Fr. Todd Bulletin Article 5/24/26

Dear Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake,

                 Blessings and safety for everyone this Memorial Day weekend.  We will be celebrating Mass at 8am at Calvary Cemetery in Hudson on Memorial Day.  It is a powerful way to start this day praying for those who have died so that we might have the freedoms we enjoy.  It is a small way to thank them and their families who suffered their loss.  I have been so pleased with the growing number of people who pray this Mass with us.  Please bring a lawn chair with you.  If it is raining, we will have Mass at Sacred Heart.

 This weekend I have included a bulletin stuffer that is a testimony from Drew and Leslie Godfrey about balancing their life of faith amidst sports and vacations.  They want to stress that they are not, and don’t want to be so perceived, as being a perfect family!  They are just a real family that faces all the very same decisions, pressures, and challenges that we do in a world that makes this balance hard.  But it is also eminently possible and it is so powerful to see how God is present and is never outdone in generosity.  Be encouraged in this important fight to make living our faith and going to Mass in a society that doesn’t make it easy.   You will be blessed to see how God will meet you there.

 Some summer dates to keep in mind:

• Teaching Series on the Sacraments with our seminarian Mason Abbott: Mason will do his series on the Sacraments on these four Thursdays: June 11,18,25 and July 2.  He will present at St. Mary on the Lake at 10am following the 9:15am daily Mass and at 6pm at Sacred Heart. 

• Totus Tuus: July 13-17: The middle school/high school program will run in the evenings from Sunday, July 12-17 from 6:30pm. to 8:30pm.  The Elementary Program (9:00am. to 3:00pm.) for grades 1-6, July 13-17.  Registration is available on our parish websites or you can also call the parish offices.   It will be a great week!

• Youth Hike and Mass:  This will be Saturday, July 25^th.  We will meet at Sacred Heart at 8am and carpool to Lost Nations State Game Area for the hike down to the Sile Doty Cave.  There is a clearing there where we will celebrate Mass.  This is a great event every year and has been fun having our youth and families. 

• Parish Picnic: Friday, August 7th from 5-7pm with food available.  As in past years, it will be hosted at St. Mary on the Lake.  The lawn space is great for games and hanging out.  All parishioners and families are welcome. 

• Parish to Parish walking pilgrimage: Saturday, August 15th, we will have our parish-to-parish walking pilgrimage.  We will leave Sacred Heart at 8am to walk the 11 miles between our parishes.  Much of the route is beautiful gravel roads wending our way past farm fields and woods.  We will have a parishioner shadowing us along the way with water, Gatorade, and a porta-potty for mid-route bathroom breaks, or simply providing a ride if needed.  There will be hot dogs for lunch at St. Mary’s once we arrive. 

God Bless,  Fr. Todd