Ascension. March 5, SOUTH 3RD STREET BISMARCK, ND C H U R C H O F T H E

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1 As a people of God, of Ascension Catholic Parish, we are united by Baptism and committed to meeting the needs of our faith community. In union with the whole Church, we will build the Kingdom of God by proclaiming the Good News, worshipping God, creating community, and promoting social justice. Ascension C H U R C H O F T H E 1825 SOUTH 3RD STREET BISMARCK, ND March 5, 2017 Parish Office Phone... (701) Hours (Mon.-Fri.)... 8:30 am-4:00 pm Education Office Fax ascension@midconetwork.com Web... ascensionbismarck.org Pastoral Staff Rev. Msgr. Jim Braaten...Pastor Ray Grabar Deacon Tony Finneman...Deacon Doyle Schulz Deacon James Foertsch.. Business Manager Kathy Lewis... Music & Liturgy Jan Sitter...Bookkeeper Julie Luger & Rita Ritter... Secretaries Bob Urlacher. Maintenance Eucharistic Liturgies Saturday... 5:00 pm Sunday... 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am Weekdays (Mon.-Fri.)... 8:00 am Holy Days... 8:00 am & 7:00 pm Sacraments Reconciliation Tuesday-Friday... Before 8:00 am Mass Saturday... 3:30-4:30 pm Baptisms Please call the Parish Office to schedule. If possible, contact the office three months prior to the due date. Marriage Arrangements are to be made with the Pastor at least nine months prior to the wedding. Newcomers Welcome to the Parish! Contact the Parish Office to register.

2 LiturgicalNotes LENTEN REGULATIONS Fasting & Abstinence: Catholics aged 14 and older abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays of Lent. In addition, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics from ages fast, limiting themselves to one full meal and two smaller meals each day. Prayer: Catholics are encouraged to pray more during Lent, especially with scripture. Lent is also an ideal time to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in preparation for the celebration of Christ's Passion, Death and Resurrection. Almsgiving: Moved by the sacrifice of Christ, many Christians combine almsgiving with fasting, giving the poor the money they saved by eating, drinking or buying less as they rely more upon God's abundant grace. FaithFormationNews 1 ST COMMUNION PARENT/CHILD LEARNING CENTER Saturday, March 18th 10:00 am-12:00 Noon in Community Room Students preparing to receive their 1 st Communion (2 nd grade and above), along with at least one parent, are required to attend this Learning Center focused on deepening their understanding of the Eucharist which is the source and summit of our Catholic faith. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Save the Date! June 5th 8th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Cathedral Ascension, Cathedral, and St. Anne s parishes will be hosting a Cat Chat VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL, June 5-8 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at the Cathedral! Our theme this year is: Cathletics! Training to Be Champions for Christ. VBS is for children entering Kindergarten through 5th grade this upcoming fall. Registration forms will be available the first weekend of April in the entrance of the church as well as on our parish website: We are limited to 100 children, so be sure to register early! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO HELP WITH VBS We need current 5th grade to 12th grade students to serve as Crew Leaders (counts as three stewardship service projects for Confirmation) and adults to serve as Station Leaders. Please contact Beth Kathol at or bkathol@ascensionbismarck.org if you can help or would like more information. AdultFaithFormation ALL PARISH LENTEN ONLINE STUDY PROGRAM This Lent, we are offering something new an online adult study program. We would love to have all our adult and teen parishioners participate! We will post discussion questions each week in the bulletin and on our parish Facebook page so participants can discuss at home and online. Join in this study at Formed.org. Type in parish code Z79KWG and look under Programs and click on Forgiven. This Week, watch Session 1: Where are you? Discussion Questions 1. What is your interpretation of this statement When we sin, God does not love us less, but we love ourselves less. 2. There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right. - Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The essential Writings and speeches In light of this quote, why is a well-formed conscience essential for our happiness? 3. God doesn t just want more from us, he wants more for us! What do you think this quote means?

3 MISSION APPEAL WEEKEND This weekend is our 28th Annual African Mission Appeal collection. As Catholics, we all have a shared responsibility to support our church s work. This can be done through your prayers and generous support of our African Mission Team. Please be as generous as you can in supporting the important work of Deacon Brent and Jessica Naslund and their children, Cameron and Chloe, as they minister on our behalf to our brothers and sisters in Kisii, Kenya, East Africa. You are also encouraged to follow our missionaries in action at If you are interested in serving as a member of the Diocesan Mission Team or would like more information, please write to Chuck and Tip Reichert, Diocese of Bismarck, PO Box 1137, Bismarck ND Congratulations to our 2017 Raffle winners 2017 Jeep Bob Anderson 55 Smart TV Clark & Kristie Kranz Pelican Paddle Board Corey Nelson I Pad Air Gail Mason GoPro Her04 Action Camera Lowell Hanks Bose Sound Link Roger Kubik $100 Gas Card Tom Welder $100 Gas Card Anita Qualia Ganje $100 Gas Card John Kraljic $100 Grocery Gift Card Melanie Konieczka $100 Grocery Gift Card Kent Meyer $100 Grocery Gift Card David Romine On behalf of Troy and Deb Schon, our Carnival Chair Couple, we would like to thank all the Ascension adults and youth, who volunteered to set up and take down the midway and worked in the midway booths and dining room and kitchen. In addition, thank you to the many parishioners who donated baked goods and cakes for the cake walk and especially, a great BIG thank you to all who sold the raffle tickets. LIGHTHOUSE KIOSK FEATURE OF THE WEEK CD My Beloved Son: Meditations for Lent Bishop Robert Barron offers five sermons on the spiritual discipline we must cultivate in the Lenten season, a discipline centered in Christ. These meditations cover topics such as finding our identity in God, prayer as the key to mission, our thirst for God, how to end our alienation from God, and how to joyfully embrace the way of happiness. A powerful, sincere reflection... Deep, yet easy to understand. Julie - Holyoke, CO Fr. Barron weaves Scripture, prayer and practical experience into a seamless whole that uplifts, challenges and inspires. Michael - York, PA Check the Lighthouse Media kiosk in the church foyer for this and many other titles. We ask $3.00 per CD, $4.00 per book, $5.00 per DVD, and $2.00 per booklet to help continue this program. KC COUNCIL #7602 FISH FRY Fridays During Lent 5:00 to 7:00 pm Ascension Education Building $8.50 for Adults, $5.00 for those 12 and under Family Meal Deal of $25 This Friday, fish, fish tacos, baked potato bar, coleslaw, corn, Mac-n-Cheese, and desserts. 5:00 PM 8:00 AM 9:30 AM 11:00 AM Count Offering Team #4 Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Hospitality Bill Blotsky Plate Ellen Holt Plate Ken Jarolimek Plate Pauline Mueller Plate Mary Schwede Cup Tammie Johnson Cup** Ken Johnson Cup** Bob Bitz Jean Bitz Lil Krance Greg Klein Plate** Pete Baumgartner Plate Mark Weigel Plate John Bitz Cup** Terry Daffinrud Jan Daffinrud Greg Power Josh Hager Plate Marla Kranig Plate Mark Malm Plate Sharon Malm Plate Paulette Heringer Cup Danita Deichert Cup** Alice Ternes Cup** Bob Heringer Eric Miller Tanya Hopfauf Lynn Burgard Plate Shawn Meier Plate Dave Charles Plate Catherine Erickson Plate Mark Dosch Cup Grady Martin Cup** John Paul Martin Cup** Genny Berg Steve Berg Elsie Seeberg Lector Irene Howard Greg Klein Brent Freese John Paul Martin Altar Server Video/Audio Operator Ethan Stewart Matthew Volk Serving the Assembly March 11th and 12th: 2nd Sunday of Lent Michael Simek Maranda Kranig Madison Hopfauf Austin Martin Noelle Martin Brandon Holt Nancy Hoselton Dan Hopfauf Carissa Pieterick Music Ministry Joan Backes Kathy Jarolimek Kristi Owens Kathy Lewis Katie Kraft Cheneniah Mike Langer Cindy Bleth

4 John W. Bitz, Mildred Schall, Marjorie Bitz, Jerry Feist, Larry Sackman, Carol Miller, Don Hopfauf, Erna Jacobchick, Leo Keller, Michelle Niska, Viola Bitz, Bill Feist, Jolene Klein, Dennis Conklin, Deacon Ray Grabar Prayer Line Call the Parish Office at or Pauline Mueller at The Prayer Line is a group of parishioners who pray for requested intentions. The names of those requests and/or the intentions are not made public. Names of people listed in the bulletin have given permission to use their name. TimeTalent&Treasure On this First Sunday of Lent, it seems appropriate that all the readings reflect in some way on the issue of temptation. We are familiar with perhaps the most common prayer, the Our Father, in which we ask God to lead us not into temptation. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is interesting to note that #2846 tells us It is difficult to translate the Greek verb used for lead us into a single English word. The original Greek word means both do not allow us to enter into temptation and do not let us yield to temptation. Sins come from consenting to temptation. For our Lenten missions, the issue of temptation would seem to have numerous facets which should influence us. Clearly we need to pray, and often, for God s help as we try to avoid sin, and attempt to change our lives during this time. Also, we must consider the importance of recognizing and confessing our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. These should be part of our Lenten plans; living lives of stewardship might help us continue these efforts beyond Lent and throughout our lives. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the late and great Catholic Evangelist and television personality, devoted entire programs to temptation. On one, as he considered Lent a time to seek truth as an endeavor to resist temptation, he said, It is easy to find truth; it is hard to face it; and harder still to follow it. FINANCIAL BLESSINGS WEEK COLLECTIONS BUDGET February 26, 2017 Fiscal Year to Date $13, $12, $432, $428, REPAIR & MAINTENANCE FUND February 2017 Collections $1, ParishCalendar Monday, March 6 8:00 am Communion Service Tuesday, March 7 8:00 am Agnes Kopp by Phyllis Torske Wednesday, March 8 8:00 am Irene Ternes by Emma Loeb Thursday, March 9 8:00 am Gayle Goetz by Dick Goetz & Family Friday, March 10 8:00 am Bertha Lisko by Clara Lisko Saturday, March 11 5:00 pm Clarence and Pauline Schmitz by Family Sunday, March 12 8:00 am Loretta Grabar by George & Claire Saiki 9:30 am Glorian Heidrich by the Horner Family 11:00 am People of the Parish Weekly Schedule Sunday, March 5 3:00 pm Parish Lenten Retreat/Church Monday, March 6 8:30 am Eucharistic Adoration Tuesday, March 7 7:00 pm Parish Council Meeting Wednesday, March 8 8:30 am Ladies of Ascension Meeting 12:00 pm Finance Council Meeting 4:00, 5:30, 7:00 Faith Formation Sessions 6:15 pm Steubenville Meeting in Youth Room Thursday, March 9 6:00 pm Faith Formation Committee Meeting Friday, March 10 5:00-7:00 pm Ascension KC Fish Fry/Community Room 5:30 pm Stations of the Cross Readings for the Week of March 5: Sunday: Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7/Ps 51:3-6, 12-13, 17/ Rom 5:12-19/Mt 4:1-11 Monday: Lv 19:1-2, 11-18/Ps 19:8-10, 15/Mt 25:31-46 Tuesday: Is 55:10-11/Ps 34:4-7, 16-19/Mt 6:7-15 Wednesday: Jon 3:1-10/Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19/ Thursday: Lk 11:29-32 Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25/Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8/ Mt 7:7-12 Friday: Ez 18:21-28/Ps 130:1-8/Mt 5:20-26 Saturday: Dt 26:16-19/Ps 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8/Mt 5:43-48 Sunday: Gn 12:1-4a/Ps 33:4-5, 18-20, 22/ 2 Tm 1:8b-10/Mt 17:1-9 QUESTION OF THE WEEK Adult: What helpful advice could you offer someone faced with a temptation? Youth: What helps you do the right thing when you want to do something wrong?

5 FEBRUARY 2017 NEW PARISHIONERS Carson and Sheryl Fleck Bob and Karen Pedigo Megan Aberle Chuck and Darlene Wolfgram Florence Ternes BAPTISMS Berkley Taylyn Schumacher daughter of Kyra Brecken Allen Nieuwsma son of Jesse and Kayla Ryatt Matthew Bauer son of Matthew Bauer & Aman- Polanchek Noah Evan Mueller son of Casey and Sara da LADIES OF ASCENSION Please join us Wednesday morning, March 8th at 8:30 am in the Community Room for our monthly Ladies of Ascension meeting. This is an opportunity to meet ladies in our parish and to offer your ideas on how we, as a group, can meet the needs of Ascension Church. We currently provide baptismal blankets and white garments for all infants baptized at Ascension, and pay dry cleaning bills for altar server albs, as well as purchasing and replacing kitchen supplies. This past spring, we were instrumental, along with the KC s, in updating the landscaping along the Education Building. What more can we do to make Ascension Parish the best that it can be? Please come to the meeting and enjoy coffee and pastries with us. If you would like additional information about the Ladies of Ascension, please call Rita Ritter at or at rmritter@bis.midco.net. LightofChristCatholicSchoolNews LIGHT OF CHRIST ACADEMY OPEN HOUSE Students and parents can take a tour and learn more about the Academy, for grades 6-8 in the school year. Thursday, March 16 6:30-7:30 pm St. Mary s Central High School Gym 1025 N 2nd Street Bismarck STEEL DRUM BAND CONCERT Wednesday, March 8th at 7:00 pm at the SMCHS main gym Featuring the SMCHS Hammerhead Steel Drum Band, along with the University of Mary Steel Drum Band Free and open to the public! ST. MARY S GRADE SCHOOL PTO RUMMAGE SALE The St. Mary s Grade School PTO rummage sale will be Saturday, March 11th from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm and Sunday, March 12th from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm in the Grade School Gym/ Msgr. Feehan Hall. Donations will be accepted beginning on Thursday, March 9th from 5:30 to 8:30 pm and Friday, March 10th from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Only furniture or large items that have been approved may be left. For more information, contact Diane at

6 DioceseNews ULTREYA Ultreya will be held on Tuesday, March 7th, at 7:00 pm at our NEW LOCATION in the Multi-Purpose Room at St. Mary s Parish in Bismarck. Ultreya is a gathering of people who have attended a Cursillo weekend. For additional information concerning the Ultreya meeting, contact Kathy Dosch at or visit bismarckdiocese.com/cursillo-1. CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS The Bismarck-Mandan Catholic Daughters will meet on Tuesday, March 7th at 7:00 pm at Cathedral. Virginia Dolajak will speak on abortion. Guests are welcome. For more information, call Delores Friedt at or check out our website at bismarckcda.org. SPIRIT OF LIFE SOUP KITCHEN LENTEN LUNCHEONS For the past several years, Spirit of Life Catholic Church in Mandan has offered a series of Lenten Luncheon talks in conjunction with our Thursday Soup Kitchen. Please join us during Lent over your Thursday lunch hour for soup, sandwiches and an opportunity to deepen your relationship with Christ as we prepare for Easter. Our speakers this year will include: Paige Rising on March 9th, Deacon Gary Mizeur on March 16th, Amy Schmidt on March 23rd, Brett Eckert on March 30th and Fr. Selvaraj Periannan on April 6th. The Lenten Luncheons will begin with soup served at 11:30 am and our speaker beginning at 12:00 Noon. Everyone is welcome to attend. Any questions, please call or marijo@myspiritoflife.com. Lord, the trumpet has sounded, and I want to respond. Help me to rend my heart this Lent, so that it can be filled anew with your love and your spirit. A SIMPLE LENTEN RETREAT FOR WOMEN This retreat is scheduled for Saturday, March 11th from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm at the St. Anne s Church in Bismarck. The morning registration begins at 7:15 am. Father Russ Kovash, Pastor of St. Joseph s in Willison, will present Gratitude, the Virtue that Changes Us. The day includes Mass, breakfast and lunch, two talks, shopping, a large free table, silent auction, confession, and Eucharistic adoration. For questions, call Theresa Waltz at The registration is $30. Make checks payable to A Simple Lenten Retreat for Women and send them to Bonnie Volk, 3600 McDonald Road, Bismarck ND EASTER BASKETS OF HOPE! Monetary donations are being accepted to benefit the Spirit of Life Outreach program for kids. 100% of the money donated will be used to purchase educational items to fill Easter baskets for children in need. Please prayerfully consider a donation to help those less fortunate this Easter season. Donations will be accepted through March 25th. Checks made out to Spirit of Life Outreach (with Baskets of Hope in the memo line) can be mailed to Cindy Levi, th Ave NE, Mandan ND If you have any questions or wish for your money to be picked up, please call Cindy at SAVE THE DATE... THIRST 2017 MEN S CONFERENCE Gentlemen, mark your calendars for the THIRST 2017 Men s Conference sponsored by the Diocese of Bismarck and held at the University of Mary on Saturday, September 23, PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN The Diocese of Bismarck is firmly committed to the health and protection of our children, young people and vulnerable adults. With the hope of healing the pain and suffering from sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, we encourage anyone who has suffered from this abuse to please come forward. To report allegations of sexual abuse, please contact Dale Eberle, Chancellor, Diocese of Bismarck, PO Box 1575, Bismarck ND Dale s phone number is or The complaint form and policies can be found on the diocesan website at CODE OF PASTORAL CONDUCT The Catholic Church must be exemplary: clergy, staff, whether diocesan or parish, and volunteers are held accountable for their behavior. To enable the highest level of accountability, there must be a clear and unambiguous definition of appropriate behavior. To this end, this Code of Pastoral Conduct is defined for the Diocese of Bismarck and it provides a foundation for implementing effective and enforceable standards for all personnel. View the Code of Pastoral Conduct at