OUR MISSION STATEMENT: Growing In Faith Together (G.I.F.T.) From the Pastor: Sunday, February 3, is the World Day for Consecrated Life, which invites us to reflect on the role of Consecrated Life within the Christian community. When we think of the vocation to the consecrated life, many of us think of sisters, brothers, or religious order priests. Members of apostolic religious communities do actually account for the largest number of persons within the consecrated life. Consecrated life is that and so much more! Consecrated life also includes consecrated virgins living in the world, members of secular institutes, diocesan hermits as well as monastic and contemplative life. No other Church vocation includes such an infinite variety of spiritualities, charisms and gifts! We have a lot to be grateful for as we consider the many gifts consecrated men and women have given to the world. The first reading from Jeremiah has a series of I statements which remind us that God s call and consecration has been extended down through the ages to millions in special or very ordinary roles within God s people. The statements I formed you, I knew you, I consecrated you, I appointed you, I command you, and I am with you follow one upon another in this reading and in our lives. We pray for those discerning such a call in their lives. We pray for all Christians who, in one form or another, have heard the call to serve the Lord and all God s people. We (Yes!, all of us) have been consecrated, that is, made holy by God and need to hear the call to live out our holy vocation in a world so hungry for authentic witnesses to the Goodnews. Fr. Phil Schotzko P.S. This week I will be gone for five days to some place warmer where I will re-group for the intensity of the Season of Lent that lies before us so early this year. WEEKLY SCHEDULE February 3 10, 2013 4 th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 3 8 AM Mass at Nicollet CDA Birthright, Narthex Luck of the Irish Sales, Narthex 10 AM Mass (+Francis Dauer) 10 AM Faith Formation Preschool Gr. 1, DC 11 AM Coffee & Rolls, Social Hall 7 PM LifeTeen, Social Hall Monday No Service 9 AM Bible Study, Family Room 6:30 PM Worship Committee, Room 127 Tuesday 8 AM Word & Eucharist, Chapel 7 PM Stewardship Committee, Family Room Wednesday No Service 8:15 AM School Prayer, Church 5 PM Education Committee, Family Room 6 PM Catholicism, Family Room 6:30 PM Choir Practice, Band Room 6:30 PM Faith Formation Gr. 2-6 6:30 PM EDGE, Social Hall 7 PM Confirmation, MultiPurpose Room 7:30 PM Catechists Mtg, Family Room
Thursday 10:45 AM School Mass (+Raymond Mulvehill) 1 10 PM Eucharistic Adoration, Chapel No Confessions Friday 8 AM Word & Eucharist, Chapel 2:30 PM Baptism Class, Family Room Saturday Luck of the Irish Sales & CDA Birthright, Narthex 4 PM Mass (+Verna Lindberg) 5 PM Mass at Nicollet 5 th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 10 8 AM Mass at Nicollet CDA Birthright, Narthex Luck of the Irish Sales, Narthex 10 AM Mass (Parish Family) 10 AM FF Preschool Gr. 1, Social Hall 11 AM Coffee & Rolls, Social Hall 7 PM LifeTeen, Social Hall New Saturday Mass Schedule The Church of St. Peter new yearly Saturday Mass time schedule will be as follows: 4:00 PM ~~ - 1 st Saturday in October thru last Saturday in March 5:00 PM ~~ 1 st Saturday in April thru last Saturday in September This new schedule is effective immediately. CHURCH OF ST. PETER THRIFT and CONSIGNMENT STORE 401 S. Minnesota Ave, St. Peter SALE SPECIAL THIS WEEK: Men s & Ladies Slacks -- ½ price! Come in this week and check out Valentine s Day Cards, décor, cups, tin boxes Bar Glasses and Tall Stemware Table of Vintage Stuff Nice large soft-sided Suitcase w/wheels Pair of Table Lamps w/wood-turned bases 5 pairs of Crutches, Many Canes Lighthouse-themed Pictures and Décor Hot Chocolate Pot Clear & red Apple Dishes (507) 931-9150 REGULAR HOURS: Monday Friday: 9 AM 5 PM Saturday: 9 AM 4 PM DAILY READINGS Monday: Hebrews 11:32-40/Mark 5:1-20 Tuesday: Hebrews 12:1-4/Mark 5:21-43 Wednesday: Hebrews 12:4-7,11-14/Mark 6:1-6 Thursday: Hebrews 12:18-19,21-24/Mark 6:7-13 (326) Friday: Hebrews 13:1-8/Mark 6:14-29 Saturday: Hebrews 13:15-17,20-21/Mark 6:30-34 Sunday: Isaiah 6:1-2,3-8/1 Cor 15:1-11/Luke 5:1-11
SAVE THE DATES for a Mission for the Area Faith Community of the Apostles Peter and Paul on March 17-19, 2013 IN YOUR CHARITY, please pray for the repose of the soul of Larry Skramstad, whose funeral was here on Saturday. Our love and prayers are with his family and friends who miss him. May he rest in peace. ALL MEMBERS OF THE MINISTRIES Soon the new liturgical schedule for March thru May will be prepared. If you need to make some changes or you will not be available to serve during a certain time, please let Karen know before Mon., Feb. 4. Thank you! Faith Formation Class Schedule Preschool-1 st : Class begins in church during 10 am Mass Grades 2-6: Wednesdays 6:30-7:30 p.m. EDGE: Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 p.m. LifeTeen: Sundays 7:00-8:30 p.m. No Faith Formation Classes: February 13 Grades 2 6 (Ash Wednesday Mass) February 17 Preschool Grade 1 February 17 - LifeTeen Prayer for Vocations During Vocation Awareness Week, the bishops of the United States ask us to reflect on the great need for priests and religious. Let us pray for young men and women in our parish to respond generously if God calls them to priesthood or religious life. Sacramental Preparation February 20 First Communion Learning Centers for 2 nd graders and their parents at 6:30 pm in the church. LifeTeen Mass: The next LifeTeen Mass will be February 24 th at 5:30 pm. Everyone is welcome. Confirmation: March 9 th at 4:00 pm in the church Aluminum Can Recycling Thank you for supporting aluminum recycling and Cans for Christ. Please place your cans into the barrels in front of the trailer. Also, please do not put glass, plastic, or garbage in the barrels. Thank you again for your wonderful support of this project to support the Faith Formation program! Questions about Faith Formation: Preschool Grade 6: contact Connie Bollum @ connie.bollum@churchofstpeter.org or call 931-3662. EDGE Gr. 7 & 8, LifeTeen Gr. 9-12 and Confirmation Preparation Gr. 11: contact Heather Gilbertson @ heather.gilbertson@churchofstpeter.org or call 931-1628 ext 143. Go to www.churchofstpeter.org faith formation Good News TV Channel 7 The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius hosted by Fr. Raymond Gawronski, S.J. In this series, Jesuit Father Raymond Gawronski directs the viewer through a retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Topics include God the creator, sin, discipleship, and the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Episode 6: Discipleship Wednesday, February 6, 9:00 PM Thursday, February 7, 10:00 AM
Coffee and Rolls Please join us on Sunday mornings in the Social Hall at 11 AM as we enjoy coffee & rolls with family and friends. Volunteers for February 10, 2013: Shawn and Deanna Schloesser WHAT S COMING UP.. Sundays, February 10 th and 17 th 2:30 pm St. Peter Choral Society Concert (10 th @ Bjorling Hall, GAC, St. Peter (17 th @ Hilltop Hall, Montgomery) Performances by the St. Peter Choral Society of Brahms Gypsy Songs with John McKay, piano and American composer Kirke Mechem s cantata Singing is So Good a Thing with chamber orchestra. Tickets are available at Swedish Kontur - $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Students free. Church of St. Peter members taking part in the concert are Kevin Chesney, Diane Harms and Sue Serbus. Saturday, February 16 The Gustavus Wind Orchestra, with Conductor Douglas Nimmo, will present its Home Concert at 1:30 pm in Bjorling Recital Hall, GAC, St. Peter. The Gustavus Choir, with Conductor Gregory Aune, will present its Home Concert at 7:30 pm in Christ Chapel, GAC, St. Peter. Saturday, February 16 Sweetheart Dinner First Lutheran Church, St. Peter 5 7 pm Candelight Dinner and Live Entertainment, premiering the musical comedy Balcony Boy: A Musical Exaggeration in Two Acts, written by Pastor Don Holmstrom, directed by Chad Winterfeldt and starring youth from First Lutheran Church. $15 per person fundraiser for summer youth trips. Tickets may be purchased at FLC office or at the door. Sunday, February 17 Musical Comedy: Balcony Boy: A Musical Exaggeration in Two Acts First Lutheran Church, St. Peter noon Balcony Boy, written by Pastor Don Holmstrom, directed by Chad Winterfeldt, and starring youth from FLC, tells the story of Ben Barley, a church organist, and his trials and tribulation at church as well as at home. Special guest appearances include Johann Sebastian Bach and Edgar Alan Poe. Tickets ($5) can be purchased at FLC office or at the door. Retreat Opportunity: St. John s Abbey, Collegeville, MN LENTEN RETREAT February 22-24, 2013 Topic: Created for Glory, led by Father Joseph Feders, OSB. Lent is a season of conversion and renewal, but also a time to recall that we are created for glory. The retreat will explore the belief that Christ became human so that we might become divine and what this means for our daily lives. Begins Friday night at 6 pm and ends after lunch on Sunday at 1 pm. Cost is $190 for a single room and $320 for a double. For more info or to register, please call 320-363-3929 or register online at www.abbeyguesthouse.org. CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS CDA Court #1601 is sponsoring a baby shower for Birthright during the first two weeks of February and we invite all parishioners to help us in this worthwhile cause. A basket will be placed in the Narthex (St. Peter) to place your donations in. Money can also be sent to Regent Eileen Attenberger, PO Box 216, Kasota 56050. NEXT MEETING is scheduled for Tuesday, February 12 th Valentine Party. We invite any lady interested in joining to come to our meeting to observe, etc. anytime.
Mayo Clinic Health System Hospice sponsors: Hospice Volunteer Training The hospice program at Mayo Clinic Health System provides care for the terminally ill and their families. Volunteers play an important role in this care. Both men and women are invited to join our volunteer program. There is a need for volunteers available during daytime and evening hours. If you are looking for a rewarding volunteer experience, please consider becoming a hospice volunteer. Mankato: February 18, 20 and 21, 2013 9 am 4 pm Mayo Clinic Health System, Hospice office Madison East Center, 1400 Madison Ave., Suite 324A, Mkto For an application or more information, call 507-385-6364. Understanding Grief A supportive gathering for those grieving the loss of a loved one. This seminar describes common physical, emotional, social and spiritual responses to loss. It offers strategies for working toward healthy integration of a loss. Mankato: Thursday, February 21 6 7:30 pm St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 632 S. Broad St., Mkto There is no cost to attend the seminar, but pre-registration is necessary. For more info or to register, please call the Hospice office at 507-385-2989. BAPTISM CLASS Sister Therese will hold a Baptism Class on Friday, February 8 at 2:30 pm in the Family Room at church. Call Sister Therese at 931-1628, ext. 112 to register. World Day for Consecrated Life, Feb. 2-3, 2 2013 Today we rejoice and celebrate World Day for Consecrated Life. Over the years, many men and women have chosen to live out their baptismal vocation by professing the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They do this by joining a religious congregation, a secular institute, or through private vows. We pray for these people and ask God to bless our Church with others who will dedicate their lives to God s service. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VISITING WOMEN S RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES Saturday, February 23 8:00 am to 6:00 pm An opportunity to visit four different religious communities to meet, learn, share meals and pray with Catholic Sisters in the Twin Cities area. Participating communities are the Franciscan Poor Clares, School Sisters of Notre Dame, Benedictines, and Sisters of St. Joseph. Carpooling will be arranged to all four locations. No charge for this event. For more information and to register, contact Sister Kathleen Bauer, 507-340-0112 or kbauer@ssndcp.org before February 15.
Church of St. Paul February 3, 2013 Pastor - Fr. Philip Schotzko Parish Office/Rectory - 507-232-3857 Priest in Residence - Fr. Ed Ardolf Parish Hall/Office - 507-232-3897 Parish Administrative Assistant - Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday Deacon Steven Spilman 9:00 am to 12:00 pm CHURCH OF ST. PAUL SUNDAY COLLECTION 1/27/13 - Adult - $1,327.00 / Youth - $13.00 / Plate - $47.25 Catholic Schools Collection - $221.09 First Choice Pregnancy Services - $206.54 / Christ Our Life Campaign - $6,087.00 Minnesota is the Perfect Place to Live! Now that I have your attention, let me make my case. You might be wondering why I would make such a statement. Would I say this because of our weather? Is it the cold, or the snow, or the wind that makes Minnesota so perfect? Maybe it s the spring storms, or hail. Perhaps it s the heat and humidity in the summer and especially the mosquitoes that nobody seems to be complaining about these days. It could be our culture and government, which supports abortion rights and rejects God s truth that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. It s probably our high taxes. It doesn t seem very logical does it, that Minnesota is the perfect place to live? If it s not, where is the perfect place to live? If Minnesota isn t perfect, there isn t anyplace else on earth that is any better. No place on earth is perfect because we aren t perfect. God is perfect though, and anywhere that God is, has perfection in its midst. I m sure that God is in Minnesota. I also believe that God lives in each one of us who is baptized into his life. It is probably the fact that we have God s perfection living within us that our conscience is able to guide us through difficult moral choices that we, as humans, need to make. Our consciences are critical to following Christ. Their purpose is to judge our actions and thoughts against perfection. Our conscience doesn t create unique laws for each of us. Our conscience helps us to examine our thoughts and actions against perfection that is only found in God and his law. If you think my examples of Minnesota life are no where near perfection, you might be right. But throughout time, God has demonstrated his power where people were suffering. There are many stories in the Bible of how God humbled the powerful and exalted the humble. With our cold weather, mosquitoes, tornadoes, laws and culture supportive of abortion and against traditional marriage, high taxes and other reasons, maybe Minnesota is the Perfect Place for God to demonstrate his love, wisdom, and power. Maybe I should have said Minnesota is the perfect place for faithful Christians to live. I ll pray about that. Faithful Christians know that eternal life with God is at the end of their journey. Knowing this, a faithful Christian is always hopeful and loving in the face of adversity. What better test for our hopefulness and love than to live as a happy Christian in Minnesota. I ll pray about that. Thank you to the 35 members of our parish who supported our first baby bottle fundraiser for the First Choice Pregnancy Center. Two weeks ago, one of their clients delivered the eighth baby that they have been able to help experience life. It is all done through the generosity of donors. They receive no public funding like the abortion providers do. Our fundraiser raised $603.75 to date. If those of you who still have your bottles want to turn them into the office or at Mass, we ll be sure to get your donation to them. This fundraiser had two objectives. One was to raise funds for the center and the other was to raise awareness, especially in Nicollet County. There are more abortions provided to women in Nicollet County each year than any of the other 15 counties in the Diocese of New Ulm. It is important that we spread the word that there is an organization in our area that can provide women the support they need to choose life. Thank you all for the support that you show for Catholic Education in the Diocese as well. Your contribution will help John Ireland School as well as students throughout the Diocese. God bless you. Have a holy week with Christ. Deacon Steve SUNDAY (Today): Coffee and rolls will be served after 8:00 Mass. TUESDAY: 4:00 p.m. Choir Practice WEDNESDAY: 6:30 p.m. Religious Education Classes K - 10 FRIDAY: 7:00 p.m. Family Movie Night Join us for a night of FUN!! Bring a friend, a snack to share and watch... ParaNorman
MASS SCHEDULE / INTENTIONS: During the winter season, if there is no school or a late start, there will be no Mass. Monday,2/4 - NO Mass Friday,2/8-8:00 am - For the Sick Tuesday,2/5-8:00 am - Mary Regenscheid Saturday, 2/9-5:00 pm - Rinehard Tretter Wednesday,2/6-8:00 am - David Erickson Sunday,2/10-8:00 am - For the Parish and Thursday,2/7-8:00 am - Henry and Michael Kirchner Leo and Agatha Mack In your charity, please pray for the repose of the soul of Elaine Mettler, sister of Harvey (Millie) Dorn, and we pray for her family and friends who will miss her. May she rest in peace. When we are hurting and seek our Father s care, He gently takes us to His heart and gives us solace there. MINISTRY OF LITURGY Saturday, February 9 Sunday, February 10 USHERS: Ruth Brandel, Virgil Grunst, Mike Mans USHERS: Randy Dorn, Ron and Rick Grommersch LECTOR/COMMENTATOR: Mary Wels LECTOR/COMMENTATOR: J and C Zins EME: Buddy Honken EME: Bernie Laven, Colette Thorson SERVERS: Jill Thompson SERVERS: Justin Rosin GIFTS: Ag Gappa, Bernadine Mettler GIFTS: Keith Rosin Family GREETERS: Ruth Brandel GREETERS: Gene and Betty Wenner Ash Wednesday, February 13, Masses at 8:00 am and 7:00 pm USHERS: Jake Zins, Pat Zins, Tim Zins LECTOR/COMMENTATOR: Chuck Gappa EME: Sharon Steffen, Cyndi Zins SERVERS: Jon Mans, Justin Rosin GIFTS: Students GREETERS: Jake and Cyndi Zins The sick and/or homebound: God is taking care of you. Fr. Ed Ardolf, Sister Miriam Ardolf, Pam Bernal, LeAnna Brown, Joann Dalrymple, Harvey Dorn, Charlie Epper, Lola Freundl, Lisa Hackett Family, Darwin Havemeier, Sarah Iverson, Helyna Mack, Gerald Mans, Whitey Mayer, Herman Mettler, Barb Meurer, Shirley Michels, Wally Molitor, Stacy Schultz, Greg Schwartz, Tyler Thompson, Angie and Valerie Weber, Gene Wenner, Rob. We pray for all who are ill or hospitalized. Nursing Home Residents: Rose Marie Zins, Oak Hills Living Center, New Ulm. Group Homes: Nadine Brown, James Weber, Mary Jo Weber. Assisted Living: Eddie Bauer and Lyman Irrgang, The Wilds of Sand Prairie, St. Peter. Lucy Kozitza, Monarch Meadows, North Mankato. PARISH NOTES: 1. We wish to thank all of you who helped in any way with the funeral dinner of Arlene Zins-Miska. Whether you brought a salad or cake and/or pitched in to help serve, wash dishes, make the hot dish or set up the tables and/or clean up, everything is so important and appreciated. Without all of you we could not do the job that we do to serve the family of a deceased member of our parish. Thanks again, Donna Giefer, Marion Giefer, Phyllis Wenner 2. Church of the Japanese Martyrs, Leavenworth, Pancake Breakfast, Sunday, February 3, 9:00 am to Noon. Tickets: Adults - $6 / Ages 6-12 - $5 / Pre-school - $1. Everyone is welcome! This is a Catholic United Financial Matching Grant. 3. I m looking for a half-time Religious Education teacher to share duties with our 1st grade class. If you are interested in helping, please contact me. Deacon Steve