September 24, 2020
“Offer it up.”
(Mary Ann Kitzke, to her complaining son, Tim)
Dear Friends,
Needless to say these past months have provided ample opportunity for offering things that are difficult, “up.”
With the Covid-19 pandemic still perplexing us, with the issues of race and class and justice and inequity, with politics roaring to a November election that sad to say is bringing out the limited in all of us, with violence and disrespect and judgment and prejudgment, with no seeming end in sight to division sometimes as close to us as the person sitting across the dinner table from us… Enough to offer up until the 3020 election and beyond.
But our readings this Sunday shake us up. We might have to offer things “up,” but that makes no sense unless we remember that our God is One who offered things “down.” The investment God made in His beloved creation by sending His Son down here with us is, happy to say, unfounded in past “divinities.” St. Paul prefigures what his pal St. Athanasius would later say—God became one of us so that we could become God-like.
So dear friends, in all of the offering up you have to do these days, realize we stand in a great tradition. Our offering up, even of a hang-nail, now has amazing power if joined to Jesus, whose self-offering set the standard and guaranteed its victory!
Have a great week—offer things up, and be filled with Jesus!
Video Mass for Sunday, September 27th. Here is the recorded Mass for this upcoming Sunday (the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time). We provide a worship aid to help you better enter into the prayer of the Mass. Please know that we will continue these recorded Masses indefinitely. We are so grateful to DV Productions, our Liturgists Mary Robertson and Brian Eggers, and our music ministers for their efforts in making our prayer as beautiful as possible.
FREE Flu Clinic. We are blessed to be able to offer our parishioners and neighbors (ages 18+) a FREE Flu Clinic this year, as sponsored by Ascension Health and our parish nurse, Ms. Brenda Buchanan! Please join us on Friday, October 2nd, from 8:30 am - 10:00 am in the back yard of the Three Holy Women Parish Office (1716 N Humboldt Ave). You may park in the small lot behind the church or you can find street parking. This is an OUTDOOR event. Masks are required. All CDC and Ascension safety protocols will be followed. You do not need to reserve your spot, but if you'd like to let us know that you're coming, please email Laura Hancock at hancockl@archmil.org. Let's stay well, Family of Four!
Faithful Citizenship. As we are now about 5 weeks before November's election, we will be sharing one resource each week to support your engagement with the upcoming election. This week, please read the attached letter from the Bishops of Wisconsin, including Archbishop Listecki. In this letter, the example of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul) is highlighted as a person who engaged the fullness of being an engaged and faithful citizen.
Virtual Food Drive. Let’s see if we can meet our goal during these final days of September to support the virtual food drive for the Riverwest Food Pantry! Contributions can be made at yougivegoods.com/familyoffourparishes-september. Thank you for being a part of this community of generosity!
St. Vincent de Paul. Our Family of Four Parishes supports two conferences of St. Vincent de Paul. Our Six Saints Conference continues its ministry to our neighbors by offering various household items, furniture, and vouchers to people in need. Donations of physical items or monetary donations are accepted. Please reach out to Laura Hancock at hancockl@archmil.org for more information. Also, the Cathedral of St. John/Old St. Mary Joint Conference of SVdP is continuing to support our neighbors by mailing food vouchers to their regular recipients. If you would like to make a financial contribution to this ministry, please mail your donation to: St. Vincent de Paul Society, Cathedral of St. John/Old St. Mary Conference, 833 N Van Buren St, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Thank you!
Parish Financial Support. We continue to be humbled by your financial support of the parish during these tender and tenuous times. Thank you so much, it has been amazing to witness the generosity of so many! Please mail in your envelopes and contributions to our parish office (Old St. Mary Parish, 835 N Milwaukee St, Milwaukee, WI 53202), and our parish staff will process these.
Please do not hesitate to contact me (Cell: 414-762-7986; kitzket@archmil.org) or Fr. John (Cell: 414-305-3824; baumgardnerj@archmil.org) if you need anything! Be assured of our love and prayers.
Sincerely, with love,
Fr. Tim
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