2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER - APRIL 19, 2020

B A R R O N , C A M E R O N , C H E T E K & S T R I C K L A N D , W I

ASSUMPTION BLESSED VIRGIN MARY P A R I S H C L U S T E R

SAINTS JOSEPH, PETER, BONIFACE &

ONE. HOLY. APOSTOLIC. UNIVERSAL CHURCH. WE ARE CATHOLIC. WE ARE FAMILY. WELCOME HOME!

WEEKLY MASS SCHEDULE

Throughout the Diocese of Supe-rior there are a multitude of masses being live-streamed daily. Please go to our website at www.sspbandj.org or to the website of the DOS at www.catholicdos.org for complete listings.

St. Peter

St.. Boniface

St. Joseph

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Easter Vigil Luminaries

Cluster Administrative Office www.sspbandj.org 827 E. LaSalle Avenue • Barron, WI 54812 Phone: 715-637-3255 Fax: 715-637-3252 Email: sspbandj@outlook.com

Ministry Staff Fr. Bala Raju Policetty, Sacramental Minister…..715-292-8681 E-Mail………………………………………… . … bpolice@rediffmail.com Very Reverend John Gerritts …………………….Supervising Pastor Patty Gerber, Parish Director…………………………..715-642-2560 Email…………………………………………….pgerber4127@charter.net Office Staff Marsha Rheingans, Secretary/Bookkeeper Anne Stephens, Faith Formation Mindy Hamilton, Religious Education Coordinator THE CLUSTER ADMINISTRATION OFFICE IS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME DUE TO COVID-19. FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, HOURS OF WORK IN THE OFFICE WILL BE VERY MINIMAL. OUR STAFF IS WORKING ONLINE FROM HOME HOWEVER, TO REACH OUT, OFFER SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS AND TO MAKE SURE ALL NECESSARY BUSINESS TASKS ARE BEING TAKE CARE OF.

Sacraments Please contact Fr. Bala for information regarding Confession or Anointings of the Sick at this time. Many restrictions are now being enforced that prohibit face to face interaction, including the delivery of homebound communion.

STAY CONNECTED: With the suspension of public gatherings, let us continue to gather in spirit and prayer. Each day we are facing new changes and challenges, through this all, the love of God is always there. He hears our voices, he listens to our thoughts and hearts. Find comfort in this and in His word. Parish Email: If you would like to receive updates and parish notifications through email, send us your address through our websites email contacts page. www.sspbandj.org

NEED HELP? As we strongly encourage everyone to follow the “stay at home” orders, we also realize some of you may be in need of things out of your reach. Please contact Patty Gerber or Father Bala if you are in need of assistance in any way.

Though we cannot gather for public mass, Fr. Bala is celebrating private masses with intentions daily.

Thursday, April 16 An abundance of Grace during virus

Friday, April 17 Birthday blessings for Jean A.

Saturday, April 18 + Patricia Clutterham by Carol

Sunday, April 19 + Phillip Burak by Mom & Dad

Tuesday, April 21 + Judy Graf by Family

Wednesday, April 22 + Marjorie Abrahamson by France Family

Thursday, April 23 + John & Stella Dusinski by John & Lucy Plaza

Friday, April 24 + Bev Ebner by Robert

Saturday, April 25 + Ray & Dorothy Kramer by Ed & Jan

Sunday, April 26 + Christine & Irvin Hagen by Mary & Family

Parent tid-bit: Teach your child to say the Our

Father each time they wash their hands!

P R A Y E R F U L O P P O R T U N I T I E S

Please Pray For: All of our cluster parishioners in hospitals, at home and in the nursing

homes & for those in the Armed Forces. Especially for: Laura Johanson, Jackie Brohman, Ida Nevin, Declan Fisher, Judy Lentz, Joan Krug, Joyce Trotter, Darlene Townsend, Dc. Jim and Barb Dennis, Diane DeMars, Nancy Kukla, Jo Ann Lundequam, Sandy Garr, Marie Greenbush, Pam Luethi, Jim Haas, Doug Rutledge, Joan Fostvedt, Judi Peltier, Joe Puziewicz, Norma Licht, Joel Rivera, Carye Marach, Pat Lutz, Karen Burch, Allen Klingelhoets, Bob Anderson, Debbie Anderson, Barb Greene, Janice Flynn, Mike Haselhuhn, Betty Livingston, Kristina Chappell, Mary Weber, Shirley Richter, Jimmy Rippy, Dorothy

Wilson, Cece Nelson, Beckie Lipp, John Matisko, Dan Novak, Ceil Nelson, John Shimon, Elizabeth Vanlyll, Charlene Henk, Francis Richter, Dale Ferry, Steve Yourek & George Scott. To be added or removed, please contact the parish office.

Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.” At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love. Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care. Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another. Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders. Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow. Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eter-nal peace. Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace. Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace. Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth. Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace. Jesus Christ, heal us. Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

To make a spiritual Communion, you can pray the following prayer at the time of Com-munion if you are watching or listening to the Mass. You could also pray t as you come to

the end of a Rosary, time of prayer, ore reading of Scripture:

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot receive You at this moment

Sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never let me

be separated from You. Amen.

HOW TO PRAY THE MASS FROM HOME

Create a prayer altar under your TV or comput-er if you are streaming mass. Consider setting a crucifix of other sacred art in the prayer space as well as a bible open to the gospel of the day.

Light a candle to symbolize the light of the Church.

Get dressed as if you were attending mass in the church.

Set up a seating area.

If you have holy water at home, bless yourself and family.

Fully participate by standing, kneeling, sitting and responding accordingly.

Enjoy a family breakfast social following the mass with those who are with you or reach out by calling family or a friend.

My Lord and My God In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus on three occasions, ex-tends His Peace to His disciples, and showed them His hands and His Side. He sends them, as the Father sent Him. And He breathes on them, the Holy Spirit, giving them the authority to forgive sins. Jesus gave His disciples an incredible gift, and at the same time a tremendous responsibility to be instruments of His Divine Mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The words of absolution spoken to us by the priest in this Sac-rament of Divine Mercy is like a lotion or ointment, meant to heal, renew, and to restore us to excellent spiritual health. To Thomas, He invites to examine His hands and side, in

order that he may not continue in his unbelief, but believe. Jesus said to him: "You became a believer because you saw me. Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed." Through His Divine Mercy, Jesus invites us to examine His hands and His side and to believe, and to Trust in Him. As the world is full of doubters and unbelievers, this gospel is aimed at today’s readers and listeners, and we are reminded that we all have Thomas syndrome or doubting mentality of Thomas. Thomas was a faithful disciple, still he doubted the news about the Risen Lord. At one point or another in our life we all go through the Thomas Syndrome. When we doubt God’s love and ask for signs and confirmation, God does not abandon us. When crisis come, like when: we lost our loved ones, we have terri-ble illness, our marriage is on the edge of a breakup, we lost our job, or we get into an accident; we tend to blame God and enter into a period of doubt. Instead of hiding our doubts, we must do what Tomas did – bring those doubts to the Lord. When there is crisis of faith, turn to the Lord, instead of abandoning Him. The Lord will transform our doubts into beliefs. Let our prayer be Today, Tomorrow and Always, "JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!!!” And profess like St. Thomas: “My Lord and My God”. Devine Mercy Prayer: “For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world”. The very heart of Divine Mercy devotion is the figure of Jesus, the unblem-ished paschal lamb who has been sacrificed for our sake. The Mass is our act of remembrance of that moment. The Eucharist is our sacrament of mercy. In it we offer to God the body and blood, the soul and divinity of his dearly beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ in atonement for our sins and for the sins of the whole world. The great “Mercy Pope”, St John Paul II described divine mercy as God’s “Easter gift” to the world. Like Pope Francis, St John Paul II believed that mercy is the answer to the world’s problems. On this Divine Mercy Sunday, let us pray for “miracles of mercy” to happen in our own lives and in the lives of all and pray the Devine mercy prayer: “Have mercy, on us, on our country, and on the whole world”. May the merciful Lord bless you all. Amen.

Father Bala

C L U S T E R N E W S

Please feel free to hold on to your “Love Your Neighbor” collection bags. Fill these up as you are able and drop them of at your local food pantry.

RUMMAGE SALE ITEMS—DROP OFF FOR ALL PARISHES

Cleaning out your closets?? We are taking donations for future rummage sales on Wednesdays at St. Peters. Drop off your bagged or boxed items outside the garage, under the garage awning, on Wednesdays. Bags should be marked with your home parish on them and will be deliv-ered to the appropriate sale. Note there will not be an attendant to receive items—just drop them

Food Pantry & Rummage Sale Items

Thank you! for your continued

financial support!

Today for Tomorrow - helping your local parish maintain a stable offertory during

the COVID-19 crisis.

Your contributions are

vital to your parishes.

PLEASE continue to mail in

your offertory envelopes/

contributions to the parish

office at this time at:

827 E LaSalle Ave

Barron, WI 54812

Online donations can be

made to the parish of your

choice online through a

link on our website as well.

Though our bills will be

slightly smaller without much

activity in the parishes, we are

still in need of donations to

maintain the building and

general business operations.

ST BONIFACE ST PETER ST JOSEPH ABVM

Luminaries 635 800 290 280

Ash Wednesday 10

Holy Thursday 125 65 60 20

Good Friday 125 65 90 20

Easter Flowers 25 30

Easter 1430 980 890 95

Cath. Home Missions 40 20 70 100

Rice Bowl 80 10 100 100

Mar 22 Offerings 397 875 175 15

Mar 29 Offerings 417 860 735 105

Apr 5 Offerings 710 1950 1029 510

Apr 12 Offerings 504 1525 1015 465

Bldg Maintenance 215 485 140

Cath. World Missions (Going

to Fr. Bala's Home Diocese) 90 150 295

Catholic Service Appeal 40

First Offering/Env. Pmt. 5

Catholic Herald 20 25

Catholic Schools 10

Black & Native 25 10

Gifts 25 76

TOTAL $4793 $7920 $4954 $1786

Attitude of Gratitude

Thank you for all the food that was donated to the Cameron Food Pantry. It will all be dispersed to our neighbors to no school, we are being hit hard. So we thank all the wonderful people who donated. - Cameron Food Pantry, Sandy Post Thank you very much for all the food and other items that youdonat-ed to the Barron Area Food Pantry. We continue to serve more fami-lies every month so your support is greatly appreciated. Again, many thanks. God Bless All of You. – Lynne Hanse