Ask Mary to intercede for the well-being of families
In recent weeks one of our prayer ministry groups, Disciples of Mary, have initiated a schedule and format for sharing a statue of Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, asking for Our Lady’s intercession for our families. You can contact the group if you and your family would like to have week with the statue, asking Mary to intercede for the well-being of families. The statue is usually exchanged on Thursdays at the 7:00 p.m. Mass, but special arrangements can be made.
We will soon initiate another parish prayer ministry – for vocations! We will be formulating a schedule and format for sharing a chalice, or perhaps multiple chalices, which will be passed from home to home, family to family. An outline for prayer and suggested activities will accompany the chalice. The purpose is to pray for all Christian vocations to priesthood and religious life, to holy and faithful marriage, and to the committed single life.
Fr. Johnathan Turba, O. Praem. will be collaborating with our parish in order to foster this new parish and family ministry for vocation promotion. Fr. Johnathan is the Vocation Coordinator at St. Norbert Abbey. He was ordained in June of 2022 and helped at our parish in 2017-18. He continues to help us by presiding at weekend Masses in both English and Spanish. Also, we will look for ways to coordinate with the Vocation Director of the Diocese of Green Bay, Fr. Mark Mleziva.
In the meantime, you are invited to encourage vocations, especially to priesthood and religious life where there is a great need. We need men and women who will dedicate their lives to service, prayer, and proclamation of the Gospel in word and deed. Let us promote these vocations of Gospel service not as positions of status, or honor, or authority; rather, let us emphasize the humility, unselfishness, generosity, pastoral gentleness, and community building which Christ himself demonstrated in his life and ministry. We need a generation of servants who lead Christ-like lives as they fulfill the commandment to love one another as Jesus loved us. Those who see Jesus washing the feet of his disciples must also hear his words to “go and do likewise.”
Peace, Fr. Andy