Registration for Religious Education (CCD) classes is September 14th at 6:15pm, we will meet at church. Registration letters have been mailed. If you did not receive a letter or have questions, please contact Deb at ReligiousEd@frontier.com or 715-659-4480 ext 3. Registration is required. 

The liturgical year of the Church does not stop during the week. In fact, each day is different and corresponds to a particular saint. These days are commonly known as "feast days" and focus our attention on the beautiful example of holiness that different men and women have given over the centuries.

While most people are familiar with Saint Patrick's Day or Saint Valentine's Day, there are many more saint days than that and each are given a specific "rank" in the hierarchy of the liturgical year.

To help you better understand how the Church celebrates the feast days of saints, here is a breakdown of the "hierarchy" (solemnities, feasts and memorials):

A solemnity is celebrated if it falls on a Sunday of ordinary time or Christmastide. But it is usually transferred to the following Monday if it falls on a Sunday of Advent, Lent or Easter, or during Holy Week or the Easter octave. 
A feast honors a mystery or title of the Lord, of Our Lady, or of saints of particular importance (such as the apostles and Evangelists) and some of historical importance such as the deacon St. Lawrence.  
Feasts of the Lord, such as the Transfiguration and Exaltation of the Holy Cross, unlike other feasts, are celebrated when they fall on a Sunday. 
A memorial is usually of saints but may also celebrate some aspect of the Lord or of Mary. Examples include the optional memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus or the obligatory memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. (EWTN, emphasis added)
During week, there can be a "solemnity" on Monday, a "feast" on Wednesday, and a "memorial" on Friday. Each celebration has a specific focus and may commemorate a specific event (Christmas Day) or a specific saint (Saint Patrick).

The USCCB has a handy calendar on their website that lets you know what is being celebrated on a specific day and denotes whether it is a "solemnity," "feast," or "memorial."

Along with this "hierarchy," each saint or celebration is given a color. These colors correspond to the type of saint (priest, religious, martyr, etc.) or focus of each celebration (Holy Spirit, penance, etc.).

Here is how the General Instruction of the Roman Missal explains the colors:

[the various colors are] “meant to give effective, outward expression to the specific character of the mysteries of faith being celebrated and, in the course of the liturgical year, to a sense of progress in the Christian life.” 
a) White is used in the offices and masses during the seasons of Easter and Christmas; also on celebrations of the Lord, other than of his passion; on celebrations of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels, saints who were not martyrs; on the solemnity of All Saints (November 1); the feasts of the Birth of John the Baptist (June 24), John, apostle, evangelist (December 27), the Chair of Peter (February 22), and the Conversion of Paul (January 25).
b) Red is used on Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday) and Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, celebrations of the Lord’s passion, “birthday” feasts of the apostles and evangelists, and celebrations of martyrs.
c) Green is used in the offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.
d) Violet is used in Advent and Lent. It may also be worn in Offices and Masses for the dead.
e) Black may be used, where it is the custom, in Masses for the dead.
f) Rose may be used, where it is the custom, on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent). 
However, regarding liturgical colors, the Conference of Bishops may define and propose to the Holy See adaptations which respond to the needs and genius of the peoples.” (GIRM, no. 345-6)
So remember, the Church does not only celebrate Saint Patrick or Saint Valentine; each day is devoted to a saint or celebration in the Church. Check out the USCCB website to find out!

The Church wants to highlight the lives of holy men and women so that we can see that anyone can become a saint! The next time we celebrate a "feast day," let us make sure to honor the life of the saint by imitating their virtues and not simply throwing a big party!

Evenings of Recollection: Evenings of Recollection will begin again on Thurs. Sept. 1st from 6:30-8:00pm. Meditations will center on the “Year of Mercy”. The Corporal Works of Mercy is the theme for this night. After exposing the Blessed Sacrament a half hour meditation will be given. After that there will be time for silent adoration and confession. Benediction will close the evening. These evenings will continue to be scheduled for the first Thursday of each month through May (with the exception of January which will be the third Thursday) alternating between St. John’s and Christ the King. 

Deo Gratias for our parish picnic: We thank God for the beautiful weather that made our 5th annual parish picnic the best one yet! Great food, selfless service with a smile, fun games for the kids, and wonderful music made for an unforgettable afternoon. There are too many generous volunteers to name here, but God knows who you are and He will reward you in the best way. Thank God for such a remarkable day – we’re a better parish for having spent that time together! 

MERIT, (Marshfield’s Exceptional Religious Instruction Team), a specialized religious education program, is being offered to students with cognitive disabilities who struggle with the inclusive challenges of standard programs offered by their parishes. This class will offer individualized instruction through the use of art, storytelling, song and fellowship. A multisensory approach is used to create an environment that is exciting and fun to learn in. Class format and structure are based on the cognitive levels, needs, and individual abilities of the students enrolled. Lessons are based on Bible stories, events from the church year and living our Catholic faith. Classes meet on Monday evenings beginning in October. Cost is $20 if registered by September 10th, 2016. For further information contact :Vivian Gamble (715-659-5555) or Krisan Williams (715-387-2119). 

Matthew, the King and His Kingdom, by Jeff Cavins and Ascension Press, will be this fall and winter's bible study. This 24-week course has been very well received and a life changer for many of those who have taken it before. Increase your knowledge, learn to understand the parables, delve into the miracles and teachings, and grow deeper in love with our Lord and His disciples as we study the story of the King of Kings. The study will begin on September 11th, 2016 and be held from 8:15am-10:30am. It should complete by the end of April with time off at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Cost of materials (study binder) will be $30.00. You will need a bible (Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition is recommended.) A Catechism of the Catholic Faith is highly recommended. (Both available in the office for $15 and $9 or possibly at St. Vincent de Paul. For questions, call Judy Garfield, 715-305-2261. To register, please send a check, made out to St. John the Baptist, to Judy at 9908 County Road N, Marshfield. 

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 Aug. 31st at 3pm to set up, serve the meal at 5pm and finish with clean-up by 6:30pm. If you are able to help, call Richard at 715-387-2763. 

The year of mercy is here! Every Wednesday from 3:00pm-3:30pm the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Rosary are recited at Hwy. 97 & E, (across from Wal-Mart) where the white crosses are. Please come, pray and support life, the unborn babies and make a difference! 

The World Apostolate of Fatima’s Centennial U.S. Tour for Peace is underway and coming to our parish! The historic tour, marking the 100th Anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, will feature the world-famous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue, traveling worldwide for nearly 70 years. St. John the Baptist is hosting the tour on Sept. 21st-22nd from noon until noon. It will be an extraordinary occasion of healing, hope and grace. Please join us to hear the story of Fatima and venerate this beautiful statue that set out from Fatima in 1947 to bring the graces of Fatima to all who might not ever be able to make a pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal. We bring the pilgrimage to you. Hundreds of favors and graces, including cures, and countless conversions are associated with the image. The presence of this special Statue (sculpted by Jose Thedim in 1947, based on Sr. Lucia’s description of her encounters with Our Lady) is a great gift to our community. Contact Caren Alsides at 715-897-1900 for more information. (www.fatimatourforpeace.com) 

“Gift of Silence” Fall Retreat ~ Oct. 20th through noon Oct. 23rd. Join us at the beautiful Jesuit Retreat House on the shore of Lake Winnebago, Oshkosh, WI. Enjoy the silence, prayers and listening to the voice of God. For more information please contact Mike or Carol Jonas at 715-676-3989 or Shirley Tremmel at 715-384-3613. 

In need of inspiration or experiencing Jesus' presence or healing? He will provide for your needs in ways we cannot always anticipate. Come be with Jesus in adoration at Pope Saint John Paul II Adoration Chapel, 510 S. Columbus Ave. Fridays at 9pm-10pm or Saturdays at 1am-2am are openings needed to be filled. Please call Jean, 715-387-0571 or Dale, 715-383-2262 to schedule your hour. 

News from the Diocese
REMEMBERING Mother Teresa- From 1989 to 1996, 17 more letters from Mother Teresa were addressed/delivered to me. The last 17 were personal, yet always spiritual, and always signed by her. It’s not always easy to think of one’s self as a good Catholic, but I do still pray often each day. That’s one lesson that’s stuck with me from Mother Teresa’s letters. If I am a little pencil and little lens myself, it helps to think my work, me and those dearest to me, are in God’s hands, depending on inspiration from that divine source. And along the way, I am very glad I met, photographed and received letters from Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who has been a great inspiration not only to me and my family, but to many other people as well....Read More

News from the Pope:
At Audience, Pope prays Rosary for earthquake victims - In the wake of the powerful earthquake that struck central Italy on Wednesday, Pope Francis at the General Audience postponed his prepared catechesis, and led the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square in the recitation of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary....Read More

​News from the Church:
Vatican Prepares for Mother Teresa’s Canonization -  Masses, prayer vigils, exhibitions and even a musical will be some of the many events taking place in Rome to celebrate the canonization of Blessed Mother Teresa on Sept. 4. Not only will Pope Francis be raising Mother Teresa to the altars at a canonization Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sept. 4, the entire week — Sept. 1-8 — will be devoted to celebrating the Albanian religious sister who became known as the “angel of the slums.”......Read more

Back to School! St. John PCCW will again be collecting school supplies for our St. John Primary and CCD teachers.’ They may be dropped off in the box pro vided in the back of church. The following are items needed: Roll-on style white out, adult stapler, glue sticks, single hole and three hole punches, brush-on Modge Podge, dot art painters, clip boards, electric pencil sharpeners, colored ink pads, adult scissors, #2 pencils, black pens, Kleenex, Scotch tape, watercolor paints, black fine point Sharpies, colored, thin dry erase (Expo) markers, plastic and paper pocket folders, lined index cards, glue sticks, 8 count Crayola crayons, inside recess games (Sorry, UNO, Trouble) and 8½ x 11 white card stock for copy machine. Thank you! ​

After celebrating the great mystery of Christ's presence in the Holy Eucharist on Corpus Christi, the Church almost immediately turns her gaze towards the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.


These feasts are celebrated on the Friday and Saturday following Corpus Christi (when it is moved to the Sunday). Ever since Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque had a vision of the Sacred Heart, the Church has been eager in highlighting this aspect of God's revelation. Leo XIII reiterated the value of this devotion in his encyclical Annum Sacrum:

 "When in the days near her origin, the Church was oppressed under the yoke of the Caesars the Cross shown on high to the youthful Emperor was at once an omen and a cause of the victory that speedily followed. And here today another most auspicious and most divine sign is offered to our sight, to wit the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, with a Cross set above it shining with most resplendent brightness in the midst of flames. Herein must all hopes be set, from hence must the salvation of men be sought and expected."

Devotion to Jesus' Sacred Heart brings us to the "heart" of Christianity and helps us to see how much love God has for us. We see the image of the Sacred Heart pierced and bloody, outside of Jesus' body. This shows to us how Jesus' love is so great that he can not contain it within himself!

Jesus wanted us to devote ourselves to his Sacred Heart so much that He gave us "promises" for those who spread the devotion in faith.
(1) I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
(2) I will establish peace in their homes.
(3) I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
(4) I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death.
(5) I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.
(6) Sinners will find in my heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
(7) Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.
(8) Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
(9) I will bless every place in which an image of my heart is exposed and honored.
10) I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
(11) Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart.
(12) I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.
The devotion is not meant to be a mundane checking-off of rules, but an invitation to a deeper relationship with Christ.

When Jesus shares his heart with us, He wants us to share our own heart in return.

The following day the Church celebrates the "Immaculate Heart of Mary" and Pope Benedict XVI explained the reason why these two feasts are celebrated together, saying,“The heart that resembles that of Christ more than any other is without a doubt the Heart of Mary, his Immaculate Mother, and for this very reason the liturgy holds them up together for our veneration.”

So when we celebrate these two feasts let us remember that God is inviting us to deepen our relationship with Him and His mother and to have a "heart-to-heart" with both of them, giving to them all the wounds and warts that are there, asking Jesus to wash our heart in the bath of His mercy.

Read the Entire Series

• How is it Possible that Jesus is Present in the Eucharist?
  
• I Will Not Leave You Orphans - The Gift of the Holy Eucharist
• Pentecost: The Birthday of the Church
• The Ascension: A Preview of Future Glory
• Don't Forget to Feast!
• The Liturgy that Lasts Three Days!
• Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus During Holy Week
• What is Almsgiving?
• Why Do We Abstain from Meat on Fridays?
• Entering into a Prayerful Lent: Stations of the Cross
• What is the Purpose of Lent?
• What is Ordinary Time All About?
• The Epiphany Blessing - A Beautiful Tradition During the Christmas Season
• The Prophecy is Fulfilled: The Joyous Christmas Season
• The Start of a New Year - Advent
• The Liturgical Year - Christ's Life Relived Each Year

The parish office will be closed on Friday, August 19th and Monday, August 22nd. Office hours from August 17th through August 25th will be from 8am until 11am

Matthew, the King and His Kingdom, by Jeff Cavins and Ascension Press, will be this fall and winter's bible study. This 24-week course has been very well received and a life changer for many of those who have taken it before. Increase your knowledge, learn to understand the parables, delve into the miracles and teachings, and grow deeper in love with our Lord and His disciples as we study the story of the King of Kings. The study will begin on September 11th, 2016 and be held from 8:15am-10:30am. It should complete by the end of April with time off at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Cost of materials (study binder) will be $30.00. You will need a bible (Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition is recommended.) A Catechism of the Catholic Faith is highly recommended. (Both available in the office for $15 and $9 or possibly at St. Vincent de Paul. For questions, call Judy Garfield, 715-305-2261. To register, please send a check, made out to St. John the Baptist, to Judy at 9908 County Road N, Marshfield. 

The year of mercy is here! Every Wednesday from 3:00pm-3:30pm the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Rosary are recited at Hwy. 97 & E, (across from Wal-Mart) where the white crosses are. Please come, pray and support life, the unborn babies and make a difference! 

The World Apostolate of Fatima’s Centennial U.S. Tour for Peace is underway and coming to our parish! The historic tour, marking the 100th Anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, will feature the world-famous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue, traveling worldwide for nearly 70 years. St. John the Baptist is hosting the tour on Sept. 21st-22nd from noon until noon. It will be an extraordinary occasion of healing, hope and grace. Please join us to hear the story of Fatima and venerate this beautiful statue that set out from Fatima in 1947 to bring the graces of Fatima to all who might not ever be able to make a pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal. We bring the pilgrimage to you. Hundreds of favors and graces, including cures, and countless conversions are associated with the image. The presence of this special Statue (sculpted by Jose Thedim in 1947, based on Sr. Lucia’s description of her encounters with Our Lady) is a great gift to our community. Contact Caren Alsides at 715-897-1900 for more information. (www.fatimatourforpeace.com) 

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is beginning on September 8th, 2016 with full entrance into the church occurring at Easter of 2017. RCIA is the process whereby a person learns about the beautiful Catholic faith that we sometimes take for granted. Please pick up a brochure at the entrance of the church if you or someone you know is interested in becoming Catholic or if you just want to deepen your understanding of the faith. This will be an excellent way to grow closer to God by learning about Catholicism and how it promotes heroic goodness! For more information, contact Dcn. Jeff Austin at 715-676-3186 or Jane Gerend at 715-387-2019.

“Gift of Silence” Fall Retreat ~ Oct. 20th through noon Oct. 23rd. Join us at the beautiful Jesuit Retreat House on the shore of Lake Winnebago, Oshkosh, WI. Enjoy the silence, prayers and listening to the voice of God. For more information please contact Mike or Carol Jonas at 715-676-3989 or Shirley Tremmel at 715-384-3613. 

Come and experience the power of God and be renewed and strengthened to share God's love and peace in a troubled world. Pope Saint John Paul II Perpetual Adoration Chapel needs adorers: Mondays at 3-4pm or Fridays from 9-10pm. Contact Jean Kaiser at 715-387-0571 or Dale Garfield at 715-383-2262 for additional information or to schedule your holy hour, "the best time you will spend on earth". The Pope Saint John Paul II adoration Chapel is located at 510 South Columbus Ave. in Marshfield, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and all are welcome to visit and pray anytime! ​

​News from the Diocese
Bishop Share Resources on Faithful Citizenship - In everything we do, let us all be Catholics first because as such we have a special duty and a unique ability to strengthen our families, our local communities, and our nation. No matter who is elected to public office, let us follow what Pope Francis urged our members of Congress to do, ‘Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities.’...Read More

News from the Pope: 
Pope at Angelus: Church doesn’t need bureaucrats but impassioned missionaries - (Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Sunday spoke about the fire of the Holy Spirit, saying the Church doesn’t need bureaucrats but impassioned missionaries with this fire inside their hearts. He warned that without this fire, the Church risked becoming a cold or merely lukewarm Church, made up of cold and lukewarm Christians....Read More

News from the Church: 
Transform Your Hearts: Milwaukee’s Archbishop Addresses Riots - Archbishop Jerome Listecki asked people to pray for peace, adding that they needed to restore the family, the economy, and low crime rates in order to defuse the situation.....Read more

Back to School! St. John PCCW will again be collecting school supplies for our St. John Primary and CCD teachers.’ They may be dropped off in the box pro vided in the back of church. The following are items needed: Roll-on style white out, adult stapler, glue sticks, single hole and three hole punches, brush-on Modge Podge, dot art painters, clip boards, electric pencil sharpeners, colored ink pads, adult scissors, #2 pencils, black pens, Kleenex, Scotch tape, watercolor paints, black fine point Sharpies, colored, thin dry erase (Expo) markers, plastic and paper pocket folders, lined index cards, glue sticks, 8 count Crayola crayons, inside recess games (Sorry, UNO, Trouble) and 8½ x 11 white card stock for copy machine. Thank you! ​

Last week we learned how the Eucharist is not a “what” but a “who;” Jesus Himself, truly present under the appearances of bread. But how is that possible?

First of all, let us remind ourselves of Jesus’ affirmation of His presence in the Eucharist in the Gospel of John, chapter 6:

“‘I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me’” (John 6:48-57).Jesus said clearly in this passage that He is the bread of life and that we must eat His flesh in order to have life. It is at the Last Supper that these words find their fulfillment when Jesus holds up the bread and wine and says “This is my body…this is my blood.”

It is clear as well that Jesus’ followers did commit cannibalism while Jesus was on earth and did not feast on his dead body. Instead, they continued on what Jesus instructed them to do; to “do this in memory of me.” It is in the celebration of the Eucharist that the Apostles believed they could fulfill Jesus’ words to “eat my flesh and drink my blood.”

This means that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ precisely because that is what He wanted. Jesus desired that all may have life in Him and so left us His abiding presence in the Eucharist to grant us life.

Secondly, this transformation is possible because Jesus is God and He who created the world of out nothing can certainly create something out of something. Or as Saint Ambrose put it:

“Be convinced that this is not what nature has formed, but what the blessing has consecrated. The power of the blessing prevails over that of nature, because by the blessing nature itself is changed… . Could not Christ’s word, which can make from nothing what did not exist, change existing things into what they were not before? It is no less a feat to give things their original nature than to change their nature.”

Third, Jesus is present in the Eucharist by way of transubstantiation:

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1376 The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring: “Because Christ our Redeemer said that it was truly his body that he was offering under the species of bread, it has always been the conviction of the Church of God, and this holy Council now declares again, that by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation.” 

1377 The Eucharistic presence of Christ begins at the moment of the consecration and endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist. Christ is present whole and entire in each of the species and whole and entire in each of their parts, in such a way that the breaking of the bread does not divide Christ.

To put it in similar terms, the appearances of bread remain, but what the bread is, becomes Jesus Himself.

By way of analogy, water is known scientifically as h2O and remains that way whether it is ice, water or steam. In this example the outward appearances change, but the essence of what it is, remains. 
When it comes to the Eucharist, it is the reverse. The outward appearances do not change while the essence of what it is, changes. 

The Eucharist is a great mystery, one that we will not fully understand here on earth. However, we have the assurance of the Holy Spirit that this indeed happens and on occasion it is confirmed through Eucharistic miracles, when the outward appears actually change and the Host becomes the blood of Christ.

In the end, we must pray the words of the father, whose boy was healed by Jesus, "I believe, help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)

Read the Entire Series

• 
  
• I Will Not Leave You Orphans - The Gift of the Holy Eucharist
• Pentecost: The Birthday of the Church
• The Ascension: A Preview of Future Glory
• Don't Forget to Feast!
• The Liturgy that Lasts Three Days!
• Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus During Holy Week
• What is Almsgiving?
• Why Do We Abstain from Meat on Fridays?
• Entering into a Prayerful Lent: Stations of the Cross
• What is the Purpose of Lent?
• What is Ordinary Time All About?
• The Epiphany Blessing - A Beautiful Tradition During the Christmas Season
• The Prophecy is Fulfilled: The Joyous Christmas Season
• The Start of a New Year - Advent
• The Liturgical Year - Christ's Life Relived Each Year