A Prayer for our Friends The Souls in Purgatory
Lord Jesus, have mercy on the souls detained in Purgatory.
It was for their salvation that you took on our human nature
and suffered a most painful death.
Have mercy on their burning desire to see you;
have mercy on their tears of repentance.
Through the merits of your Passion, remit the sentence they incurred by their sins.
Dear, Loving Jesus, may Your Blood descend on those dear souls!
May it shorten their time of atonement and may they soon be called to eternal happiness in your presence! Amen
- A Month with our Friends the Souls in Purgatory (page 1)
You will find this great 76-page pamphlet (A Month with our Friends the Souls in Purgatory) on the table near the Holy Water tank. This spiritual pamphlet is filled with accounts regarding souls in Purgatory and prayers we can pray to assist in their release into Heaven. We ask for a $5 donation for the booklet. The money collected will be used for Mass Intentions for the Souls in Purgatory in 2026.
Any parishioner wishing to pray for those whose funeral Mass has been celebrated at St. John’s over the past 12 months can contact Jeff at jeffdraz@sbcglobal.net.
Celebrating the Saints at Daily Mass
This week, a number of beloved Saints will be remembered and celebrated at our 8:00 a.m. Mass. All are welcome to join us.
On Monday, October 20, we commemorate the life and contributions of St. Paul of the Cross, Priest. He was the founder of the Passionist order and had an ardent devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, and spent much time in prayer before it.
On Wednesday, October 22, it is the Feast Day of St. John Paul II, who served as Pope from 1978 until his death in 2005. He is remembered for his global influence during his papacy, including his efforts promoting human rights, interfaith dialogue, and his role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, particularly his native Poland.
On Thursday, October 23, we celebrate the Feast Day of St. John of Capistrano, a Franciscan Priest whose life included a political career, extensive missionary journeys, efforts to reunite separated Eastern Christians with Rome, and a historically important turn at military leadership.
On Friday, October 24, it is the Feast Day of St. Anthony M. Claret, Bishop and founder of the Claretian Missionaries. In the mid-1800s, he created trade and vocational schools for disadvantaged children and visited jails and hospitals, defending the oppressed and denouncing racism. He was also warned by Jesus that Communism would be the great foe of humanity, and the remedy was devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Rosary.
On Saturday, October 25, the Mass is in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Enjoy St. John's famous Fish Fry and raise money to support the Women’s Support Center of Milwaukee on Friday, October 17, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and the Board of the Women’s Support Center.
Volunteer opportunities are available. Please contact Peter Kurz at (414) 659-2656 if you are interested. All volunteers should arrive by 3:45 p.m.
Donations of diapers, wipes, and infant clothing are also greatly appreciated.
Each month, students in grades two through eight set reading goals. The class with the highest percentage of students reaching their goals receives the traveling trophy for the month. Our September winner is the second grade. Great job, second grade!
We had the Greenfield Fire Department visit the school on October 13 to teach our students in grades K4 through five about fire safety.
Our youngest students were excited to see the fire truck and all the equipment firefighters use. Our older students checked out some of the firefighters' gear while learning what to do in case of a fire.
"Live a life that reflects God's love."
Foundations of Faith — Registration Now Open!
The online registration portal for the Foundations of Faith program is now open. To register, please visit our parish website (www.stjohns-grfd.org). Hover over “Lifelong Faith Formation” near the top of the page, then select “Adult Formation,” and finally click on “Foundations of Faith.”
Through the portal, you’ll be able to:
- Register for the program
- Reserve your copy of the participant workbook
- View the full syllabus of meeting topics and readings
- View a short introductory video about the program
Please note that the program begins the week of Monday, October 27. Sessions will be offered in the Church Hall on Mondays (6:30–8:00 p.m.) and Tuesdays (1:00–2:30 p.m.), with scheduled breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Each session will include:
- Time for prayer and reflection
- A video presentation from Ascension Press
- Small group faith sharing and discussion
The program fee is $45, which includes a copy of the workbook and access to all sessions. Participants are asked to submit their program fee at the beginning of the first session. A limited number of scholarships are available for those in need. Please contact John Paul Shimek at jpshimek@stjohns-grfd.org with questions or for additional information.
To stay updated, join our SJE Adult Formation Flocknote or follow us on Facebook.
The next meeting of the St. John’s Prayer Shawl Ministry will be on Friday, October 17, from 10:30 a.m. to Noon. Bring your new creations of Prayer Pockets, Shawls, Lap Blankets, Twiddle Muffs, and Baptismal Gifts. If you enjoy knitting and crocheting, we would love for you to join us and learn more about this ministry.
Thank you to those who made new yarn donations and monetary donations, which were dropped off at the Parish Office to help with this mission!
The meeting location is near St. John's, with easy access and no stairs. Any new members are invited to call Diane Oakland at 414-617-0721 for the location and more information, or email her at: dianeoak@gmail.com.
Friends, today’s Gospel exhorts us to pray with persistence. This command is everywhere in the Bible. We see it in Abraham’s steady petition on behalf of the people of Sodom. We see it in today’s account of the persistent widow. We hear it in Jesus’ extraordinary teaching: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
One reason that we don’t receive what we want through prayer is that we give up too easily. What could be behind this rule of prayer? Augustine said that God sometimes delays in giving us what we want because he wants our hearts to expand. The more ardently we desire something, the more ready we are when it comes, the more we treasure it. The very act of asking persistently is accomplishing something spiritually important. So when the Lord seems slow to answer your prayer, never give up.
One reason that we don’t receive what we want through prayer is that we give up too easily. What could be behind this rule of prayer? Augustine said that God sometimes delays in giving us what we want because he wants our hearts to expand. The more ardently we desire something, the more ready we are when it comes, the more we treasure it. The very act of asking persistently is accomplishing something spiritually important. So when the Lord seems slow to answer your prayer, never give up.
-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 two open hours of Adoration:
Every Other Tuesday (twice per month), 1:00 to 2:00 a.m.
Saturdays, Midnight to 1:00 a.m.
We are also seeking a second Adorer for many late-evening and overnight hours, particularly on Saturdays at 1:00 a.m. Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. Also on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 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.