St John the Baptist Catholic Church
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Pope pleads for peace in a world broken by conflict and terrorism

12/30/2016

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News from the USCCB
National Migration Week 2017 To Be Celebrated January 8-14 - WASHINGTON—National Migration Week 2017 will take place January 8-14. This year's theme is "Creating a Culture of Encounter." The celebration provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the contributions of migrants, including refugees, and victims of human trafficking in our communities....Read More

News from the Pope:
Pope pleads for peace in a world broken by conflict and terrorism -(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis made an impassioned plea forpeace on Sunday in a world broken by conflict, terrorism and injustice. Speaking to an estimated 40,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square and to the world during his traditional Christmas Day“Urbi et Orbi” address, the Pope wished Christmas peace for people scarred by wars and for those who have lost loved ones to terrorism....Read More
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News from the Church:
The Saints Teach Us About Christmas 
- As we celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior at Christmas, the saints can teach us so much. Of course, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first one who comes to mind — but what about other saints who can provide us with special inspiration for this holy feast day?....Read more
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Steubenville Conference 2017

12/29/2016

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Steubenville Conference 2017: St. Thomas University, St. Paul will host this conference from July 28th –30th. This is for teens in grades 8- 12. If interested, you must sign up by Jan. 6th. Contact Dan Kitzhaber at 715-384-4989 ext. 3 or Fr. Sedlacek at 715-387-3252 x213/
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From the Desk of Father Martin, December 25

12/28/2016

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Merry Christmas! One year I heard a man recalling one of his fondest memories of Christmas: he was serving in the military and had to work Christmas Eve in the news room. It was generally a very chaotic place, with messages coming and going from all over the world. That evening, however, the room gradually became quieter until it was almost completely silent. Periodically a message came through: “Merry Christmas from General Smith to General Anderson.” Then later, “The troops of the 105th send their fondest wishes to their families on this holy night of Christmas.” The man telling the story said it was the only time he ever could recall such peace in the world, and it all had to do with a baby born 20 centuries ago in a place very few even knew existed. Another beautiful story comes from a book titled, The Pope and the Ceo by Andreas Widmer. Widmer was a member of the Swiss Guard in the Vatican for two years and described his first Christmas away from home. He was only 20 years old and extremely homesick. Because he was one of the newest recruits, he got the unenviable task of working Christmas Eve. Having just got off the phone with his family, he spent the shift crying and feeling pretty sorry for himself. About 10:00 p.m. Pope John Paul II came out of his apartment on his way to getting ready for Midnight Mass. Here’s Widmer’s account of what happened next: “As he came out, he paused about twenty feet from me. He looked at me for some time without saying anything. Then he spoke. “You’re new! What’s your name?” he asked. I told him and he came closer, peering into my reddened eyes. He immediately understood what was going on and said, “This is your first Christmas away from home, isn’t it?” I replied in the affirmative, barely holding back tears as I answered. Yet again, he stepped closer, pausing just inches from me this time. Taking my hand with one hand and holding my elbow with the other, he pulled me slightly toward him, looked at me with his deep gray eyes, and said, “Andreas, I want to thank you for the sacrifice you are making for the Church. I will pray for you during Mass this evening.” That was all I needed. Someone had noticed my pain, someone had cared, and that someone was the Pope himself.” As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we remember the countless people who are not able to be with family and friends for a variety of reasons. And let’s say a prayer for whoever they are, that Christ, the Prince of Peace, may bless their sacrifice or sweeten their sorrow. One of my favorite stories of Christmas comes from another book, this one titled The Shadow of His Wings by Father Gereon Goldmann. While a prisoner of war in northern Africa, Goldmann described celebrating Midnight Mass in the most forlorn of places: “It was Christmas, a time of peace to all of good will. It was not difficult to reach the hearts of these men then with the glad tidings of Christmas. After Mass I heard confessions for hours. Tears of sorrow, together with the sacramental absolution, wiped away all wrongdoing. As penance I gave a week’s compulsory attendance at Mass; many kept it up for months after their ‘sentence’ had expired. To this day, I receive letters from some of the men who were there, telling me it was the best Christmas they ever had. It could not have been more real; we were in a barracks without windows or doors, in the cold wind that brought snow with it; the men were ragged, thin, and hungry; we did not have to visualize the poverty and want and barrenness of the first Christmas – we were living it every day. We had nothing of those things that had made Christmas such a joyous feast at home, but we felt in our hearts as never before that the Christ Child came into this world in want and poverty, and we felt this peace and joy in our hearts.” 

​May you feel the love that brought Jesus to us – and may your fidelity always keep you close to Him! 

Your friend in Christ, Father Martin
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Baptism Class, Adult Confirmation Class & More!

12/27/2016

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Baptism Class for those requesting the baptism of their children will take place Tues., Jan. 31st, 5:30-8:00pm in Columbia Room. Pre-registration is required and you can do so by calling 715-384- 9565 ext 2. For those not registered in the parish, information will be given on how to do so. This class is for all parents of their first child and/or those who have not yet taken Father Martin’s Baptismal class

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 next meet on Dec. 28th at 3pm to set up, serve the meal at 5pm with clean-up by 6:30pm. If you are able to help, please call Richard at 715-387-2763.

St. John Catholic Book Club Our next meeting will be on Tues. Jan. 3rd. We are currently reading and will discuss Chiara Corbella Petrillo - A Witness to Joy by Simone Troise & Cristiana Pacini. The Zoo Keeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman will be our January book. We choose our books by consensus, not strictly Catholic tomes or authors, but after considering persons or topics we believe we should be aware of as Catholic Christians. If you would like to join us please call Mari at 715-207-7744.

Teaching the Way of Love: Jeff Arrowood will present this talk to parents and their children in grades 8 - 10 on Wednesday, January 4th. It will be held in the Columbia room from 6:15 - 8:15pm. Adolescence is a time of great change for youth and that change can be confusing. Parents are the ones that create a firm and secure foundation from which a young adult can confidently become the person that God intends them to be. Topics Mr. Arrowood will cover are highlights from Theology of the Body, Self-Worth vs. Self Esteem, Marriage in God’s Plan as well as hold vital discussions. All CCD 8th grade students should report to the Columbia room for this presentation. All high school students (with parent) are invited to attend. For more information, contact Deb Mlsna at 715-659-4480 ext 3.

Adult Confirmation Class: A confirmation class for baptized Catholics will be offered in Jan-Feb. This class will prepare participants to receive the sacrament of Confirmation on March 5th. Class will be held on Monday evenings from 6:30 – 8:00pm beginning on January 16th, 2017. Registration is required – for more information and to register please contact Deb Mlsna at 715-659- 4480 ext 3 or at ReligiousEd@frontier.com as soon as possible. Please note this is not an RCIA class. 

Catholic Kiosk Thanks to the generous support of our Marshfield Deanery Catholic community and the amiable rental relationship with the Marshfield Mall, the Catholic Kiosk has been a source of evangelization in our community for 3 years! As we approach the Christmas season, we are hoping to "beef up" the Catholic Kiosk's inventory of Catholic Bibles, Catechisms, Lighthouse Media and/or Dynamic Catholic Institute books and CD's. We are also always very appreciative of monetary donations to pay for the monthly $150 rental. Please contact Mandy at 715-387-1317 or alcottd@gmail.com if you would like to help support the Catholic Kiosk, a Marshfield Deanery Catholic Community evangelization effort. 

Prayer Shawl Ministry is a way to offer a sense of prayer, comfort, support & love to an individual in times that are difficult such as: death of a loved one, a serious diagnosis, or a life’s struggle. Fleece comfort shawls are now also available. These may be used for young and old alike. All are available in the Bride’s room. For more information contact Lori at 715-387-0244. 
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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. ​​​​​​
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Homily for Christmas Day

12/26/2016

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Here is the homily for Christmas Day from St. John the Baptist Church:
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Click here to listen
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Pope to young people: 'listen to your grandparents'

12/23/2016

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News from the USCCB
A Christmas Message From The President Of The U.S. Conference Of Catholic Bishops - WASHINGTON— Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) encourages us to visit the manger this Christmas and reflect upon how we can give of ourselves in the New Year. ...Read More

News from the Pope:
Pope to young people: 'listen to your grandparents' -  (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday encouraged young Catholics to cultivate their relationships with their grandparents. Addressing a group of young people who belong to an Italian Catholic lay association called ‘Azione Cattolica Italiana’, the Pope spoke of the joy that derives from ​ the coming of Jesus, and said that joy is increased and multiplied when we share it...Read More

News from the Church:
Bishops Mourn Victims of Apparent Terrorist Attack on Berlin Christmas Market 
- BERLIN — After 12 people were killed when a truck rammed into crowds at a Berlin Christmas market, in what appears to be a terrorist attack, the German bishops have voiced their sorrow and invited people to join them in praying for the victims and their families. “The news from Berlin has deeply shaken me,” Cardinal Reinhard Marx, president of the German Bishops’ Conference, said in a Dec. 20 statement following the incident.....Read more
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Christmas Masses

12/22/2016

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CHRISTMAS EVE MASSES: 4:00PM, 6:00PM, 8:00PM
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​CHRISTMAS DAY MASSES: 7:00AM, 9:00AM, 11:00AM
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From the Desk of Father Martin, December 18

12/21/2016

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Praised be Jesus Christ! Some of the best music produced these days comes in the form of movie soundtracks. My favorites include “A Beautiful Mind,” “Moneyball,” and “Remember the Titans.” Years ago when I was still in charge of the high school seminary I was taking the students to school when someone asked Matt Marshall (who is now one of our finest priests) how he managed to cut himself shaving so many times. He explained that he’d been listening to the soundtrack of the movie “Gladiator.” Poor Matt - once the adrenaline got going he threw caution to the wind and shaved as if there were no tomorrow! That movie, loosely based on the Roman Empire during the time of Marcus Aurelius and his successor Commodus, refers at various times to an ancient conception of the afterlife. Adopted from Homer’s Odyssey, the Romans thought of life after death in terms of a place at the far edges of the world, a place called “Elysium”. The movie does a decent job of conveying the hope that the Romans had of a world on the other side of mortality. The final scene is the most compelling as it is accompanied by a haunting song titled “Now we are free”. Long before Jesus lived in this world, people had their hearts set on a world that would exceed this one in beauty, love, and peace. Today is no different, as the aspirations for eternal life are commonly heard in music as diverse as Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven,” or Coldplay’s “Paradise.” It seems people have always hoped our life would continue, even after death played its inevitable part. Jesus made the most radical claims in this regard, as he metaphorically pointed out how He could raise the Temple just three days after it had been destroyed. Only after discovering His empty tomb did the people realize Jesus had predicted His own resurrection from the dead. From that day forward all references to the afterlife could only have traction in connection with Jesus’ great Passover from this world to the world that will never end. And lest anyone think it is not clear that Jesus knew where He was going, His words to the “good” thief while dying on the cross provide convincing evidence to the contrary: “This day you will be with me in paradise,” (emphasis mine). Not everyone is convinced by the Bible because it lacks the scientific rigor we prefer these days when assessing veracity. However, centuries ago folks like Galileo recognized that “the Bible shows the way to go heaven, not the way the heavens go.” Certainly, the Bible is not a scientific tome explaining all of the mysteries that both surround and confound us. Just the same, you know that the word “Bible” can function as an acronym: “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” Maybe that’s a good place to begin: that each of us will leave here someday. In the meantime, we have so many advantages that were not enjoyed by the Greeks and the Romans at the time of Christ. It’s no wonder Jesus said, “Blessed are your eyes . . . . that see what many longed to see but did not see, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it,” (Matthew 13:16a, 17a). As we come to the end of this four week meditation on the last things (death, judgment, Heaven and Hell) the challenge for us is to live always in light of the reality that we are in the world, but not of the world. What happens next week is God’s response to sin and death – He comes to destroy them but almost no one suspected this because of His humble beginnings. This Baby holds the keys to the gates of Heaven: “and a little child will lead them all” – Isaiah got it right, which is good news for all the world! May God teach us to love the things of Heaven so that we may be free of the attachments of Earth!

Your friend in Christ,
​Father Martin
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St John's Catholic Book Club

12/20/2016

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Baptism Class for those requesting the baptism of their children will take place Tues., Jan. 31st, 5:30-8:00pm in Columbia Room. Pre-registration is required and you can do so by calling 715-384- 9565 ext 2. For those not registered in the parish, information will be given on how to do so. This class is for all parents of their first child and/or those who have not yet taken Father Martin’s Baptismal class

St. John Catholic Book Club Our next meeting will be on Tues. Jan. 3rd. We are currently reading and will discuss Chiara Corbella Petrillo - A Witness to Joy by Simone Troise & Cristiana Pacini. The Zoo Keeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman will be our January book. We choose our books by consensus, not strictly Catholic tomes or authors, but after considering persons or topics we believe we should be aware of as Catholic Christians. If you would like to join us please call Mari at 715-207-7744.

Catholic Kiosk Thanks to the generous support of our Marshfield Deanery Catholic community and the amiable rental relationship with the Marshfield Mall, the Catholic Kiosk has been a source of evangelization in our community for 3 years! As we approach the Christmas season, we are hoping to "beef up" the Catholic Kiosk's inventory of Catholic Bibles, Catechisms, Lighthouse Media and/or Dynamic Catholic Institute books and CD's. We are also always very appreciative of monetary donations to pay for the monthly $150 rental. Please contact Mandy at 715-387-1317 or alcottd@gmail.com if you would like to help support the Catholic Kiosk, a Marshfield Deanery Catholic Community evangelization effort. 

Prayer Shawl Ministry is a way to offer a sense of prayer, comfort, support & love to an individual in times that are difficult such as: death of a loved one, a serious diagnosis, or a life’s struggle. Fleece comfort shawls are now also available. These may be used for young and old alike. All are available in the Bride’s room. For more information contact Lori at 715-387-0244. 
​

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. ​​​​​
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Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

12/19/2016

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Here is the homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent from St. John the Baptist Church:
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Click here to listen
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    MASS SCHEDULE
      Monday - Friday: 7:00 AM

      Saturday: 8:00 AM
      Saturday: 4:30 PM

      Sunday: 7:00, 9:00 & 11:00 AM
    CONFESSION SCHEDULE
     Tuesday–Friday: 6:30 - 6:50 AM
     1st and 3rd Fridays: Confessions begin at 6:00*
     Saturday: 3:30 - 4:15 PM

    *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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    Stay Connected with Our Parish

    Welcome From Our Pastor
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    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
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201 W. Blodgett St.. Marshfield, WI 54449 
​  715-384-3252 (parish office) 715-384-4989 (school)