St. Mary of Gostyn Catholic Church...moments” with Jesus. St. Ignatius taught that the more we can pay attention to the movements of our hearts, the more we can discern how God is

St. Mary of Gostyn Catholic Church April 26, 2020

Page 2 Third Sunday of Easter

April 26, 2020 • Third Sunday of Easter

Burning Hearts Moments

This Week’s Readings at Mass Acts 2:14, 22-33 - Peter’s discourse 1 Peter 1:17-21 - Filial obedience

Luke 24:13-35 - The Road to Emmaus

The chosen readings continue to follow a pattern through this Easter season. The first read-ing is a speech given by Peter in the Acts of the Apostles soon after the Resurrection. He is speak-ing to a crowd of Jews, connecting the dots for them between King David and Jesus. He explains that David’s statement of faith—“you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption”—was a prophecy of Jesus’ resurrection. The Gospel tells the story of another appearance of the risen Jesus to his friends. Luke gives us a beautiful story of a common Christian shared experience: having Jesus present with us in a time of sadness or distress but not recognizing him at the moment. We might wonder why “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” We have probably also had experiences where Jesus’ presence was clear to us even if it wasn’t clear to others. For example, we might know someone whose spouse has died. In her grief she might feel entirely abandoned by God. From the outside, though, we can see how lovingly God is still caring for her. We can recognize how she is surrounded by the compassionate and kind acts of her friends and other family members. For some reason, she simply can’t experience that as God’s presence at the moment. Hopefully, with time, she will be able to look back on that “journey to Emmaus” and realize how Jesus was present with her.

The experience of not recognizing Jesus at the moment happens in good times too. Unfortunate-ly, we don’t always associate our “burning heart moments” with Jesus. St. Ignatius taught that the more we can pay attention to the movements of our hearts, the more we can discern how God is present to us and what God is inviting us to in the moment. For example, when considering a job change, or deepening a relationship, or taking up some new endeavor, if we feel “our hearts burn-ing within us” that is a sign of Jesus’ presence. Ignatius taught that, as in Luke’s story, it helps to share these burning heart moments with someone else rather than keep them to ourselves. Another person can strengthen and validate our experi-ence, share in our joy, and accompany us on the road back toward the Resurrection, not away from it.

Questions of the Week Share about a time when you realized Jesus’

presence with you after the fact, even though you didn’t “catch” it at the time.

When have you had a burning heart moment that clued you in to something important in your life?

Word of the Week Published by the Pastoral Center. All rights reserved.

April 26, 2020 Page 3

Our Catholic Faith with Fr. Keith: Last year, acclaimed film director Terrence Malick made a little recognized movie, A Hidden Life, about Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector who was executed for refusing to be con-scripted by the Nazis in 1943. He was declared a martyr and beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. Perhaps one day he will be canonized a saint, nonetheless, his life of heroic witness to faith in Jesus Christ inspires greater devotion in us, especially when our faith seems weakened by separation from the sacraments and community of the church. The Communion of Saints is an invisible reality that connects us to those who have “gone before us marked with the sign of faith” (Roman Canon, EPI). The Beatified and Canonized, Saints and Blessed, are now what we one day hope to be. These extraordinary lives were often lived out in the most ordinary circum-stances, a truth beautifully imagined in the aforementioned film. The domestic activity of marriage and family life was the necessary condition for Franz to grow in the faith. The quiet hours of routine and work disciplined his soul in the ways of God and a more authentic humanity. His love for his native Austria may have originally compelled him to serve in the opening days of the Second World War, but it was his faith that structured his life around a vital center: remaining in relationship with the Triune God. How do we live in such an integrated and holy way? “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5:48). This is impossible for us alone, on our own power, by our own imagination, yet, grace perfects nature. The spiritually impoverished and neglected parts of our souls are made perfect by the supernatural grace of God. This is where Franz mined his courage from in the definitive time of witness of his life, may we not hesitate to do the same. Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, pray for us!

Stewardship Report

Again we thank all of you who are remembering St. Mary’s with your donations for both Easter Sunday and our weekly Sunday collections. We are receiv-ing your envelopes and online contributions daily which are helping us meet the expenses and overhead for the Parish and School. We are so blessed with such generous Parishioners. Once again, we ask those of you who would be interested in making online donations to access the St. Mary’s site at: https://stmarygostyn.churchgiving.com/ We continue to pray for all of you and ask that you keep St. Mary’s in your prayers. Please let us know if you are in need of our Ministry in some way and we will make every attempt to help you. Thank you and God bless you.

A CALL TO STEWARDSHIP

Weekly Collection 04/19/2020 $22,856.25

Weekly Goal (Fiscal Year 19/20) $29,500.00

Goals to Date Sunday Goal to Date $1,209,500.00 Christmas Goal to Date $110,000.00 Easter Goal to Date $90,000.00 Collections to Date Sunday Collection to Date $1,168,549.10 Christmas Collection to Date $107,579.39 Easter Collection to Date $51,621.50 Total (Short of) Goals to Date $(81,750.01)

Thank you for your continued support and generosity during this uncertain and unprecedented time in our world.

A Message from Bishop Pates





Adult Faith

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION During this time of the Covid19 stay at home orders, we’ve found ways to view Mass online. It is suggested, since we cannot receive Holy Eucharist, that we make a Spiritual Communion, but what is that?

The best way to receive Christ is in the Sacraments, Holy Communion, certainly, and Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. But, as Father Jim reminded us in his talk after the Mass video last week, Christ is present with us always, and in times like this where it is not possible to receive Christ in Holy Eucharist, we can make a Spiritual Communion.

St. Alphonsus Liguori, an Italian priest in the 18th century, composed this prayer for Spiritual Communion.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

You can use it or others like it, or your own heart-felt prayer. You can, and are encouraged to make, Spiritual Communion whenever and wherever you’d like, many times throughout the day! Saint Tomas Aquinas explained Spiritual Communion as “an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and in lovingly embracing Him as if we had actually received Him.”

The saints throughout the ages, have extolled the virtues and blessings we can receive from time spent with the Lord, including time in Spiritual Communion. Turn to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, at any time, from any where, day or night, and receive Jesus in your heart.

No walls can shut us out from the Love of God. No stay at home order can prevent the Lord from being with us in our midst. Jesus is with us always, every day, every minute. “Seek the Lord, and he will be found” (Isaiah 55:6). With gratitude and joy, we rejoice in the gift of Spiritual Communion.


School News


Prayer Requests

The following persons have requested prayers from our parish community:

Pat Metzger Noonan George Metzger Karli Brown Bob Main Dorene Lehner Robert Lehner Lynn Lehner Spencer Mehr Mark Gowgiel Anna Bandur Patricia Wright Mary Hicks Vinnie Miraglia Vince Comella, Sr. Rose Herlein Joe Kozicki June Mull

Jim Mehaffey Kris Grazys Linda Badalamenti John Navin Bernadette Goers Rob Truby Sr. Aleena Truby Patricia Wright Krissy Dulek Nancy Gatto Donna Weincek Julie Worch Joseph Leto Hugh Toner Lilly Madonia Jerry Kolpa Bob Earley

Kevin Braasch Michael Martel Natalya Brechlin John Svoboda Christopher Fountain Nathan Kijowski Bob Lang Zachary Frana

Pray for our Military Let us pray for all of our military personnel, especially the men and women of our parish who are serving

in harm’s way:

Timothy Randazzo Kyle Ng Christopher Randazzo Joe McSweeney Maggie Benhart Kevin Hanlon Brendan Vrtis

In Sympathy

Our deepest sympathy to the families of Paul Del Monte

Ruth Long

CAMPUS FACILITIES NEWS Since many of you have not been in or around St. Mary’s for several weeks now, we wanted to let you know what is happening around our facilities. As you may know we are still having some of our Parish Staff work safely either at home or in our buildings, main-taining the safe distancing directives that we have all had drilled into our new way of living. We currently have our maintenance staff working on painting the School hallways, a project we originally had scheduled for the summer. We are neutralizing the walls and tying them into the colors we used in the Activity Center. We will then go into the teachers’ lounge and mirror the “touching up” we did in the school kitchen when the cafeteria part of the Activity Center was opened. The freshening of the School hallways will allow us at a later date to update the look of the front hall and potentially incorporate our logo with the cross that we introduced over a year ago. We saved some of the bleachers from the old gym as well as the Stanley Hall lettering from the outside of the building. Tom and Roger, our maintenance team, are working on a “plaque” that says Stanley Hall with those letters and a bleacher backing to place over the hallway entry to the Activity Center. We had many of our Parishioners ask that, in some way, we remember Father Stanley’s contribution to our School. This was a great way to maintain the name established when the new wing, which included our middle school classrooms and the old gym, was built. At a later date, other saved bleachers will be utilized to anchor the north wall as you enter the Activity Center vestibule. This will be a wall to thank some of our donors. Our landscaping project will be moving forward short-ly. This work is necessary to get the full occupancy permit for the Activity Center. Engraved pavers for some other donors will be placed as part of this project, but unfortunately are on hold right now as that factory is closed due to the stay at home directive in Wisconsin. We are fortunate at this time to be able to move forward on projects that we had planned in our School at minimal expense. The landscaping project is a nec-essary expense at this time as we do need to complete this essential step in the building permit process for the overall Activity Center project.


NEW PARISHIONERS: We are happy to welcome new members to our community, and encourage you to register either in person at the Parish Office, or register online through our website, www.stmarygostyn.org.

BAPTISMS: St. Mary of Gostyn offers baptismal preparation sessions on a monthly basis. If this is your first child, you will need to participate in a baptismal preparation session before you can receive a date for your baby’s Baptism. Parents are the first and primary educators in the practice of the Faith. Godparents play an important role in the faith life of your child. While considering godparents for your child, be aware that at least one must be a baptized and confirmed Catholic who is active in his/her faith. Please call the parish office at 630-969-1063 to register for a preparation class and to schedule a baptismal date.

BECOMING A CATHOLIC: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process of welcoming and preparing adults for the Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation - for full membership in the Catholic Church. Unbaptized adults, adults baptized in another Christian faith, and baptized Catholics with little or no formal religious education are invited to participate. Please call the Parish Office for further information.

ANNULMENTS: We are available to help anyone who is in need of information about how to apply for an annulment. Please contact the Parish Office at (630)969-1063.

SACRAMENT of ANOINTING: The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is available at regularly scheduled liturgies throughout the year, or by appointment. You may ask the presiding priest before any Mass for an anointing. Communal Anointing Masses are held on the 1st Saturday of the month in August, December and April at the 8:00 AM Mass. The Eucharist will also be brought to those who are ill, upon request. Please notify the Parish Office if members of your family are in the hospital or homebound.

FUNERALS: Arrangements are usually made by the Funeral Home or by a family member. A member of our Bereavement team will meet with you to plan the Funeral Liturgy. Eulogies can be given at the Wake Service, Interment at the Cemetery or at the Funeral Luncheon, but not at the Mass of Christian Burial.

MARRIAGES: Arrangements should be made at least six months in advance to provide ample time for preparation of this sacrament.

PRAYER GROUPS: Monday evening Rosary at 6:30 PM in the Church; Tuesday evenings at 6:00 PM in the Parish Center chapel.

RECONCILIATION: Confessions are heard Saturday, 3:30 to 4:30 PM in church. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is also available by appointment. Please call the Parish Office (630-969-1063) to arrange to have your confession heard by a priest.

St. Mary of Gostyn Parish

St. Mary of Gostyn Catholic Church...moments” with Jesus. St. Ignatius taught that the more we can pay attention to the movements of our hearts, the more we can discern how God is

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