Parishioner News
We welcome the following individuals and families to our parish: Frank & Kathleen Serwatka.
We celebrate the child who has recently been baptized: Rhonin John Pitcher.
We also pray for the couple who recently had their marriage blessed: David & Jeanine Hansen.
Lent
Forty days of Lent begins this coming Wednesday, March 5. We will have three Masses with the distribution of Ashes after the Homily. Masses are at 8:00 a.m., Noon, and 6:30 p.m. We will also livestream the 8:00 a.m. and Noon Masses.
During Lent, we are asked to improve and enhance our spiritual lives with prayer, fasting, and acts of charity. The way we incorporate prayer into our lives is to pick a time of day and the place where we will pray. With those two ingredients, then prayer will follow. For those who are able to attend daily Mass, it is a beautiful Lenten practice. One parishioner said she decided to go to Mass every day during Lent, and after Lent, she continued the practice.
During Lent, it is also a good idea to find a book with spiritual themes. If you choose to read the Bible, it is best to begin by reading the Gospel’s accounts. We are asked to fast during Lent. Recently, on Relevant Radio, someone asked what is the value of fasting since it is not a means to diet nor a way of earning your way into Heaven. The person said fasting helps us say “No” to ourselves in small ways, such as giving up soda, candy, or meat on Fridays. When the devil tempts us to indulge in sinful ways, we can resist his temptations. Because of fasting, saying “No” to Satan comes easier because we have established the pattern of saying “No” to ourselves. Also, during Lent, we will have Stations of the Cross on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the church.
Litany of Trust by the Sisters of Life-Part Two
The Litany of Trust is a prayer composed by Sister Faustina Maria Pia, SV. In it, we place our trust in His promises.
That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, loving me…Jesus, I trust in you.
That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms me…Jesus, I trust in you.
That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You…Jesus, I trust in you.
That You are with me in my suffering…Jesus, I trust in you.
That my suffering united to Your own will bear fruit in this life and the next…Jesus, I trust in you.
That You will not leave me an orphan, that You are present in Your Church…Jesus, I trust in you.
That Your plan is better than anything else…Jesus, I trust in you.
That You always hear me, and in Your goodness always respond to me…Jesus, I trust in you.
That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others…Jesus, I trust in you.
That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked…Jesus, I trust in you.
That my life is a gift…Jesus, I trust in you.
That You will teach me to trust You…Jesus, I trust in you.
That You are my Lord and my God…Jesus, I trust in you.
That I am Your beloved one…Jesus, I trust in you.
Amen.
—Printed with permission by the Sisters of Life (www.sistersoflife.org)
Honey for Sale
We continue to sell jars of raw, local honey in the parish office. Each jar is $24, and we accept cash or checks.
The transition in 7th grade from Mrs. Wisniewski to Ms. Wedeward is complete. Mrs. Wisniewski is expecting a baby. Her last day for this school year was February 24 with the baby expected to be born soon. Ms. Wedeward started teaching all of the classes last week (Grades 6-8 Literacy and 7th-grade art) with guidance from Mrs. Wisniewski. The transition has gone very smoothly. We are excited for Mrs. Wisniewski as her family grows. We are also excited that Ms. Wedeward has chosen our school as the place to start her teaching career.
Please keep both of them in your prayers as they start their new journeys.
In this photo, we can see Mrs. Wisniewski on her last day of the 2024-25 school year with her class of students in Grade 7.
Please visit our Facebook page: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063321523652 to see more pictures!
"Go Out and Set Your Soul on Fire for God!"
Are you longing for a retreat experience but struggling to find the time to get away? Would you like to deepen your prayer life this Lent? Do you desire friendship with St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a Doctor of the Church and a master of the Christian spiritual life? Then, consider participating in a free online retreat experience from the comfort of your own home or office.
Starting March 5 (Ash Wednesday) and concluding on April 27 (Second Sunday of Easter), the Discalced Carmelite Friars of the Province of Paris, France, will be offering a free online retreat on the theme "Thérèse of Lisieux and the Paschal Mystery." This retreat, offered in English, is a collaborative effort with the Discalced Carmelite Friars of the Washington Province (which includes the Basilica and National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians – “Holy Hill”) and the Institute of Carmelite Studies in Washington, D.C.
Each Friday during the retreat, participants will receive an email with a meditation on the Gospel, inspiring quotes from St. Thérèse, practical tips to deepen and enrich prayer, a short video from the Carmelite friars on the weekly theme, and a calendar with daily prayer prompts.
To register for this free retreat, simply email retreat-online@karmel.at or visit www.retreat-online.karmel.at.
As always, you can stay updated with the latest information about programs and other offerings by joining our SJE Adult Formation Flocknote or following us on Facebook.
Girl Scout Cookie Sale
It’s the sweetest time of the year. St. John’s Girl Scout Troop 37605 will sell cookies after both Masses on Sunday, March 16. Cookies are $6 per box. Checks, cash, and Venmo will be happily accepted. Their theme this year is “Kindness,” and they would love to share their hearts and smiles with you even if you stop by to say hello. They thank you in advance for your Girl Scout cookie purchase.
Join us this Saturday, March 1, for the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship in our gym. Registration begins at 9:15 a.m., with warm-ups from 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. This event is open to boys and girls ages 9 to 14.
The program starts at 10:00 a.m.
For questions, please get in touch with Chris Wichgers at cmwichgers@gmail.com or 414-507-7660.
Join us on Thursday, March 20, and every third Thursday for our council meeting in the parish hall. We will start by praying the Rosary (all are welcome) at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m.
If you want to discover what the Knights are all about, join us for the Rosary or the meeting; contact Len, Peter, or Jason.
Len Felske, Membership Director, at 414-339-5779
Peter Kurz, Worthy Grand Knight, at 414-659-2656
Jason Zidek, Deputy Grand Knight, at 414-793-0450
We have many programs you may be interested in participating in or leading.
https://www.kofc.org/en/what-we-do/faith-in-action-programs/index.html
2025 Men of Christ Conference
Attention men of the parish: Here is updated information on the Men of Christ Conference. You are invited to join the 2025 Men of Christ Conference—Courage Under Fire—which will be held in parishes across the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Our parish will meet with other local parishes at Carroll University (100 N. East Avenue in Waukesha). The day will feature both virtual and live elements. The morning will feature well-known speakers, Mass, Adoration, Confession and fellowship. Get all the details and register at MenOfChrist.net. Your ticket will be sent to your email address. The day begins on Saturday, March 29, with recitation of the Rosary at 7:05 a.m., Mass at 7:30 a.m. with the program to follow. It should end at 1:30 p.m. For more information, contact Butch Sarnowski at (414) 403-0624 or email him at: ronsarnowski@gmail.com for more information.
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus asks, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?” I recommend that you apply this text to your choice of a spiritual director.
Does the person to whom you’ve entrusted your soul know where to take you? Or are they as lost as you are? How do we know whether they see properly? In a way, this is rather simple: Have you entrusted yourself to someone who is utterly dedicated to Christ?
The next quality of a good spiritual teacher is that he acknowledges his need for a savior. Jesus uses a rather funny image to make this point. “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
Every spiritual teacher is eager to tell you what’s wrong with you. They are confident diagnosticians of your problems. But unless they’ve surrendered to Christ and found salvation in him, they are absolutely in no position to help you. They are as absurd as the man with a roof beam sticking out of his eye.
-Bishop Robert Barron
Explore the goodness, truth, and beauty of the Faith.
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St. John’s is fortunate to have 24-hour Perpetual Adoration. Please take advantage of this beautiful opportunity to stay close to God.
Please read carefully, as many of our open hours have changed. We are currently in need of one (or ideally two) people for the following:
Mondays, 3:00 to 4:00 a.m.
Tuesdays, 2:00 to 3:00 a.m.
Saturdays, 1:00 to 2:00 a.m., and 11:00 p.m. to Midnight
We also seek a second Adorer for Fridays, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Call or text Mary-Eileen Swart at 414-687-3512 if you are interested.
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.
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.
