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Join us TWICE a day as we pray the Liturgy of the Hours, Morning Prayer and Night Prayer!
Morning prayer will be posted beginning at 6 AM each Monday-Friday and night prayer will be posted beginning at 7:30 PM each Monday-Friday night. We hope you will consider joining us and adding these beautiful prayers to your day!
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Religious Education & Sacramental Preparation Updates
REMINDER Formation Registration for 2021-2022
In collaboration again with St. Raphael's Cathedral and St. Patrick's Church, we will be offering formation program options for grades 1-8 in the 2021-2022 year:
- a classroom model (social distancing) during the school year on Wednesday evenings at Holy Ghost, with online offerings as needed;
- a home school program through Loyola Press using the Finding God series. The program includes online tests after the completion of certain segments. In addition, there will be an occasional large group session during the year.
 ACTION ITEM: In order for us to plan appropriately, please register your students for classes as soon as possible. You may register online at: www.myschoolsystems.com/ArchDBQ/DBQ059/registration.php?who=student, email dbq059ff@dbqarch.org, or call the parish office.
Sacramental Preparation Registration
If you have an incoming 2nd grader (in either Holy Family or Dubuque Community Schools) or an incoming 9th grader, your student(s) may be eligible to receive their First Reconciliation/First Communion or Confirmation, respectively. Please register them today so we can prepare materials for their upcoming preparation!
ACTION ITEM: Register your students for their sacraments at this link: www.myschoolsystems.com/ArchDBQ/DBQ059/registration.php?who=student. If your student will not participate in Religious Education simply register for sacramental prep only. All families MUST register for sacramental preparation regardless of where they attend school.
Catechists Needed! Can you help?
The Religious Education program is in need of catechists for the upcoming year. Classes are scheduled on Wednesday evenings at Holy Ghost School from 6:30- 7:45 PM. The program runs from September 8th through April 27th. Compensation provided. If interested contact Jan Thyne at dbq54ff@dbqarch.org or Cassie Schetgen at dbq59ff@dbqarch.org.
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FORMation Inspiration with FORMED.org
Not yet on FORMED?
1. Visit http://signup.formed.org/.
2. Enter our parish’s zip code or name.
3. Enter your name and email. |
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A Note from Patrick, Director of Worship
Schedules
New Fall schedules, Sept-Nov 2021, are live and posted! Please review and let me know if you still have updates; as always, please help find sub-requests for the times you are unable to serve. Copies of the schedule may be found in the church sacristies, parish office, and the parish website under the Ministry-MSP-Schedules. To those without access to the internet I will be mailing out hard copies; everyone please let me know if you ever want a hard copy and I will send them to you. I will return to the old practice of leaving hard copies in the back of the church. Starting in September Sign-in sheets will return to the church sacristy.
**Growing our Liturgical Ministries**
As you can see, please, we are in need of more volunteers for all the ongoing ministries. Please take some time to pray about whether or not volunteering your time for any ministry would be of interest to you or a way for you to share your gifts of time and talent. If interested, need more information, or if you have any questions, please contact Director of Worship, Patrick Jekanowski at DBQ059S@dbqarch.org (563) 583-1709, ext.313.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion:
Please let me know if you still need to be recommissioned by Father Steve. This may be done before or after Mass on the weekend, or during the week. After this blessing, we will get you the official certificate. Thank you!
Many prayers and blessings to you and yours,
Patrick J.
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Sunday Reflection from Father Steve Garner
Reflection | 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
 This weekend we return to the Gospel of Mark after a five-week detour into the Gospel of John and the ‘Bread of Life Discourse’. The message posited before us in this weekend’s readings is ripe with challenges for us to look deep into our hearts—as individuals, as a parish, and as a Church.
In our Gospel, Jesus challenges the Pharisees (and us) to see that faith practice, while important, is not just something we do without any thought. Quoting the Prophet Isaiah, Jesus says, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts." At the core of this Scripture passage, we hear once again that what Jesus longs for more than anything else is a place in our lives. He does not just want empty promises or lip service, or people just going through the motions. What He desires most is to have a central place in our hearts—just as He has for us. For all who call themselves Christian, we are not just called to be a part of a greater whole in Christ, but that the greater whole (of Christ) becomes a growing and larger part of our life.
I was taught in the seminary that every night we should make an examination of conscience, which is a look back through the day to see what I did or failed to do under the circumstances of my life to grow closer to Christ. This was not simply an exercise to identify sins of omission and commission but to ask why. Why did I respond this way or that way in this circumstance? What prompts me to this or that emotion, statement, or comment? Are there issues that are unresolved in my heart that keep me from fully committing my life and myself to the Lord? We may not like to look so deeply within, because it challenges us to change and to move forward in faith to become a better person. That continues to take commitment, and sometimes it is difficult to muster that commitment.
The second reading from the Letter of James tells us that we must humbly welcome the Word of God that is planted in our hearts, and to be doers of the word, not hearers only. We are called to care for widows and orphans as a sign of our faith, to care for all who stand in need; for we care not just for a brother or sister, but we care for Christ himself. And we, for the most part, do so admirably. As a part of the greater whole of Christ, we reach out to many in need through our individual acts of charity, through the many ministries and charities supported through the parish, and through the Church as a whole. In doing so, we allow Christ to become a larger part of our lives as well. May we continue to honor our Lord with our hearts as well as with our lips.
I wish everyone a blessed week!
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TOGETHER is a monthly bulletin from the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
Each month, TOGETHER will feature messages from Archbishop Jackels as well as initiatives and happenings from around the archdiocese.
Click on the link above to read the most recent edition.
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Prayer for the week
Let us pray with intention this week for our students returning to classes!
Prayer to Begin a School Year
Blessed are you, Lord God,
Creator of body and mind and heart;
you have sent the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge
to guide your people in all their ways.
At the beginning of this new school year
we implore your mercy:
bless students, teachers, and staff
that together we may grow in faith, hope, and love
as we learn from you and each other
how to follow your Son, Jesus.
Expand the horizons of our minds,
that we may grow in wisdom,
understanding, and knowledge;
deepen our commitment to seek the truth of your ways;
and enliven our faith to reach out to those in need.
Glory and praise to you, Lord God,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever.
Amen
Prayer is taken from the Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, Revised Edition (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2007), USCCB 300
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Enjoy the latest edition of the Family Matters newsletter here!
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A message to the faithful of the archdiocese from Archbishop Michael Jackels ...
