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Greetings Holy Spirit Parish!
Welcome to the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary time!


We continue to pray for our parishioners and an end to the COVID pandemic.

Our new livestream experience will begin

Ash Wednesday, February 17th with the 7:30am Mass at Sacred Heart!

Watch your mail for the 2021 Lenten Flyer along with a contribution envelope for the Parish Almsgiving Project and a tip sheet on ways to stay connected as we continue through the COVID pandemic. Click below for a sneak peek at the flyer and all of the wonderful offerings this Lenten season!
2021 Lent Flyer
A New Message from Archbishop Jackels








Here’s the deal, Parker: I’m asking Catholics in the Archdiocese of Dubuque to recite a prayer to St. Joseph (see below) on the 19th of the month, from March through November - a novena of 19s - for charity, unity, and humility in our Church, and in our Country:

The charity to love those on the other side of any issue as brothers and sisters in the Lord, such that others will comment – see how they love one another!

The unity that comes from forgiving and giving to anyone, everyone, even an enemy, especially an enemy, according to the teaching and example of Jesus.

The humility to acknowledge the truth that…
  • It isn’t a sin in and of itself for a Catholic to belong to one political party or another;
  • It isn’t a sin in and of itself for a Catholic to vote for a candidate of one political party or another;
  • Life issues are pre-eminent for Catholics, like opposing abortion, embryonic stem cell research, capital punishment, and physician-assisted suicide;
  • But there are also other important issues we may not ignore, like advocating for the poor, promoting racial justice, immigration reform, and protecting the environment;
  • The COVID pandemic is serious, and the safety precautions are reasonable;
  • It is more than morally permissible to receive any of the COVID vaccines;
… and to admit that, even though we might still disagree, we are all of us the apple of God’s eye, the darling of the Deity, and our names written on the palm of his hand.

And because the Catholic faithful are citizens of the Nation, we pray that God will bless our Country too with the blessings of this novena of 19s – charity, unity, and humility.

Disagreement does not betoken division
This last election cycle and the pandemic have not only thrown our differences into high relief, but have also led to divides, distrust, and bad-mouthing among us.

For example, people insisted that I state that it’s morally wrong to belong to this or that political party, or that it’s a sin to vote for a candidate from one party or another.

And some people insisted that I should mandate mask-wearing, and others that I would rally folks for a mask-burning, like a politically-charged piece of clothing from the past.

People on both sides were upset I wouldn’t change my mind. I might be wrong; it’s happened. There was that one time when I thought I was wrong, but I was really right.

But they wouldn’t change their minds either. So, I asked that we might at least love each other as brothers and sisters in the Lord, and pray for each other.

Differences are normal in any community; in fact, our Church teaches that diversity, like a difference of opinions, is essential for true unity to survive and thrive.

But a difference of opinion does not, and should not result in division, or distrust, or making disparaging remarks about people on the other side of an issue.

We are meant to be united
Our great Nation is suffering from divides, distrust, and bad-mouthing, and because some of citizens of our Country are Catholics, the Church is suffering from them too.

This isn’t tolerable in our Nation, which was founded to be one, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, from womb to tomb, no matter the gender, color, or…

It’s even less tolerable in our Church, established as one, holy, catholic and apostolic, and whose members are supposed to be distinguished by mutual love (John 13:35).

Division, distrust and disparaging remarks all bear the marks of the evil one, known for fomenting rebellion against unity, and called the father of lies.

Go to Joseph
What to do? Our Holy Father Pope Francis may not have had this divide in mind when he established the Year of St. Joseph, but it is nonetheless a good remedy for it.

After all, St. Joseph is called the terror of evil spirits, and there has to be at least one of them prowling about the world, seeking the ruin of our souls by the COVID or division.

Good Pope Francis hopes that we will imitate the virtues of St. Joseph such that they cast out vice, and they become a good life-long habit; for example:
Show compassion, tender love, and mercy, the same as God has for us.
Defer to the plan of God, to the well-being of others, and to the common good.
Have a practical love for the community of the Church, and for the poor.
Be active and creative when God engages us in finding solutions to problems.

As you can see, these Josephian qualities are not only most appropriate for Catholics following the way of Jesus, but are also an effective remedy for the divides that vex us.

The Holy Father also proposes certain spiritual practices to seek the intercession of St. Joseph, and to promote imitation of his virtues.

One practice is to recite a prayer to St. Joseph on the 19th of March (the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary), and on the 19th of each month during 2021.

And a variation on that theme is the proposed novena of 19s – For the love of God, neighbor, country, and of all that is good and holy, please join in.

Michael Jackels
Archbishop of Dubuque
Litany to St. Joseph
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.
Noble son of the House of David, pray for us.
Light of the Patriarchs, pray for us.
Husband of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Faithful guardian of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph, chaste and just, pray for us.
Joseph, prudent and brave, pray for us.
Joseph, obedient and loyal, pray for us.
Pattern of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of workers, pray for us.
Example to parents, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of family life, pray for us.
Comfort of the troubled, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of evil spirits, pray for us.
Protector of the Church, pray for us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

God made him master of his household, and put him in charge of all that he owned.

Let us pray. O God, who in your inexpressible providence were pleased to choose Saint Joseph as spouse of the most holy Mother of your Son, grant, we pray, that we, who revere him as our protector on earth, may be worthy of his heavenly intercession. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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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Annual Knights of Columbus Baby Shower
Image result for baby crib cartoon
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.
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.
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. 

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!

 
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.

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.

Archdiocese Live Broadcasts

Prayer and Intention for the Week

Let us pray with intention this week for the vocation of Marriage.

February 14 is World Marriage Day!

Image result for world marriage day 2021

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.

Enjoy the latest edition of the Family Matters newsletter here!

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.

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:
  1.  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. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Daily Mass will be offered each day (regular schedule) with the same restrictions.
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