A Christmas Message from Archbishop Grob
Hello Everyone,
After a season of watching and waiting, at the Christmas Midnight Mass, we hear the wonderful words: “The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light.” (Isaiah 9:1) Can you imagine for a moment being a part of the nativity scene? Forget the sanitized view born from nativity plays, beautiful though they are, the stable is a dark and muddy place. It is quaint and almost forgotten.
In this humble place, a cry pierces the night: an infant is born and swaddled in rags. For all intents and purposes, this could be any baby in any place in the world. But what unfolds in this scene is a miraculous birth that forever changed the world. The Savior of the world is not a king born in a grand palace with finery, but an infant born of poor parents in a modest stable.
It’s hard for us to imagine who would take offense at a baby born in a manger, a defenseless infant in such a lowly place. Yet even then, some did. And still today, many turn away. But God holds nothing back. He enters our darkness, our “stables,” our forgotten places. Jesus comes to us not as a princely dignitary who rules with power and decree, but as one meek and humble of heart, bringing light to our darkness and inviting us into a life of humility, gentleness, and grace.
Through his miracles and mercy, Jesus shows us that everyone, especially those pushed to the margins, is worthy of dignity and love. He continues to invite us to see His presence: in the beauty of creation, in the love of family and friends, and most profoundly, in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
My hope and prayer for you this Christmas is that your heart will be filled with the light of God’s inbreaking love, that the eternal Son may shine into your life, your heart, and your family. May His light, which no darkness can overshadow, fill you with peace, joy, and freedom that the world cannot give.
Celebrate Christmas
at St. John the Evangelist
Christmas Eve Masses
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
3:00 PM
(Prelude Music 2:30 PM.)
10:00 PM
(Prelude Music 9:30 PM)
Christmas Day Masses
Thursday, December 25, 2025
8:30 AM
(Prelude Music 8:00 AM)
10:30 AM
(Prelude Music 10:00 AM)
2025 Contribution Deadline
NEW FOR THIS YEAR
Contributions by Mail: If you plan to mail a donation for the 2025 tax year, we must record contributions based on the official postmark date, not the date on the check. Please be aware of a recent nationwide change by the United States Postal Service regarding postmarking.
As of August 2025, postmarks are no longer applied when mail is first handled at your local post office. Instead, they are now affixed at regional sorting centers. This means the postmark on your envelope could be dated several days after you place it in your mailbox. If you are sending time-sensitive mail at the end of the year, please plan for a 1–2 day delay (or more) in the postmark application.
Please be aware that any donations you want included in your 2025 Contribution Statement must be received before the end of this year. If you plan to deliver your donation to the Parish Office, please note that we will close at noon on Wednesday, December 31.
If you attend Mass on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 4:00 PM, any donations made during that Mass will be included on your 2025 statement.
If you are mailing your donations, please see the notice above about the change in postmarks and plan accordingly.
For online donations, initiate the transaction by Wednesday, December 31, to have it count towards your 2025 contribution.
Please note that any donations postmarked, initiated, or given on or after January 1, 2026, will be credited to your 2026 contribution.
If you attend Mass on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 4:00 PM, any donations made during that Mass will be included on your 2025 statement.
If you are mailing your donations, please see the notice above about the change in postmarks and plan accordingly.
For online donations, initiate the transaction by Wednesday, December 31, to have it count towards your 2025 contribution.
Please note that any donations postmarked, initiated, or given on or after January 1, 2026, will be credited to your 2026 contribution.
We hope this clarifies the deadlines required for your 2025 tax deductions. Thank you for your understanding and continued generosity.
Honey Is Here!
We are once again selling locally grown honey from our parish office. There are three flavors to select from: Clover and Basswood (both light in color) and Wild Flower (a bit darker shade of amber). Each three-pound jar is $24, preferably paid in cash. It is distributed by Rolling Meadows Sorghum Mill in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
A Contest to Honor Teachers
Catholic Financial Life's “Give Back” Contest honors teachers for their remarkable dedication to transforming their students' lives. One of our very own St. John’s Parish School teachers, Mrs. Kazik, was nominated. You may vote for her once per day per device through Friday, December 19.
Also, if your child has been in Mrs. Kazik's second-grade class, please share your thoughts when voting, as these stories and comments are taken into consideration by the judges, as well as the vote tally.
Three outstanding teachers will each receive a $500 cash prize, and their schools will receive a $4,000 donation to support their mission. Let's get Mrs. Kazik into the top three.
Vote online Monday, December 15, through Friday, December 19. The link to vote is: www.catholicfinanciallife.org/givebackcontest.
2025 Giving Tree
The response to the parish “Giving Tree” has once again exceeded all expectations. The tree was put up on November 22, with 700 tags representing gifts requested. By early December, all tags were taken and replaced with ornaments representing gifts fulfilled. These Christmas presents will surely brighten the Christmas holiday for hundreds of families in need. The gifts will all be sorted and delivered before the Christmas holiday.
Millions of Monicas Prayer Ministry
Leaders Needed
The Millions of Monicas Prayer Ministry at St. John’s continues to grow! This group unites women in prayer for family members and friends who have drifted away from the Catholic faith. They are seeking additional leaders to co-facilitate their one-hour gatherings on the second Wednesday of each month. If you feel called to serve or would like more information, please contact the parish office at (414) 321-1965.
The spirit of togetherness and faith was evident as our eighth- and second-graders worked side by side to create a “Jesse” Tree. The classes partnered together to learn about the symbols and stories that help us prepare our hearts during Advent. Working with their buddies, students created beautiful trees and deepened their understanding of God’s promise. It was awesome to see the smiles as our students grew in faith together.
"Live a life that reflects God's love."
Need Any Last-Minute Gifts That Also
Support Our Amazing School?
St. John the Evangelist is pumped to launch our Dave & Buster’s Power Card Fundraising Campaign!
When you purchase a Dave & Buster’s Power Card from our fundraising page, 50% of your order directly supports St. John the Evangelist! Whether it’s classic arcade thrills, action-packed racing, or multiplayer challenge, enjoy endless gaming fun at any Dave & Buster’s location nationwide when you purchase your Power Card at the link below.
Don’t forget to share it with friends and family to join in the fun: grouprai.se/davebusters69004m.
Merry Christmas!
A Word of Gratitude to Our Dedicated Catechists!
This Christmas season, as we gather in wonder before the mystery of the Word made flesh, we remember the angel’s proclamation, “I bring you good news of great joy” (Lk 2:10), and we rejoice in the radiant hope born in Bethlehem. In this spirit of holy joy, our parish community offers deep and heartfelt gratitude to our catechists, whose generous service echoes the beautiful truth proclaimed in the Catechism: “Catechesis is a work of love… the education in the faith of children, young people, and adults.” (CCC 5) Through your dedication, patience, and witness, you help Christ’s light shine in the hearts of learners of every age, forming them into joyful disciples who recognize His presence among us.
With affection and sincere appreciation, we thank our grade two catechists, Julie Sarnowski and Susan Krawczak; our grades three and four catechists, Kathy and Hugh Harty; our grades five and six catechists, Mary Arredondo and Amy Gundrum; our grades seven and eight catechist, Laura Dolkiewicz; our grade nine catechist, Matt Crivello; our grade ten catechist, Pam Donegan; and our grade eleven/Confirmation catechists, Paul Fruncek and Rick Fessenbecker. We also extend deep gratitude to the leaders of our Adult Foundations of Faith Program: Janet Bartol, Karen Hess, Jenny Stern, and Callista Toman, whose commitment to lifelong faith formation gives powerful witness to St. Augustine’s reminder that, “our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
Amazing, Wonderful, and Inspiring Catechists: May the Christ Child, who entered our world in humility and love, bless each of you with renewed strength, peace that quiets every worry, and joy that overflows into your ministry. As we look to the year ahead, may your service continue to inspire our parish family, helping all whom you teach to encounter the tenderness of God and to walk ever more confidently as disciples of the newborn King. Merry Christmas, and may the light of Christ shine brightly through you in every season.
And I pray that all our St. John the Evangelist parish family and friends are graced with a beautiful, joyful, and peace-filled Christmas. May the Lord pour out abundant blessings upon you and those you love!
To stay updated, join our SJE Adult Formation Flocknote or follow us on Facebook.
Friends, in today’s Gospel, an angel tells Joseph in a dream to name his son Jesus “because he will save his people from their sins.”
The rightful King has returned to reclaim what is his and to let the prisoners go free. The God announced by all the prophets and patriarchs—by Abraham, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, and Isaiah—is a God of justice, and this means that he burns to set things right. God hates the sin, violence, and injustice that have rendered gloomy his beautiful world, and therefore, he comes into that world as a warrior, ready to fight. But he arrives (and here is the delicious irony of Christmas) stealthily, clandestinely—sneaking, as it were, unnoticed behind enemy lines.
The King comes as a helpless infant, born of insignificant parents in a small town of a distant outpost of the Roman Empire. He will conquer through the finally irresistible power of love, the same power with which he made the universe.
The rightful King has returned to reclaim what is his and to let the prisoners go free. The God announced by all the prophets and patriarchs—by Abraham, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, and Isaiah—is a God of justice, and this means that he burns to set things right. God hates the sin, violence, and injustice that have rendered gloomy his beautiful world, and therefore, he comes into that world as a warrior, ready to fight. But he arrives (and here is the delicious irony of Christmas) stealthily, clandestinely—sneaking, as it were, unnoticed behind enemy lines.
The King comes as a helpless infant, born of insignificant parents in a small town of a distant outpost of the Roman Empire. He will conquer through the finally irresistible power of love, the same power with which he made the universe.
-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 three open hours of Adoration:
Mondays, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Tuesdays, 4:00 to 5:00 a.m.
Saturdays, Midnight to 1:00 a.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.