mercy as He prepares us to live with Him forever. Incidentally, people who refuse to prac ce their faith in this life by not a ending Mass or receiving the Sacraments regularly and worthily can expect to need help with the sadness and shame that will be theirs when they see the beauty and goodness of God. So many will feel deep regret that they did not love God more sincerely and only the merciful love of God in Purgatory will heal them of such pain. Finally, Friday evening Our Lady of Peace will hold a Healing Mass. This will be an extraordinary opportunity and I hope many people from our parishes will a end. Father Robert Thorn will share the gi s God has given him and will pray over anyone who wants to par cipate. Confessions and Mass will be o ered, and then the healing ministry will begin. As a caveat to people who have never a ended a healing Mass, some mes people are “slain in the Spir- it,” meaning they experience God’s love so powerfully that it liter- ally knocks them over. It happened to me once when I was vis- i ng Medjugorje, the place that the Blessed Virgin Mary allegedly appeared in 1981. The healing is usually spiritual but some mes people claim physical healing too. This will be one of the best opportuni es for spiritual growth this year, so don’t miss it!
May the Holy Spirit touch our hearts, minds, and souls with His healing grace! Your friend in Christ, Father Mar n
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Tuesday - Friday: 8:00 AM Saturday: 4:00 PM Sunday: 8:00 AM & 10:00 AM RECONCILIATION
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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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