St. Mary ’ s Immaculate Conception Parish

September 2, 2018

Twenty second Sunday in Ordinary Time

7176 Esker Road, Custer, WI 54423 Phone: 715-592-4330 Website: www.stmaryscuster.com

Mass Intentions Sunday, September 2,

10:00 a.m. St. Mary’s & Sacred Heart’s

Parish Families

Tuesday, September 4, @ SH

8:15 a.m. +Sylvia Kezeske by James

Wednesday, September 5,

8:15 a.m. +Janet Peplinski

by Gary & Wendy Ostrowski

Thursday, September 6, @ SH

7-8 a.m. Adoration 7:30-8 a.m. Confession

8:15 a.m. +Geraldine Wierzba by Romona Lilla

First Friday, September 7,

7:00-8:00 a.m. Confession

8:15 a.m. +Myron Gavin, Dorothy Dombrowski,

Dolores Ganski-Wierzba by Shirley

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Silent Adoration until 3:00 p.m.

Chaplet o Divine Mercy/Benediction

Saturday, September 8, @ SH

8:15 a.m. +Walter & Rita Kozak by Sue Wanta

3:15 p.m. Confession

4:00 p.m. +John Studinski by Emilee & Family

Sunday, Sept. 9, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

8:00 a.m. @ SH

+Rosary Society & Holy Name Society

10:00 a.m. Special Intentions on the 56th

Wedding Anniversary of

Lenny & Ruthie Pliska

Pastor—(715) 592-4221

Father Gregory Michaud sacredheartoffice@yahoo.com

In case of emergency please call 906-282-2049

Fr. Michaud’s OFFICE HOURS

Wednesday: 9:30 a.m. —3:30 p.m.

Senior Priest in Residence Fr. Roy Witucki

Secretary-Donna Wierzba

stmary@wi-net.com

Bookkeeper-Diane Wysocki

stmaryicfinance@gmail.com

CCD Coordinator-Jessica Bielen

jwier319@gmail.com

Custodian-Jeanne Hintz

Maintenance/Grounds keeping-Kenny Rozek

************************************ MARRIAGE PREPARATION If you plan to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage

you must begin your preparation with Father at least

6 months prior to your wedding date.

CLERGY

PARISH STAFF

Parish Mission Statement St Mary’s Parish is a practicing Catholic Community

providing spiritual, social and educational opportunities for all God’s people that we may deepen our love of God

and one another through prayer and deed.

September 7th, First Friday Adoration All are welcome and encouraged to adore Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. We are Blessed to be able to offer a First Friday Devotion but our Lord cannot be left alone. Please consider “adopting” an hour

each month to sit with our Lord.

Please remember

in your prayers:

Gene Retzlaff, Pat

Wierzba, Mary Kay

Maslowski, Gladys

Pampuch, Sam Molski, Myron

Soik, Mary Zurawski, Ed Sapa,

Jeff Pliska, Bette Maslowski,

Tom Schmenk, Mike Wierzba,

Dennis Elsenrath, Margaret

Elsenrath, Julia Chodzinski,

Shirley Brozik, Trish Mrozek,

Jean Marchel, Gladys Lepak,

Al & Brigid Pellatt

Weekly Financial Support August 26, 2018

Total: $ 2411.00 Envelopes $ 1965.00

Offertory $ 446.00

St. Mary’s I.C. SEPTEMBER MEETINGS

9th-Chris Carstens presentation after Mass

10th –Women on a Mission @ 6 p.m.

11th– ALL COMMITTEE MEETING 6:30 pm @ SH Sacred Worship, Family Life, Social Justice, Education

13th– Finance Meeting 6 pm Pastoral Council Meeting 7 pm

16th– 8:00 a.m. Mass @ St. Mary’s 9:00 a.m. Pancake Breakfast - Religious Education Parents Meeting

23rd-Kick Off Annual Appeal & Religious Education First Class

ENVELOPES

FOR MONTHLY

BUILDING

FUND

DONATIONS: Envelopes for the Ground

Level Hall and Church

Renovations can be found

in your Parish Support

envelopes. This project is

for current and future

generations of St. Mary’s I.C.

parishioners. Please be

generous.

Dear Family,

Following is a letter from St. Louis of France. We just celebrated his

memorial Mass last week. He was a king of France and was a devout, faithful,

Catholic husband, father, and king. The letter is to his son and I think, in our

times today, everyone – Church leader, political leader, parent and godparent,

aunt, uncle, you name it...all of us – could learn from and pass on the wisdom

contained in his few short lines. St. Louis, pray for us!

“My dearest son, my first instruction is that you should love the Lord

your God with all your heart and all your strength. Without this there is not

salvation. Keep yourself, my son, from everything that you know displeases

God, that is to say, from every mortal sin. You should permit yourself to be

tormented by every kind of martyrdom before you would allow yourself to

commit a mortal sin.

If the Lord has permitted you to have some trial, bear it willingly and

with gratitude, considering that it has happened for your good and that

perhaps you well deserved it. If the Lord bestows upon you any kind of

prosperity, thank Him humbly and see that you become no worse for it, either

through vain pride or anything else, because you ought not to oppose God or

offend Him in the matter of His gifts.

Listen to the divine office with pleasure and devotion. As long as you

are in church, be careful not to let your eyes wander and not to speak empty

words, but pray to the Lord devoutly, either aloud or with the interior prayer

of the heart.

Be kindhearted to the poor, the unfortunate and the afflicted. Give

them as much help and consolation as you can. Thank God for all the benefits

he has bestowed upon you, that you may be worthy to receive greater. Be just

to your subjects, swaying neither to right nor left, but holding the line of

justice. Always side with the poor rather than with the rich, until you are

certain of the truth. See that all your subjects live in justice and peace, but

especially those who have ecclesiastical rank and who belong to religious

orders.

Be devout and obedient to your mother the Church of Rome and the

Supreme Pontiff as your spiritual father. Work to remove all sin from your

land, particularly blasphemies and heresies.

In conclusion, dearest son, I give you every blessing that a loving

father can give a son. May the three Persons of the Holy Trinity and all the

saints protect you from every evil. And may the Lord give you the grace to do

His will so that He may be served and honored through you, that in the next

life we may together come to see Him, love Him and praise Him unceasingly.

Amen.”

Now, that’s a letter to a son! Wow! May we all help one another

accordingly.

God bless and Mary keep you,

Fr. Michaud

Coordinator of Religious Education -

Jessica Bielen jwier319@gmail.com

Liturgical Appointments

SUNDAY, September 2 LECTOR Tom USHERS Pat & Randy SERVERS Lenny, Roman, Nick EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS Elsie, Judi, Marie MONEY COUNTERS Esie, Judi, Denise Musicians Carolyn & Jacquie SUNDAY, September 9 LECTOR Kate USHERS Sapa Family SERVERS Sabrina, Zach, Raeana EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS Nora, Tom, Pat MONEY COUNTERS LeRoy, Pat, Mike MUSICIANS Mary & Jim

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAY’S

Wishing you Birthday Blessings!

2nd-Ron Wierzba 3rd-Mike Stremkowski 6th-Darrell

Meronek & Bette Maslowski 7th-Donna Wierzba

8th-Kathy Glodowski 9th-Sharon Meronek 10th-Nora

Stansky 15th-Jean Cunningham 19th-Jim Krusick &

Brandon Warzynski 21st-Dale Kluck 22nd-Jim

Cunningham 23rd-Marge Megal & Burton Garski

28th-Sam Molski 29th-Tom Kujawski

Our Mission is to provide an

environment of learning,

giving and loving to enhance

the fellowship and growth

of the women’s faith

community of St. Mary’s

We will be collecting items for the Caring Bags

to be assembled this Fall. We are asking all

Parishioners to collect items such as gloves, hats,

shoelaces, socks, small towels, washcloths, men

and women's hygiene products.

Our next meeting is Monday, September 10th

at 6 p.m. and we will be making a very special

kind of jewelry. No experience required! Come

join us! Any questions call Nora 715-592-4884

Religious Education: Sunday, September 16th. Our first FAMILY MASS and family meet and greet. There will be a 8am Family Mass

followed by Pancake Breakfast 9-11:00 am breakfast and parent meeting/meet and greet. ALL PARENTS ARE ASKED TO ATTEND.

RCIA: The focus of the RCIA is to help form persons in the

teachings, beliefs, and practices of development of the person

on their journey into full communion with the Catholic

Church.

Who is RCIA for? RCIA is for those who have never been

baptized, those who have been baptized in another Christian

tradition, and those adult Catholics who desire to complete

the Sacraments of Initiation (Confirmation and/or Eucharist)

RCIA classes will begin this fall. To register please contact

the parish office by Wednesdsay, September 5th.

St. Mary’s Immaculate Conception Family Life Committee

Menu: Buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, applesauce, desserts,

coffee, milk and orange juice. **Anyone who would like to donate eggs,

please bring them to the church kitchen by September 13th

SUNDAY,

SEPTEMBER

16th

after 8 a.m.

Mass ALL YOU CAN EAT

2018 Basket Raffle Winners Spiderman Carole Gagas

Rock N roll Café Bev Beigel

The Auto Exchange II Char Woyak

Pizza Time Henry Gagas

Let’s Go Fishing Scott Kornobski

Picnic Basket Barb Pitrowski

Script Tree Bonnie Kemper

Barrel of Family Fun Kristin Cooney

Bella in your Kitchen Brian

L’Bri Skin Care Leann Meyer

Yummy Portage County Johnson

Mix N Match Henry Gagas

Scaffidi Audrey Bemowski

Chore Day Jerry Rozek

Spa Dap Mary Check

St Mary’s Humane Society Betty Kisting

A Baker’s Heaven Rambo M

Not Just For Men Cerise Pezewski

Thru the Holidays John Stremkowski

Kids Learning with Some Fun Colleen Raschka

Light up your Hygiene’s Jackie Sirek

Stevens Point Honda Diana Sager

The Salon Jackie Zygarlicke

Glizz & Glam for Women Frank Cegielski

Red, White and Blue Diane Wysocki

Commons Script Brad Brzinski

Grow with Me Sugar Rutta

Pizza Party Betty Maslawski

Taste of Portage County Jenny Wierzba

The Auto Exchange Diane Wysocki

It’s Just for Kids Jacquie Wille

Kid’s Zone Brenda Retzlaff

Moving Out Starter Emmy D

Drive and Dine Tim Lorbecki

Giving Thanks Sue Cappotto

Kids Summer Fun Colleen Raschka

Decorate Your Yard Lorraine Kluck

Going Up Gene & Carol Knapp

Wheelbarrow Full of Snacks Hintz

Backyard Creations Becky Sankey

Relax Casey Yenter

ST. MARY’S I.C. PARISH PICNIC –

AUGUST 26, 2018

LARGE RAFFLE WINNERS

$1000 – Joanne Genskow

$500 – Michael Hovel

$500 – John Filtz

$500 – Dave Glisczynski

$350 Trigs gift card –

Wyatt Kluck

$200 – Tony Kizewski

$150 – Ally Raschka

$100 – Burt Garski

$100 – Carl Mocadlo

$100 – Jim and Lori Stoltz

$100 – Lynda Schroeder

$100 – Brian Britz

$100 – John Ford

$100 – Tom Meyer

$100 – Thomas Sbonik

$100 – Todd Brigman

Thank you to all who volunteer at St. Mary’s I.C. We appreciate all that you do for our parish family!

“No act of kindness, no matter

how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop

St. Mary’s I.C. is online! Stay up to date with upcoming

events, Mass changes, and read

the weekly bulletin. Check us out

www.stmaryscuster.com

BUY SCRIP September 2nd & 16th in the church entrance. Scrip is always available

just a phone call away, Shelly 715-592-3775

Thank you to everyone who purchases SCRIP

HAVE YOU CHECKED

OUT OUR WEB PAGE?

The Pastoral Council has founded a

new group called:

“St. Mary’s I.C.

Salvation Army Servers"

We will be preparing and serving

dinner for people in need at The

Salvation Army on the First

Monday of every month. We need

groups of 3-4 people to volunteer to

take a turn. Please consider donating

your time for the wonderful cause.

NEED SERVERS FOR

NOVEMBER.

Information please contact

Gina Kempf at 920-540-7804

NEXT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th Chris Carstens has been invited to join us after each each Mass (at Sacred Heart and St. Mary’s IC) for a brief presentation and Q&A session based on his new book “A Devotional Journey into the Mass”. As each parish moves forward in their respective building projects these sessions can help provide the basis for meaningful future discussions on the direction each parish takes in the appropriate enhancement of its liturgical worship space. Chris’ book helps us to uncover: The meaning of the “sacramental principle”: if you don’t understand it, then Mass is almost surely flat for you. How each element of the Liturgy has a sacramental quality about it, and can be for you a grace-filled encounter with Jesus How to transform your prayers at Mass into a conversation with God Why silence – both within the liturgy and outside of it – is a necessary element of that conversation with God There’s a proper spiritual way to make the Sign of the Cross (do you know what it is?) How the Creed can be for you the highpoint of the Liturgy of the Word Why, during the collection, you should also explicitly offer Christ your heart The best way in the Mass to participate in Jesus’ saving work: do you know what it is? What you should desire in order to receive the Eucharist most efficaciously (and what that desire presupposes in you) Coming and going through the church doors: what, each time, it should mean for you spiritually If you're unhappy because the Mass has become for you routine or even boring and tedious, join us for Chris’ presentation. Among other things, he will help to explain the spiritual meanings behind the signs and symbols, words and actions of the Mass. About Christopher Carstens Christopher Carstens is Director of the Office for Sacred Worship in the Diocese of La Crosse, instructor at Mundelein’s Liturgical Institute, author of the book "A Devotional Journey into the Mass: How Mass can Become a Time of Grace, Nourishment, and Devotion", co-author of "Mystical Body, Mystical Voice: Encountering Christ in the Words of the Mass", editor of the "Adoremus Bulletin", and the voice on The Liturgy Guys Podcast.

A “Moral Catastrophe” and a Test of Virtue

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

This week I begin my annual retreat with my brother bishops from Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

This is usually a welcome event for us to simply “come aside and rest a while” with Our Blessed

Lord. I doubt, however, that we will be finding quiet rest and prayer as much as we will be sharing

our deepest and profoundly sad feelings concerning the events that once again plunge the Church

into a dark hour of shame and disappointment—especially in Her leadership.

The first news about Archbishop McCarrick was indeed shocking and upsetting. That sad news

was followed by the revelations concerning the unraveling of the incredible and disgusting stories

of sexual molestations that took place over the decades in so many parts of the Church in

Pennsylvania. Of course, I am personally touched and deeply grieved by these events—not only

because I am a bishop, but because so many of the faithful are being struck with the tragedy of

having their faith assaulted once again.

I don’t know how many bishops and/or priests should or will be affected by the darkness of this

new wave of scandal. I do believe that all of us need to try to remember that the devil never sleeps.

He works some of his most diabolical evil on those who are weak and have lost their recognition

of God’s Grace and care in human life. Never forget, the devil works in little things—he tells

half-truths and lures us with tantalizing manipulations. Be aware of the deceiver’s work in this

horror. St. Peter reminds us as he reminded our ancestors: “Be sober, be watchful; your adversary

the devil prowls about the world seeking someone to devour: resist him, steadfast in the

faith!” (1 Peter 5:8-10)

My brothers and sisters, be strong in your faith in these difficult days. Yes, there is sin and evil

action abounding around us. Sadly, that evil has come about from some of the very shepherds

who were supposed to protect us.

Yes, there still is sin in the world, even though the devil has been defeated by the power of the

Cross of Christ. More than ever, we must cling to the cross, pray with the Scriptures, and receive

the Sacraments. Continue to pray for good and holy priests. They need your prayers to remain

courageous in these days. If we want good priests (and bishops) we must pray for them! Jesus told

His First Priests that they were the salt of the earth—the light of the world. He called them to

courage and virtue in living and preaching the Gospel.

I pray for you, dear brothers and sisters, especially for all who have been sadly touched—once

again—by the sin and sadness of abuse in the Church and in the world at large. Remain faithful

and strong—Jesus Christ has conquered evil. His is the Power. His is the Glory!