Thursday, April 9, 2020
Family Prayer 

Easter Sunday

Reading I :  Acts 10:34a, 37-43
God raised him up on the third day.
  • In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter efficiently summarizes Jesus’ life and death.
  • Peter, whose denial of Jesus was heartrending, had now been given a new strength to tell the story of God’s anointed one.
  • The source of Peter’s strength was his “witness”; he was one of the few who had been chosen “to eat and drink with Jesus after he rose from the dead”. (Acts 10:41)

Reading II :   Colossians 3:1-4
Set your heart on what pertains to higher realms.
  • The two readings from the letter of Paul (we will use one or the other in our Liturgy of the Word) provide encouragement and insight to the newly baptized and to all Christians.
  • The event of Baptism is a life-long journey that we renew every day.
  • In both readings, Paul’s point is clear: The Lamb of God has been sacrificed to give us fullness of life, and we must respond to that gift by the way we live our lives.

Gospel :  John 20:1-9
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.
  • The Gospel reading is John’s version of the disciples’ discovery of the empty tomb.
  • Central to the story is how the participants come to believe in the risen Lord.
  • The disciples saw and believed, however the author calls attention to the “Beloved Disciple”, who saw only the minimum yet believed.
Here is a prayer we can recite at home for  
 the times we will not be able to receive the Eucharist.  
  
An Act of Spiritual Communion  
  
My Jesus, 
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. 
 
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. 
 
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, 
come at least spiritually into my heart. 
 
I embrace You as if You were already there 
 and unite myself wholly to You.  
Never permit me to be separated from You. 
 
Amen. 
A Message from
Mrs. Laidlaw Otto
 
Dear SJE Families, 

I’m sure you can sympathize with me when I admit that I have not been very engaged with Lent this year.  Virtual mass is a comfort, but not the most engaging experience for me. As we head into the Triduum, though, I am intentionally scheduling more time for prayer and reflection into my days.   

There are so many things to pray for right now, but I was taught (and have taught many students) to always include thanksgiving in my prayers. Right now, in the middle of all our struggles, this is undoubtedly tough for many Catholics.  However, we are blessed with an amazing school and parish community. So, every single day, I thank God for our students, our parents, and our teachers.   

Covid-19 will leave none of us untouched, whether someone we love becomes ill or not.  The lessons and the recovery for all of us will be slow in coming. Please know that our teachers are aware of this. They are missing your students and understand that our students are missing each other. We know that your family may not be able to make schoolwork a priority right now. Next week’s Easter break will provide all of us with a much needed and well-deserved breather from our school schedule.   

Communication will start up again on Monday, April 20th. Please feel free to communicate with our teachers. We need each other, and we are there to help all of you in any way that we can. 
 
Easter Blessings, 
 
Mary Laidlaw Otto 
Neighborhood
Stations of the Cross 
 
One of our amazing SJE moms has organized a special Good Friday prayer experience. Please consider joining area families in praying Neighborhood Stations of the Cross tomorrow, Good Friday, between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM.  To participate, just load your family into the car, and drive to each address on the list. Each home will have a sign, either outside or in their front window, with a description of the station. Neighborhood Stations are the perfect opportunity to get out of your house and celebrate Good Friday with our community while remaining in the safety of your car. (Please be respectful of our community and DO NOT exit your vehicle at any of the stations.)

You will find a link with the addresses for each station in our  here and on our Thursday folder page. 

For those who would like to listen as you participate, we are also including a link to an audio file .   
Holy Week in the Domestic Church

The Archdiocese has created a booklet called  " Holy Week in the Domestic Church" which you can download by clicking here .

During this time when many of us are spending more time at home, consider the following as a way to continue the practice of the faith:

  • Spend time praying the Rosary with your family.

  • Read/Pray over the Mass readings for the day (in “The Word Among Us” or “Magnificat” or on the USCCB website).

  • Pray for all of those affected by the Coronavirus as well as those who care for them.



We rely on our faith when faced with challenging times like this. We place our trust in our merciful Father who never fails to take care of us.
Food Share

If your family has been financially impacted by the current Covid-19 situation, you are encouraged to check out Food Share, Wisconsin's first line of defense against hunger. Also, parents should complete an application for free or reduced lunch, if they think they may be eligible. You'll find the application here.
Looking for a way to help in our local community? Clement Manor welcomes cards, letters and artwork to share with their residents. You can mail your contributions to:  

Activity Team 
Clement Manor 
3939 S 92nd St 
Greenfield, WI 53228 
St. John the Evangelist School
414-321-8540
Fax: 414-321-4450
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