What's Happening
at St. John's
Parish News
Respect Life - January 2022

Saturday, January 22 (the anniversary of Roe v. Wade) is the day the U.S. Bishops set aside for a day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life. It is also a day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion. We are each called to observe this day through the penitential practices of prayer, fasting, and/or giving alms.
 
The act of abortion rejects God’s gift of life. Abortion destroys the life of a child, lovingly knit together in his or her mother’s womb. For someone who has participated in abortion, the loss of a child can form a hole in their heart so deep that sometimes it seems nothing can fill the emptiness. As a human and Christian family, we grieve the loss of so many lives. And yet, even in our grief, we know there is hope.
 
Christ came for the very purpose of redeeming our sins, offering us His forgiveness, and giving us His peace. Jesus comes to free us from the bonds of sin. And there is no sin that is beyond God’s mercy. It is never too late to seek the Lord’s mercy and healing through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. His greatest desire is to forgive us, pouring out His infinite mercy upon us so that we may be healed. If you or someone you know is suffering after abortion, confidential, compassionate help is available. Find out more about the Church’s ministry for healing after abortion by visiting hopeafterabortion.com.
 
We are all sinners. But with the grace of God, we can become saints. We can be lights to the nations, sharing the truth about the irrevocable dignity of the human person. Where sin abounds, God’s grace abounds all the more. Therefore, let us take courage and offer prayer and penance, that all human life would be welcomed in love and protected in law.
 
Enhance Your Marriage

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is sponsoring a retreat called “Devoted Marriage: The Journey of Marital Forgiveness,” led by Fr. John Burns and Sr. Miriam James Heidland. It will be held on Saturday, February 19, from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm at St. Peter Catholic Church in Slinger, Wisconsin.
 
Every Catholic marriage needs moments of enrichment, renewal, and a deeper understanding of having Christ as the center of a marriage. This retreat is designed to help married couples of all ages encounter Christ through the beautiful gift of forgiveness. While the content shared is designed for married couples, dating or engaged couples, as well as single participants, are also welcome. The cost is just $14 per couple and $7 for individuals.
 
For more information, please visit archmil.org/GalileeU. Scroll down until you see “Devoted Marriage” and click “More Info & Register.” Or please email uchyrtilr@archmil.org or call Rachel at 414-758-222. The registration deadline is February 14.
 
Looking Towards Lent

The Archdiocese is also offering a Lenten resource for families to help connect what happens at Mass on the weekends to everyday life in the home through fun family activities, prayer, and scripture study. THIS IS HOME is a seven-part series that begins the week of Ash Wednesday (March 2) and continues through Easter Sunday (April 17). This series was created for families with children ages ten and under, but all are welcome to participate. You will receive weekly emails with everything you need to start sharing your faith with the whole family: simple scripture passages that children will love, crafts, recipes, and fun activities to connect scripture to living your faith at home. There is also a family prayer that is easy for parents or guardians to lead and for children to recite. You can sign up at archmil.org/this-is-home. There is no fee to participate.
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 one open hour:

Sundays - 3:00 to 4:00 am

If interested in volunteering for these open hours,
call Kay Shomperlen at 414-763-1250.
Parish Office Valentine’s Tree
From Christmas (left) to Valentine’s (right)
 
Our Parish Office Valentine Tree looks spectacular!
Thank you to all parishioners who brought in red or
Valentine-themed ornaments to help us decorate!
(And by “us” we really mean Laura Lee Wierzbinski!)
 
Stop in to see it for yourself!

As with the Christmas photo, the Valentine photo just does not do this brightly-glowing tree justice.
Respect Life Mass
With the Archbishop

Recently, the Archdiocese asked if St. John’s would be willing to host the annual Archdiocesan Respect Life Mass. On Saturday, January 22, the Archbishop will preside at the 9:00 am Respect Life Mass. Please join us as we pray with Catholics and Christians throughout the United States for the Right to Life for all from the moment of conception until natural death. Because of this special Mass, there will not be an 8:00 am Mass or Confessions on January 22.
SJE Knights of Columbus Council 524
 
In reparation for the Roe v. Wade decision by the Supreme Court in 1973, there will be a Rosary Walk on Friday, January 21, 2022.

St. Joseph Catholic Church
818 N. East Ave.
Waukesha, WI 53186
6:30 pm
Also, the Saint Joseph Icon will be at SJE until after the 11:00 am Mass on Sunday, January 23.
Your donations are needed and will help us
continue to operate during these unsettling times.
Third Sunday
in Ordinary Time
January 23, 2022

Human history reveals many periods where people lost a sense of God’s transcendence. It may even be argued that human beings have been wandering and lost more than they have been at home and focused. Human nature being what it is, we struggle with who God really is — the God of our salvation history or the “gods” of human constructs. Relying on our own designs and pursuits, we forget that we really are meant to listen to One upon whom the Spirit of the Lord rests, Jesus Christ, and not to ourselves. That same history that reveals our fickleness and infidelity also reveals God’s constancy and faithfulness. God always finds us.

As people wander and fumble to find their way, God is there bringing them back to holiness and giving them the assurance of His presence. We have to allow God’s Word, God’s life, to touch us and change us. It can make us more flexible and attentive to the sacred in all facets of life so that every day is one that is holy. Every day is a time when fulfillment is possible for one’s soul. Jesus stood before those gathered in the synagogue as the fulfillment of words of promise that were echoed long ago. God doesn’t forget. He always comes for us.

Now it is time to remember to go to God. Sometimes our lives are so confused and tangled that it is difficult to see the Word and hand of God. But when we realize, deep within, the depth of friendship God offers to us, it really has the power to turn sadness to joy. The promise is fulfilled. Going frequently to God’s Word, allowing ourselves to be enriched and rejuvenated, and pondering the certainly of God’s fidelity and promise permanently transforms us. We will be more aware of the sacred and the holy and less invested in things that pull us away.

©LPi
School News
Our K4 students are learning about penguins. They read a National Geographic for Kids book about penguins and another story, “The Penguin Who Wanted to Fly.” The students were working on making penguins for art and were excited to share what they learned about penguins when I visited the classroom. Here are some pictures of them working on creating their penguins and a few examples of the final project.

Catholic Schools Week starts with our open house on January 29 from 2:00-4:15 pm. Feel free to stop in and see our school and meet our teachers.  

“Stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.”
— 1 Corinthians 16:13 
Cousins Sub Day
Thursday, January 20
ALL-DAY

Are you looking for a quick bite to eat for lunch or dinner? We have the answer! Cousins Subs at 7495 W. Layton Ave. will donate a portion of all sales to SJE School on Thursday, January 20. Just by stopping in and having lunch or dinner, you can help our excellent school.

Scrip cards are available in the Parish Office during regular business hours or after all weekend Masses
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 am

Weekend Masses are:
Saturday at 4:30 pm
Sunday at 8:00 am, 9:30 am, and 11:00 am

Our YouTube channel is SJE-Greenfield.

If you miss the livestream, you can watch the upload of each Mass on our YouTube channel.
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.
Thomas Smith was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and can trace his lineage back seven generations. In this talk, he shares his beliefs and incredible experiences as a Mormon missionary in Alabama and how this led him to convert and become a Protestant minister and later enter the Catholic Church. Mr. Smith is a popular speaker and the author of “Inside Mormonism.”
Holy Name and Home & School will now sell SCRIP 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 get in touch with 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), credit card, or 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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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.
The newsletter is published on Thursdays. Articles for each week's publication are due on Mondays at noon.

To submit articles e-mail to: newsletter@stjohns-grfd.org
"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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