HOW TO DEEPEN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST Prayer is central to our relationship with God; you can have the fanciest new phone, but if there is no connection, it is useless. How do we get a stronger connection to God? I believe prayer after receiving Holy Communion is an integral part of a healthy prayer life. This is one of the most sacred times of our Mass; after receiving our Lord, he is physically united as well as spiritually united within us, and taking some time at this point in the Mass can deepen our relationship with him. How do we pray? Are there words, or do we just sit quietly? There is no right or wrong answer, but to help place us in the proper frame of reference, some spiritual masters in our faith tradition may help. God bless Fr Jim Anima Cristi by St Thomas Aquinas Soul of Christ, sanctify me Body of Christ, save me Blood of Christ, inebriate me Water from Christ's side, wash me Passion of Christ, strengthen me O good Jesus, hear me Within Thy wounds hide me Suffer me not to be separated from Thee From the malicious enemy defend me In the hour of my death call me And bid me come unto Thee That I may praise Thee with Thy saints and with Thy angels forever and ever. Amen Saint John Vianney "I love You, O my God, and my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life. I love You, O my infinitely lovable God, and I would rather die loving You, than live without loving You. I love You, Lord and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally....My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You, I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath." Saint Padre Pio: O Lord, we ask for a boundless confidence and trust in Your divine mercy, and the courage to accept the crosses and sufferings which bring immense goodness to our souls and that of Your Church. Help us to love You with a pure and contrite heart, and to humble ourselves beneath Your cross, as we climb the mountain of holiness, carrying our cross that leads to heavenly glory.May we receive You with great faith and love in Holy Communion, and allow You to act in us, as You desire, for Your greater glory. O Jesus, most adorable heart and eternal fountain of Divine Love, may our prayer find favor before the Divine Majesty of Your Heavenly Father. Amen. Spiritual Communion Sometimes we are asked to refrain from presenting ourselves for Holy Communion. The following is an ancient prayer for these times: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
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The parish office will be “closed” the week of October 21st, 2019. If you have any concerns or questions during this week, please call St. John’s Parish office at 715-384-3252 Ext. 0 and speak to parish secretary, Mary. From the Church
At a recent meeting in Warsaw, the Polish Bishops’ Conference agreed to initiate the diocesan phase of the beatification of St. John Paul II’s parents. Below is the official announcement from their website. The Polish Bishops’ Conference has agreed (nihil obstat) to begin by the Archdiocese of Krakow the process of beatification of the parents of John Paul II – Karol Wojtyła [Sr.] and Emilia nee Kaczorowska. It gives the opportunity to ask the Holy See to start the process at the diocesan level. Read More... Mariann’s Closet * We will again be collecting winter clothing & concert clothing this fall. You may bring these items is starting now until Nov. 3, 2019. Items needed: Children’s outerwear (sizes newborn to Adult Medium) * Coats * snowpants * Hats * Mittens * Boots * and concert items: Sweatpants (size 7/8 to adult medium) the school lacks a girl’s department so any items gender neutral would be appreciated * new or like new items for children to wear to the Christmas Concert (sizes 4T-16 Youth) Thank you for your generosity. FEAST OF SAINTS MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL
Late September and early October are the times set aside for a special devotion to the angels; with some special feast days for the Archangels and Guardian Angels. Angels are all around us at all times, and I believe it is important to acknowledge this so we can be more intentional in thanking them and asking for their assistance. Although there are seven Archangels mentioned in Sacred Scripture, only three are mentioned by name. The feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael was Sunday Sep 29, and was superseded by the Sunday Mass. The Memorial for the Guardian Angels was October 2nd, which was a Wednesday and coincided with our school Mass, also very appropriate as children often have a deeper connection with their angels. The word ‘angel’ comes from angelus, the Latin term for ‘messenger’. The angels have a three-fold office; to praise God, to act as his messengers and to watch over mortal men and women. These are found in Sacred Scripture in the Holy Holy Holy: ‘Let us praise the Lord whom the Angels praise, whom the Cherubim and Seraphim proclaim Holy, Holy, Holy’; ‘Behold I will send my angel, who shall go before thee, and keep thee in thy journey, and bring thee into the place that I have prepared. Take notice of him, and hear his voice’ (Exodus 23); and ‘See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven’. (Mt 18:10) The seven Archangels are God’s envoys: Gabriel is ‘the strength of God’ and bears tidings of hope to Zachariah and to Mary, and tradition identifies him as the one bringing strength to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and he appeared to Joseph and to the shepherds after the birth of Christ; Michael is ‘God’s warrior’, and in art he is represented as an angelic warrior, fully armed with helmet, sword and shield, standing over the dragon. Michael is also known as the divine physician and is one of the angels called upon for healing. Raphael is known as ‘God has healed’ and is found in the Book of Tobit, and is the patron saint for travelers. He makes himself known as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord. In addition, there are classes of Angels we call upon at the conclusion of the preface, just before the Eucharistic prayer. We hear these often, but I am not sure it is common knowledge who we are praying with. Often the conclusion is very clear, ‘through him the host of Angels..., or In the Company of Angels and saints, we acclaim...There is another conclusion that claims: with the Angels and Archangels, with the Thrones and Dominions, with all the host and the Powers of heaven... And another: Through him the Angels praise...Dominions adore... Powers tremble before you. Heaven and the Virtues of heaven and the blessed Seraphim worship... Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Seraphim, Cherubim and Virtues; these are all classes of Angels, they gather especially at the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, they intercede and take part in the holy exchange of gifts, bringing our gifts of bread and wine along with the offerings of our hearts to the altar in heaven and bear the body and blood of Jesus Christ to our altars on earth. We see this in a special way in the 1st Eucharistic prayer: In humble prayer we ask you, Almighty God, command these gifts be borne by the hand of your holy Angel to your altar on high... so we may receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son... May the Angels come to your assistance, protect you and guide you always. God bless Fr. Jim Holy Day of Obligation: All Saint’s Day Mass times here at Christ the King are: Vigil Mass on October 31, 2019 @ 6:30 pm and on Nov. 1st, 2019 @ 12:10 p.m. Ministry participants are needed and sign up sheet has been placed on back table. Your help is greatly appreciated. Mass times @ St. John the Baptist in Mfld are: Vigil Mass on Oct. 31, 2019 @ 6 pm and on Nov. 1st, 2019 @ 6:30 am * 8 am (School Mass) * 8 am @ Columbus School Mass at Our Lady of Peace in Mfld. * 5:30 pm From the Pope:
For the month of October 2019, Pope Francis has called an “Extraordinary Mission Month,” asking the whole Church to revive her missionary awareness and commitment. This month is commemorating the centenary of the Apostolic Letter Maximum Illud of Pope Benedict XV (30 November 1919). Heavenly Father, when your only begotten Son Jesus Christ rose from the dead, he commissioned his followers to “go and make disciples of all nations” and you remind us that through our Baptism we are made sharers in the mission of the Church... Read More... White Mass: the Mfld. Guild Catholic Medical Association is hosting a White Mass honoring the Feast of St. Luke, Patron of Physicians. The Mass will take place in the Mfld. Medical Center Chapel on Friday-Oct. 18th at 12:15 pm and will be celebrated by our chaplain, Fr. Refern. We invite all physicians, nurses, PA’s, pharmacists, dentists, and others to join us in praying for all those working in health care. FROM THE ASSOCIATE PASTOR’S DESK What motivates us to do the things we do? We go onto school so we can earn a living. We get advanced degree’s so we can earn more money. We work hard to make a good check, support our families, drive the car we want and buy the house we want. We all have varying motives for the things we do. When I was growing up, we did things to help out one another. There weren’t motives behind it. We did it because we knew it was the right thing to do. We helped out around the house, we helped the neighbor because we saw a need, we helped friends because they were just that, friends. We didn’t expect to be paid, sometimes we didn’t even expect a thank you. There wasn’t a status quo pertaining to who we helped. In our Gospel passage from Luke this week, Jesus turns the table on his disciples when he narrates a story to them about the master and his servants. He turns those listening into the servant, and not the master. Making them realize that to be served comes at all levels. Do we live this out in our own lives? Do we know who we are in the kingdom of God? Do we know what is expected of us by God? Do we do things out of love or for some other reason? Is it driven by faith? Faith in a God who adores his creation. A God who created out of love. A God who continues to show his love for us each and every day. Do we truly have that faith, and does that faith allow us to see beyond ourselves? St. Justin Martyr wrote in the year 160 AD, “If men by their works show themselves worthy of His design, they are deemed worthy of reigning in company with Him, being delivered from corruption and suffering. This is what we have received [from the Apostles]....Those who choose what is pleasing to Him are, on account of their choice, deemed worthy of incorruption and of fellowship with Him.” Through each of our baptisms, God commissioned us to be his disciples, to go out and spread his word, healing, casting out demons and preaching his word. Our faith leads us to do more and be more. With that faith our world turns into a different place. It becomes a place where we don’t go without because a need in our community, a need in our state, a need in the world, is seen and addressed. Not because it benefits the person doing the act, but rather because it benefits someone other than them; an individual, a family, a community, a world. Ultimately, we use our time and talents to improve this impoverished world we live in. To make it a better place, one person by one person. Our faith directs us to lending that helping hand. To be active in groups that help those in need. Maybe our faith is calling us to start a group, to get active, to begin doing something no one else has done before! In the words of Saint Mother Teresa, “We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Our faith leads us in many different directions, where is your faith leading you? Where is God calling you to go? Maybe it is to be more active in the parish? Maybe to deepen your faith through a bible study or mens / womens group? For me it was to sell all my possessions and enter the seminary with that ultimate goal of becoming a priest. Now I’m not saying that is your call, but God is calling each of us to serve, are we listening? May God open our hearts and ears to where he wills us to be, and may he bless you abundantly in that process. Fr. Barry An invitation is extended to the parishioners here at Christ the King to “Welcome” our pastor, Fr. Jim and introducing yourself on October 12th after the 4 p.m. Mass, in the dining hall of church.
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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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