A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Not Far, Far Away...
 Greetings!
Salutations! How are you doing? On this very day ten years ago, by God’s Grace and in His infinite Mercy, I was ordained a Deacon in the Basilica of St. Mary’s in Minneapolis. It was literally a life-changing experience. In the same beautiful church that my twin sister Renée and I had received the Sacrament of Confirmation seven years earlier - almost to the day - I was called forward to be ordained and then sent forth as a transitional Deacon. From the Greek word of diakonos another possible translation into English could be "servant” (www.etymonline.com).
 
In total there were ten of us ordained to become “servants” on this day ten years ago. If you would like a proverbial blast from the past you can see pictures from that momentous occasion and read a bit about the celebration here: thecatholicspirit.com. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a nice summation of the role of the Deacon in the life of the Church:
Deacons share in Christ's mission and grace in a special way. The sacrament of Holy Orders marks them with an imprint (“character") which cannot be removed and which configures them to Christ, who made himself the "deacon" or servant of all. Among other tasks, it is the task of deacons to assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity. (Paragraph 1570)
Based on that information there is still a sacramental imprint upon my soul marking me as a Deacon of the Lord. As a brief aside, with Baptism and Confirmation and then my priestly ordination in May of 2013 that makes four permanent marks on my soul! I was sent forth with the Diaconate character to serve in the summer of 2012 in our Archdiocesan Mission Parish of Jesucristo Resucitado in San Felix, Bolívar in the country of Venezuela. It was there that I had the opportunity to preach at Masses, baptize dozens of little niños and niñas, celebrate a wedding, visit the sick and homebound, and experience another cultural expression of Catholicism different from my upbringing. My memories from that summer and the subsequent year as a transitional Deacon (that is to say, temporary in preparation for the priesthood, as opposed to the permanent Diaconate) have helped to shape me in my ministerial and pastoral life. With gratitude to God, I pray for all Deacons, transitional and permanent, that the Lord would bless them in their lives of joyful service.  
Peace with Christ,
Fr. James Peterson
P.S. Though I’m a day late as a Star Wars fan I would still like to say, “May the 4th be with you!" 😄
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

Who met with the Ethiopian man and instructed him in the Christian faith in the First Reading of Mass (Acts 8:26-40) today?

A. Barnabas
B. Andrew
C. Philip
D. Nathaniel 

See the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
May is the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Join us to pray the Rosary at Immaculate Conception during the month of May:
Sundays after the 10:00 am Mass, led by the Council of Catholic Women, and weeknights at 6:00 pm in the church, led by the Knights of Columbus.
 
“I take refuge, then, in prayer, and turn to Mary, and our Lord always triumphs.”
(Saint Thérèse of Lisieux)

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:

  • Tuesday, May 17, 5:45 pm at St. Peter, Mendota
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
There's still time to bid on your auction items in the virtual Queen of May Benefit. Don't miss out on winning some FUN prizes AND supporting ICS. You can register by going to:
Questions? Contact Jami Bridgeman at 763-788-9065.

We are grateful for your support of and belief in our parish school!
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
WeShare Online Giving
WeShare, our online giving provider has been upgraded. When you log in, using your current email address and password, you will see the new landing page. Improvements to the platform include:

  • Ability to donate to multiple collections at once
  • Improved process of updating your payment source information
  • The ability for more detailed receipts
  • Ability to upload documents
  • Easier Account Creation
  • Simplified-Robust Event Registration Options

We have attached an updated Giver Guide to help you navigate this update. You may also reach out to the WeShare Support Team at 877-316-0260 option 1, and then option 2 for Donor Support.

Thank you for choosing online giving to support our parish. We appreciate your generosity.
Immaculate Conception Parish App
Answer to the Trivia Question of the Week:
C. Philip
 Immaculate Conception
Church and School
Church: 763-788-9062
School: 763-788-9065
info@immac-church.org | ICCSonline.org
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