Congratulations to Deacon Rene Rillorta
This Saturday, September 12, Rene Rillorta was ordained a permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Please help celebrate this special event with Rene and his family by attending the Pancake Breakfast this Sunday in the Church Hall from 9:00 a.m. until Noon. Deacon Rene is assigned to our parish since he is a parishioner. He will help coordinate visits to the sick and homebound in the parish and will periodically join Deacon Steve and Deacon Nick in preaching. He will also be available to lead funeral vigils and committal prayers at the cemeteries, as well as hold weddings outside of Mass, perform baptisms, and provide many other helpful services for the parish community and the wider Church of Milwaukee. Let us continue to pray for Rene as he embarks on this new vocation and ministry.
When being ordained as a deacon, the deacons make some promises to the Bishop:
- To pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day.
- Obedience to the local Bishop.
- Celibacy, i.e., not to remarry if a spouse passes away before he does.
- Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity to the Catholic Church, and a covenant with the parish
Liturgical Celebrations This Week
Please join us for our weekday Mass at 8:00 a.m. when we will celebrate several Feast Days.
Monday, September 14, The Exaltation of the Holy Cross: We remember the Cross of Jesus, a symbol of our faith, that shows us how much Jesus loves us and was willing to die on the Cross to save us from our sins.
Tuesday, September 15, Our Lady of Sorrows: Reflect on your own sorrow this day. Is it self-centered, dwelling over the wounds you feel? Or is it selfless, extended to others, grieving in a holy way over the sins you witness?
Wednesday, September 16, Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, Martyrs:
St. Cornelius was elected Pope in the year 251. He supported bringing back those who had apostatized (left the faith) in the face of martyrdom. He was exiled because of his beliefs and died in the year 253. St. Cyprian was a close friend of Pope Cornelius and supported his views on readmitting apostates into the Church. He was also martyred in the year 258.
Thursday, September 17, Saints Robert Bellarmine and Hildegard of Bingen: St. Bellarmine, a Jesuit cardinal and theologian, is known for his defense of the church against heresy and political challenges. St. Hildegard, a Benedictine abbess and mystic, is also known for their profound contributions to the faith.
Saturday, September 19, St. Januarius: Bishop, martyr, and patron saint of Naples, Italy; his dried blood is kept in a glass ampoule, and it miraculously liquefies three times a year.
Summer Mission Appeal
Sr. Jan Gregorcich, a School Sister of Notre Dame and President of the Global Partners Running Waters Board, and Andrea Stapleton, an Associate of the School Sisters, will both be here this weekend, September 12 and 13, to invite us to partake in the Milwaukee Archdiocesan Annual Mission Appeal. Please consider making a generous donation to this appeal as it helps bring clean water to villages in Central and South America. If you would like to contribute by check, please make it out to St. John the Evangelist and include MCP in the memo line. Special Mission Appeal envelopes are also available in the Narthex and Parish Office.
Christian Women Society News
The Christian Women Society will begin its new season with Mass on Thursday, September 10 at 6:00 p.m. in Church. Yearly dues of $5.00 are due at the meeting. If you are unable to attend, please drop your check off at the Parish Office or mail it there. Please, checks only and make them payable to St. John’s Christian Women. There will be a speaker on Butterflies at the next meeting. All women of the parish are welcome to join them for Mass and the meeting in the Hall.
St. John’s Holy Name Society News
The St. John’s Holy Name Society will gather for Corporate Communion at the 8:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 13. Rosary will begin at 7:20 a.m. Breakfast will follow in the Church Hall. All men of the parish (and their sons) are invited to join the Holy Name Society. The All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast is open to all parishioners in honor of Rene Rillorta.
Respect Life Church Hall Meeting
All parishioners are invited to an open forum to learn more about Respect Life initiatives in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on Saturday, September 19, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. You will hear from local Respect Life leaders and discover the many ways that our parish can make a difference. This meeting will be held at Holy Apostles Catholic Parish, 16000 W. National Avenue in New Berlin. Admission is free, but registration is required: archmil.regfox.com/rl-church-hall-meeting. If you need help with registration, please come to the parish office.
Respect Life Ministry Baby Wipe Drive
The Women’s Support Center is in need of baby wipes. These wipes will go into layette bags that are given to new moms. Space in each bag is limited, so they need small packages with no more than 80 wipes per bag. We will collect the wipes the weekend of September 26 and 27, but you can bring the baby wipes to the parish office anytime over the next few weeks.
Women’s Spiritual Retreat-Save the Date
Ladies of the parish, please consider attending the next women’s retreat at the Redemptorist Retreat Center from October 9 to October 11. The theme is “Surrender and Catch,” based on Fr. Michael Crosby's book, “Finding Francis, Following Christ.” St. Francis learned the power of listening and surrendering to God, and going forward to catch God’s true purpose for us. Consider joining other women in celebrating the sacraments, discussions, and quiet meditation, surrounded by the beautiful grounds of the retreat center. To register, please call (262) 567-6900. Carpooling is available. For more information, please call Barb Heser at (414) 448-7117.
Parish Blood Drive
The next St. John’s Blood Drive, administered by the Christian Women Society, is on Monday, September 14. With that in mind, please do not donate blood at any other upcoming blood drive; schedule with our blood drive instead. Your efforts truly make a lasting impact as our blood drive gives patients and their families the gift of a brighter tomorrow. Your generosity brings hope and healing to those who need it. Our parish goal is to collect 35 blood products to help meet the high demand from local hospitals for patients such as new mothers, car accident victims, and heart surgery patients. Each donation means three patients will benefit from this lifesaving gift.
Sep
24
Beyond the Screen
7:00 p.m. St. John's Church Hall
Are you going?
Yes
No
Maybe
going.
not going.
might be going.
School started on August 25, and our school community has been praying together, practicing routines, reading, solving problems, and continuing to grow together spiritually, academically, and socially. Check out our learning smiles as they continue to grow each day!
Today and Every Day Be a Peacemaker
Technology Volunteers Needed
St. John’s School is looking for technology volunteers to help with the upkeep, troubleshooting, and repair of our school’s technology. Our current technology volunteers, Andy Milbrath & Nick Popowycz, are willing to share their knowledge and train anyone interested in helping. If you have a knack for technology and would like to volunteer your time and talents to support our school, we would love to hear from you. No expert experience is required, just a willingness to learn and help. Please contact the school office at 414-321-8540 or email Mr. Oberdorf at boberdorf@sje.school if you are interested.
Sunday, September 13, 2026 | Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time | Matthew 18:21–35
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable that illustrates God’s mercy. The Latin word for mercy is misericordia, which designates the suffering of the heart, or compassion—cum patior (“I suffer with”).
Mercy is identical to what the Old Testament authors call God’s hesed, or tender mercy. It is the characteristic of God, for God is love. The love that obtains among the Trinitarian persons spills over into God’s love for the world that he has made.
Think of a mother’s love for her children. Could you ever imagine a mother becoming indifferent to one of her offspring? But even should she forget, we read in the prophet Isaiah that God will never forget his own. Consider the fact that nothing would exist were it not willed into being by God. But God has no need of anything; hence, his sustaining of the universe is an act of disinterested love and tender mercy.
There is no greater manifestation of the divine mercy than the forgiveness of sins. When G. K. Chesterton was asked why he became a Catholic, he answered, “To have my sins forgiven.” This is the greatest grace the Church can offer: reconciliation, the restoration of the divine friendship, the forgiveness of our sins.
Mercy is identical to what the Old Testament authors call God’s hesed, or tender mercy. It is the characteristic of God, for God is love. The love that obtains among the Trinitarian persons spills over into God’s love for the world that he has made.
Think of a mother’s love for her children. Could you ever imagine a mother becoming indifferent to one of her offspring? But even should she forget, we read in the prophet Isaiah that God will never forget his own. Consider the fact that nothing would exist were it not willed into being by God. But God has no need of anything; hence, his sustaining of the universe is an act of disinterested love and tender mercy.
There is no greater manifestation of the divine mercy than the forgiveness of sins. When G. K. Chesterton was asked why he became a Catholic, he answered, “To have my sins forgiven.” This is the greatest grace the Church can offer: reconciliation, the restoration of the divine friendship, the forgiveness of our sins.
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 FIVE open hours of Adoration:
Sundays 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. (need one more person)
Mondays 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesdays 1:00 to 2:00 a.m. (every other week)
Fridays 2:00 to 3:00 a.m.
Saturdays Midnight to 1:00 a.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 temporarily to see how it works with 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 through Saturday at 8:00 a.m.
Weekend Masses:
Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.
If you miss the Livestream, you can watch the upload of each Mass on our YouTube channel.
Scrip is available at most weekend Masses (unless it's a holiday weekend), 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.