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Continue your journey with The Search on FORMED.Org!
Watch the next episode NOW!
How do I access this man who lived 2,000 years ago? How do I live this call of love? We uniquely encounter the love of God in his Church. But really? The Church? There are so many negative views of the Church. It’s out of touch. It’s full of bad people. It’s just too boring. Maybe when we say “the Church” we mean a little more. The Church is the family of God that’s been lovingly gathered through our entire story. It’s the place where we were meant to encounter his grace that prepares us for every step of life. The God that is love knows how we’re made—material and spiritual—and we need tangible ways to live our faith. We can’t be spiritual but not religious. This is where we’ll find ultimate happiness in life. This is where the God that has been seeking humanity, who wrote the deepest desires onto our human hearts, encounters us. Jesus’ first words to humanity in the Gospel of John are “what do you seek?” The one that asked the question not only knows the answer—he is the answer. The answers to everything. And you find him most profoundly here in his Church.
Access Episode #1 at FORMED.org. Not signed up on FORMED.org? Visit FORMED.org/signup and search for our parish by name or Zip code.
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FORMation Inspiration with FORMED.org
---> Not yet on FORMED?
- Visit http://signup.formed.org/.
- Enter our parish’s zip code or name.
- Enter your name and email.
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Annual Knights of Columbus Baby Shower
The Knights of Columbus Councils #510,10069,5513 and 15813 will be hosting their 16th Annual Baby Shower. The Baby Shower will run from February 17 - April 4. All donations will be given to Birthright. Donations can be placed in the baby crib on display at Holy Spirit Parish church sites. A list of requested items (diapers, newborn outfits, blankets, etc.) will be available in the cribs. Please be generous.
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Religious Education & Sacramental Prep Updates
Religious Education
Next Wednesday, February 17th is Ash Wednesday. The usual Mass our students attend is the 6:30pm at Holy Ghost, but you may attend whatever Mass time works best for your whole family. Masks and social distancing are required at all parish Masses. Here is a link to where you can find all the Ash Wednesday Mass times for the parishes in our area. We will NOT have class on February 24th due to conferences. Please contact Cassie at dbq059ff@dbqarch.org if you have any questions.
First Eucharist Preparation
We have begun studying the student workbook for First Eucharist with Chapter 1 this week! Please pray for all of our parishioners preparing for this Sacrament! If you have any questions please contact her at dbq059ff@dbqarch.org.
Confirmation Session
Our next session is scheduled for this upcoming Sunday, Feb. 14th at 10:30am in the Holy Ghost church basement (in person). Your Confirmation name paper should be submitted by that morning to Cassie via email. If you have any questions please contact her at dbq059ff@dbqarch.org.
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A Note from Patrick, Director of Worship
Dear All,
I hope you and your families continue to be in good health! What a blessing to be able to come together to celebrate Mass! Since many ministers are staying home for various legitimate health and safety reasons this means many of you are serving each week to help; please know how grateful I am for all of you who are serving every week! We are all in this together and will take it week by week . We are staying the course with the same number of ministers through February and March. Lectors will continue to read through the first reading, psalm, and second reading. All volunteers, Especially Ushers/greeters, please wear your mask fully over your nose. It is of the utmost importance to set a good example of the safety protocols to ensure everyone’s health and well-being.
Ash Wednesday is next week! For all ministers the duties will remain the same, no need to worry about extra things; Father Steve, Deacons and staff will help serve with the distribution of Ashes by walking to each person individually like the Eucharist on Sundays using a cu-tip (no physical contact). The next schedule for Lent 2021 is Live, (February 6th - March 28th), please let me know if you need to update your preferences or schedule, and I will update the schedules. As always, copies of the schedule can be found via MSP, the parish website, along with hard copies in the sacristy of each church and parish office. For those that have no computer access I will mail hard copies. Please let me know if you would like me to add you to my mailing list. We have assembled a Lent 2021 Flyer with all in important parish information—many opportunities in person and virtually for faith formation and devotions including: Liturgy of the Hours, Stations of the Cross, Adoration Holy Hours, and more! A copy will be mailed to each household and will be shared digitally. If you are unable to make your Mass time, please click on sub request and/or let me know at least 2 days in advance. For all ministers across the board please be at least 20-30 minutes early to Mass. Especially in these trying times, thank you for all your continued service to Holy Spirit Parish. As Father Steve and I do all that we can to maintain the guidelines set forth by the Archdiocese and Archbishop Michael, we thank you for your patience and understanding!
Ash Wednesday 2021 Masses: 7:30 AM (SH), 12:10 PM (HG), 5:30 PM (HT), 6:30 PM (HG). Please let me know if you are available to serve as lector or Usher/Greeter for any of these Masses. Lent Flyer on its way! Thank you.
Notes on MSP emails and App: I know there are issues with the new MSP emails; please double check all inboxes as these emails sometimes go to other inboxes. If an email is delivered to the Promotions tab, you can click and drag it to the primary inbox. Once you move one message, the others will no longer be marked as promotions so they will go to the primary inbox! The phone app has been updated! To access the updated app, volunteers should click Update for the MSP app in the App Store or Google Play and then click Open. Doing so will allow you to regain access to your account. If for any reason they do not get access, please simply close and reopen the app, or click the “reload” link if they experience an error code.
Many prayers and blessings to you and yours,
Patrick J.
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Sunday Reflection from Father Steve Garner
Reflection | Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time | February 14, 2021
Several times in Scripture we hear about Jesus remaining in deserted places outside a city or village and of how people would keep coming to Him from everywhere. It seems nothing could stop the crowds from gathering. Men, women, and children traveled from near and far to find Jesus. Even when He was not easily accessible, even when He was in deserted places that were probably remote (hard to find and not welcoming to weary pilgrims) they found Him. Word had spread quickly about the miraculous healing of the leprous man as well as so many others. And people wanted to know what this was all about. Undoubtedly, once they found Jesus, they knew that this was no ordinary man. Yes, He had the power to cure illnesses and drive out demons. But more than that, He had the power to change hearts. His words of compassion and mercy and the actions that backed them up must have caused many to experience some type of conversion during those encounters in the deserted places.
Whether it was simple curiosity or profound faith that led all of those people to find Jesus, we’ll never know. It was most likely some of both. But regardless of the motivation, once they found Him, everyone could see Jesus for who He really was. Although we don’t have the opportunity to see Him in person, we do have the chance to search for Jesus and to find Him. Sometimes, He may seem remote. Maybe we don’t automatically feel His presence. Perhaps, when times are tough, we wonder where He is hiding. But when we persevere in our journey by praying, reading the Bible, and receiving the sacraments, we too can find the Lord. And as we bring our needs to Him, Jesus will be “moved with pity” for us as well--and will extend to us the healing love that has transformed so many hearts throughout Christian history.
A reminder that Lent begins with Ash Wednesday this week. Please check the bulletin or our web site for Mass times and locations.
I wish everyone a blessed weekend!
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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 January edition.
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Prayer Resources
ONLINE MASS (Pre-recorded)
Opportunities for online Mass with the Archbishop will continue to be available. Click the button below for the broadcast schedule.
DAILY PRAYER RESOURCES
Please visit these websites for resources for your daily prayer life or other prayer opportunities:
TELEVISED MASS TIMES
Click HERE and enter your zip code to view where you can find televised Mass times and channels.
FAMILY RESOURCES
Please refer to the Archdiocesan webpage for family resources during COVID-19.
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Prayer and Intention for the Week
Let us pray with intention this week for the vocation of Marriage.
February 14 is World Marriage Day!
Prayer for Married Couples
Almighty and eternal God,
You blessed the union of married couples
so that they might reflect the union of Christ
with his Church:
look with kindness on them.
Renew their marriage covenant,
increase your love in them,
and strengthen their bond of peace
so that, with their children,
they may always rejoice in the gift of
your blessing.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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Enjoy the latest edition of the Family Matters newsletter here!
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Recent Updates & Reminders
REQUIRED for attending Mass at Holy Spirit
Masks are REQUIRED to attend Mass at Holy Spirit Parish. If you do not have a mask, there are some available at the church entrances. Also, as the number of Mass attendees increases there is a chance we may need to turn people away so as to maintain recommended social distancing guidelines.
Parish Office Closure
Due to COVID-19, the Parish Office will remain closed to walk-ins for your health and the health of our staff. We will still keep reduced office hours (8am-noon, Monday-Friday) for the time being, so if you need to speak with someone, please call 563-583-1709 and we will be happy to help! If you have something to turn in to the office, please place it inside the front storm door at the parish office in the locked depository box on the left under the shelf. We will retrieve items during business hours.
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Guidelines for Attending Mass at Holy Spirit Parish
Please review the following guidelines implemented for the celebration of public Mass until further notice.
- All (including children) must wear masks before, during, and following Mass (while in church/parking lot areas). The CDC recommends children under the age of two do not wear a mask; please refrain from bringing children under the age of two to Mass until restrictions have been lifted.
- Seating will be limited; please sit only in open (untaped/unroped) pews minding social distancing guidelines; please do not disturb, change placement of or remove blue tape or rope on pews
- Once pews are filled we will be at capacity and admittance will cease, pews may not be held or saved for others
- Families or those living in the same household may sit together in a pew; if room permits, others may enter the same pew IF proper distance is available. Families living in different households must maintain proper social distancing guidelines.
- Church pews, handrails, kneelers, door handles, high use areas, etc. will be sanitized after each Mass
- Holy Water fonts and cisterns will be remain empty
- Sanitizer will be available at all church entrances
- Rest rooms (in churches) will be available and sanitized following Mass
- Church halls (Kriebs, Terence, and Paraclete) will be CLOSED during Mass, including the rest rooms located in those halls
- All printed materials (including the bulletins) will be removed from churches, please refer to the parish website to view the weekly bulletin
- There will be no missalettes or music issues available for use in pews
- Social distancing must be observed (at least six feet apart) in church and parking lot areas
- Please refrain from singing during Mass
- There will be no (or very limited) liturgical ministers
- Please refrain from greeting or gathering before and/or after Mass in church and/or parking lot areas
- There will be no collection during Mass, collection boxes will be placed at church entrances
- There will be no offertory/gift procession
- Please avoid physical contact during the Our Father and Sign of Peace
- Only the Precious Body will be offered at Communion and placed only in the hand (not on the tongue)
- There will be no distribution of the Precious Blood
- Logistics are still being considered for each location concerning the distribution of Holy Communion. NOTE: Priests will begin by bringing Communion to the people in the pews and adjust if need be as we proceed.
Please keep in mind these other important points when considering attending Mass:
- The coronavirus is still with us. Following social distancing guidelines in regard to gathering for a liturgy or a devotional in church will result in less space, reducing greatly the number of people who can attend.
- Dispensation from the obligation to participate in Sunday Mass and holy days will remain in effect until further notice, most likely until a vaccine is available.
- Please refrain from attending if you are sick, were recently sick (in the past 14 days), or have an underlying medical condition; or, if you are concerned about contracting COVID-19 or live with or care for someone who is at higher risk due to underlying medical conditions or advanced age, or is sick. Additionally, those who are frail due to advanced age, are under the age of two, and those who work in a high risk profession should abstain from attending Mass.
- Daily Mass will be offered each day (regular schedule) with the same restrictions.
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