Message from the Director

Jessie Adrians, Director of Religious Education

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16)

It is no secret that I love being a mom to my son Andrew, but his interests in life are markedly different from my own. Over the past seven years I have learned more things about cars, trucks, construction, Legos, video games, Pokemon, general explosions, and a need to throw things to “see what they do” than I could ever have imagined, or quite frankly want to know. 

Lucky for Andrew he is blessed to live within two blocks of my sister's sons who are ages 11 and 8 and share many of Andrew’s interests. One of my great joys in life is taking Andrew and his cousins on adventures. Some of our favorite adventures involve Funset Boulevard, Badger Sports, the Appleton Building for Kids, and various parks throughout Oshkosh. Watching Andrew and his cousins grow up together is truly a gift from God, and one I thank him for every day. 

However, for all we share in common, our families are very different in one way: Andrew is being raised in the Catholic faith, and his cousins are not. This has been the source of many questions over the years, and Josh and I have worked hard to make sure Andrew understands how to respect his cousins, while still freely expressing his belief in God and his love for Jesus.   

This past month, Andrew and I picked up his cousins from school and we headed to one of our favorite places; Funset Boulevard. After a couple hours of bumper cars, the indoor playground, and video games, we headed back to our house for pizza. Our family prays before meals and Andrew’s cousins usually sit quietly while we pray. However, this was not the case at this particular meal. At the of our prayer, I heard his younger cousin say “Amen.” Before digging into his pizza he said “You know, Aunt Jessie, every time I hear you and Andrew pray, I believe in God 1% more.” This incident itself took me by surprise, but the surprises were not done for the evening. When I dropped him off at home I heard him say to his parents, “And at the end, they say Amen. That is what you say when you talk to God.”       

Reflecting in prayer later that evening I started thinking about the first apostles, and how their actions drew others to Christ, and how a simple meal prayer can have such a large impact. The truth is that when we make faith a central part of our lives, people notice and our simple gestures of devotion to God and compassion for others can make all the difference in winning hearts for Christ.     

Evangelization is the term often used when describing winning hearts and minds for Christ. Pope Paul VI wrote that “evangelizing means bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by the divine power of the Gospel itself.” Put in simpler terms it means bringing Jesus with us wherever we go with the understanding that the Gospel speaks most powerfully when Jesus’ message of forgiveness and mercy is lived “out loud” in our lives. This happened in a very real way when Andrew’s cousin, who has never been to Mass, heard our family praying and his heart instantly wanted to know more about the Jesus we welcomed into our meal through a simple prayer.   

As parents we are tasked to be the first evangelizers of our children by living our faith out loud. This is not easy as many outside forces compete for the minds and hearts of our children. However, when we do this, we not only bring our children the joy that can be found in Christ, but we also empower our children to share Christ with others, and in this way, we can bring about God’s Kingdom of mercy and love. That is why I am so excited to share with you that the Augustian Institute and Catholic Sprouts have produced a video series called “The Catholic Parent” 

The Catholic Parent is created for Catholic parents by Catholic parents! Each 20 minute episode features real Catholic parents sharing their struggles and victories.  We are all in this together.  Click here to access the video series free on FORMED.  I promise that you will be laughing within the first minute as the series captures beautifully the wonderful  and Holy mess that is the life of the domestic church.  

However, you decide to grow in faith as a family this month, know that Josh, Andrew and I will be praying for you. Please pray for us.   

Jessie Adrians 

Director of Religious Education  

Your child’s catechist gathered this month to go deeper into being a faithful disciple of Jesus. The breakouts all had to do with parts of the Mass, specifically Liturgy of the Word. Much of what they experience at these in-services in turn comes right back to their students.  Even as adults we are encouraged to keep learning how to be a faithful disciple. What is your plan to continue to be a faithful disciple in 2024? Here are two you can do now: continue to participate in our RE program and come to Mass as a family. May this year have you to cherish all that is in His plan for you and your family, laughter and tears alike. 



In February, Elementary kiddos will complete a service project for our veterans: “Valentines for Veterans Project”. This is a favorite service of the Elementary classes that began in 2015! They will create and send special greetings to our veterans in King, WI. It is so important for our young to show appreciation but more importantly to show love to others... what better month than February ♥ 

Praise the Lord!...Now and forever!!

After a long time of preparation, we have the joy of celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation for over 50 young disciples at the end of this month! It is a beautiful gift to be able to witness and walk alongside these students as they dive deeper into their faith. There is a visible difference in the class, particularly after completing our video series “The Search,” and our 2 day Confirmation Retreat. One of the best parts for us leaders is engaging in our Confirmation interviews. This opportunity gives us incredible insight into the lives of our candidates and oftentimes comes with great hope. This year I had 3 particular interviews that absolutely blew me away! We often see many hardships and struggles when we look around at the current state of society, which can bring us much desolation or despair. However, after meeting with some of these young witnesses, I am soon overwhelmed with hope and joy. I am truly excited to see how the Holy Spirit will take these simple offerings of ourselves and use them to glorify God and His earthly kingdom. By our “YES!” May we continue to grow in virtue, allowing the Spirit of God to fill us with Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding,Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord. 



As we prepare for Lent in the coming weeks, may we too, look at our own journey to see how we can boldly proclaim our “YES!” to Jesus each day anew. May we be inspired by the witness of our youth, the Saints and the Apostles. Like the early apostles, we may first receive God’s boundless Love, then go out and share that same great Love with those we encounter each day.

God Bless!

Save the Date!



•  Love Begins Here: Saint Raphael will be looking to bring a group of middle school students (currently in 5-8th grade) on mission June 10-13, 2024. This year’s location will be in Appleton. Spots will be reserved on a first come first serve basis. Please email Michael for more information or to reserve your spot. 

Upcoming Events and Retreats

• Sunday Feb 11- Second Sunday Holy Hour (SSHH!) Our monthly time for prayer and worship, held the 2nd Sunday of every month, at 4pm, followed by Sunday Mass at 5pm. This is a great opportunity to come pray for our youth/parish and spend time on the Sabbath growing in your own relationship with God.

• Catholic Youth Expeditions (CYE): Retreats for middle, high school and families! Located in beautiful Door County WI, CYE offers retreats that combine nature, community, prayer and fun for all ages. Visit https://www.cyexpeditions.org/ to find out more.

• TEC Retreat, Green Bay (16+ years) -A great retreat that helps youth and young adults to engage in their faith in a fun and deep way. Visit  https://anchorofhopetec.org/events/ for more information.

Follow us on instagram (aftershock_ym_straph) for updates, inspirations and to stay connected.

Blessed Carlo Acutis…Pray for us!

Michael Wilms (michael.wilms@raphael.org)

Youth Minister/Faith Formation

Grades 6-12

It's a Miracle! | Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids

Formed

Jesus  traveled with His disciples doing amazing things all over the place! Learn about Jesus’ miracles in this story that walks through some of the most powerful moments of His ministry.

The Search Begins

Formed

The Search Begins invites middle and high school students to consider the deepest questions of the human heart. The series considers death, sorrow, happiness, science, and faith.The Search Begins emphasizes why a teen should care to ask life’s tough questions and, ultimately, seek an answer to this most important question: Who is Jesus Christ, and how do I respond to his invitation?

The Catholic Parent

Formed

Do you ever feel like it's almost impossible to raise holy kids who love God (and sit still in Mass!) in our modern world? You're not alone. This six-episode series features real Catholic families like yours sharing their daily struggles and victories. Created by the Augustine Institute and Catholic Sprouts, The Catholic Parent aims to encourage you as a mom or dad as you embrace your God-given role to form your family in the richness of the Catholic faith.