Summer Plans for Seminarian Nick Emsing
Hello everyone,
I am thrilled to share updates on my seminary formation. First, summer break is here. My final weekend at the parish was April 27, when I celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday with everyone. In one week, I will finish finals and then head home for the summer.
As we approach finals week, we will also be vacating the seminary. By now, many of you are likely aware of the “Zeal for the Lord’s House” campaign initiated by the seminary. For those who are not aware, it is a significant repair and renovation project that is already underway. Most of our residence, Henni Hall, has been cleared out in anticipation of the upcoming construction. When the seminary community returns, we will live at the Mary, Mother of the Church Pastoral Center for a year and a half. This type of campaign is the first of its kind and marks the first renovation in 40 years, so it is understandable that there is a lot of excitement—and work—involved. This project is a significant investment in the future of seminary formation for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and beyond, so please continue to keep it in your prayers.
Once I move out for the summer, I will relocate to Indianapolis, Indiana, for a summer internship in pastoral care known as “Clinical Pastoral Education” or “CPE” for short. Throughout this period, I will be living and working at a hospital, participating in classes, and engaging with patients, allowing me to acquire essential skills related to hospital ministry. This program aims to immerse seminarians in the reality of life’s challenges and equip us with the necessary tools to effectively minister to those who are sick and suffering. It is an opportunity to participate intimately in the healing ministry of Christ.
Finally, I will return at the beginning of September for my third year of Configuration, where I will start preparing for my ordination to the diaconate in June of 2026. This summer promises to be an exciting adventure, and I kindly ask for your prayers that the Lord may continue His good work in me. Additionally, I would appreciate your prayers for those I will encounter during CPE.
May God bless you all!
Roses for Mother’s Day
On Mother’s Day weekend, the St. John’s Respect Life Committee will have individual red roses after each Mass. A free-will offering will be accepted for each rose. What a wonderful way to honor the mothers and mother figures in your lives.
Email Scams
Our parish staff is reporting that they are receiving emails supposedly from me asking for a favor. Other versions claim I have laryngitis, so I cannot speak over the phone. Please know that neither I nor members of our staff or Parish Council will email asking for gift cards or other items. The email may display my name as the sender (Rev. Michael F. Merkt), but if you look closely, you will note irregularities in the actual email return address. Be sure to check for a mismatch between a sender’s display name and the email address. Email spoofing is a deceptive technique used to make an email appear as if it is from a trusted source. These are scams. Please do not answer these emails or click on any links contained in the emails.
Dear St. John's Community,
We hope this message finds you well. As summer approaches, we are excited to announce a fantastic opportunity to contribute to our community's meditation garden. This is the garden opposite the playground. Last year, we cleaned up the space and planted donated plants from our parishioners. Our next step will be to monitor what plants take root and to redefine the walking paths. We hope to plant again this fall and create a space with color, spring, summer, and fall. We also have some benches and a pergola being built by our Boy Scouts to add to the space. We are seeking volunteers to help weed the meditation garden once a week from July 2025 through August 2025.
How to Sign Up: Please contact Amanda Rios at amandavillanirios@gmail.com to express your interest and availability.
We appreciate your support and look forward to working together to establish our new meditation garden.
Warm regards,
Shane and Amanda Rios
Each year, St. John’s Holy Name Society sponsors an Essay Contest for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in the day school, religious education, and home-schooled children of St. John’s Parish. This year’s contest theme was: “How Do You Express Your Catholic Faith With Confidence, Hope, and Conviction”?
Holy Name offers a prize structure of $75.00 for 1st Place, $60.00 for 2nd Place, and $40.00 for 3rd Place for both St. John’s Day School and Religious Education programs.
This year, the winners are:
First Place - Lexi (bottom)
Second Place – Elizer (top left)
Third Place - Hayley (top right)
On May 6, our students celebrated Mary with our May Crowning celebration. During this special event, students offered flowers, sang hymns, and crowned a statue of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth. The celebration was led by our soon-to-be graduating 8th graders and our 2nd-grade students, who received their First Communion this past weekend. Deacon Steve shared his love of Mary with us. It was an afternoon of prayer and celebration of Mary’s great example of faith and obedience to God. A reception in the Church hall followed the celebration.
A big thank you to the Christian Women for their generous donation to help make the May Crowning a success. Thank you to the St. John’s Home and School volunteers for helping out with the event. A special thank you to Karen Schulteis for the work she did to help us celebrate Mary. A big shout-out to our 2nd graders and our 8th graders for leading us in prayer.
"Go Out and Set Your Soul on Fire for God!"
A Very Happy Mother’s Day
This weekend, we give thanks to God for the gift of mothers. We honor all women who, through their love, sacrifice, and nurturing spirit, reflect the tender care of Our Blessed Mother, Mary. Whether by birth, adoption, or spiritual motherhood, your vocation is a sacred one. May the Lord bless all mothers and those who serve in motherly roles with strength, joy, and the consolation of His grace. We hold you in our prayers and hearts this day and always.
Prayers for the New Pope
As of this writing, the voting members of the College of Cardinals have not yet entered into Conclave to elect the 267th Successor of Saint Peter, the Prince of the Apostles. They are scheduled to do so on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 7, following the celebration of the Missa pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice—the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff—at the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican. Many Church watchers anticipate that the new Pontiff will be chosen by Friday, May 9. In light of that momentous occasion for the life of the Church, I wish to share the following prayers, which Catholics are encouraged to recite every day of the new pontificate.
A Traditional Catholic Prayer
Let us pray for N., our Pope. May the Lord protect him and grant him length of days. Amen. May the Lord be his shield and deliver him from all harm. Amen. May the Lord give him happiness and peace all the days of his life. Amen.
A Prayer from the Roman Missal
O God, who in your providential design willed that your Church be built upon blessed Peter, whom you set over the other Apostles, look with favor, we pray, on N. our Pope and grant that he, whom you have made Peter’s successor, may be for your people a visible source and foundation of unity in faith and of communion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
To keep up to date, join our SJE Adult Formation Flocknote or follow us on Facebook.
Christian Women will begin their May 8 evening with Mass and reception of new members at 6:00 pm in the Church. Please wear something BLUE in honor of Mary’s purity during the month of May. Mass will be followed by a business meeting, trivia, and social. Remember to bring payments for our bus trip/tour of St. Joseph’s Chapel and our “Dinner in June.”
Meanwhile, a big thank you to all who took part in our Rummage Sale, whether you shopped, donated, or volunteered to help out during the three-day sale, especially all Christian Women who helped with the extensive setup and tear down, you are all very much appreciated!
Join us on Thursday, May 15, 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
Friends, our Gospel reading today is extremely short but packed with theological and spiritual significance. We hear first of a voice: “My sheep hear my voice.” How wonderful and strange that Christianity is not a set of ideas, a philosophy, or an ideology. It’s a relationship with someone who has a voice. The first disciples were privileged to hear the voice of the historical Jesus, its very particular tonality and texture.
But we hear his voice too, in our own way, when we hear the Scriptures proclaimed at Mass. Mind you, we don’t just read the Bible; we hear the Bible. We hear the voice of Jesus, too, when the bishops and the popes speak. We can also hear the voice of Jesus in our conscience, which Newman called “the aboriginal vicar of Christ in the soul.”
We can also hear the voice of Jesus in good spiritual friends, in those who comfort us, challenge us, keep calling us to higher ideals, and encourage us when we fall. We listen to Jesus because he leads us to a renewed and transformed life on high with God.
-Bishop Robert Barron
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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:
Sundays, Midnight to 1:00 a.m.
Mondays, 3:00 to 4:00 a.m.
Thursdays, Midnight to 1:00 a.m.
Saturdays, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Call 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.