The Blessed Mother on the
Importance of Praying the Rosary
The Blessed Mother Mary said to St. Dominic:
“Whoever recites my Rosary devoutly, reflecting on the mysteries, shall never be overwhelmed by misfortune. They will not experience the anger of God and will never perish by an unprovided death (death while not in a state of grace, unconfessed mortal sin in the soul). Sinners will be converted. The just will persevere in grace and merit eternal life!”
If you have been praying the Rosary more regularly during October, the month of the Rosary, please continue the spiritual practice. It will make the Blessed Mother and those who pray the Rosary very happy.
- Our Lady of the Rosary to St. Dominic
In the homily last Sunday, I shared with you the St. Francis Prayer before the Crucifix:
Great God of all Glory,
I beg you to illuminate me.
Dispel the darkness of my spirit,
give me a pure faith, a firm hope,
and a perfect charity.
Grant that I may know you well and
do all things according to your most Holy Will.
Amen.
I shared how the word ILLUMINATE is asking God to show us our sins, weaknesses, and where we need to improve in life. Someone asked me, “If God shows us our sins and weaknesses, will God also give us the grace to overcome our sins and weaknesses?” The answer is yes, especially when we ask for the graces which we need to overcome the sin. Sometimes, the grace to overcome sins arrives quickly, and sometimes it takes longer. It’s all according to God’s timing.
Celebrating the Saints at Daily Mass
This week, we celebrate two great Feast Days at our 8:00 a.m. Mass. All are welcome to join us.
On Tuesday, October 28, we celebrate the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude.
On Saturday, November 1, we celebrate All Saints Day at 8:00 a.m. Because the Feast of All Saints is on a Saturday, the obligation to attend Mass has been lifted. However, all are invited to join us for the 8:00 a.m. Mass on Saturday morning.
Change in Leadership at the Cathedral
Because our parish name is similar to the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Milwaukee, the naming of a new rector and pastor there is sometimes confused with a change in our parish. Fr. Edward Sanchez will assume the role of rector and pastor of the Cathedral. The downtown parish community has become truly bilingual with a large Spanish-speaking ministry. That was part of the Archbishops’ decision to appoint Fr. Edward, who speaks both English and Spanish. This change has no impact here at St. John’s, so if you hear rumors about me being replaced, please disregard.
Spaghetti Dinner-Save the Date
Parishioners should save the date for a Spaghetti Dinner being served in the Hall on Saturday, November 15, after the 4:30 p.m. Mass. You will enjoy spaghetti and meatballs, salad, bread and butter, water, coffee, and milk, topped off by your choice of home-made desserts.
There will be a free-will offering, and all proceeds will be donated to the new Meditation Garden on the parish grounds.
More information to follow next week.
On October 15, our students from grades one through eight laced up their sneakers and stepped out in faith for the Catholic Schools Walk! Led by the amazing Mrs. Pitcher, the day kicked off with a high-energy warm-up and a heartfelt prayer in the gym.
Along the walk, students paused to reflect and pray together - a beautiful reminder of our shared faith and community. After completing the walk, students socialized in the gym, enjoyed a cookie and juice box, and celebrated our school.
A big thank you to our St. John’s Christian Women Society for providing funds to purchase snacks for our walkers!
"Live a life that reflects God's love."
Ascension Press Presents: Catholic Classics – Saint Augustine’s Confessions
Alongside the launch of our Foundations of Faith program next week, we are pleased to offer a unique opportunity for those desiring a deeper, more contemplative engagement with the Catholic tradition. This fall, we will host a companion study focused on one of the Church’s greatest spiritual and intellectual treasures: The Confessions of St. Augustine of Hippo. Running concurrently with Part One of Foundations of Faith—which explores humanity’s longing for God, divine revelation, and the Creed—this study will serve as a rich theological and philosophical complement. Meeting from early November through January, the group will follow Ascension Press’s Catholic Classics edition as our guide. Designed for those already grounded in Catholic doctrine, this study will unfold in the spirit of an undergraduate seminar: reflective, rigorous, and conversational. Together, we’ll explore the restless heart of Augustine, and through him, our own. This is a wonderful way to get to know the spirituality of Pope Leo XIV as well.
Space is limited. To learn more or express interest, please contact me at jpshimek@stjohns-grfd.org
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Council 524 expresses gratitude to everyone who donated before and after Masses earlier this month for the Life Savers 4 Life Campaign.
We raised $1040 and matched up to $1000, totaling $2040 for the Respect Life Ministry at SJE.
Thank you all.
Friends, today Jesus tells us of the Pharisee and the tax collector—so, stereotypically righteous and unrighteous people—who both enter the temple to pray. But what a world of difference in their manner of praying!
The entire point of religion is to make us humble before God and to open us to the path of love. Everything else is more or less a footnote. Liturgy, prayer, the precepts of the Church, the commandments, sacraments, sacramentals—all of it—are finally meant to conform us to the way of love. When they turn us away from that path instead, they have been undermined.
Both St. Paul and the Gospel writers—as well as Jesus himself, of course—are intensely aware of this danger. This is precisely why Paul speaks of the dangers of the Law. He knew that people often use the Law as a weapon of aggression: since I know what is right and wrong in some detail, then I am uniquely positioned to point out your flaws. And when I point out your flaws, I elevate myself. In short, the Law, which is a gift from God, has been co-opted for the purposes of the ego.
The entire point of religion is to make us humble before God and to open us to the path of love. Everything else is more or less a footnote. Liturgy, prayer, the precepts of the Church, the commandments, sacraments, sacramentals—all of it—are finally meant to conform us to the way of love. When they turn us away from that path instead, they have been undermined.
Both St. Paul and the Gospel writers—as well as Jesus himself, of course—are intensely aware of this danger. This is precisely why Paul speaks of the dangers of the Law. He knew that people often use the Law as a weapon of aggression: since I know what is right and wrong in some detail, then I am uniquely positioned to point out your flaws. And when I point out your flaws, I elevate myself. In short, the Law, which is a gift from God, has been co-opted for the purposes of the ego.
-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.