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Padre Pio relics will tour United States in 2019

5/31/2019

From the Church

The relics of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, affectionately known to Catholics as Padre Pio, are being prepared to tour the United States and Canada this summer and will continue in the fall.

The Saint Pio Foundation announced that the two-part tour will run from May 1 to June 15 and, after a brief respite, will resume from September 15 – November 15.

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Want to know more about Youth Group?

5/30/2019

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Want to know more about Youth Group? Youth Group is a great place to build positive friendships, grow in faith, play games, and have fun. For more information about summer activities, join the "St. John's Youth Ministry" group on Flocknote, or contact David Alcott: evangelize@frontier.com

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From the Desk of Father Martin - May 26, 2019

5/29/2019

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Praised be Jesus Christ! It’s been a long time since I read the book Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, but my quote book has plenty of evidence that it contains some great insights. The book is about the Civil War and the terrible lessons we seemingly have to learn over and over again when our rage turns to violence. As we remember the many men and women who have fought for freedom and truth, we best honor them by trying to live in peace. But peace is only possible when justice abounds, and we know this is not always the case. Injustice comes in many forms, and the hurt it leaves is not easily forgiven or forgotten. That’s because such things affect us deeply, even at the level of our souls. Contrast that with pain – it’s amazing how a person can go through Armageddon physically speaking, and then sometime later appear to be completely recovered and no longer hampered in any way. Frazier makes this point in Cold Mountain: “That’s just pain,” she said. “It goes eventually. And when it’s gone, there’s no lasting memory. Not the worst of it, anyway. It fades. Our minds aren’t made to hold on to the particulars of pain the way we do bliss. It’s a gift God gives us, a sign of His care for us,” (pg. 219). Thank God for the healing effects of time and medicine! One suspects that most of us would agree with Frazier’s conclusion: that while we remember pain, we can never quite reproduce the intensity that was the case when we were first hurt. And while it’s much more challenging, something similar is true of our spiritual life too. For example, many of us have heard a song or smelled a scent that instantaneously took us back to some event from our past. What’s amazing is how powerful our emotions can be as the memory comes back to us full force. I’ve mentioned how the somewhat musty and unique smell of the cry room at Saint John’s on a summer afternoon always reminds me of my very first days here. I was terribly homesick and felt really blue about leaving behind so many people and places that had made my life beautiful. But as time went on the intensity of that spiritual pain softened, thanks to God’s goodness and the kindness you showed me as you supported me with your love and prayers. Now the time comes to again experience the spiritual suffering that comes with separation from people we love. Such is the nature of our time in this world: we experience great joys that we wish we could sustain forever. On the flipside, the overwhelming nature of loss sometimes seems to never go away or get better. Why do the joys seem so fleeting while the sorrows stay with us so long? We’re fallen creatures, and probably the best explanation is that even our power of memory has been damaged: it’s a struggle for us to retain the good and forget the bad. That notwithstanding, some of God’s holy ones discovered a beautiful truth that leads to peace, even in the midst of the most trying circumstances. To wit, it was Father Augustine Tolton’s mom (Father Tolton’s cause for sainthood is presently advancing) who reminded Augustine just before leaving for seminary in Rome: “Never forget the goodness of the Lord.” This from a woman who was born into slavery and had known radical suffering practically her whole life! But she discovered the truth about gratitude: it unlocks our heart for joy. I’m reminded of the timeless words of Dostoevsky in his book, The Brothers Karamazov: “My dear children, there is nothing higher and stronger and more wholesome and good for life in the future than some good memory... if a man carries many such memories with him into life, he is safe to the end of his days.” This weekend we remember – the men and women who offered their lives in service of the truth and freedom. We also remember the goodness of the Lord through it all. These memories are God’s gift to us, His way of healing us and showing us the way home.
May God grant peace to all who work for justice! Your friend in Christ,
Father Martin

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Save the Date! Parish Pull July 12th

5/28/2019

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Save the Date: Our 7th annual Parish Pull will take place on Friday, July 12th. This year the proceeds will be donated to Columbus Catholic Schools and PIER of Wisconsin (a nonprofit that teaches sign language, among other things). We will keep some this year for future church repairs. On a separate note, we will not be hosting our annual parish picnic this summer. We hope to resume next summer.

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Pope authorizes official pilgrimages to Medjugorje

5/24/2019

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From the Pope

Pope Francis has decreed that dioceses and parishes may organize pilgrimages to Medjugorje, though no official pronouncement on the authenticity of the apparitions has been made.

This was announced at the parish shrine at Medjugorje on Sunday by the apostolic nuncio in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Luigi Pezzuto, and Archbishop Henryk Hoser, the pope’s special envoy sent to Medjugorje to study the pastoral situation of the shrine.

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Need help with Spring Cleaning?

5/24/2019

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Need help with Spring Cleaning? I am hoping to connect teens who are raising money for Youth Ministry Trips with parish families who would like help with yard work, babysitting, or odd jobs. If you have any work for teens, please let me know at evangelize@frontier.com

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From the Desk of Father Martin - May 19, 2019

5/22/2019

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Praised be Jesus Christ! With graduation just around the corner, I’m reminded of the many seniors I taught who couldn’t wait for their newfound freedom. Of course, some were under the impression that the ability to do whatever you want whenever you want means you’re free. Oscar Wilde, who knew a thing or two about doing whatever he wanted, later reflected: “It’s not so much what you do, it’s what you become – that’s the problem.” In other words, our actions forge our character – good actions beget a good person, selfish actions... well, you can see where this is going. Because it’s a moral issue, I’d like to weigh in on the tidal wave of support for marijuana and share some thoughts I gleaned from an article written by Dr. Mark Latkovic, a moral theologian teaching at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. Without further ado, here are his thoughts (and for the record, I agree with him): [nowadays] priests have questions about how to minister to those who confess to using marijuana. How should this question be handled in the Sacrament of Reconciliation? In the past, one could always fall back on its illegality as a reason to give penitents and others not to buy or smoke it. There are several reasons that make marijuana use morally problematic. First, unlike with alcohol, the very reason for smoking weed is to “get high,” to get a “buzz.” But since that result means that one has lost or at least has impaired the use of his reason – intending to do so – it is morally wrong. While I would argue that pot smoking is grave matter, how sinful it is would depend on the awareness of its immorality, the level of freedom involved, the circumstances, the possibility of scandal, and so on. The second morally problematic element follows from the first: there is always a danger that the person intoxicated from using marijuana will then do something that can harm himself or others, e.g., drive while he is high, thus endangering human life. Recent studies indicate that more than 50% of medical marijuana patients in Michigan have driven while under the influence of the drug. A third reason is closely related to the first two concerns: the use of marijuana can potentially harm our own health – a fundamental good of the person – and thus also lead to higher health care costs for society. Shouldn’t we be encouraging healthy habits rather than harmful ones, especially given what we now know about the bad effects of this drug on a person’s health? (Note that the THC levels in marijuana are higher today than they have been in recent decades; THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana). As well, I would say this: In our society today, we have a lot of people who have chosen to simply “check out” by “self- medicating” themselves into oblivion. I think primarily of our country’s opioid crisis that has shown no signs of abating. Why not encourage and, dare I say it, even exhort people to engage in morally and medically sound ways of coping with life’s daily struggles? Priests can be particularly important in recommending activities that provide one’s life with greater meaning: e.g., prayer and Church attendance, charitable works, engagement with family and friends, exercise and sports, and so on. Many of these activities also legitimately provide what recreational pot smokers are seeking illegitimately: pleasure. Finally, priests should be able to offer moral counsel and advice about this drug, as well as information about where people can get help to overcome substance use disorders. [Finally], there is the danger of marijuana as a “gateway” drug to other even more seriously harmful (and illegal) drugs such as heroin and cocaine. In a country where we have made so much progress in discouraging cigarette smoking, we seem to have forgotten the health hazards of another kind of addictive product that is smoked: cannabis. When appropriate, priests should point out such facts to those they minister to. More powerful than any “fact,” however, is the Gospel message that those same priests preach. In the Good News, Christians find the hope and healing power to help them meet life’s challenges – including the challenge of illicit drug use.
May God guide our graduates to discover the true freedom of living in the truth of His love!
Your friend in Christ, Father Martin

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Fellowship Meal on May 29

5/21/2019

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St. John’s Parish Family has the opportunity to aid the less fortunate in our area by serving a fellowship meal in the Gathering Room of St. Vincent de Paul Center. We meet on May 29th at 3pm to set up, serve the meal at 5pm and finish with clean-up by 6:30pm.

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Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter

5/20/2019

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Listen to the homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter from St. John the Baptist Church:

Click here to listen

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Colorado shooting victim was going to join Knights of Columbus

5/17/2019

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From the Church

The senior class of the Highlands Ranch STEM school were only three days from graduation when two gunmen entered the school and opened fire. While terrified students sought cover, however, Kendrick Castillo charged forward, ultimately sacrificing his own life to subdue the assailant.

ABC News reports, the 18-year-old reacted to the shooting immediately and was able to pin the attacker to the wall before he was fatally shot. Castillo’s bravery inspired two other students to come forward as well and together they were able to disarm and subdue the gunman before any more were killed.

His close friend and fellow senior, Nui Giasolli, said their fathers are both Knights of Columbus and Kendrick would always tag along with his father to volunteer his time to the organization. After high school was over, it was Kendrick’s intention to join the Knights as a formal member.

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*Friday confessions begin at 6:00, but vary in duration

ADORATION

PERPETUAL ADORATION: The Marshfield Deanery has the St. John Paul II Adoration Chapel located in the lower level of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, at 201 W. Blodgett Street. The chapel is accessible from the rear parking lot. For more information or to sign up, contact Jean Kaiser at 715-503-0118 or Deacon Ray Draeger at 715-207-6085. Click on the image below for more information

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Welcome From Our Pastor

Welcome to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church! Ever since 1877 this parish has been assisting souls in their quest for deeper union with God. Pope John Paul II called the parish a “school of prayer” and St. John’s is committed to promoting growth in holiness in every state in life. Each of us is called... Read More

Padre Pio relics will tour United States in 2019

Want to know more about Youth Group?

From the Desk of Father Martin - May 26, 2019

Save the Date! Parish Pull July 12th

Pope authorizes official pilgrimages to Medjugorje

Need help with Spring Cleaning?

From the Desk of Father Martin - May 19, 2019

Fellowship Meal on May 29

Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter

Colorado shooting victim was going to join Knights of Columbus

Stay Connected with Our Parish

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