What's Happening
at St. John's
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The Month of May is
Mary’s Month
For my entire life, the month of May was always dedicated to the Blessed Mother. Growing up, it was the norm to have “May Altars” in our homes as well as in the classrooms. Each classroom at Holy Apostles in New Berlin had a statue of Our Lady of Grace. Beginning on the first day of May, students would bring flowers, especially tulips and lilacs, to place in front of the statues of Mary. Throughout the month of May, hymns of Mary and prayers were said for all kinds of intercessions.
Recently, one of our parishioners donated a statue of Mary to each of our day school children, hoping to continue the May Altar tradition for yet another generation.
With the month of May dedicated to the Blessed Mother, I would like to point out the Mary Help of Christian Holy cards that are placed at the entrances of the church and the parish office. Each features the picture of our painting of Mary Help of Christians that hangs in our sanctuary. This card, a gift from a parish printer, offers a history of the devotion to Mary Help of Christians, a history of the painting itself, and a prayer asking Mary Help of Christians to intercede for us.
Historically, prayers to Mary Help of Christians were invoked during political upheavals. I thought at this time in our history, it would be good once again to invoke her protection.
You may notice that we end the St. Michael the Archangel prayer with, “Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.” May we pray for our country and that we may grow as one nation under God.
What follows is the prayer invoking Mary Help of Christians’ protection:
Mary, Help of Christians, we place ourselves under your motherly protection. Throughout the Church’s history, you have helped Christians in times of trial, temptation, and danger. Time and time again, you have proven to be the Refuge of sinners, the Hope of the hopeless, the Consoler of the afflicted, and the Comforter of the dying. We promise to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ you Son, to proclaim His Good News of God’s love for all people, and to work for peace and justice in our world. With faith in your intercession, we pray for the Church, for our family and friends, for the poor and abandoned, and all the dying in our country. Grant, O Mary Help of Christians, the graces of which we stand in need. (Mention your intentions.) May we serve Jesus with fidelity and love until death. Help us and our loved ones to attain the boundless joy of being forever with Our Father in heaven. Amen.
Feast of Pentecost -
May 22 & 23 “Come Holy Spirit”
With the feast of Pentecost soon approaching, it is time to remind parishioners to wear something RED to church on the weekend of May 22 and 23. As I often say, even Badger-wear is appropriate. Also, as a reminder, it is time to begin praying the Novena in honor of the Holy Spirit.
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Parish Council Voting
A completed ballot must be returned to the
Parish Office by Monday, May 17, 5:00 p.m.
Wally Allen, Fr. Michael's choice for Trustee/Secretary was not challenged by any other candidate. Therefore, he has been duly elected and will serve the term, which ends in 2023.
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24-Hour Perpetual Adoration
St. John’s is fortunate to have 24-hour Perpetual Adoration. Please take advantage of this beautiful opportunity to stay close to God in these difficult times. Hand sanitizer is available in the Adoration entrance (south side of Church), and we ask that you practice social distancing and stay at least six feet from others while in Church.
There is an open hour on Wednesdays-
4:00 to 5:00 a.m.
Please call Kay Shomperlen if interested
in volunteering at 414-763-1250.
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Three Newly Ordained Priests
Recently, six men were ordained to the Transitional Diaconate: Deacon Matthew Ferch, Deacon Kevin Harmon, Deacon Matthew Kirk, Deacon Tonny Kizza, Deacon Ariel Orozco, and Deacon Pedro Ruiz. Please keep them in your prayers as they enter their last year of formation for the Priesthood in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Also, please join the St. John’s Vocation Committee and pray for the three men who will be ordained to the Priesthood for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on May 15: Father Michael Lawinger, Father Michael Malucha, and Father Timothy Schumaker. There is a display in the narthex with their biographical information and highlights of their individual journeys to the priesthood. You are invited to stop by and get to know the newest priests serving our church. And please keep them in your prayers as they begin their service to the Church in our diocese!
As Archbishop Jerome Listecki noted, “Our newly ordained begin their lives as priests, and they are joined in solidarity with their brothers in the priesthood of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Filled with hope and expectation, they will collaborate with the people of God to offer sacred moments in response to the call to follow Him, so that He will come to those who love one another.”
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Christian Women Mass
and Business Meeting
All Christian Women are invited to attend Mass on Thursday, May 13, at 6:00 p.m., followed by a short business meeting in the Church Hall. You can also bring your cancelled stamps. Social distancing and masks are required.
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Golf Outing
Join us on Sunday, June 6, at Whitnall Golf Course. The first tee time is 1:00 p.m. All are welcome, men and women. This is a fun outing, with no competition or prizes. We will be playing 9 holes.
Cost: $20/person walking. Carts are available at extra cost.
To sign up call Ron Heser at 414-448-7117
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Your donations are needed and will help us
continue to operate during these unsettling times.
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The Ascension of the Lord
May 15/16, 2021
There is always something very tender and heartwarming about a kiss. When someone who loves us offers us a kiss, it sends a clear message that we are valued and special. We occupy a unique place in their lives and have a distinct purpose. Kissing celebrates the wonder and beauty of human life. In a very powerful way, we are connected, through intimate touch, with another human being. With the incarnation of Christ, God kissed humanity. God, revealed so perfectly in Jesus Christ, showed us that we have value and are made in God’s image and likeness. Mortal human beings radiate with the presence of God and are worthy enough to reveal the intimacy of the Divine Mystery. The human race is not simply something God created from a distance but something special within which God dwells.
It is no wonder, then, why the poor hold such an honored place in Jesus’ ministry. They speak of God’s love, and they cry out for the compassion that is due them as children of God. Justice is about setting relationships right because we are all filled with God’s love and have dignity. The human story is understood as a partnership, a true and new covenant, celebrating a love relationship between creation and their Creator. It is a story that does not end with the Cross or even the Resurrection. The story finds its happy ending in the Ascension. Our human narrative is still evolving and moving ever more closely toward that day when all will be one in Christ.
Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father as the Christ of God. In the ascended state, we see what we are all meant to become and have before us the transformed life that awaits all creation. The disciples got a glimpse of what this transfiguration would be on the holy mountain, and it is an essential part of the Good News we are called to proclaim! Christ, now ascended to the Father, sets our paths straight and gives us a look at what awaits us. The day-to-day challenges of life often find us struggling with our incompleteness. Today’s celebration gives us the strength to persevere, knowing that we’ll eventually be well. May our hearts be enlightened so that we can know this hope and the surpassing greatness of Christ’s power!
©LPi
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I am so proud of our eighth graders. Last week, they presented the Justification of Graduation presentations. This project is a hallmark of our student's eighth-grade year. It is, perhaps, inaccurately named. It is not really the goal of this project to justify anyone’s graduation. Instead, working with a teacher mentor, each of our eighth-grade students thinks about whom they have become during the first 14 years of their lives. They explore their relationships with their families, friends, and faith. They consider whom they hope to grow into during the next four years and beyond.
Speaking in front of a group comes easily to some of our students and is challenging to others. That is perfectly fine! We understand that each of our students comes to us with different gifts. It is the job of our mentors to identify the gifts of each student and help them use them to complete this challenging project. In my 14 years at SJE, no eighth-grader has failed to complete their Justification of Graduation. This years’ class is no exception. These students have worked and worked and then worked some more. They have written and memorized speeches created and polished Google slide presentations.
After all of this work, each student stood in front of a panel made up of families and members of our community and told us who they are and whom they hope to become—what a wonderful way to head off to high school.
...Together in God’s Name
Mary Laidlaw-Otto, Principal
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After School Care Helper Needed
We are in immediate need of a temporary after school care helper to fill a position through the end of the current school year. Hours are from 2:30 until 6:00 p.m. (or until the last student goes home) each school day.
Please call the school office at 414-321-8540
for more information.
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Red Robin Fundraiser
To-Go Orders Only
Join us on Thursday, May 20, from 4-8 p.m. for a Red Robin To-Go Only restaurant night. Red Robin is located at 7575 Edgerton Ave. in Greenfield.
Thank you for supporting St. John the Evangelist School.
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Live-streaming: Mass and Adoration
We are live-streaming daily and Sunday Masses as well as Adoration for those who are unable to attend:
Daily Masses are:
Monday thru Saturday 8:00 a.m.
Weekend Masses are:
Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday at 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
Our YouTube channel is SJE-Greenfield.
If you miss the livestream, you can watch the upload of each Mass on our YouTube channel.
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CDs from Augustine Institute
Did you know we have CDs (and other items) located in the narthex? Each week we will highlight one of the available CDs.
Cost is $4 each.
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In anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the encyclical Humanae Vitae, Archbishop Aquila explains how Blessed Pope Paul VI’s teaching still serves as a great light amidst a world that is deeply confused about sexual intimacy. He provides valuable insights into how God imbued our sexuality with truths that are reflective of his own divine love. He challenges Catholics to share the liberating truth of God’s plan for sex within marriage and witness this reality as the way of lasting happiness. |
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Start earning the easy way with the new mobile app: RaiseRight by ShopWithScrip
RaiseRight is simply the right way to fundraise for our organization. Shop gift cards from more than 750 top brands to earn on your daily purchases—right from your phone.
Turn your shopping list into fundraising
- Discover new earning opportunities every day
- Narrow your search with categories that fit your everyday shopping needs
- Easily browse brands offering bonus earnings
- Add brands you love to your Favorites for faster shopping
- Manage your gift cards in one place: your Wallet
Pick up right where you left off. Sign in with your same ShopWithScrip username and password. Access your gift cards right away. And check out with payment information already saved to your account.
SCRIP will now be sold before and after all weekend Masses. As always, SCRIP is available at the parish office during regular business hours. We have materials available below if you would like to set up an online account.
You can also click here to view a how-to video from Scrip on how to open an account.
To protect the program from fraud, please contact the Parish or School offices for the enrollment code. Once you have an online account you can pay by direct debit from your checking account (Presto Pay), by credit card, or by check here in the parish office. If we do not have the item in stock, we will order on Monday and have the cards by Thursday. Once you have the physical card you can enroll it in your "wallet" and reload it as needed.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the parish office at 414-321-1965.
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This program allows .5% of your shopping on Amazon to be donated to St. John the Evangelist.
If you purchase Scrip, St. John's receives an additional 2.25%. That's 2.75% of your purchases to St. John's if you are already shopping Amazon.
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The newsletter is published on Thursdays. Articles for each week's publication are due on Mondays at noon.
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"Remember God's Will in Yours!"
Please keep the needs of St. John the Evangelist in mind as you do your estate planning. For information on how to include the parish as a beneficiary, contact the Parish Office at 414-321-1965.
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