Spirit of Life Catholic Area Faith Community Holy Rosary, Graceville; St. Michael, Madison; St. John, Ortonville; and St. Joseph, Rosen www.spiritoflifeafc.org Holy Spirit Newsletter Vol. 1 June 2017 Pope Francis 5 Finger Prayer Using the fingers on your hand, start with the thumb and pray these intentions in this order: 1. The thumb is the closest finger to you. So start praying for those who are closest to you. They are the persons easiest to remember. To pray for our dear ones is a Sweet Obligation. 2. The next finger is the index. Pray for those who teach you, instruct you and heal you. They need the support and wisdom to show direction to others. Always keep them in your prayers. 3. The following finder is the tallest. It reminds us of our leaders, the governors and those who have authority. They need God s guidance. 4. The fourth finger is the ring finger. Even though it may surprise you, it is our weakest finger. It should remind us to pray for the weakest, the sick or those plagued by problems. They need your prayers. 5. And finally we have our smallest finger, the smallest of all. Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. When you are done praying for the other four groups, you will be able to see your own needs but in the proper perspective, and also you will be able to pray for your own needs in a better way. Fr. Brian Oestreich grew up in Litchfield, MN and graduated from high school in 1984. He graduated from Creighton University in Omaha, NE and St. Paul Seminary, University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, MN. Father Brian is very involved in our mission in San Lucas, Guatemala and travels there at least once a year. He will celebrate his 25th anniversary next May 29th. Father David Breu was ordained on May 27, 1973 in his home parish, St. John the Baptist, Searles, MN. Fr. David will be retiring as of July 1. We will see Fr. David in the AFC, helping on weekends throughout the AFC. We congratulate Father David on his 44 years of priesthood. Father Jack Nordick is a native of Rosen and was ordained on June 6, 1990 at Holy Redeemer Church in Marshall. Fr. Jack is retired and when he isn t helping out in the AFC you can find him on his Yellow Bank Peony Farm by Rosen. He is also a very knowledgeable musician. Bella Radermacher is the 4 year old daughter of Travis & Tabitha Radermacher. Grandparents are Bud & Lu Radermacher and Tim & Cindy Henrich. Bella was diagnosed with Stage 4 Liver Cancer. There will be a benefit and silent auction held on Saturday, July 1st at Sioux Historic in Ortonville, MN. A pork supper will be held from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The silent auction will close at 7 pm. If you would like to donate towards the silent auction, items can be dropped off at Conroy Eye Care in Ortonville or Appleton as well as the Western Guard in Madison. Please contact Traci Conroy at 320-815-8438 or by email at mamaconroy@gmail.com if you have questions. The supper is sponsored by the Rosen Knights of Columbus members.

Dear Spirit of Life Area Faith Community, Welcome to our first newsletter as the newest AFC in our Diocese! We will be sending 3 or 4 newsletters to you a year to keep you informed as to all the events of our new AFC! I am very excited, and a little apprehensive, to begin this new journey and AFC. I know the Holy Spirit will guide us and we will accomplish many great ministry events and opportunities. If you have any suggestions please do not hesitate to let me know your thoughts. One of the most important things I want to work on is having a complete list of all the home bound people and those who may be in nursing homes outside of our AFC. Please send the names and locations of anyone in these two categories to one of the church offices. Thank you! One of the ministries of our AFC is our Family Faith Formation. This is a ministry when families can come together and have fun. Some of the events of the past few years include; a Timberwolves game, trips to New York City and Washington, D.C. The first Family Faith Formation event this year will be a day at the Minnesota State Fair! We ll take a chartered bus to the Fair, spend the day seeing the attractions, enjoying the food, and rides. The tentative date for the State Fair trip is Friday, August 25 th. This event is open to everyone. Please watch for more information. If you haven t already done so, please take a look at our AFC web site! www.spiritoflifeafc.org if you have photos of parish events please send them in and we can share them with the AFC. God bless you and thank you for being an important part of our AFC! I look forward to serving you. Peace, Fr. Brian Oestreich Father Brian Oestreich We are the largest AFC in the Diocese according to square miles. We consist of: Graceville with 512 members Ortonville, 475 members Madison, 424 members Rosen, 222 members Beardsley with 111 members. This makes a total of 1,744 parishioners for our AFC. We are a diverse Area Faith Community rooted in the love of Jesus. Please join us as we journey together growing in faith, serving others, and loving life! In Times of Transition & Change O God, you know us better than we know ourselves. Guide us throughout our time of transition. Empower each one of us to use our unique gifts in ministry, to share openly and honestly our thoughts, to respect the opinions of others, and to encourage humility, patience and joy. Instill in us a vision of the Church s family; that, guided by your Holy Spirit, we will be united in love and joyfully accomplish this mission, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The first church built in Beardsley was in 1884 and in 1904 it was decided to build the present Church. Many items for the church were donated and the first Mass was held on Christmas Eve. In 1914 fire destroyed the rectory and all records prior to 1908. In 1917 there were 580 members. Over the years the church has been updated several times; the last time in 1970. The Church is graced with a Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The first Catholic church built in Graceville was in 1879 and established the Church of St. Joseph and was incorporated into the Church of the Holy Rosary. The original Church of the Holy Rosary was built in 1891 and destroyed by fire in 1895. The present church was constructed in 1897 with major renovations taking place during 1969-1975. The last high school graduation took place in 1959 and in 1969 the grade school was closed and is now being used for religious education classes, CCW, the KC s meeting rooms, our Parish Center and offices. The first church for Madison was built in 1886 with the parish being incorporated in 1891. The first church was destroyed by fire in 1904 and was rebuilt with the second church also being destroyed by fire in 1913. The present church was built in 1913. This last year an elevator addition was added. We will have the Fall Pork Chop dinner on Sunday, September 17. The first Mass in Ortonville was in November 1879, with the first church being built in 1904. In 1961 the current church was built. The addition which houses the rectory and parish offices was built in 2001. We have a salad luncheon on June 14th and will have a Roast Beef dinner on Sunday, September 24th. The first church, rectory and cemetery were built in Rosen in 1896 and stood just east of the present church building. The village of Rosen was named after Father Peter Rosen and he suggested that homes be built around the church for when people retired. The present church was built in 1907 and the school was built in 1927. The last class to be held in the school was in the spring of 1979. The most recent addition to the church is a grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Rosen has a great history with baseball. We will have our Fall Festival on Sunday, August 27.

June 19 - Serve a meal at the Banquet in Watertown June 25 Mass with the Bishop in Beardsley June 25 Fr. Brian s installation at Graceville July 1 - Bella Radermacher Benefit August 15 Assumption Holy Day of Obligation August 27 Fall Festival at Rosen September 17 Fall Festival at Madison September 24 Fall Festival at Ortonville November 16-18 National Catholic Youth Conference Trip, Indianapolis, IN If there is a specific date that you want for a Mass intention, please submit it or call the office in Madison 3 months in advance of the date you want. Mass intentions fill up fast. We also pray one Mass each weekend for the People of the AFC. Thank you. Bulletin Deadline: If you have something you would like in the bulletin please do so by noon on Tuesday s. Please submit it either by email or call one of the three offices. Prayer List: If you would like your name or a loved one s name added to the prayer list, please call one of the offices and we will add it to the list. Wedding Preparations: Please contact Fr. Brian preferably a year, but at least more than 6 months before your proposed wedding date. This allows you time to complete the requirements for your wedding in the Catholic Church. Baptism preparations: Please contact the office to schedule the baptism and your pre baptism class. Anointing and Home Visits: If you or someone you know would like to be anointed, or want Father to stop for a home visit, please call one of the parish offices. We can only do these ministries when they are bought to our attention. Father is never to busy to offer these ministries to those in need. Please join Bishop John LeVoir in Fatima, Spain and Lourdes on the 100 year Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima, September 11-21, 2017. Go to www.dnu.org/pilgrimage/ for more information. Our new website is ready and waiting for you to check it out. The web address is www.spiritoflifeafc.org. Our website will automatically email out the link for the bulletin each Friday at 10am to everyone who has provided us an email address. If you would like to receive the bulletin via email, please sign up on the home page of the website. We are also looking for any pictures that you may have from church events to post to the website. Please send photos to Rachel. The mobile app will be coming soon. Thank You!

St. Mary's Catholic Church, Beardsley, MN Masses July-December 2017 July Saturday, July 1st @ 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 29th @ 5:30 p.m. August Tuesday, August 15 @ 5:30 p.m. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Picnic/Potluck to follow @ 6:30 Saturday August 26th @ 5:30 p.m. September Sunday, September 3rd @ noon Harvest Mass Harvest meal/labor Day Picnic Sunday, September 24th @ noon Pot Luck to follow October Sunday, October 8th @ noon Saturday, October 28th @ 5:30 p.m. November Thursday, November 2nd @ 5:30 p.m. Youth Mass Saints/Souls Turkey and Ham Bingo Night Wednesday November 22nd @ 6:30p.m. Mass of Thanksgiving December Friday, December 8th @ 6:30 p.m. Feast of the Immaculate Conception Sunday, December 31st at noon Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus Potluck Party-Of appetizers and snacks Tony Melendez, our Lenten Mission The weekend of February 24-25, 2018 we will be hosting Tony Melendez for a Lenten Mission in the AFC and will be at each parish. Originally from Nicaragua, Tony was born without arms and a clubbed foot due to the drug, Thalidomide. At the age of one Tony s family immigrated to the USA so Tony could have corrective surgery on his left foot in order for him to walk. Tony grew up in a home where his mom protected and cared greatly for him and at the same time his father encouraged and pushed him to do things on his own. Tony had to learn to do almost everything with his feet and at the age of sixteen taught himself to play the guitar with his toes. As he grew proficient at his guitar playing he also matured as a singer and composer. In 1987 he was asked by the youth of Los Angeles to be their gift to Pope John Paul II. It was this international broadcast event that set Tony s career into high gear. Now more than 25 years later Tony has prime time network specials. Tony travels with his brother Jose and they share their message of hope, encouragement, and faith. Tony s message and story are presented with music and his personal life stories. They also include in their program how important self-esteem is to young people and incorporate how any kind of substance abuse is dangerous. They also talk about how they deal with issues such as Disability Awareness, Cultural Awareness and Family Support. Today s most troubling issue is bullying and both Tony and Jose share their stories of overcoming this issue through changes in attitude and discipline. Tony now resides in Branson with his wife Lynn and two kids, Marisa and Andres. Despite all the travel over the last twenty five years, Tony continues to resist stardom, hoping only to develop his musical career and share his God given gift. I don t feel like a celebrity, he says with a smile, I just feel like me! Office Hours Graceville: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday ~ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Phone 320-748-7501 Ortonville: Monday, Wednesday, Friday ~ 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Phone 320-839-2772 Madison: Monday - Thursday ~ 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Phone 320-598-3690

Meet our new Area Faith Community Outreach Minister. Joy will be working with the Religious Education programs and in community outreach through out the AFC. Joy can be reached at joymcdolan@gmail.com. Hello, My name is Joy Dolan. I live in Appleton, MN and am a member of St. John s Catholic Church in Appleton, MN. The past 22 years I have worked for Prairie Five Head Start in the classroom and as a Family Advocate. I have a Child Development Associate Certification and Family Service Credential. My husband Tim and I have been married for 41 years, we have four wonderful children. Heather lives in Denver, CO; Joey, married to Angie resides in Montevideo; Matt lives in Appleton, and Benjamin lives in Vermillion, SD. We have three awesome grandchildren, Tyler 12, Tyson 8, and Jayden 3, who keep us very busy. I have been involved in my church for most of my life in many ways. The ministries I have done are: Religious education teacher 40+ years (All Grades) Lector 47 years Eucharistic Minister 30 years Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister to the home bound 35 years Word and Communion Services at Nursing Home Stations of the Cross Leader Member of Parish Council Former Board of Education Chairperson and member Parish Social Concerns Chairperson and member AFC Social Concerns Chairperson and member AFC Pastoral Council Member Appleton Ministerium Member Food Distribution Committee Adopt-a-Family Chairperson of AFC winter coat distribution Chairperson of Parish Festival Rosary Society Officer In my community I have been involved in many organizations and held several leadership roles: President of Women of Today President of VFW Auxiliary Toys for Tots Milanesean Women s Council Strengthening the Families Free Tax Clinic (VITA) Co-Coordinator of Red Cross Blood Mobile Backpack Food Program Hospice Volunteer and Bereavement I enjoy working with people of all ages. Thank you for this great opportunity and together we can make great things happen! Our Area Faith Community will once again be serving a meal at the Banquet in Watertown, SD on Monday, June 19th. We will plan a meal to serve approximately 175 people who are homeless or less fortunate to have a hot meal. We are looking for some volunteers to help prepare and serve this meal. Please call the office if you are willing to help.

If you have moved please fill out the form below with your new information. We would like to keep your address current for mailings from the church. We would also like to have your email on file to send out any church announcements. You also have the option of receiving the bulletin by email. Thank You Name: Parish: Address: E-Mail: Would you like to receive the bulletin by email? Yes No

Mass times July, August, and September Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ~ St. Joseph, Rosen Sunday, 8:00 a.m. ~ Holy Rosary, Graceville Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ~ St. John, Ortonville Sunday, 11:00 a.m. ~ St. Michael, Madison Contact Us Holy Rosary - Graceville St. Michael - Madison St. John - Ortonville 511 Studdart Ave 412 3rd St. W 421 Madison Ave Graceville, MN 56240 Madison, MN 56256 Ortonville, MN 56278 320-748-7501 320-598-3690 320-839-2772 choly000@centurytel.net stmichael1891@gmail.com stjohnortonville@gmail.com Fr. Brian Oestreich - Pastor Rachel Kirchberg - Madison Pat Kaiser - Graceville/Ortonville 507-829-6667 stmichael1891@gmail.com stjohnortonville@gmail.com b.oestreich@hotmial.com Pam Stueve - RE Graceville pmstueve@gmail.com Joy Dolan - AFC Outreach Ministry joymcdolan@gmail.com SPIRIT OF LIFE CATHOLIC AREA FAITH COMMUNITY 412 W. 3rd St Madison, MN 56256 NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID MADISON MN PERMIT NO 421 Address Service Requested