The Land of 10,000 Frozen Lakes |
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Greetings to one and all! How are you? On this date way back in 1849 the great State of ours was constituted as the Territory of Minnesota (sos.state.mn.us/pdf). It originally included parts of North and South Dakota prior to its official statehood in 1858 (history.com). While we are referred to as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” it is interesting to note that we actually have more than 11,000 bodies of water that could be classified as lakes. In fact, one researcher believes that number could even be more than “17,246” (seagrant.umn.edu).
Given the cold winters that we experience here there are some who have jokingly and affectionately referred to the State as, “The Land of 10,000 Frozen Lakes.” It is worth noting that the name of Minnesota comes from the Dakota Native American word for the “river region, Mnísota or Mní Sota” (startribune.com). When growing up I thought that our State was named for a diminutive version of a pop or a “Mini Soda.” However, I later learned that the Dakota name of Mnísota was much more significant than what I had originally thought. The “Mní” part signifies “water” and dependent upon the pronunciation “sota” could mean “clear” or “cloudy” or even “smoky” (Ibid). That means that the name of Minnesota could be understood as “Clear Water” or “Cloudy Water” or “Smoky Water.”
At the risk of taking an abrupt theological turn I would say that the clear water of Baptism helps each of us as believers to be cleansed and drawn into the family of Christ. Over the course of our lifetime the proverbial water that we sail along can be a bit cloudy because of our poor choices and the poor choices of others. Smoky water is much different than the classic rock song “Smoke on the Water” by the band Deep Purple…Smoky water is that occurrence when our metaphorical candles of faith get mixed with the waters of the world.
Thankfully even with the “smoldering wick” (Isaiah 42:3) that could result from that mixture “the Lord is kind and merciful” (Psalm 103) and He will not extinguish our candles. On the contrary, Jesus came to “set the earth on fire” (Luke 12:49) and to send His disciples forth as “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) reflecting the mercy of Him who is “The Light of the World” (John 8:12). May God bless our great State of Minnesota and each of us who live here with His radiant peace so that we would have clear water in our hearts, minds, and souls unto eternal life!
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Grace with Christ,
Fr. James
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P.S. While the frozen form of water can be quite clear we ought to be very careful if we would walk upon it. |
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Fr. James Daily Video Message
Daily video messages from Fr. James and Masses celebrated by Father James can be found on Facebook, YouTube, our My Parish app and on our website:
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Trivia Question of the Week
What is the first name that appears in the Gospel for the Daily Mass today (Luke 9:22-25)?
A. Jesus
B. Peter
C. John
D. Bartholomew
See the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
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Pray for the Synod
Date(s): Monthly through Pentecost 2022
Location: Various parishes throughout Archdiocese – see listing below
All are invited to pray for our Archdiocesan Synod in this special way! Each month between now and Pentecost 2022, a different parish in our Archdiocese will host a votive Mass of the Holy Spirit and Eucharistic Adoration. Join us for daily Mass and holy hour with lectio divina prayer.
Remaining Locations and Dates:
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Monday, March 14, 7:00 pm at St. Hubert, Chanhassen
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Tuesday, April 26, 7:00 pm at St. Paul, Ham Lake
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Tuesday, May 17, 5:45 pm at St. Peter, Mendota
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Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Fr. James! |
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November 7 - 18, 2022
Experience a once-in-a-lifetime journey in faith while walking in the footsteps of Jesus. Sail on the Sea of Galilee, explore the Old City of Jerusalem and have Mass at the most meaningful sites in Christianity. Accompanied by an excellent local guide, learn about the spiritual, historical, and cultural significance of the Holy Land. More information coming soon! magitravelinc.com/holy-land
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Enjoy a free subscription to FORMED.org
FORMED provides amazing online videos, audio and books 24/7 for you to grow in your faith. It's EASY and FREE to Register!
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Go to iccsonline.formed.org and click next
- Enter your name and email and click sign-up
- Enjoy and share with others in our local community!
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You can watch with your free parish subscription by simply selecting our parish’s name during registration at formed.org/signup.
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Immaculate Conception School |
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We are registering students for the 2022- 2023 school year. Please contact any of the following with questions – we love to show off our wonderful school!
Jane Bona, 763-788-9065, x 220
Megan Sackmaster, 763-788-9062, x 207
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Immaculate Conception Parish App |
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Answer to the Trivia Question of the Week: |
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Immaculate Conception
Church and School
Church: 763-788-9062
School: 763-788-9065
info@immac-church.org | ICCSonline.org
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You're receiving this email because of your relationship with Immaculate Conception Church and School. To no longer receive messages from Fr. James Peterson, please click the link at the bottom of this email to unsubscribe. Thank you. |
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