St. Mary s - Big River Catholic Church

T h e N a t i v i t y o f t h e B l e s s e d V i r g i n M a r y W 1 0 1 3 7 5 7 0 t h A v e. R i v e r F a l l s, W I 5 4 0 2 2 St. Mary s - Big River Catholic Church 4 t h S u n d a y O r d i n a r y T i m e J a n u a r y 2 8 t h, 2 0 1 8 Oh Sacrament most holy! Oh Sacrament Divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine. Praised and adored be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, now and forever. Amen All were amazed and asked one another, What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him. Mark 1:27 Welcome to St. Mary s www.stmarysbigriver.com Mass Schedule Weekend. Saturday 6:00 pm Sunday 9:30 am Weekday. Mon. to Fri. 8:30 am First Friday & First Sat. 8:30 am Holy Days.See bulletin inserts. Confessions -One hour before each Weekend Mass -Thurs. before First Fri. 9:00 am -First Friday 9:00 am -First Sat. 9:00 am -Any time by appointment Devotional Times Eucharistic Adoration 9:00 to 10:00 am every First Friday. Militia Immaculata (MI) Prayer Group meets Thursday 6:30 to 7:30 pm in the church. http://missionimmaculata.com/

P a g e 2 Welcome to St. Mary s! This Week s News Altar Rosary Fruit Sale Fundraiser St. Mary s Group of the Altar Rosary Society is holding another Fruit Fundraiser beginning Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018. Orders will be taken only until Feb. 18th! Delivery will be in Mid-March. Sales assistance and order forms are in the back of the Church starting next week. Please contact Angie Dosdall with Questions or to place an order at 715-792-2447 Let s make this a success!! These fundraisers are critical for ARS to provided all the services it does for the functioning of the parish. Thank you ahead of time! Stewardship Meeting The Stewardship committee meets on Monday, Jan. 29th at 6:30 pm. Altar Rosary Society Meeting The first 2018 meeting of the Altar Rosary Society will be Monday, Feb. 5th at 6:30 pm in the school. All Co-Chairs must attend if possible, but also all ladies of the parish are encouraged to attend. Come with your ideas for a great new year! Spiritual Enrichment Thursday Mass & Confessions This Thursday, February 1st, confessions will be heard after the 8:30 am Holy Mass. First Friday Mass, Adoration & Confessions This Friday, Feb. 2nd, is First Friday. There will be a 8:30 am Holy Mass and a Holy Hour of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament following Mass for Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Confessions will be heard during the Holy Hour. Opportunities to Help Options for Women Baby Bottle fundraiser The Baby Bottle Fundraiser is in progress. Please consider a donation big or small and return it soon inside the Baby Bottle. Thank you!!! First Saturday Mass & Confessions This Saturday, Feb. 3rd is First Saturday. There will be a Mass of Reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Confessions will be heard after the 8:30 am Holy Mass. During her July apparition at Fatima, Our Lady said to Lucia, I shall come to ask... that on the First Saturday of every month, Communions of Reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the world. Liturgical Help Needed! This weekend Liturgical help signup forms will be handed out. Please prayerfully consider helping out the parish in any of these roles as we are in great need! We need more help with: Servers Eucharistic Ministers / EMHC Ushers Lectors / Reader Rosary & Gift Bearers S t. M a r y s - B i g R i v e r

4 t h S u n d a y O r d i n a r y T i m e P a g e 3 Youth Ministry A BIG THANK YOU... Youth Ministry Coordinator - Corrie Loe - 715-262-3663 corrieloe@gmail.com to all who prayed for and supported our trip to the March for Life in Washington D.C. this past week. It was a privilege to be able to stand up in our nation s capital for the unborn! Religious Education Afternoon Session: Class 3:45 to 5:00 pm Evening Session: Class 7:00 to 8:15 pm Director of Religious Education - Cindi Beurskens - 715-273-4534 edibleacres5@gmail.com Special Presentation: Marie Regnier will be doing a Sanctity of Life presentation on Wed. Jan. 31 for the evening session CCD classes. This Week s Scripture Readings Readings for the Week of Jan.28, 2018 Sunday: Dt 18:15-20/Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9, [8]/1 Cor 7:32-35/Mk 1:21-28 Monday: 2 Sm 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13/Ps 3:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 [8a]/Mk 5:1-20 Tuesday: 2 Sm 18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30--19:3/Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 [1a]/Mk 5:21-43 Wednesday: 2 Sm 24:2, 9-17/Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7 [cf. 5c]/Mk 6:1-6 Thursday: 1 Kgs 2:1-4, 10-12/1 Chr 29:10, 11ab, 11d-12a, 12bcd [12b]/Mk 6:7-13 Friday: Mal 3:1-4/Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10 [10b]/Heb 2:14-18/Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32 Saturday: 1 Kgs 3:4-13/Ps 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 [12b]/Mk 6:30-34 Next Sunday: Jb 7:1-4, 6-7/Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 [cf. 3a]/1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23/Mk 1:29-39 Liturgical Publications Inc 4th Sun. Ordinary Time

4 t h S u n d a y O r d i n a r y T i m e Vocations, Marriage, & Family Life Matrimony and Family Life in the Teachings of Saint John Paul II by Fr. Louis A 6 Part Series in Jan.-March 2018 The first session begins Tues. Jan. 30th at 6:30 pm in the school. In recent years there has been increasing confusion outside and even within the Church regarding the nature of Matrimony and family life. The writings of Karol Wojtyla/John Paul II offer a synthesis of that living and life-giving teaching regarding Matrimony and family life found in the Sacred Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, the Fathers of the Church, and various interventions of the Magesterium. More Ways to Help... P a g e 4 Through this six-part series Father Louis leads participants through a systematic exploration of Saint John Paul II s fundamental writings on Matrimony and family life: Apostolic Exhortation on the Role of the Family in the Modern World Familiaris consortio (22 November 1981) and Letter to Families Gratissimam sane (2 February 1994). Suitable for adults. Sessions Dates: January 30, February 6, 13, 20, 27, and March 6, 2018 -All Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm *Childcare provided! Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser On Sunday, Feb 11th, the Knights of Columbus will hold a pancake breakfast following Mass. All proceeds go to support seminarians. Please come and join us for this worthy cause! Mission Trip to Gallup, New Mexico Jared Brantner, Gary & Kathy Tapp s grandson, will be joining the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) doing mission work in Gallup, New Mexico. While in Gallup he will be working with the Missionaries of Charity to help the Native American reservations, which suffer some of the highest poverty rates in the United States. He will be serving in a soup kitchen, building simple housing and assisting with the care of children. Please help in this mission with your prayers and financial gift. Please prayerfully consider joining in doing corporeal and spiritual works of mercy in Gallup. He needs to raise $600 by March 1st. Gifts of $25-$100 are greatly needed but any gift is much appreciated! To help, go online and donate by credit card or bank transfer at www.focusonline.org/goto/jaredbrantner. Please call Jared at 715-338-0551 with any questions. Donations made online are tax-deductible. Support Our Advertisers Income for January 21st, 2018 Plate......$863.80 Adult Envelopes.......2,738.00 Youth Envelopes..10.00 Initial Offering.....4.00 New Year.......43.00 Youth Ministry....120.00 Total.. $3,778.80 Thank you!

4 t h S u n d a y O r d i n a r y T i m e Annual Bishop s Appeal Thank you to those 67 out of our 192 families who have already returned their pledge cards. Please send in your pledge card right away! If you are unable to help at this time, still send in your card and mark it with prayers - you can help with your prayers for all the people who are in need of help and benefit from the aid of the appeal. Thank you for your generosity! P a g e 5 Altar Rosary Society ARS February Cleaning Schedule St. Therese/St. Joseph s Group will clean the church. The date to clean will be announced by phone call. ST. THERESA/ ST. JOSEPH S Lillie, Judy (Ernie) Co-Chm 792-5242 Needed! Co-Chm Schaar, Mary *Huppert, Mary Jane Marcus, Dana *Morrow, Barb Stewart, Gail *Langer, Sherrianne Huppert, Kathy *Langer, Geri Schommer, Patti * Miller, Diane Huppert, Marcia *Schommer, Cheryl Huppert, Kathy Miller, Amy Langer, Melissa Regnier, Mary Hirman, Sheryl Kelly, Gloria Gugala, Jaime Pluth, Rose Langer, Ann Andrle, Laure Parks, JoAnne *Betzel, Carol *Huppert, Charlotte *Langer, Mary *Hoikka, Vivienne Altar Rosary Society Fruit Sale Feb 3 rd through Feb 18 th -Delivery Mid-March Forms will be in back of the church. Final Order Day Feb. 18 th! Call Angie Dosdall with questions or orders. 715-792-2447

4 t h S u n d a y O r d i n a r y T i m e P a g e 6 Just for Fun... Great River Road Theatre Group Will be performing a Dinner Theatre of the comedy Lie, Cheat, and Genuflect at The Ridge Top on Hwy. 10 in Prescott. The Buckle brothers, Billy and Tom, are in big trouble: Tom's infallible eye for slow horses has drained away all of Billy's savings and he has borrowed from loan shark Pizza Face Petrillo, who now wants his money back or else! There's plenty of money in grandfather Buckle's will, but these two black sheep are pretty sure they'll never see any of that. What else to do but dress Billy up as a nun and have him pose as their cousin who is to inherit the entire fortune? The play is in good fun with nothing offensive, but is for adults. Come and enjoy a good meal and a bundle of laughs. Dates: Feb. 2, 3, 4 and 8, 9 10, 11 Cost: $35 evening show, $15 for Sun. Matinee Time: 6:00 pm, or Noon Matinee See poster in church entry Greatriverroadtheare @gmail.com http://greatriverroadtheatre.org/index.html Call The Valley for reservations at 715-425-1018 More Spiritual Enrichment... Laudate App By Aycka Soft on itunes is a free app. Would you like to daily enrich your prayer life and stay more connected to the Liturgical Cycles in the Church? This may be just what you are looking for. The App includes: Daily Readings Liturgy of the Hours Order of the Mass Saint of the Day Catholic Calendar Stations of the Cross Catechism Rosary Chaplet of Divine Mercy And more! Catholic Adventure Camp 2018! Lots to Do: Canoeing Zip-Lining Fishing Biking Rock Climbing Hiking Encourage your kids to add it to their phones! Swimming Mass & Adoration

Sacred Scripture and Its Proclamation in the Liturgy During the last two weeks we have focused on the principles pertaining to Holy Communion and the one who distributes it at Mass. This week we turn our attention to Sacred Scripture and its proclamation in the Mass. The Bible and the Mass A Message From Our Pastor Scripture scholar and convert to Catholicism Scott Hahn notes the intimate connection between the Bible and the Mass. We should read the Bible in its natural and supernatural habitat. We should read the Bible in light of the liturgy. The Bible and the liturgy were made for each other... There were no printing presses in their day, and very few people could afford to have books copied out by hand. So people did not so much read the Scriptures as absorb them, mostly in the Mass... In the early Church, the Bible was considered a liturgical book. Indeed, the canon the official list of books in the Bible was originally drawn up to limit the texts that could be used as readings in the Mass (Consuming the Word: The New Testament and the Eucharist in the Early Church, 134). In fact, the documents we call the New Testament were written to be proclaimed in the context of the Sacrament we call the Holy Eucharist. They are to be read aloud in the assembly (Revelation 1:3) (Hahn, 45). The Christian faith, however, is not a religion of the Book, but of the Word of God not a written and mute word, but incarnate and living (Saint Bernard of Clairvaux) (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 18). Indeed, this Word proclaimed in the Scriptures is the Divine Person of the Incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ: Through all the words of Sacred Scripture, God speaks only one single Word, His one Utterance in whom He expresses Himself completely (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 102). Substantial Component of the Mass in All Times and Places Given the intimate connection between the Bible and the Mass the Incarnate Word who makes Himself present through the Scriptures and the Eucharistic elements it is not surprising that the Scriptures have always been a component of the very substance of all Eucharistic liturgies throughout all times and places (see Denis Crouan, The History and Future of the Roman Liturgy, 18). This scriptural component comprises the Psalms (Entrance Chant, Gradual [or Tract] or Responsorial Psalm, Communion Chant) as well as the readings (Old Testament, Letters of the Apostles, Gospel). The Scriptural Principles of Vatican II The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) set forth principles that were intended to guide the reform of the Liturgy of the Roman Rite so as to reinforce its scriptural component. The two fundamental principles were that in sacred celebrations there is to be more reading from Holy Scripture, and it is to be more varied and suitable (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 35). At the time of the convocation of the Second Vatican Council, the Missal of Saint John XXIII (1962) contained one percent of the Old Testament and 17 percent of the New Testament. In light of the principles set forth by the Council fathers, the revised Lectionary cycles of readings (Sunday three-year cycle [A, B, C] and weekday two-year cycle [I, II]) contain 14 percent of the Old Testament and 72 percent of the New Testament (see Paul Turner, At the Supper of the Lamb: A Pastoral and Theological Commentary on the Mass, 26). Also, extensive options of readings are given in Lectionary and ritual books. What is more, the texts themselves of the Mass and other rituals are often taken directly from the Scriptures or allude to them. Further, the exhortation of the Council fathers that Gregorian chant should be given pride of place in liturgical services (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium, 116) reflects the Scriptural principle insofar as the chants for the Entrance, Gradual or Tract, Offertory, and Communion prescribed by the Roman Gradual or Simple Gradual are for the most part texts from Sacred Scripture. Liturgical Reader in Antiquity With regard to the proclamation of the Scriptures in the Mass, it is instructive to look at the liturgical reader in Sacred Tradition and history. It is important to note that certain distinctions were observed. There have been from the beginning P a g e 7

A Message From Our Pastor Continued readers distinct from the celebrant as in the synagogue. Jesus Himself observed this distinction: And He (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and He went to the synagogue, as His custom was, on the Sabbath day. And He stood up to read; and there was given to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place... and He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down (Luke 4:16-20). The current General Instruction of their Roman Missal (Third Typical Edition) confirms this ancient distinction: The function of proclaiming the readings is by tradition not presidential but ministerial (59). This distinction is reflected in the current discipline that has the Lector proclaim the readings excluding the Gospel which is properly proclaimed by the Deacon, or in his absence, a Priest other than the celebrant (see General Instruction of the Roman Missal Third Typical Edition, 59). Also, an examination of the history of the liturgy shows that very quickly the Lector actually became a permanent ministry into which the participants were initiated by the blessing of the Bishop and not by the imposition of hands which was reserved for Holy Orders (see A. G. Martimort, The Church at Prayer, vol. 3, 181-182). So, for example, Hippolytus (170-236 AD) writes in his The Apostolic Tradition that a Lector is appointed by the Bishop s giving him the book; for he is not ordained (12). Minor Orders up to 1972 With the passage of time four formalized, ministerial and liturgical functions were grouped under the somewhat misleading title of Minor Orders, namely, Porter (Doorkeeper), Lector, Exorcist, and Acolyte. These Minor Orders as they were called eventually came to be considered exclusively as training for the reception of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. In time, the so-called Sub-deacon who had no specific ministerial or liturgical function became the principal Lector and the principal Acolyte. In practice, then, from the Middle Ages until the liturgical reform following the Second Vatican Council, it was customary for clerics to do the readings at Mass. In fact, most of the time the Lectors at Mass were ordained Priests who functioned as Sub-deacons or Deacons at a Solemn High Mass. Instituted Ministry of Lector With his 1972 Apostolic Letter On First Tonsure, Minor Orders, and the Sub-diaconate Ministerial quaedam, Blessed Paul VI suppressed the Minor Orders while retaining two ministries received by institution not ordination: Lector (in service of the Word) and Acolyte (in service of the Eucharist). Since these instituted ministries may be assigned to the lay members of Christ s faithful, the restriction of the function of liturgical Reader to those in the clerical state was effectively abolished. According to the discipline established by Blessed Paul VI, these instituted ministries of Lector and Acolyte are restricted to men and bestow a permanent function on the man who receives them. Non-instituted Ministry of Reader The current discipline of the Church is that in the absence of an instituted Lector, other lay people may be deputed to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture (General Instruction of the Roman Missal Third Typical Edition, 59, 196-198) at Mass and other liturgical services. To reflect this distinction, the one who has received the permanent ministry through institution by the Bishop is called a Lector while the one who without institution proclaims the readings is referred to as a Reader. This extension of the function of liturgical Reader to lay members of Christ s faithful is enshrined in various instructions and legislation implementing the principles of the reform of the sacred liturgy set forth by the Second Vatican Council. The reform of the liturgy following the Second Vatican Council included since 1969 the provision that both men and women of the lay faithful are permitted to exercise the non-instituted ministry of Reader. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us! Blessed Solanus Casey, pray for us! Father Kevin C. Louis, STL P a g e 8

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Pastor - Fr. Kevin Louis, STL 10137 570th Ave. River Falls, WI 54022 Rectory Phone: 715-425-5806 Fr. Louis Cell: 715-505-3870 email: crossensis89@gmail.com Deacon - Deacon Dan Gannon 651-500-4380 gannon.dan@gmail.com Administrative Assistant - Traci Campion 715-307-8844 reginahope1917@gmail.com Bookkeeper - Pat Bjork 715-273-3577 bjork.p@outlook.com Director of Religious Education (DRE) - Cindi Beurskens 715-273-4534 edibleacres5@gmail.com Youth Ministry - Corrie Loe 715-262-3663 corrieloe@gmail.com Cemetery - John Matzek 715-792-2582 Rodney Janovec 715-425-8008 Prayer Chain Requests - 715-273-3577 School Hall Office - 715-425-7830 Altar Rosary Society (ARS) - Angie Dosdall 715-792-2447 Finance Council - Pat Pechacek 715-262-4089 Stewardship Committee - Andy Mishek 715-426-1978 Grounds & Building Maintenance - Danny McNamara 715-821-1197 Welcome new visitors! If you would like to be a member of our parish just call the Administrative Assistant and we will help you get registered. Mass Schedule Mon, Jan. 29... 8:30 am Mark O Malley By Mike & Kristi O Malley Tues., Jan. 30... 8:30 am Molly Barry By Pete & Cindi Beurskens Wed., Jan. 31 St. John Bosco, priest 8:30 am Richard McNamara By Dan & Lori McNamara Thurs., Feb. 1.. 8:30 am Denise Maier By Jerome & Marilyn Maier Fri., Feb. 2 Presentation of the Lord 8:30 am Robert Kinneman By Ray & Darlene Huppert Sat., Feb. 3...St. Blaise, Bishop & Martyr, and St. Ansgar, Bishop 8:30 am Leroy Frandrup By Dallan & Gayle Frandrup 6:00 pm Anika Stenglein By Pat & Diane O Malley Sun., Feb. 4..5th Sun. OT 9:30 am Pro Populo & Martha Krause By Toby & Janice Keller Liturgical Roles Please Note Liturgical Role Title Changes: Lector is now Reader Eucharistic Minister is now Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion or EMHC See Fr. Louis recent columns for explanations. Feb. 3rd Saturday - 6:00 pm Mass Reader.... Carol Betzel Ushers..Randy Huppert, Mark Huppert, Randy Maier, Peter Pechacek Cross.... Maximus Husby Candles Marcus & Nathaniel Merta EMHC.... Carol Betzel Music. Joanne Maier Rosary.. Pat Bjork Please call a replacement if you cannot serve. Feb. 4th Sunday - 9:30 am Mass Reader.... Andy Mishek Ushers/$ Counters... Rodger Oestreich, John Yunker, Pat Pechacek, Craig Zuelke Cross/Incense.. Daniel O Malley Candles...Isaac Loe, Ben & Joseph O Malley EMHC. Andy Mishek, Jay Loe Music. Rosary. Toby & Janice Keller Gift Bearer.. Mike O Malley Family P a g e 9