New Parish Seminarian
The parish has a new Seminarian. Nicholas Emsing will be actively participating in weekend Masses, and St. John’s will be his teaching parish for the next four years. I am sure you will make him feel welcome.
“My name is Nicholas Emsing, a seminarian from the Diocese of Gary in my first year of theology studies at St. Francis de Sales Seminary, and I’ll be starting the Teaching Parish Program here at St. John the Evangelist in Greenfield. Allow me to introduce myself. I grew up in Hammond, Indiana, and I am an only child. Some hobbies of mine include piano, biking, and golf. The Catholic faith has always been a part of my life. I went to a Catholic grade school and a Catholic high school, both of which were a wonderful opportunity to be immersed in the faith. The call to the priesthood has been on my heart from an early age, and I joined the seminary when I graduated high school. What has drawn me to the priesthood is the idea of a life of service to God and the Church. I did my undergraduate studies at Bishop Simon Brute College Seminary. This past year I opted to spend the semesters at Queen of All Saints parish in Michigan City, Indiana, for a pastoral internship. I began my theology studies this past August and God-willing, I will be ordained a priest in four years. I am very much looking forward to joyfully ministering as a priest of Jesus Christ, and I am very excited about the opportunity to get to know the people of St. John the Evangelist. Please keep me in your prayers as I begin this journey, and know that I am praying for you!”
Public Square Fatima Rosary Rally
All parishioners are invited to a Fatima Rally on Saturday, October 14, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at St. John’s. The rally will be held in conjunction with over 20,000 other public Rosary rallies held across America, sponsored by America Needs Fatima. Please come and pray along the sidewalk on 84th Street by the St. John’s driveway alongside the Soccer Fields. Bring a lawn chair if you prefer to sit during the Rosary, and bring your family and friends! Your continuing prayers for our country are desperately needed.
Weekday Masses - Looking Ahead
This week, the Church will celebrate St. Vincent de Paul on Wednesday, September 27. We also celebrate the three Archangels, St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael on Friday, September 29. Please join us when possible for the 8:00 a.m. morning Mass. If you are able, all are invited to stay for the recitation of the Rosary, followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
We regret to inform you that the Time & Talent Pledge form sent out this week inadvertently omitted a line for Perpetual Adoration. We want to invite anyone interested in joining this vital ministry to please use the form below. Your participation and support are greatly appreciated.
As we leave behind the heat of the summer months and fall into the cool and crisp weather of autumn, we need something to warm our souls and give us encouragement for the long march through winter. Enter: Well-Read Mom. This group exists to support “women in the reading of great books and spiritual classics” and to foster “personal growth, friendship, and meaningful conversations in order to explore the human condition and be reoriented to what is good, beautiful, and true.” It is the hope of Well-Read Mom to “deepen the awareness of meaning hidden in each woman’s daily life, elevate the cultural conversation, and revitalize reading literature.”
You can learn more about Well-Read Mom by visiting the group’s website at wellreadmom.com. There, you’ll read how Marcie Stokman, a busy mother of seven, started this group in her home in Minnesota in the fall of 2012 and learned for herself how “she was a happier, more whole woman, wife, and mother when she was reading good books.” Today, Well-Read Mom exists in all 50 states and several countries, and it connects more than 5,000 women. Each year, Well-Read Mom provides all the materials needed to effectively launch the program. Members receive a printed copy of the Reading Companion; monthly audio resources that enrich the reading experience and support group discussions; ongoing access to members-only features, including podcasts, videos, and bonus materials; and a printed copy of the Well-Read Mom summer magazine.
During 2023-2024, Well-Read Mom will be dedicated to the ‘Year of the Seeker,’ exploring great spiritual and literary classics like Brother Lawrence’s Practice of the Presence of God, Natalie Morrill’s Ghost Keeper, and T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets.
If you are “frustrated with the typical mom’s group conversation which seems to be limited to sleeping habits and strategies for soothing teething babies,” and if you are looking to connect with a multi-generational group of mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters, then this group is for you.
For more information and to be put in touch with a local parish-based chapter, please contact me by phone at (414) 321-8922 or by email at jpshimek@stjohns-grfd.org.
Registration is now open on our St. John the Evangelist website. Classes for grades 1 to 11 (including First Communion and Confirmation) begin on Wednesday, October 4. Class time is 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. The full class calendar is posted on our website. There is no fee for Religious Education thanks to a generous donation from a benefactor of St. John’s.
For grades 1 and grades 3 to 8, there will be a parent meeting on Tuesday, September 26, at 6:15 p.m. in the Church Hall. If your child will be receiving First Communion, please bring their baptismal certificate to this meeting.
For grades 2 and 9 to 11 (and Confirmation), a parent meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 27, at 6:15 p.m. in the Church Hall. Again, for those children receiving First Communion or Confirmation, please bring their baptismal certificate.
For new participants, please contact John Paul Shimek, Director of Lifelong Faith Formation, in the Parish Office in order to obtain more information about the program and to register your children for it.
Click here to register.
The soccer league season has started for our St. John the Evangelist athletes in grades K5 through 8. All games are played on the parish soccer fields. There will be games the next four weekends, including September 23 & 24, September 30 & October 1, October 7 & 8, and October 14 & 15. Each Saturday, there are games scheduled between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sunday games are played between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. There is no admission fee, and the concession stand will be open. If you love soccer, want to see children competing, playing, and smiling, or are just looking for a fun way to spend a Saturday or Sunday, please come out to the St. John’s soccer fields and watch our student-athletes in action.
Remember, Jesus is the bread of life.
Are you proud of St. John's School? Please show your support by purchasing their spirit wear today! Only available until September 28th. Click the link below to buy and help fund the school's programs.
Scientific Enigmas and Theological Mysteries
Welcome to episode one of the Wonder series. In this first episode, we learn how mysteries of physical reality discovered by science — especially the mystery of light — harmonize with mysteries of faith.
We will also realize an important lesson: a mystery of faith isn't something we can't know anything about; it's simply something we can't know everything about.
Click the video below to watch Episode 1: Light from Light.
“The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.”
Questions for Reflection
- Have you ever struggled with any of the mysteries of the Catholic Faith?
- Where can you go to dive deeper into these mysteries?
- How can the mysteries of science help you better contemplate God?
St. John’s is fortunate to have 24-hour Perpetual Adoration. Please take advantage of this beautiful opportunity to stay close to God.
We currently have four open hours:
Sundays from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Wednesdays from 5:00 to 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Saturdays from 5:00 to 6:00 a.m.
Contact Mary-Eileen Swart at 414-687-3512 to volunteer.
Live-streaming: Mass and Adoration
We are live-streaming daily and Sunday Masses as well as Adoration for those who are unable to attend:
Daily Masses:
Monday thru Saturday 8:00 am
Weekend Masses:
Saturday at 4:30 pm
Sunday at 8:30 and 10:30 am
If you miss the Livestream, you can watch the upload of each Mass on our YouTube channel.
Ladies of the Parish, please mark your calendars for the annual spiritual and silent retreat at the Redemptorist Retreat Center in Oconomowoc from October 6 to 8. Consider spending time away from your turbulent schedule to care for yourself. This year's theme is “Following in the Footsteps of Our Redeemer.”
The beautiful location in Crooked Lake offers guests the chance to refresh themselves in a lovely, sacred place. The retreat offers time for prayer, a celebration of the Sacraments, presentations, some interesting discussions, and, most importantly, QUIET. Your time at the retreat is exclusively yours, and you are free to enter the schedule whenever it is comfortable.
For more information or to register, please call
Barb at 414-448-7117 or the Retreat Center at 262-567-6900.
Chesterton Pilgrimage Fundraisers
Save the date! You can help Chesterton Academy senior students raise funds for their pilgrimage to Italy during Holy Week and Easter of next year. These events will help the students reduce their costs as they travel to Rome, Orvieto, and Assisi.
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Scrip is available at all weekend Masses or during regular business hours at the parish office.
Download the RaiseRight app to reload cards, purchase ecards, or purchase physical cards. Contact the Parish Office or School Office for the enrollment code.
