Il Bello Francesco
 Greetings!
Salutations! How are you today? With the Italian in the title perhaps it would be more appropriate for me to greet you with, “Ciao!” Admittedly, I don’t really speak a lot of Italian. However, thanks to the wonders of the Interweb, I was able to find out that the phrase “Il Bello Francesco” could be translated into English as “The beautiful/handsome Francis” (encyclopedia.com). This was actually an affectionate nickname for the young boy Francesco Forgione back in the late 1800s. He would grow up to become the world famous “Padre Pio of Pietrelcina.”
 
Understandably great attention has been given to the extraordinary details of his life such as hearing confessions for over twelve hours a day, bearing the stigmata in his hands and feet, and having the ability of bilocation. At the same time it should not be lost in the proverbial shuffle that Padre Pio was a holy man of intense prayer for our Eucharistic Lord with a love and veneration for Our Blessed Mother. He was also truly a wise man with words of wisdom. Here are some of his more noteworthy sayings:
Pray, hope and don't worry. Worry is useless. Our Merciful Lord will listen to your prayer.
 
Prayer is the best weapon we possess, the key that opens the heart of God.
 
You must remember that you have in Heaven, not only a Father but also a Mother… Let us then have recourse to Mary. She is all sweetness, mercy, goodness and love for us because she is our Mother.
 
My past, O Lord, to your Mercy; my present, to your Love; my future, to your Providence!
(Source: ncregister.com) 
We humbly entrust our past to the Lord’s Mercy, our present to His Love, and our future to His Divine Providence. St. Padre Pio - Pray for us!

Hope with Christ
Fr. James
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:
Trivia Question of the Week
What is the last word of the First Reading for the Daily Mass (Haggai 1:8)?

A. Peace
B. Hope
C. Lord
D. Mercy  

See the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Archdiocesan Synod
Mark Your Calendars!
Remember you have a voice! Come ready to pray, learn and give your input as parishioners come together to discuss and give feedback on priorities within each of the following Synod focus areas.
 
  • Parishes that are in the service of evangelization;
  • Missionary disciples who know Jesus’s love and respond to his call; and
  • Youth and young adults in and for a Church that is always young.
 
We invite you to join our small groups for six Thursday sessions starting September 23 through October 28. We will offer afternoon sessions from 1:00-3:00 pm and evening sessions from 7:00-9:00 pm. Meetings will be in Fellowship Hall. Registration is available (but not required) after Masses the weekends of September 11-12 and 18-19. You can also contact Mary Nawrocki at mnawrocki@immac-church.org or 763-788-9062 x 210 for more information.
 
In the meantime, pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide and inspire His people. “Come Holy Spirit, Come!”

Synod Small Group Gathering Focus Areas

Focus area #1: Forming missionary disciples who know Jesus’ love and respond to his call.

Session 1 – September 30 (English), October 2 (Spanish)
  • Topic A: The Good News of Jesus Christ – the “Kerygma”
  • Topic B: Personally encountering Jesus

Session 2 – October 7 (English), October 9 (Spanish)
  • Topic A: Life-long formation
  • Topic B: Universal call to holiness

Focus area #2: Forming parishes that are in the service of evangelization.

Session 3 – October 14 (English), October 16 (Spanish)
  • Topic A: Welcoming parishes
  • Topic B: Collaboration in parish ministry

Session 4 – October 21 (English), October 23 (Spanish)
  • Topic A: Liturgy and the Sunday experience
  • Topic B: Sharing the Gospel in word and deed

Focus area #3: Forming youth and young adults in and for a Church that is always young.

Session 5 – October 28 (English), October 30 (Spanish)
  • Topic A: Parents as primary educators (birth – adult)
  • Topic B: Helping the young encounter Jesus (birth – grade 6)

Session 6 – November 4 (English), November 6 (Spanish)
  • Topic A: Youth ministry (grades 6-12)
  • Topic B: Young adult ministry (ages 18-35)
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Fr. James!

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
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!

  • 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!

You can watch with your free parish subscription by simply selecting our parish’s name during registration at formed.org/signup.
Immaculate Conception School
We are still registering students for the upcoming 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
Immaculate Conception Parish App
Answer to the Trivia Question of the Week:
C. Lord
 Immaculate Conception
Church and School
Church: 763-788-9062
School: 763-788-9065
info@immac-church.org | ICCSonline.org
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.