Thanksgiving Blessings
This Thursday, we, as a country, will celebrate the traditional Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends, enjoying a great variety of foods—all our favorites! Mixed in with our festivities will be football and parades. Please remember to begin this special day with our parish’s Thanksgiving Mass at 8:00 a.m.. How important it is for us to gather for Mass to celebrate the Eucharist as a way of expressing our thanks, especially to God, who has blessed us and continues to bless us in so many ways.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has released this Thanksgiving Prayer:
Lord, we thank you for the goodness of our people
And for the spirit of justice that fills this nation.
We thank you for the beauty and fullness of the land
And the challenge of the cities.
We thank you for our work and our rest,
For one another, and for our homes.
We thank you, Lord:
Accept our thanksgiving on this day.
We pray and give thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Also from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, some additional prayer suggestions:
For the gift of faith, Christ, and His Church.
For the gift of family and friends, living and deceased.
For the gift of our country and the freedoms we enjoy.
For the gift of our Archdiocese and all who minister to us.
Amen.
The Saints We Celebrate This Week
This week, on Monday, November 24, we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest and Companions, Martyrs. On Tuesday, November 25, it is the Feast Day of St. Catherine of Alexandria, also a Martyr. On Saturday, November 29, we celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saturday also marks the end of the Year of Grace, 2025. All are invited to come to our 8:00 a.m. weekday Mass.
On Sunday, we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent, our time to prepare ourselves by asking how can we grow closer to Christ in anticipation of his birth on Christmas Day.
2025 Giving Tree
We begin the Advent season on November 30, but St. John’s tradition of hosting a Giving Tree for those less fortunate will begin a bit earlier; in fact, by the time you come to Mass this weekend, it will already be set up in the church. This year’s theme is, “With one another; For one another.” The Giving Tree is now full of 700 gift envelopes. Individuals and families can take a gift tag and then purchase the gift marked on the outside of the envelope, or purchase a SCRIP card through the parish if that is how the envelope is marked. Please return the gift unwrapped, with the envelope securely taped to the gift. Put your gift or gift card in the boxes surrounding the Giving Tree, and you can select an ornament to add to the tree.
Over the next few weeks, you will see the tree transformed from hundreds of tags representing gifts wanted to hundreds of ornaments representing gifts donated. All gifts must be returned by Noon on Sunday, December 14.
The parish Confirmation Candidates for Spring of 2026 will again sponsor the Giving Tree as one of their outreach service projects. This weekend, three of the Confirmation Candidates will speak about the Giving Tree before the announcements.
Gifts will be delivered to five charities in the Milwaukee area. Gifts will be in the hands of individuals and families before Christmas. Let us all share the true meaning of Christmas with those in need. On behalf of all the recipients of your generosity, a big, hearty thank you!
Thank you to all who attended our Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday night after the 4:30 p.m. Mass. Organizers were surprised by the huge turnout, but they were prepared to feed all of you hungry souls. Thank you to our donors, especially our volunteer bakers; your desserts were unbelievably delicious and plentiful. Through the free-will offering, they raised an astonishing $2,100, which will be used to make necessary changes to the parish Meditation Garden on the north side of the school, near the playground. The response was so good, there are plans for another Italian-style dinner next year.
Parish Christmas Concert
On Sunday, December 7, the parish will host our annual Christmas Concert. It begins at 4:00 p.m. in the Church. Bring the whole family to enjoy an afternoon of your favorite religious Christmas-themed songs.
The Elegant Farmer School Fundraiser
If you ordered any of the delicious bakery products from the Elegant Farmer through the recent school fundraiser, orders can be picked up in the Church Hall on Monday, November 24, from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please call or text Lauren Koier at (414) 841-3470 or email her at koierle6@gmail.com. Thank you for supporting the St. John’s Parish School.
The Christian Women Society will be gathering for their Christmas celebration on Thursday, December 4, in the church hall at 6:00 p.m. Please remember to bring your layette items for mothers in need. Diapers, wipes, bottles, blankets, onesies, sleepers, or a monetary donation would be wonderful.
On November 7, while our students had a day off, our staff members volunteered at the Milwaukee Diaper Mission. Our teachers helped sort, pack, and prepare diapers for distribution to families in need. We wrapped over 20,000 diapers, helping 827 families meet their basic needs this month.
If you are interested in getting involved, there are various ways you can support the Milwaukee Diaper Mission by going to this page of their website: https://www.milwaukeediapermission.org/ways-to-help
"Live a life that reflects God's love."
Journey into Deeper Eucharistic Life
Join Emmaus 90
Are you ready to walk more closely with the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and be renewed as a disciple of Jesus? Beginning January 1 through Easter 2026, Emmaus 90 invites all adults, families, couples, and small groups to a 90-day pilgrimage of prayer, formation, and companionship, with all-new content for 2026.
What you’ll receive:
- A printed guidebook journal (for those registered by Dec 10) with daily Scripture prompts and reflection.
- Weekly livestreamed formation sessions (Thursdays) plus recordings.
- Discussion questions and support for small group or family sharing.
- A path to become a Eucharistic missionary in your parish, workplace, family, and neighborhood.
Who this is for:
- Anyone hungry to know Christ more deeply
- Families or couples wanting to grow in faith together
- Small faith-sharing groups seeking a meaningful journey
- Those eager to accompany others in faith
Cost & Details: Registration is just $20 per person or $40 per family. Register by December 10 to receive printed materials by Christmas.
Take the next step: Visit the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s Office of Evangelization website or contact jpshimek@stjohns-grfd.org. After registering, please begin inviting others to join you on this journey!
To stay updated, join our SJE Adult Formation Flocknote or follow us on Facebook.
Sunday, November 23, 2025 | Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe | Luke 23:35–43
Friends, today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. This day reminds us what the Christian thing is all about: that Jesus really is the King, the Lord of our lives. It affirms that we belong utterly to him; that we can say, with St. Paul, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”
If we say anything else, we are horsing around with Christianity and not really living it. If we pay lip service to Jesus but do not submit completely to him, we are fooling around and not treating him as the King of our lives. If we let him into one or two rooms of the house and not every room, he isn’t our King.
Jesus is our Dominus, our Lord—or we are missing the point.
If we say anything else, we are horsing around with Christianity and not really living it. If we pay lip service to Jesus but do not submit completely to him, we are fooling around and not treating him as the King of our lives. If we let him into one or two rooms of the house and not every room, he isn’t our King.
Jesus is our Dominus, our Lord—or we are missing the point.
-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 Kay Shomperlen at 414-763-1250 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.