In this day and age, it s not too often that

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1 April 2018 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s This Issue: 3 Where Are Our Priorities? 4 Living and Serving With Intention: Meet the Nathe Family 6 Service The Fourth Pillar of Parish Stewardship 7 Helen Botzet Continues a Legacy of Giving Through Rosaries Iron Sharpens Iron Caleb Schneider Takes Active Role in Stewardship and Parish Life In this day and age, it s not too often that you see young adults actively participating in parish life. Caught up in establishing themselves in careers and starting new families, these young men and women are all too easily caught up in the business of living, abandoning the faith of their childhood altogether in the process. That s why it s so encouraging for us to see young parishioners like our own Caleb Schneider choosing to take an active role in the Church. Yet, rather than seeing his involvement as something extraordinary, Caleb says with his characteristic humility that it s just the way [he] grew up part of what it means to be a member of the community. I grew up in a small town of 200 where you kind of had to be involved, because if you re not involved, then you aren t helping the community grow, Caleb says. And so it was instilled in me at a very young age by my parents the importance of faith and doing my part. They taught me that if you don t get involved, then you should never have anything to complain about. Taking these lessons to heart, Caleb spent his childhood in Northome, Minn. participating in a lot of Bible studies continued on page 2 Parish Office 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN (320) From a young age, Caleb Schneider s parents instilled the importance of faith.

2 Caleb Schneider Takes Active Role in Stewardship and Parish Life continued from front cover and Sunday school sessions. As he grew older, he was blessed to have a close friend pushing him onward in his faith, living out the Bible verse together: As iron is sharpened by iron, so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17). So, when Caleb moved here to Sauk Centre two years ago, it seemed only natural for him to begin serving in some of our St. Paul s ministries. He soon joined the Knights of Columbus, began ushering for Sunday liturgies, started volunteering as one of our youth group leaders, and began teaching for the parish s Faith Formation program. And though each of his ministries have presented its own unique blessings, Caleb shares that he s been particularly enriched through his work with parish youth who, much like his childhood friend, continuously challenge and sharpen him in his own faith. If they ask you a question, you have to try to figure out how to best answer that, he says. This, in turn, leads to your own questions, pushing you to research deeper into the faith. I just get such a high from being there and working with the kids, seeing them happy and living the faith. It ends up making things so much better for me personally, encouraging me in my own faith journey. Through stewardship, I ve been able to meet a lot of people. My connections have grown and I ve made a lot of good friends. You really see it if you go to a high school basketball game and some of those fifthgraders are there with their parents, or you ll see high schoolers that you helped chaperone. I know that I have a really good support group here that there s always somebody looking out for me and I m never alone. Caleb Schneider For parishioner Caleb Schneider, being active in the parish is just what it means to be part of a faith community. By opening himself to service in this way and pushing himself out of his comfort zone, Caleb feels he has been able to draw much closer to Christ and His Church. It has also made him feel more connected with the parish, knowing that he has a support system that is always ready to help him. It reminds him that he is never truly alone, and he is encouraged to keep striving onward in his pursuit of holiness. Through stewardship, I ve been able to meet a lot of people, Caleb says. My connections have grown and I ve made a lot of good friends. You really see it if you go to a high school basketball game and some of those fifth-graders are there with their parents, or you ll see high schoolers that you helped chaperone. I know that I have a really good support group here that there s always somebody looking out for me and I m never alone. 2

3 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s Dear Parishioners, We are celebrating Easter, the holiest liturgical season of the year. April 1 No Fooling Easter Sunday, was the high point of the year for us and for all Christians. And we continue to celebrate this holy time until Pentecost Sunday, May 20 this year. That is correct, the Easter Season is 50 days 10 days longer than Lent. St. Paul provides some sage advice. He said, think of what is above, not of what is on earth (Colossians 3:2). Regardless of what happens after we join Jesus Christ in the resurrection of the dead, we can all agree that it will be something above this life. St. Paul is basically asking us if we put God first in all things. Or do we lose sight by letting the worries of life encumber us with its possessions, money, power, and other vanities? He is not telling us live some pie in the sky sort of way. Yet, our goal should be to put God at the top of our list. If that is not what we are doing, we may need to adjust our priorities. If we have not refocused on God during Lent, now is the time. Let s not allow earthly things to become our gods. Rather, let s let God be God. A Letter From Our Pastor Where Are Our Priorities? It was St. Gregory the Great who said, God made us to be the gardeners of paradise. Some people reflecting on stewardship maintain that God has given each of us a garden. And when we are judged, Jesus will ask only one question, What have you done with the garden I gave you? What have we done? What are we doing? First, we must recognize and acknowledge that we have received many gifts. They come in different and varied ways. Despite what we see as our gifts or how we measure them, we need to ensure that we are using them in ways that serve God and others. That is how we live true discipleship and stewardship by following Jesus and taking good care of all He entrusts to us. Are you aware that the month of April is dedicated to the Holy Spirit in the Church? The term spirit translates from the Hebrew word ruah, which means breath. Truly, the Holy Spirit has been breathed into each of us at Baptism. It is the beginning of the spiritual garden we have received. Do we call on the Holy Spirit? Do we rely on Him for strength? Do we understand He is dwelling in our very being? We should. We need to know and believe this. That is why St. Paul said, think of what is above, not of what is on earth. May God bless you in all you do, and strive to be! In our Father s hands, Fr. Greg Paffel 3

4 Living and Serving With Inten I think any time you re using your skills that God has given you, it s a way to connect more closely with Him. Using your passions to help other people, that is God within you. Every talent you have is a gift from God, and using that is a way to be closer to Him. Katie Nathe It was at home one morning, when Katie and Cory Nathe witnessed something remarkable. Our 4-year-old was playing with our 2-yearold and he said, Before we play, we have to say our prayers, because that will help us have a good day! says Katie, a St. Paul parishioner. He taught our 2-year-old the prayer they do at school, and it was really heartwarming that he brought that prayer home and made it a part of his life. Katie and her husband, Cory, are no strangers to the value of faith-based education. Both born and raised in Sauk Centre, Katie attended Punkins and Monkeys preschool, and the couple first met in kindergarten, attending Holy Family School. With the exception of college, and a stint in Seattle for their careers, Katie and Cory have lived in Sauk Centre their whole lives. Now, these parents of three Raya, 5; Sawyer, 4; and Hudson, 2 get to watch their children have many of the same experiences they had, both at Punkins and Monkeys and at Holy Family School. Giving our kids the opportunity to go through a faith-based preschool was really important to us, Katie says, explaining that Punkins and Monkeys recently transitioned to using a Christian curriculum. I would say that especially in this age group, when their brain is developing so rapidly, having a teacher who supports the values you have at home and encourages students to pray, even when they re little, is really important. Their oldest, Raya, is in her first year of school at Holy Family. Katie and Cory can testify to the impact of the school and are glad they can share the experience with her. Growing up with the faith, being surrounded with it daily, it s really powerful, Katie says. We pray because it s what we learned to do. It s just a part of you. Katie, a pediatric audiologist, recently retired to spend more time at home with her children, and having more time to serve her community also became a priority. I knew I wanted to be involved, volunteering and doing something related to child development, she says of her recent decision to serve on the board of Punkins and Monkeys Preschool. Serving on the board has been a great way of being involved in education, learning the background of the preschool and making an impact there. The Nathes work to incorporate the faith into their lives at home, as well, by praying before meals and bedtime, and most recently, with Katie taking each of the kids for some special one-on-one time of prayer. That s been really powerful to go into the empty church and just have that peaceful time with the kids to talk about it, Katie says. Katie also tries to find time to grow in her faith through reading, listening to faith-based podcasts, and making time to serve. Along with serving on the board of Punkins and Monkeys, Katie has also volunteered 4

5 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s tion: Meet the Nathe Family with Vacation Bible School, and Cory is a money counter for Masses. I think any time you re using your skills that God has given you, it s a way to connect more closely with Him, Katie says. Using your passions to help other people, that is God within you. Every talent you have is a gift from God, and using that is a way to be closer to Him. For Katie and Cory, making time to emphasize faith and stewardship is about having priorities, setting goals and building habits. A couple of years ago, my husband and I started taking time to really set goals measurable goals in a lot of different areas of our lives, Katie says. If you sit down and write your goals and expect to reach those goals, you can make it happen. Sometimes, we just go through life and it just happens to us, and you have to figure out where you re going and how you want your life to look. If you live intentionally, having a vision that s huge. For me, it was a big part of why I wanted to stay home it was really hard to fit in everything, and we wanted to be involved and free up some of our time to devote to serving and volunteering, she adds. We really had to prioritize, because the time s not just going to be there we had to step back and figure out, How can we make the time? The Nathes hope that other families will experience the same community and support they ve found through involvement at Holy Family School and their parish. It is about making connections, creating community and supporting each other, Katie says. It takes a village to raise a child there is so much that a parent benefits from, too, having the support around you. It is so beneficial for everybody. Cory (holding Hudson), Katie, Sawyer, and Raya Nathe love being involved at St. Paul s, Holy Family School, and Punkins and Monkeys Preschool. 5

6 Service The Fourth Pillar of Parish Stewardship T hroughout Sacred Scripture, there are numerous references to service. There is the parable of the vigilant and faithful servants who await their master s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks (Lk 12:35-40). There is the story of the good Samaritan who was moved with compassion to help the victim of a violent robbery (Lk 10:25-37). And there are several examples of Christ serving those around Him feeding the multitudes, healing the sick, and even turning water into wine at a wedding banquet. Why is service a running theme throughout the Gospels? Because service is at the root of living in imitation of Christ. Christ served others throughout His life on Earth, and His death on the cross was the ultimate act of service to mankind. And when we serve others, we are not only following in Christ s footsteps, we are also serving Christ Himself: Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me (Mt 25:40). As a stewardship parish, service must be at the heart of everything we do. The parish community is the bastion of service within the Catholic Church, as we serve one another and are also served by our brothers and sisters in Christ. As the Diocese of Wichita s document, The Pillars of Parish Stewardship, states, Like a blood family, the parish family stands ready and eager collectively to wrap their arms around their brothers and sisters when they suffer in trial and/or celebrate special events in their lives. It is good to recognize the parish community as a place where service is appreciated and can be utilized for the good of the Church. However, it is not enough for us to simply serve other members of our parish family. As disciples of Christ, it is our obligation to serve people in need everywhere they exist in our families, our greater community, our country, and throughout the world. This can be a challenging concept, as it is often much more comfortable and convenient to serve those who are close to us than it is to reach out to outsiders. But, as The Pillars of Parish Stewardship eloquently points out, Failure to have this understanding leads to a selfish parochialism, which is life draining to a parish stewardship way of life. Think of ways that you can serve others around you, both within our parish family and in the greater community. Our many parish ministries offer a great place to begin offering your time and talents, but the opportunities for service don t end there. There are many civic and nonprofit organizations that do an immense amount to serve others across the globe and are always looking for volunteers. Once you serve, you will find that you will reap numerous rewards in return, much like the faithful servants who doubled the talents their master had entrusted to them: Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master s joy (Mt 25:21). 6

7 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s Helen Botzet Continues a Legacy of Giving Through Rosaries Some people know her as the rosary lady but in her time at St. Alexius, Helen Botzet has been a mom, grandmother, CCD teacher, and now a greatgrandmother. Every year around this time, you can find her making rosaries for the year s First Communicants as she carries out a legacy of giving that she learned from her parents. My parents always said, What you give to God, you are never going to run short of He will give it back tenfold, she says. And I truly believe that He did. Helen says she s been making rosaries since she was young, when a nun at her school was initially teaching others in the class to crochet. Being left-handed, Helen was having trouble learning to crochet, and so she learned how to make rosaries instead. I couldn t mirror what she was doing, so she said, Let s try this, Helen says. And that was easy for me, because I didn t have to do things backwards. Known to many as the rosary lady, parishioner Helen Botzet lends her time and talent making rosaries for those receiving their First Communion. Each rosary is made from beads that Helen works together with metal eye pins by using a set of needle-nosed jewelry pliers. It s a reward to sit and work on making those, she says. I do that in the wintertime and I ve been doing it to send to missions. They asked if I could do it for the First Communion students a few years ago, and it s a privilege to do it. I ve made them for all my When I m making rosaries, that gives me a chance to say it. Before I fall asleep, I work on saying the Rosary. It s always been special to me. I ve had quite a few people come back because they see me as the rosary lady, and I think that s special. When they say something like that to me, I just eat it up. It s a part of me that I can give away. When you can see the person who did it, that comes from the heart. Helen Botzet 7

8 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s Parish Office: 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN (320) NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM ZIP CODE PERMIT NO. 3 Return Service Requested Mass Schedule Saturday 4:00 p.m. - St. Paul s Saturday 5:00 p.m. - Our Lady of the Angels Saturday 8:00 p.m. - St. Paul s Sunday 8:00 a.m. - St. Paul s Sunday 8:30 a.m. - St. Alexius Sunday 10:00 a.m. - St. Paul s Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Our Lady of the Angels Reconciliation Schedule Thursday 4:00 p.m. - St. Paul s Saturday 3:00 p.m. - St. Paul s Saturday 4:00 p.m. - Our Lady of the Angels Sunday 8:00 a.m. - St. Alexius Helen Botzet Continues a Legacy of Giving Through Rosaries continued from page 7 brothers and sisters, and nieces and nephews. I ve done so many of them, and it makes me feel good that I ve got something I can do. Time spent making the rosaries has also meant time spent in prayer for Helen, and she says it means a lot to her to be able to share her spiritual gifts with the parish. When I m making rosaries, that gives me a chance to say it, she says. Before I fall asleep, I work on saying the Rosary. It s always been special to me. I ve had quite a few people come back because they see me as the rosary lady, and I think that s special. When they say something like that to me, I just eat it up. It s a part of me that I can give away. When you can see the person who did it, that comes from the heart. As a retired teacher, Helen says she has a special place in her heart for children, much like the three who will benefit from her talents as they receive their First Communion. I taught school for 39 and a half years in the Osakis school district, she says. I spent my whole life with kids, and it s a wonderful place to be.