A Mother’s Day Prayer
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) urges all Catholics to honor their mothers, or the mother figures in their lives, on this Mother’s Day.
“For all mothers, that they may be strengthened in their vocation and find joy in nurturing their families. For mothers who have lost a child, that God may comfort them and surround them with support and love. For mothers who have died, that they may share in the joy of God’s kingdom. For expectant mothers, that through Mary’s intercession, they may experience safe deliveries and the gift of healthy children. For all families, that children may honor and respect their mothers, and that mothers may be guided by faith and love. And for mothers facing challenges or difficulties, that they may receive strength, courage, and consolation from God. Amen.
The Month of May
Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of May to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and spiritual mother of all. This tradition honors Mary’s unique role in salvation history and invites the faithful to deepen their love, reverence, and gratitude for her.
May Crowning 2026
Parishioners are invited to attend this year’s May Crowning, which will take place on Friday, May 15, at 1:15 p.m. in the Church with a reception and refreshments to follow in the Church Hall. All are welcome. The May Crowning is a traditional Catholic ceremony in which a crown of flowers is placed on the head of a statue of Mary, symbolizing her queenship and the Church’s honor for her as the Mother of God. It is one of the most tender expressions of Marian devotion.
Spiritual Bouquet for Nicholas Emsing
Parishioners are invited to help prepare a spiritual bouquet for Nicholas Emsing. As you may know, Nicholas has been our teaching parish seminarian for the past three years and will be ordained to the Transitional Diaconate on Saturday, June 6, at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels in Gary, Indiana. He will return in the fall to finish his seminary formation and continue to serve in our parish. In the meantime, we can offer him our prayers and support. You may fill them out and return them by the weekend of May 23/24. There will be a collection box in the narthex to collect the forms, or you can turn them in at the parish office. The forms will be gathered together in a gift album and given to Nicholas at his ordination. Your participation is much encouraged and appreciated!
The weather is turning warmer, and our Parish Festival will be here in no time. A few recommendations from the Festival Committee include:
Additional volunteer opportunities will be included in future bulletins. If you have never volunteered at the festival, give it a try this summer. You will make new friends and have a lot of fun. There are also opportunities for families to volunteer together and begin to make special memories for years to come.
- If you still have a festival yard sign from last year, please return it to the parish office or leave it in the back of the church.
- You can begin donating to the Grocery Raffle and Mystery Package in the back of the church or at the parish office.
- If you like to bake, keep in mind the festival dinners will need cupcakes or bars, and there is also the bake sale after Mass.
- Inside food operations is looking for workers to fill many slots before and after the festival. A complete list is available in the parish office.
The Festival Committee is looking for someone to take over for Mary Mitchell. After many, many years, Mary is leaving her duties on the Food Committee, and she will be missed.
If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please contact Marie Stemo (414) 427-7467 or Mary Mitchell (414) 916-2298.
Additional volunteer opportunities will be included in future bulletins. If you have never volunteered at the festival, give it a try this summer. You will make new friends and have a lot of fun. There are also opportunities for families to volunteer together and begin to make special memories for years to come.
The Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Drive was a great success. We appreciate your generosity before and after Masses this past weekend. We collected $1,103 to support people with intellectual disabilities. After the Knights' $1,000 match, a $2,103 check will be donated to Special Olympics Team Wisconsin.
Respect Life Committee
Mother’s Day Roses
The St. John’s Respect Life Committee will be distributing roses for Moms on Mother’s Day weekend (May 9 and 10) at the Saturday and Sunday Masses in the Narthex. These long-stem red roses make a great gift for Mom on her special day, and your free-will donation will benefit the parish's Respect Life activities.
The Christian Women Society will start their May 14 meeting with Mass at 6:00 p.m., followed by a business meeting and trivia.
Ladies are reminded to bring a $29 check, payable to SJE Christian Women, for their “Dinner in June.” All are welcome.
Ladies are reminded to bring a $29 check, payable to SJE Christian Women, for their “Dinner in June.” All are welcome.
Our seventh and eighth-grade students took the St. John's Way beyond our campus by volunteering at Feeding America. This experience allowed them to witness firsthand how their time and skills can benefit the community. It also highlighted the importance of embodying the St. John's Way in all aspects of their lives, extending beyond our school environment.
Our students sorted 6,753 pounds of food, which will provide meals for 5,672 families. The food was sorted on a Thursday and will be in someone's home by Monday. The 7th and 8th graders did an outstanding job of representing our parish school. A big shout-out to Mr. Courchane and Mrs. Wisniewski for organizing this service opportunity.
If you are interested in helping families who face food insecurity, the link to the Feeding America website is: https://feedingamericawi.org/.
Our students sorted 6,753 pounds of food, which will provide meals for 5,672 families. The food was sorted on a Thursday and will be in someone's home by Monday. The 7th and 8th graders did an outstanding job of representing our parish school. A big shout-out to Mr. Courchane and Mrs. Wisniewski for organizing this service opportunity.
If you are interested in helping families who face food insecurity, the link to the Feeding America website is: https://feedingamericawi.org/.
"Live a life that reflects God's love."
Please Pray for Our Confirmandi!
Please keep our Confirmation candidates in your prayers as they prepare to receive the Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit on Wednesday, May 13. Throughout their year-long period of preparation, these young men and women have devoted themselves to deeper catechesis, service, and prayer, seeking to more fully embody the graces first received at their Baptism.
This sacred milestone marks a significant moment of spiritual maturity for the candidates and their families, as well as a vital renewal for our entire parish. As they are anointed with the Sacred Chrism, may they be filled with the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit—Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. May this outpouring of grace strengthen them to be courageous witnesses of the Gospel and inspire them to a lifelong mission of faith and service.
We invite you to join us in prayer for all those being confirmed here at St. John the Evangelist Parish by Bishop Haines. May the Holy Spirit guide them, protect them, and kindle within them the fire of His love on their Confirmation day and always.
To stay updated, join our SJE Adult Formation Flocknote or follow us on Facebook.
Vacation Bible School
Elementary school–aged children entering grades K5 through 6 are invited to join us for an exciting week of faith and fun at our 2026 Vacation Bible School: Rainforest Falls – An Epic Adventure of Faith! Vacation Bible School will run from June 15-19 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.
Each day, children will discover God’s love through engaging Bible stories, music, games, and hands-on activities in a vibrant rainforest setting. A snack will be included.
Space is limited, so please register today. The cost is $10 per child or $30 per family (for families sending three or more campers).
Students entering grades 7 and 8 are welcome to apply as Junior Crew Leaders, and high school students may apply to serve as Rainforest Rangers. For more information about the Rainforest Rangers program, please contact me.
To register campers (grades K5-6) and Junior Crew Leaders (grades 7-8), contact me at jpshimek@stjohns-grfd.org.
To stay updated, join our SJE Adult Formation Flocknote or follow us on Facebook.
Sunday, May 10, 2026 | Sixth Sunday of Easter| John 14:15–21
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to accompany his disciples. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth."
Just a moment before, Jesus had identified himself as the Truth and as, essentially, one with the Father. Thus, we find in this first reference to the “Advocate,” the parakletos, a fairly clear proto-Trinitarian formula. As Jesus reflects the Father’s being, so this third seems to reflect the mutuality of Jesus and the Father, since both are involved in his sending.
Just a moment before, Jesus had identified himself as the Truth and as, essentially, one with the Father. Thus, we find in this first reference to the “Advocate,” the parakletos, a fairly clear proto-Trinitarian formula. As Jesus reflects the Father’s being, so this third seems to reflect the mutuality of Jesus and the Father, since both are involved in his sending.
The role of the parakletos is that of animating the Church, which Jesus, at least in the ordinary sense, is about to leave. More precisely, he will lead the followers of Jesus into the fullness of truth, maintaining a vibrant continuity with the Lord and hence with the Father:
“The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” Notice the densely-packed coinherence that obtains among the three, a one-in-the-otherness into which the Church itself is being invited.
-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.
There are two open hours of Adoration:
Tuesdays 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Saturdays 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
We are also seeking Adorers for several hours during the week, with many options to fit your schedule! Please consider an hour during the day, the evening, or overnight.
You are welcome to sign up on a temporary basis to see how it works for your schedule. Please call or text 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.