Readings for the Week of March 18, 2018

Sunday: Jer 31:31-34/Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15 [12a]/Heb 5:7-9/Jn 12:20-33 Scrutiny: Ez 37:12-14/Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8/Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 [7]/Rom 8:8-11/Jn 11:1-45 or Jn 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45 Mon: 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16/Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29 [37]/Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22/Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Lk 2:41-51a Tues: Nm 21:4-9/Ps 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21 [2]/Jn 8:21-30 Wed: Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95/Dn 3: 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 [52b]/Jn 8:31-42 Thurs: Gn 17:3-9/Ps 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 [8a]/Jn 8:51-59 F: Jer 20:10-13/Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7 [cf. 7]/Jn 10:31-42 Sat: Ez 37:21-28/Jer 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13 [cf. 10d]/Jn 11:45-56 Next Sunday: Mk 11:1-10 Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 [2a]/Phil 2:6-11/Mk 14:1-15:47 or 15:1-39

Website: www.stmaxkolbe.org

Bulletin Submission: bulletin@stmaxkolbe.org Father Peter Manickam, Pastor mpmgm60@gmail.com

Parish Office: (715) 824-3380

Parish Secretary — Angie Sturzl 715-824-3380

angie@stmaxkolbe.org Financial Secretary — Doreen Krusick 715-824-3380 Liturgical Ministry –Sharon Christensen 715-281-7784

Pastoral Council — JoAnn Doyle 715-824-2011 Scott Hintz 715-572-7420 Finance Council — Pam Zinda 715-366-2185 Dennis Fay 715-824-5075

Building & Grounds Committee — Leo Gonnering 571-243-0250 Parish Council of Catholic Women — Sherry Fay 920-636-5010 Pro-Life Committee — Cindy Gresl 920-566-2305 Elizabeth Ministry — Jennifer Hendrix 715-344-3099 Family Life Committee — Tasha Shurpit Prayer Chain — Helen Buckholt 920-622-4461 Judy Scholler 920-765-0419 Sacred Steps Program — Jane Bauer 715-258-9563 SCRIP — Terri Hoerter 715-340-9816 Social Media-Betty Gonnering 703- 509-5180

Knights of Columbus —Bob Elwood 715-310-4374

Meditation Garden — Peggy Root 715-498-1597

Religious Education (CCD) — Kim Auer 715-252-8745

Confirmation Program — Jeremiah Auer 715-281-9825 Guardian Angels Cemetery — Ken Trzebiatowski 715-498-6066 Hope Cemetery (Heffron) — Sharon Lorenz 715-366-4557 St. Martin Cemetery — Tom Guth 366-4104 St. Patrick Cemetery — Helen Helbach 715-824-5880

March 17-18, 2018 | www.stmaxkolbe.org | Season of Lent

St. Maximilian Kolbe A Catholic Church in Rural Southeastern Portage County, WI

8611 State Highway 54 • Almond, WI 54909

Go and do likewise... Luke 10:37

WHY DO WE DO THAT? CATHOIC FAITH EXPLAINED Question: Lent always seems to help me renew my relationship with God and strengthen my religious practice. Do you have any suggestions as to what I could do to achieve that the rest of the year? Answer: The obvious answer may seem to be to do whatever you do during Lent all year round. But part of the power of Lent is that we focus as a community on renewing our faith and preparing for Easter. Our Lenten practices have a purpose and a goal. Therein lies the secret. When we focus our efforts on one virtue, or try to change one bad habit, or seek to deepen our understanding of one aspect of faith, we focus our efforts and give our full attention to what we are trying to accomplish. We tend to be more successful achieving our goals. More importantly, it has a ripple effect in our lives: one thing changes or is added to the spiritual mix of our lives and many aspects are changed. All too often we leave our spiritual growth to chance and the practice of faith to habit, and then wonder why we have no sense of growth or progress. Think of it in terms of exercise. We walk, lift weights, bend and stretch to attain the maximum benefit from what we do. In addition, to keep those benefits, we eat healthful food and get enough vitamins and rest. Spirituality requires the same kind of attention: we pray, fast, read the Bible, receive sacraments, and do charitable work to maximize the benefits of practicing faith. Keeping Lent year round keeps us in spiritual shape!

FATHER’S CORNER Dear loving parishioners! Love and Peace of Christ! "I made a difference for that one." “The Star Thrower” – a story by Loren Eiseley (1907-1977), from the book Unexpected Universe): One day, a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?" The boy replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going down. If I don't throw them back, they'll die." "Son," the man said, "don't you realized there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference!" After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, "See, I made a difference for that one." "The Star Thrower" is a classic story of the power within each one of us to make a difference in the lives of others. Lent's fifth Sunday’s readings present us with a challenge: Just as Jesus became the ‘Promised Messiah of Glory’ and the ‘Conquering Son of Man’ by offering his life for others, we too must possess heaven by dying to self and spending our lives in self-giving, sacrificial service. Life messages: 1) New life and eternal life are possible only by the death of the self through suffering and service. Salt delivers its taste by dissolving in water; a candle gives light by melting its wax. The oyster produces a priceless pearl by a long and painful process. Loving parents sacrifice themselves so that their children can enjoy a better life than they themselves have had. Let us pray for this self-sacrificial spirit, especially during Lent. May God Bless You!! -Father Peter

St. Max’s CCD Communal Penance Service St. Max’s CCD communal penance service will be on Wednesday, March 21st at 6pm.

2 | St. Maximilian Kolbe Church

This Week’s Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays

Denise Widder 3/18 Katrina Shurpit 3/18

Ariel Avery 3/19 Anna Doyle 3/19

Peter Markowski 3/20

Tyler Patoka 3/21 Steven Martinez 3/22 John Jagoditsh 3/22 Mason Manske 3/22

Anniversaries Rick & Diane Yeska 3/18

Kirk & Shelley Helbach 3/20 Jeremy & Andrea Firkus 3/24 Chris & Amy Peterson 3/24

Please Remember these

Parishioners in your daily prayers!

New Parishioners We welcome you to our parish family. If you wish to join our parish, you may register by calling the parish office.

Marriage Arrangements Arrangements must be made at least six months in advance. Please call the parish office for an appointment.

Baptism Please call the parish office prior to the birth of your child.

Sacrament of the Sick Please call the parish office at 824-3380.

Mass Intentions Please submit Mass Intentions to the parish office or call 715.824.3380.

Please call the parish office before coming in to the church. Office hours will vary, and we would hate for you to come and no one be here.

Office Hours Tues, Wed & Thurs: 9am-1pm Tues, Wed: 4:30-6:30pm

Saturday, March 24

7:00 pm

Servers: Laura & Kaleb Krupka Reader: Sharon Kurzynski Usher Captain: Diane Z. Eucharistic Ministers: Mary S., Sharon K., Alan B., Jane B.

Sunday, March 25 8:30 am Servers: Austin Z., Matt S., Carson Z. Reader: Dan McDowell Usher Captain: Randy Krusick Eucharistic Ministers: Dan M., Joan B., Doreen K., Nila P.

Sunday, March 25 10:00 am Servers: Jeremiah A., Grace A., Anna A., Harlee K. Reader: Kathy Glinski Usher Captain: Pat Peskie Eucharistic Ministers: Kathy G., Sharon C., Melanie D.

St. Maximilian Kolbe Church | 3

Your Financial Support for 3/11/2018 Adult Envelopes 3630 .00 Offertory: 240.64 Maintenance & Repairs: 7.00 Building project 50.00 Vigil Candles 110.00 Total: 4,037.64

Liturgical Ministers/Servers Please sign up to help out with the Holy Week Services and Masses. There is a sign up sheet located at the ministries station in the gathering space. Thank you for all that you do!!

Lenten Mission Retreat Second Collection We will be taking up a second collection THIS weekend for the wonderful parish mission retreat we had this past week. If you would like to donate, please make checks payable to St. Maximilian Kolbe parish. Thank you for your generosity!!

Social Hall Update

The steering committee was overwhelmed with the response to the recent survey for the social hall. Over 30% response was collected, which generally averages 10%. Thank you to all that participated in the survey. The committee has completed a preliminary review of the survey and are moving forward to acquire cost estimates for each phase of the project. After we have obtained this information, we will be holding an all parish informational meeting. We are committed to including everyone's interests & opinions on the project. We look forward to working through this project, hoping to bring our parish families closer in faith and harmony with the Lord. Any questions, please feel free to contact Chris Barden (rob_cri40@yahoo.com) or any committee member.

Diocese of La Crosse Sesquicentennial Anniversary Books “Feed my Lambs” books are now available! There is a book in the gathering space if you would like to look at it before purchasing. The price for each book is $35.00. If you would like to purchase one or more books, please contact the parish office at 715.824.3380.

St. Max Has A Facebook Page! Our parish Facebook page is officially up and running! It is a great resource to stay up to date with events, and bible verses will be shared daily for reflection. Search for St Maximilian Kolbe on Facebook and like and share our page to help build a space for our community to come together.

Operation Bootstrap —April 8th The collection for Operation Bootstrap will be moved to Sunday, April 8th. Please bring your items in on this date. Thank you for your generosity!!

What’s Happening in Your Neighborhood?

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St. Patrick’s Day Ham Dinner Sunday, March 18th Serving 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Adults: $10.00 and Children:$4.00 Menu: ham, mashed potatoes/gravy, baked beans, corn, coleslaw, pickles, rolls, cake/pie, milk/coffee. Each family is asked to donate the following: 2 large pies: apple, lemon, pecan, pumpkin or any berry. We are known for our homemade pies! Also, families with the last names: A - M: 1/2 gallon of milk (not skim) N - T: 1 stick of salted butter U - Z: One 15 oz. can of whole kernel corn (no creamed or frozen corn) Proceeds from the Dinner will go toward the Social Hall Building Project! We would greatly appreciate your donations for the Country Store: breads, rolls, baked goods, canned goods, jams, jellies and assorted crafts are needed. Questions for this, contact JoAnn Doyle at 715-340-0725. Questions? Contact Pat Heidger at 715.459.4931 or Mary 715.340.7217.

St. Max’s KC Breakfast Our next KC breakfast will be on Sunday, March 25th. Serving starts at 9am. Please join us!!

St. Maximilian Kolbe and St Peregrine Shrine Trip—May 4th & 5th It’s time to think Spring and join us on our next parish pilgrimage. We will start at St. Maximilian Kolbe Shrine in Marytown located in Libertyville, Illinois. We will be staying overnight at the retreat house on site. Our second day will take us to Chicago where we will visit the National Shrine of St Peregrine (On his feast day!), the Patron Saint of Cancer Patients. If you recall, we were presented last spring with a relic of St. Peregrine. Please mark your calendars for this date and plan to join us. The cost is $175 per adult. The student rate is $88. No one will be turned away, so do not let cost keep you from joining us. IMPORTANT, there is a limited number of 35 spaces available, so sign up as soon as you can. Registration forms can be found in the gathering space. Any questions, call/text Mary at 715-340-7217 or email sheacasL4@gmail.com

April PCCW Meeting April 5th 6:30-8:30 pm “Creating a Sacred Space in your garden or on your Deck or Patio” Please join us on April 5th for a program by Lynn Caine, Master Gardener. Lynn will be presenting a power point presentation full of great ideas to turn a special spot in your yard into a sacred space. Join us!

Parish Weekly Schedule and Mass Intention Offerings Saturday, March 17 St. Patrick 9:00 a.m. Choir Practice 6:15 p.m.-6:45 p.m. Confessions 7:00 p.m. MASS:+Eileen Danczyk By Bill & Darlene Sommers

Sunday, March 18 Fifth Sunday of Lent 7:45 a.m.-8:15 a.m. Confessions 8:30 a.m. MASS: For the People of St. Max’s 10:00 a.m. MASS:+Jeanette Patoka By Sister Mary Catherine 6:30 p.m. Adoration

Monday, March 19 St. Joseph NO MASS

Tuesday, March 20 5:00 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration/Stations 6:00 p.m. MASS: Blessings for Crosby St. Marie By the Mongan Family

Wednesday, March 21 8:00 a.m. MASS:+Irene C. Lella 6:00 p.m. CCD Classes

Thursday, March 22 8:00 a.m. MASS:+Julian Wierzba By B.J. & Carla Turzinski *Parish Breakfast Club Meets at Area Restaurant

Friday, March 23 St. Turibius of Mogrovejo 8:00 a.m. MASS:+Ann Barden By Jessy Wolosek

Saturday, March 24 9:00 a.m. Choir Practice 6:15 p.m.-6:45 p.m. Confessions 7:00 p.m. MASS:+Edward & Jacqueline Mroczenski by the Smith & Pliska Families

Sunday, March 25 Palm Sunday of the Lord 7:45 a.m.-8:15 a.m. Confessions 8:30 a.m. MASS:+Kathryn O’Malley By Dave & Peggy Root 10:00 a.m. MASS: For the People of St. Max’s 6:30 p.m. Adoration

Holy Thursday, March 29th Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7pm (no morning Mass)

Good Friday, March 30th 12:30 pm & 7:00 pm (no morning Mass)

Holy Saturday, March 31st Easter Vigil at 8pm (no 7pm Mass)

Easter Sunday Masses, April 1st 8:30 am & 10:00 am