Join Us for Daily Mass
August is one of those months in which there are memorials, feasts, and solemnities almost every day at Mass.
On Monday, August 11, we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Clare of Assisi. Born to a noble family in Italy, she was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi and served as Mother Superior in a convent for 42 years. Known as the “Poor Clares,” the sisters lived an unusually austere life for women at the time, with the emphasis of their lives on contemplation.
On Tuesday, August 12, we honor St. Jane Frances de Chantal. She, too, was born into nobility in France and married the Baron de Chantal, who was killed in a hunting accident at the age of 28. She eventually found her spiritual director in St. Francis de Sales and founded an order for women and girls who felt called to live a life of Christian perfection. This involved always keeping one’s will united to the Divine will, seeking always to do what was pleasing to Him.
On Wednesday, August 13, it is the Feast Day of St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus, whose lives reflect themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. St. Pontian was the first Pope to abdicate after being exiled to the salt mines of Sardinia, Italy. He resigned as Pope and died a martyr for the faith. St. Hippolytus was a well-respected theologian in the early third century, but he rebelled against the Church when Callistus became Pope. He, too, was exiled to the Sardinian salt mines, where he met Pontian, who helped him reconcile with the Church before he died, also as a martyr.
On Thursday, August 14, we celebrate St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan priest who was executed by the Nazis at the Auschwitz death camp in 1941 after volunteering to take the place of a death row inmate who had a wife and children. During his life, he was known for his missionary work and his lifelong devotion to the Virgin Mary. He had been preaching in Japan but returned to Poland just as Germany invaded Poland, and he was arrested and jailed.
On Friday, August 15, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Holy Day of Obligation. There will be a Mass of Anticipation on Thursday, August 14, at 6:30 p.m., and on August 15, Masses will be held at 8:00 a.m. and Noon.
Then on Saturday, August 16, we honor St. Stephen of Hungary.
When you are able, please join us for morning Mass at 8:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Weekday Mass is followed by daily devotions, which usually begin with the recitation of the Rosary, followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Every Tuesday, devotions start with the powerful Novena to St. Anthony of Padua.
Resealing the Parking Lot
Please note the following dates for parking lot section closures.
The lot in front of the church, the upper lot, and the exit to 84th Street (marked in yellow) will be closed through today. Please park on the north side of the church or near the school for Mass.
The lot in front of the church, the upper lot, and the exit to 84th Street (marked in yellow) will be closed through today. Please park on the north side of the church or near the school for Mass.
The lot on the north side of the building and the entrance from 84th Street (marked in green) will be closed on Friday, August 8, and Saturday, August 9. During Mass, please use the newly resurfaced lot in front of the church or the upper lot for parking.
The parking lots on the west and south sides of the building (marked in blue) will be closed on Tuesday, August 12, and Wednesday, August 13. Please park in the newly resurfaced lots on the north and east sides of the building.
"Live a life that reflects God's love."
St. John Henry Newman:
Declared Doctor of the Church
We rejoice at the Church’s declaration of St. John Henry Newman as a Doctor of the Church, a title reserved for saints whose writings and teachings offer profound insight into the faith for all generations.
Born in 1801 in London, Newman was a leading Anglican theologian before his conversion to Catholicism in 1845. His spiritual journey, marked by deep intellectual honesty and a passionate search for truth, inspired many. After becoming Catholic, he was ordained a priest and later made a cardinal by Pope Leo XIII.
Newman’s writings—especially “The Idea of a University,” “Apologia Pro Vita Sua,” and “An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine”—have left a lasting mark on theology, education, and the spiritual life. He was canonized in 2019 by Pope Francis, and his elevation to Doctor of the Church further confirms his lasting contribution to Catholic thought.
Prayer to St. John Henry Newman
St. John Henry Newman, guide of seekers and friend of truth, you followed the kindly light of God’s providence even in uncertainty. Help us to seek truth with courage, to love the Church with fidelity, and to follow Christ wherever He leads. Pray for us, that we may grow in wisdom and holiness. Amen.
To keep up to date, join our SJE Adult Formation Flocknote or follow us on Facebook.
Knights of Columbus Orientation
Men of the parish, are you interested in becoming a member of the Knights of Columbus? Please join them on Thursday, August 7, for “New Member Sign-up and Orientation” at the Knights of Columbus Center in New Berlin, located behind the New Berlin Ale House, at 16334 W. Glendale Drive. Snacks and beverages will be provided. The program starts at 6:00 p.m. with a Q&A session and a Tour, followed by a sign-up opportunity at 6:15 p.m. and an orientation at 6:30 p.m.
Please RSVP to: Len Felske, Membership Director at 414-339-5779, Peter Kurz, Worthy Grand Knight at 414-659-2656, or Jason Zidek, Deputy Grand Knight at 414-793-0450.
They offer many programs that may interest you in participating in or leading: https://www.kofc.org/en/what-we-do/faith-in-action-programs/index.html.
St. John’s Prayer Shawl Ministry’s next meeting is Friday, August 8, from 10:30 am to Noon. Bring your new creations of Prayer Pockets, Shawls, Lap Blankets, Twiddle Muffs, and Baptismal Gifts. If you enjoy knitting and crocheting, we invite you to join us and learn more about this ministry. Thank you for your monetary and new yarn donations, dropped off at the Parish Office, to help us in this mission! The meeting location is near St. John's in the Highland Ridge Complex, specifically in the Hill Crest Building Community Room, located at 3993 S. Prairie Hill Lane. It offers easy access with no stairs.
For more information, contact Diane Oakland at 414-617-0721 or email at: dianeoak@gmail.com.
Save the Date for the
St. John’s-Christian Women's Blood Drive
The 2025 Blood Drive is scheduled for September 8 from 2:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Church Hall. Help save a life!
You can also call Diane Gaffke at (414) 327-6780 to reserve your time slot.
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus urges us to be ready for his Second Coming. It reminds me of John the Baptist preparing the way for us: “Make straight the way of the Lord.” He is saying that his job is to prepare for the mighty coming of the Lord. A change is coming, a revolution is on the way, a disaster (the destruction of the old) is about to happen. Prepare the way of the Lord.
And what is the manner of preparation? It is a baptism of repentance. Baptism—an immersion in water—reminded first-century Jews of the Exodus, passing through the Red Sea, leaving the ways of slavery behind.
And repentance (metanoia)—going beyond the mind that you have. How our minds are conditioned by the fallen world! How our expectations are shaped, stunted by what has gone before. The world of Tiberius, Pilate, Herod, and Caiaphas has shaped our imagination. It’s time, John is saying, for a new mind, a new set of eyes, a new kind of expectation. God is about to act!
Be ready!
And what is the manner of preparation? It is a baptism of repentance. Baptism—an immersion in water—reminded first-century Jews of the Exodus, passing through the Red Sea, leaving the ways of slavery behind.
And repentance (metanoia)—going beyond the mind that you have. How our minds are conditioned by the fallen world! How our expectations are shaped, stunted by what has gone before. The world of Tiberius, Pilate, Herod, and Caiaphas has shaped our imagination. It’s time, John is saying, for a new mind, a new set of eyes, a new kind of expectation. God is about to act!
Be ready!
-Bishop Robert Barron
St. John’s is fortunate to have 24-hour Perpetual Adoration. Please take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to draw closer to God.
We have one open hour of Adoration:
Every other Tuesday (twice per month), 1:00 to 2:00 a.m.
We are also seeking a second Adorer for many of the late evening and overnight hours, particularly on Sundays and Fridays at 11:00 p.m. If you are looking for some quiet time to be with Our Lord, please consider signing up.
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.