A quarterly newsletter publication of SAINT PETER C A T H O L I C C O N G R E G A T I O N. ISSUE NUMBER FORTY-SIX winter 2017

Transcription

1 A quarterly newsletter publication of SAINT PETER C A T H O L I C C O N G R E G A T I O N ISSUE NUMBER FORTY-SIX winter 2017 Dear St. Peter Parishioners, I am pleased to share with you continuing progress on the furnishing of our new church and other upgrades going on about the place even though we moved back into our newly renovated church space slightly less than 9 months ago, many things have been receiving little tweaks and creative thoughts that make what is basically a new building feel more and more like home. To date, the following is done or underway: a.) Stained Glass Windows As of this writing, four of our new stained glass windows are completed and have been installed! They are, respectively, the two circle-shaped windows atop the north church wing (reconciliation chapel) and the south church wing, and two windows, one also circular shaped, that are housed within the church steeple and, as such, visible only from the exterior. The theme of these three circular windows was taken from the old, original window still in place atop our grand stairway entry & above the inside door of church, the crossed keys symbolic of St. Peter, recalling Christ s words to his head Apostle and first Pope: I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 16:19) The power of the keys designates authority to govern the house of God, which is the Church; this mandate was confirmed by Jesus after His Resurrection when He told Peter to feed my lambs. Associated with the keys is power to bind and loose that connotes authority to absolve sins, pronounce judgments on matters of faith/morals, and make decisions in/for the Church. The larger window within the steeple contains a symbolic superimposition of a monstrance on a cross, reminding us of Christ s once bloody sacrifice that is represented every time we celebrate, receive and adore Him in the Holy Eucharist. As the window will be at the center of our church s front face, it will always remind us of the centrality of the Eucharist to the liveliness and practice of our Catholic faith. The remaining windows that we have planned are having their drawings finalized; when approved by our window committee they will be put into production, installation as and when ready; keep watching! b.) Murals Chris Graziano has been busy painting the two murals that will grace the upper back walls of the church near the choir loft. One will present St. Teresa of Calcutta (canonized while our church was being renovated) and the other St. Maximilian Kolbe. Chris and the artist committee working with him are being very careful to give these two modern saints with very strong personalities and commitment to Christ representative portrayals worthy of their great examples of courage and holiness, inviting us to consider the virtues their lives propose as integral to following Christ ourselves as disciples in these challenging times. Chris is humbled by and proud of this privileged opportunity to do something fine and wonderful for his church, our parish; as he has very high, exacting standards for himself and this project, I m sure that when he s done they ll be awesome! I m pleased to entrust this project to him! c.) Gathering Space Furniture The final delivery and installation of tables with chairs for the gathering space has been made, making it a very comfortable place to hang out before Mass, comfort children during Mass, and socialize after Mass with tasteful treats and excellent coffee brewed by our trained, volunteer baristas. The space is also wonderfully comforting when used for funeral visitations as well as spacious enough to accommodate wedding parties before the ceremony, with receiving lines after. It is a gracious space that will help us express more sincerely the hospitality Christ invites us to give to all who come to be with us, looking for Him and to share more fully in His love! d.) From Temporary to Permanent Occupancy With completion/inspection of our outdoor landscaping and parking directional as well as some of our interior signage relative to seating capacity for our hall and worship spaces, we ve received our Permanent Occupancy Permit through the Village of Slinger we are most grateful to our Village Administrative offices and government personnel for all their very cheerful and patient cooperation we received throughout our building project! e.) Kitchen Equipment/Storage/Arrangement With the expansion of our church there was much desire for an expanded, improved kitchen. The footprint of our new kitchen is about 1/3 larger, making it a more spacious/efficient facility within which to work. We put in new kitchen cabinets, additional sinks and food preparation surfaces, a new upright freezer; a larger convection oven as well as space for an additional number of deep fryers so those helping prepare our fish fries no longer have to be outside in inclement weather, all this made possible by an enlarged, upgraded new hood ventilation system. I m that there have been and will continue to be many other small improvements made, so that, with use, our new kitchen will be even more user and event friendly. f.) New Storage Garage Underway With demolition of the storage garage (formerly attached at the back of church) in favor of expansion/renovation, we are constructing a new garage by partially demolishing and expanding the one presently attached to Clare Hall which had been added on for a car used by the sisters when Clare Hall was their convent residence. Much preliminary work has been involved and, as engineering is complete and permits are received, you will notice this construction, beginning soon. g. New Vestments You may have noticed the appearance of two new sets of coordinated Mass vesture for priests and/or deacons, one set for simpler, ordinary occasions, and the other for the more solemn celebrations. A new set of funeral vestments with palls for adult/ child caskets and for cremation urns are also being made. They are all gifts from generous parishioners through our furnishings campaign: Fr. Bob, Deacon Bob, & I are very pleased and thankful at the reverent attentions being paid to what is the most central aspect of our church life together; the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Thank you! Affectionately, Father Rick

2 BLOOD DRIVE St. Peter s will host a Blood Drive on Monday, December 18th 1:30-6:30PM in the Church Hall. Your gift of blood will give someone the gift of life this Christmas. Schedule an appointment on-line at or call to donate. Walk-ins are welcome. The Knights of Columbus will be serving hot sandwiches. KNIGHTS OF COLULMBUS WE CHANGE AND SAVE LIVES through our actions. The Tootsie Roll sale, Life-savers for Life Drives, Serving at Mass and Devotions are just a few ways to show THE KNIGHTS ARE THERE. Our Council at St. Peter is dedicated to helping where and when we are needed. We re guided by our principals of CHARITY, UNITY, FRATERNITY AND PATRIOTISM. We meet every fourth Sunday of the month in the Church Conference Room 130. Come and check us out. OPERATION BABY BOTTLE begins November 18th and ends on December 17th. What kind of GIFT WILL YOU GIVE TO THE LIFE OF A CHILD IN NEED? The Seed of Hope helps many young parents learn and grow with out help. BEREAVEMENT GATHERING Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 St. Peter Parish Bereavement Committee invites anyone suffering from loss to our gathering on Tuesday, December 5th, 7:15PM (following 6:30PM Mass) in the Church Conference Room 133. We know the approaching holidays can be a difficult time for someone who has lost a loved one. We are here to help and support you deal with your grief. Invite a friend, all are welcome! CARDS? WHO DOESN T LIKE TO PLAY CARDS? COME AND JOIN OUR GROUP ON THE FIRST, THIRD AND FIFTH WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 12:30PM IN CLARE HALL. REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED!!! True Meaning of Christmas Get ready for the Knights of Columbus Poster Contest for grades 1 thru 6. Don t delay, get started TODAY. For more information contact Ron Awe, ; LaRoy Pestka, or Paul Rogers Deadline for Posters is December 14th. HOLIDAY BAKE SALE & BASKET RAFFLE The Christian Women are inviting all Parishioner s to bake for our annual bake sale to be held on Saturday, December 2nd in the church hall starting at 8AM. Reminder to all parishioners you are invited to bake for the Bake Sale. Bakery can be brought to the church hall on Friday, December 1st before noon. Packaging will start at 12:30PM and help will be needed. All you have to do is show up. THANK YOU!! THANK YOU and GOOD LUCK!

3 ADULT MINISTRY Looking for a New Years Resolution? Make a resolution to grow in faith. Tuesday Noon Book Study - Every Tuesday from Noon to 1PM, Clare Hall Rm 103. We read and discuss books about various aspects of Catholic Faith and Life. Our next book begins January 2nd. Watch the Bulletin for Book Title. Thursday Adult Bible/Faith Study The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation by Jeff Cavins. Thursdays November 30, 2017 May 24, 2018, 6:30-8PM in Church Conference Room 130. The Bible Timeline is a fascinating study that takes participants on a journey through the entire Bible. Coffee and Catholic Answers - Whether you have questions about the Catholic faith or just want to grow in your faith, come join our lively group discussions as Eileen, Father Rick and Deacon Bob answer your questions from the heart of the Catholic Tradition. Watch the bulletin for weekly topics or submit your own topic question. YOUTH MINISTRY PARISH BREAKFAST February 4th Proceeds benefit Youth Experiences: High School Mission Trips, Middle School Mission Camps, Steubenville Catholic Youth Conferences, and World Youth Day. Enjoy an awesome Breakfast, Support St. Peter Youth in Action, share faith and stories, create and strengthen good Christian friendships. Then head out to your Super Bowl party. College Care Packages were a Great Success - We mailed out 48 Care Packages for St. Peter college students. Thank you to all who donated to this great cause. One college student writes: Thank you so much for the care package. It means so much to me and has kept me smiling for hours. I'm thrilled that you remembered me and went out of your way to make my college experience a little better. Again, thank you so much. We will send care packages again in February. Since many addresses change at semester, please resubmit your college student s address to REsecretary@stpeterslinger.org. Thursday December 28, 8AM to 4PM Cathedral & Basilica Tour: The Catholic Church is much larger than our beautiful little community at St Peter Slinger. Tour St John s Cathedral and the Basilica of St Josephat; learn about the history and impact these amazing buildings have had on our faith in the Milwaukee Archdiocese. Eileen: eileen.belongea@stpeterslinger.org. World Youth Day Panama, Jan , 2019 A week-long, life-changing experience of the diversity and richness of the Catholic Church. Pray for our teens as they prepare physically and spiritually for this life-changing opportunity. Support our teens financially as we raise the needed funds ($3700 per person) by selling Gourmet Coffee, Bake Sales, Breakfasts and Seroogy s Chocolates.

4 ST. PETER CHRISTMAS PROGRAM AND MASS BACK TO THE FUTURE! WE celebrate our return to Church for our annual Christmas Program and Mass on Sunday, December 17, 2017 at 9AM (note: Masses for this Sunday will be 7AM, 9AM and 11AM). We appreciate the Slinger School District for accommodating us for many years but nothing can beat being in the Sacred Space of our home church! Children will be singing and acting out the Nativity and we ll all be able to welcome our Messiah and Savior in the Eucharist. Everyone is invited after the Mass and Program for homemade Christmas cookies and milk or coffee. SAVE THE DATE: TRI-PARISH LENTEN MISSION 2018 We proclaim Christ crucified. 1 Cor 1:23 March 5, 6, and 7, 2018 Morning and Evening Events 8AM Mass, followed by 9-10AM presentation 7-8:30PM Parish Mission, includes prayer service Dr. Dan Scholz is currently Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Cardinal Stritch University. He holds the rank of Associate Professor and is tenured to the Religious Studies Department, where he served as Chair from Dr. Scholz also served as Executive Director of the Saint Clare Center for Catholic Life at Cardinal Stritch University from COMMUNUNAL PENANCE SERVICE: Saturday, December 16, :30AM at Resurrection in Allenton CONFESSION SCHEDULE: Saturday, December 2, 9, 16, 23, :00--4:45PM Monday, December 18, :00--10:00AM Tuesday, December 19, :00--5:00PM Wednesday, December 20, :00--8:00PM CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE: Sunday, December 24, PM, 6PM & 8PM Monday, December 25, AM, 10:30AM NEW YEAR S MASS SCHEDULE: Sunday, December 31, PM Monday, January 1, AM FROM THE BACK PEW Wonder What s Up? I was wondering why the bread at Mass is called a host. The word, host comes from the Latin word, hostis- meaning victim. Blessings Always, Paul Rogers

5 ST. PETER CATHOLIC SCHOOL St. Peter Catholic School Students dressed up as their favorite Saint for All Saints Day Mass St. Peter Personal Trainer and Alumni!! Trunk or Treat Fun in the Church Parking Lot 5 th Graders at Leadership Youth Camp at St. Mary in Mayville. They are learning about leadership and stewardship skills with other Catholic schools in Washington, Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties. We prayed the Living Rosary during the month of October. Soles for Catholic Education Walk Collected approximately $5000 for tuition assistance, 284 pairs of shoes for St. Vincent de Paul Society and 47 students, teachers and parents walked at Mount Mary University. Nick Dhein, St. Peter Alumni and Seminarian, joined in the walk!

6 St. Peter Congregation 208 E. Washington Street Slinger, WI Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SLINGER, WI Permit No. 10 RETURN SERVICE REQUESED TIME SENSITIVE MATERIAL ST. PETER CATHOLIC CHURCH ***** SLINGER, WISCONSIN WINTER 2017 NEWSLETTER DECEMBER SPCS Movie Night 02 Holiday Bazaar 02/3 Confirmation Retreat, Resurrection 05 Bereavement Gathering 08 Feast of the Immaculate Conception 10 Cinnamon Roll Sale (Knights) 15 SPCS Christmas Program 16 Tri Parish Communal Penance, Resurrection 17 Sunday School Mass & Christmas Program 18 Blood Drive Confession 9-10AM 19 Confession 4-5PM 20 Confession 7-8PM 21 Confirmation Christmas Carols 24 Christmas Eve Mass(es) 4PM, 6PM, 8PM 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS, Mass(es) 8AM, 10:30AM 28 MS/HS Cathedral Basilica Tour 31 New Years Eve Mass, 4PM YOUTH CHRISTMAS BAKE SALE DECEMBER 23 WINTER BREAK NO SCHOOL DECEMBER 25-JANUARY 1 JANUARY New Years Day Mass, 8AM 05 SPCS Movie Night 13 Confirmation Sponsor Lunch & Mass 14 Cinnamon Roll Sale (Knights) 20/21 Souper Bowl Soup Sales 22 NO SCHOOL, SPCS CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK JANUARY 28TH - FEBRUARY 2ND FEBRUARY MS NET Retreat, St. Mary of the Hill Parish SPCS Movie Night 04 Stewardship Appeal Kick Off Parish Breakfast Scout Mass 07 First Communion Parent Mtg 09 HS NET Retreat, St. Mary of the Hill Parish 10 MS NET Retreat, St. Peter 11 Cinnamon Roll Sale (Knights) 16 Fish Fry NO SCHOOL, SPCS 19 Holy Resurrection Monastery NO SCHOOL, SPCS