News of Holy Spirit Parish

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1 THE News of Holy Spirit Parish STEPS Anticipating journeys in the context of Advent W alking is something most of us do rather mindlessly. We just do it. Maybe intentionally as a means of exercise or rather practically as a way to get from here to there. But since getting a Fitbit watch that claims to measure how many steps I take each day, I m often monitoring my steps, not so much where they re taking me but how many I ve taken. Needless to say, where I m headed and where I end up is far more significant than the energy exerted to get there. The reality is that I m not just thinking of steps, but rather some significant journeys that are awaiting me, which I consider within the context of Advent, a season with plenty of its own long walks. My sabbatical will begin with a visit to some religious sisters in Arizona engaged in ministry to people who ve made their own journey: immigrants at the Mexican border. I hope to learn more about the challenges confronting people along the border, on both sides. See JOURNEYS on Page 2 TAKING A REVERSE APPROACH TO ADVENT GIVING T here is a Minion Movie Advent Calendar available on Amazon.com for $ There s a Godiva Chocolate version for $35. Starbucks sold its Advent calendar for $ That s a pretty hefty price for something that has really nothing to do with Advent. Each of them offers something a toy, an ornament, a piece of chocolate, for the 25 days leading up to Christmas. Advent isn t about counting days although if it were we d count 29 this year. Rather it s about anticipating a season in which we might give and get gifts, but more crucially a season that s all about why it matters that Jesus came into the world, and how we make that reality more apparent where we live, with whom we live, now! To that end someone concocted the idea of a REVERSE Advent Calendar. Since any good idea is worth borrowing, we re borrowing it this year. Replacing REVERSE ADVENT CALENDAR Clip and keep the calendar found in this newsletter. Set aside a couple boxes or gift or grocery bags to collect donations. Put the containers in a place in your home, maybe under a Christmas tree or near your family Advent wreath, where it could be a ready reminder. Plan with other family members as to what to purchase and when. The calendar is meant as a guide: some, all or other items may be donated. Keep this project in mind when shopping, especially with children. When you place donated items in the bag pray for those in need. Bring your REVERSE project donations to Mass on Epiphany, Jan. 7/8. the Advent Giving Tree of years past, the REVERSE project See REVERSE on Page 3

2 JOURNEYS from Page 1 From there I ll embark upon a more academic and spiritual journey in my prayer and study at St. John s Abbey and University near St. Cloud, Minn. That s where I ll be studying from mid-january to May, while also walking at least four times a day to the Abbey church for Mass and prayer with the Benedictine monks of St. John s. When not in class or at prayer, I ll also be walking a lot for a rather strange reason: So I can walk more. The sabbatical will conclude with a retreat walking the legendary pilgrimage path of Camino de Santiago through the Pyrenees mountains of France into Spain. Pilgrims, people on a spiritual journey, have walked the Camino since the 9th century; 200,000 trekked the camino s 500 miles in I won t be doing the entire route, that would take a month or more. My goal is to get halfway and then return in a few years to finish the journey to Santiago de Compostela, where tradition contends the remains of the apostle James are buried and a grand cathedral welcomes weary and rejoicing pilgrims. What s the point at all? That s a good question. I don t think one really knows the answer until walking the camino, when feet hurt, stomachs growl, rain falls and those are just the obvious challenges I imagine. In the wonderful movie, The Way, Martin Sheen portrays a character who walks the Camino essentially to answer the question of Why? If I discover an answer, you ll be among the first to know. My anticipation and planning for all of that coincides with anticipation and planning for Advent, which as indicated earlier includes its own journeys. The first and probably most consequential is that of Gabriel, the angel, sent from God to a young woman in Nazareth. That angelic encounter initiates a series of trips: Mary from Nazareth to Elizabeth s home, which some suggest might have been an 80-mile journey. Presumably she returned just in time to embark on an even more strenuous 90-mile journey with Joseph to Bethlehem. Later there d be the hasty retreat to Egypt, probably well more than 100 miles or more, and then the return. And let s not forget the star-guided travels of the Magi. These were far more grueling and perplexing journeys than I m anticipating. They sound so simple and compact when we hear the stories at Mass, but these were travels sprinkled with adverse weather, military and political strife, and terribly uncertain motivations. What inspired each of those ancient steps was an abiding trust, in what they could not be sure, and yet they trusted. I wonder if that s not a fundamental dimension to my pilgrimage, or that I ll discover it needs to be. To be honest, the journeys of faith we all travel are contingent upon such trust. A trust in those with whom we share the journey, but ultimately a trust in God that allows our willingness to go where God would direct us, to become better than ourselves by God s directed grace, to continue walking the journey of faith and life long after we ve stopped counting the steps, but trusting in a final destination far more wondrous than Santiago or Nazareth or even Bethlehem. TL SABBATICAL Some updated information regarding Fr. Tom s time away O n the day last spring when the newsletter arrived in parishioners mailboxes reporting that I would be on sabbatical in the spring of 2017, Ralph and Sandy Starr arrived to have their directory portrait taken. Fr. Tom, Sandy said, you re going to miss our 70th wedding anniversary. I was grateful to know of such a faithful reader, but, as I admitted to the Starrs, very disappointed that, indeed, I would not be present for such a significant milestone. It will be one of many significant occasions I ll miss, but that s the reality of a sabbatical a time away for study, for Fr. Frank Corradi prayer, for rest. As I ve indicated previously, I realize this is a tremendous privilege. The dilemma of returning for Ralph and Sandy s celebration on Feb. 17 is that one can t return for one and not for others. Here are a few details regarding parish life during my absence: Fr. Frank Corradi will be in the parish Saturday through noon Tuesday to preside at Lord s Day liturgies, funerals scheduled for Monday or Tuesday and the Tuesday school Mass. He ll meet with staff and collaborate with Deacon Rick Letto, administrative coordinator Lee Olsen and finance coordinator Sr. Barb Knauf on administrative matters. Adoration will move to Thursday with Fr. Todd Mlsna presiding at that day s Mass. The move frees him to cover Wednesday school Masses for other pastors, if needed. Fr. Dennis Lynch will preside at Friday s Mass. Holy Spirit will not celebrate a morning Mass on Wednesday, but Mass will be offered at 8 a.m. at St. Peter, 8:15 a.m. at St. Stephen and 11:45 a.m. at St. Michael Hospital. Fr. Placid Stroik will preside at the 9 p.m. Wednesday Mass. Because outside priests are needed to assist, the goal is to have one parish Mass per weekday, including funerals. Various priests will be called upon for funerals as they are available. If there is a weekday funeral, as a general rule, there will not be a morning Mass that day. Reconciliation will remain at 9 a.m. Saturday. All will go well. TL

3 Advent & Christmas RECONCILIATION There will be three primary opportunities to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation during Advent: Monday, Dec. 12, 7 p.m., at St. Bronislava, Plover. Thursday, Dec. 15, 6 p.m., at Holy Spirit Parish. Tuesday, Dec. 20, 6:30 p.m., at St. Stephen. The 9 a.m. Saturday opportunities for Reconciliation also will be offered. BEST ADVENT EVER Best Advent Ever helps us prepare for Christmas so that it might be the Best Christmas Ever. Sign-up via a link at the Holy Spirit web site and receive daily reflections, inspirational videos and more for every day of Advent. Register today. HOLY DAY The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary will be celebrated with Mass at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, and 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8. LATE-NIGHT MASS Amid the hectic pace of December, a mid-week break for silence, scripture and song might be just what we need. That s what Late- Night Mass offers at 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Newman Center Chapel. However, the Dec. 7 Holy Day Mass will be celebrated at St. Stans Church. ADORATION Spend time with the Lord Wednesday morning and afternoon in church. GETTING KIDS READY FOR CHRISTMAS This year our Assistant Music Director Andrea Koester will be organizing a children s choir to sing a 20- minute hymn program prior to the 5 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass. There will be two rehearsals: Sunday Dec. 11 and Sunday Dec. 18 for 45 minutes after the 10 a.m. Mass. Children in Grades 1-6 are invited to sing as part of this Christmas Eve Children's Choir. If your child is interested, please contact Andrea at andrea@ holyspiritstevenspoint.org. We look forward to hearing from you! REVERSE from Page 1 will offer parishioners of all ages an opportunity to honor Advent by attempting to reveal the generosity and compassion of Christ through our generosity and compassion throughout the season. Here s how the REVERSE Advent Calendar works: Instead of a calendar that gives you something, in this REVERSE version parishioners are invited to provide items identified on a calendar found on an adjacent page of this newsletter. This is something families can plan and work on together throughout Advent. All of the items could be provided, or some of them. The project will benefit Operation Bootstrap and Mobile Pantry of Portage County. One requested item pillows will go to the Salvation Army Hope Center. The general plan for the REVERSE Advent Calendar is to collect the requested items throughout the season, collecting them in boxes or grocery bags. With each day s donation, or those made occasionally throughout the season, there could be a moment of prayer for those who depend upon these donations and the volunteers who assist generously in responding to the needs of the poor. Clip the calendar and keep it in a prominent place. The hope is that the REVERSE Advent Calendar keeps us focused throughout the season: shopping, making donations to our designated container, and praying. Finally, the bags and boxes of donated items will be collected after Christmas, ideally on the Solemnity of the Epiphany, Jan. 7/8, a day upon which we remember the gifts given by the Magi. CHRISTMASTIME MASS SCHEDULE Solemnity of Christmas 5P Christmas Eve - Children s Choir concert at 4:40 7P Christmas Eve - Celebration Choir concert at 6:30 9P Christmas Eve - Lessons and Carols 9A Christmas Morning All liturgies at St. Stans Church There will not be a Sunday night Mass on Dec. 25. Sundays of Christmas 5P Saturday Dec. 31, Jan. 7 8A Sunday Jan. 1, Jan. 8 10A Sunday, Jan. 1, Jan. 8 6P Sunday, Jan. 1, Jan. 8 As we remember the Magi bringing their gifts to Bethlehem, Jan. 7/8 is the weekend we invite parishioners to bring contributions for the REVERSE Advent Calendar Project. GIFT BAGS FOR PLACE OF PEACE While not the primary focus of the parish s Advent/ Christmas giving, there will be ornaments decorating a tree in an alcove near the sanctuary in church. These ornaments will identify items that will comprise a gift bag distributed before Christmas to children and adults who gather at the Place of Peace, a weekly destination for food and hospitality. Those items will be needed at church or the Newman Center by Dec. 10/11. A CHRISTMAS INVITATION Consider friends, co-workers, family members and others who you might invite to celebrate Christmas (and Advent) with us at Holy Spirit Parish.

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5 THE NEW PARISH DIRECTORY HAS ARRIVED! STEWARDS W ell, that headline wasn t quite true as this newsletter went to the printer, but it could be by the time you are reading this. It will definitely be true by Dec. 3/4 when the Parish Directory will be distributed as part of Respond to the Spirit Weekend. All parishioners will receive packets after all of that weekend s Masses which will include information on participating in, contributing to and enhancing the life of our parish. Parishioners who had portraits taken for the directory will also have a directory in their packets. Other parishioners may purchase cop- INITIATION Three seek to join us in faith ies for $10. The directory packets will be distributed in Kostka Hall, which will feature a Respond to the Spirit Fair at which parishioners will be available to promote and explain the many activities and ministries that are important to parish life and offer a direct response to the parish mission statement: Disciples called to worship, sent to serve. The parishioner packets also will include financial information for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Three candidates are seeking to come into full communion with the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. Already baptized, they will celebrate con- firmation and eucharist. Weston Glomstad, Kraig Terpstra and Sara Zaborowski will be welcomed to the initiation process at Mass on Jan. 8. Sharing Centennial stories? Do you remember parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles telling stories about the building of St. Stans Church or the early years of the parish? If so, we d love for you to share those stories as we anticipate the centennial of the church s construction in There are a couple options for telling your centennial story : you could write it down in a paragraph or two or someone would be willing to visit and record the story. Photos from those very first years also would be greatly appreciated for a centennial booklet. Contact the parish office with your story or photo, or to schedule a story-telling meeting. Deacon Rick Letto was ordained by Bishop Callahan on Oct. 29 at the Cathedral in La Crosse. These photos show the various elements of the Ordination Mass: lying prostrate in prayer, laying on of hands and prayer of consecration, presentation of the gospels, greeting by Deacon Hugh Walker, and assisting at the altar. More photos can be found at the parish web site.

6 Giving Thanks We anticipate our nation s celebration of giving thanks by celebrating Eucharist, the Church s primary ritual of thanksgiving, at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23. A reception will follow Mass. When you come to Mass please bring a box (or several boxes) of Kellogg s Nutri-Grain Bars for the Feeding Hungry Kids Program. Those donations also could be brought to Mass on the Sunday before or after Thanksgiving Day. HOLY SPIRIT PARISH 838 Fremont St. Stevens Point WI Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Stevens Point WI Permit No. 53 Feeding Hungry Kids It s estimated that 85 children in Stevens Point s public schools are homeless, an increase of 66 percent over last year! Furthermore a preliminary estimate is that 30 percent of children qualify for free or reduced lunch at school. Responding to this harsh reality, Holy Spirit Parish coordinates Feeding Hungry Kids, a program at Ben Franklin Junior High and SPASH providing cheese, fruit and Nutri-Grain Bars to help students stay focused in class, remain in school and improve their chances of success. At the high school approximately 55 students receive something each day. During Advent and Christmastime parishioners are asked for contributions to fund this program throughout the year. Checks and cash contributions can be placed in the collection or brought to the office. Please identify the check or contribution envelope as benefiting Hungry Kids. Spirit Breakfast Café Enjoy the best breakfast $5 can buy when the Spirit Breakfast Café is open for business Dec. 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. in Kostka Hall. Fair Trade products, which make excellent Christmas gifts, also will be on sale. If you can help with the breakfast, send an to lee@holyspiritstevenspoint.org. SEEKING YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT The Diocesan Annual Appeal is under way. Please respond soon to the materials you should have received in the mail from Bishop Callahan. Your pledge and contribution is essential if our parish is to meet its target of $95,419. If you have questions, please contact the parish office. CONFIRMATION Holy Spirit parishioners celebrate sacrament of the Spirit These young members of our parish were confirmed by Fr. Tom with Bishop Callahan presiding on Oct. 30 at St. Bronislava Church: front from left, Sierra Hefferan, Grace Engegretson, Frances Eckendorf, Olivia Hintz, Charlotte Clark, Sarah Czaikowski, Ben Lundgren, youth ministry director Colleen O Dowd; second row from middle, Martha Yenter, Colton Mansavage, Jessica Kruzicki, Amanda Cisewski, Emily Swiadajewski; second full row, Ashley Powell, Grace Zsido, Sophie Salewske, Brooke Hiess, Emily Nolan, Abby Gemza, Tessa Shafranski, Jennifer Kubowski, Autumn Trzebiatowski, Zach Zimmerman; back row, Curtis Carlson, Ryan Guay, Abbey Rosenthal, Landin Makuski, Bishop Callahan, Jonah Peplinski, Anthony Hammerstad, Fr. Tom, Logan Bauman.