What's Happening During Our Catholic Comeback |
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As we navigate our Catholic Comeback, this newsletter will continue to bring you
updated information.
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Why Do We Pray To Angels?
We pray to the Angels simply because they love us and want the best for us (as God does) and they are waiting to assist us in any of our struggles, ills, torments, or sins. The only thing that exists in Heaven is love and in order for us to grow in this love, we must acknowledge that we need help, we need assistance, and we need to ask for that existential help to push through and finish the race.
When we ask for God’s help, a Saint’s help, or an Angel’s help, we honor God through His Creation. God is not jealous; He is grateful that you are reaching out to your angelic brothers and sisters for assistance. Parents have an obligation to teach their children these truths for their protection.
Saint Thomas Aquinas is known as the Angelic Doctor because he has written more on the Angels than anyone else. He explains that the essence of an Angel is its goodness:
“Moral goodness is not something that is dependent on the nature of a created being. The nature of a creature is the innate powers and potential given to a being by God. Because free will is a necessary part of the nature of man and Angel, there exists the possibility of sin. Angels can, and have, sinned. Indeed, the original creation of God was perfect and moral in every possible way. Unfortunately, Satan (for reasons we can only speculate on) was a good Cherubim who decided to selfishly seek and increase his own glory and power beyond the limits set by God. When he refused to submit to the will of God, he committed the first of all sins, the sin of pride. When Satan sinned in pride, he convinced many other Angels to follow him into submission and evil. For this sin, he was expelled from Heaven forever and was denied the immediate vision of God. The good Angels who resisted Satan’s temptations were admitted into the immediate vision of God and became firmly rooted in virtue. For this reason, the Angels who resisted the first sin are no longer capable of sinning; they have made a permanent and indelible choice to submit to the love of God. The fallen Angels, or devils as we now call them, are likewise permanently rooted in sin. It is not possible for a devil to repent of his sins.”
Angels are non-corporeal beings that do not have nor ever will have flesh. They are spirit and boundless in their existence. For instance, Angels do not grow hungry, tired (physically), or drained. They do not travel by bus or plane. They merely call to mind France and they are there. They are infinite beings created under an Almighty God who sustains them and can do all things. An Angel does not go to school; they have infused knowledge given directly by God to their intellects that drive their wills.
There are different names given to groups of Angels, nine choirs of Angels in all. Angels belong to different choirs according to their intelligence and their place in God’s plan. The highest choirs of Angel are the Seraphim (this is the Choir Lucifer fell from), the Cherubim, and the Thrones. They have vastly more knowledge than the lowest choir known as the Angels.
After the fall of the Angels (i.e., the evening of testing), there was an eternal separation where the Angels were sent down from Heaven to earth. St. Thomas Aquinas goes on to say that the good Angels who did not fall received what is known as the “morning knowledge.” This gives the good Angels (no matter what rank they were) all the mysteries of redemption. This means that your Guardian Angel is vastly more powerful than all of Hell combined because of the order of grace and knowledge. They are beloved because the Lord places them at our sides to watch over us and to care for us. They defend us against harm and temptation and warn us of impending evil and inspire us to remain faithful to God in prayer.
Saint Michael the Archangel
and God’s Cause on Earth
Since the root cause of all evil is moral and spiritual, we cannot overcome it by natural means alone. We must ask the help of higher powers. Saint Michael was victorious in the heavenly combat against Lucifer, and God has given him special power to help us overcome Satan and sin on earth. When Saint Michael comes to our aid, he does so with overwhelming might, using the divine power to crush, pulverize, and annihilate the enemies of God and man. That is the reason we include the Prayer to Saint Michael at the conclusion of all Masses at St. Johns.
May God continue to bless us abundantly.
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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.
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Milwaukee Fatima Shrine
Outdoor Mass and Eucharistic Procession
October 7, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
68th and Stevenson
Please join Catholics from all parishes to an outdoor Mass and Eucharistic Procession with Rosary and a rededication of the Fatima Angel of Peace statue.
Come experience the rejuvenated Fatima Shrine and give honor to our Blessed Mother!
You are also welcome to join us every Saturday at noon to pray the rosary.
Any questions, please contact
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New Acolyte Training
Students in grades 4 - 12 who would like to become altar servers are asked to complete a registration form and attend a training session. Parents may register their child (or children) by contacting Karen Schulteis, Director of Liturgy & Music at kschulteis@stjohns-grfd.org or by calling the parish office at 414-321-1965 (ext. 125) by Thursday, October 8. We will then contact you regarding training session information.
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The Holy Name Society will celebrate Corporate Communion at the 8:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Oct. 11. A general meeting will follow in the gym, NO BREAKFAST.
All men 16 and older are welcome and fathers are encouraged to bring their sons 8 years and older.
The Holy Name Society will pray the Rosary at 7:20 a.m. in the church on Sunday Oct.11.
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Join us October 18 - November 1, 2020
for our first ever
Fall Fest Auction!
We are just a few short weeks away from our first ever Fall Fest Auction. Visit our online auction site or text sjefallfest20 to 76278 to register and check out some of the amazing items we have to bid on:
- 43 inch Fire TV
- Instant Pot Duo Crisp Package
- Thomas Kinkade "A Quiet Evening"
- Gift certificates
- And so much more!
Bidding will open at noon on Sunday, October 18 and close at 4:00 p.m. sharp on Sunday, November 1.
Happy bidding!
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Your donations are needed and will help us
continue to operate during these unsettling times.
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Twenty-Seventh Sunday in
Ordinary Time
October 3/4, 2020
We have been given so many gifts and blessings by our Heavenly Father. Yet, in our fallen state it is all too easy to take them for granted. Our readings today teach us that we must live with an intentional awareness of our many blessings and use them gratefully to glorify God.
In our Gospel passage from Matthew, Jesus uses the image of a vineyard to teach the importance of using our blessings well. He tells the story of a landowner who plants a vineyard and leases it to tenants before he goes on a journey. Instead of tending the vineyard, the tenants mistreat the servants in the vineyard and even the son of the landowner, whom they kill. When the landowner realizes what the tenants have done, he puts them to death and leases his vineyard to tenants who “will give him the produce at the proper times.”
By Baptism, we have received the gift of salvation and membership in Kingdom of God — we are now “tenants” called to work in the “vineyard” and produce fruit for its owner, our Heavenly Father. Jesus makes it clear that we if we squander the gift of salvation, we will lose it. It is a sobering truth.
So, let us use our intellect to think on these gifts throughout the day and resolve to use all our gifts for God’s glory.
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Kindness and Love
I’m not sure how October crept up on us, but here it is! Of course, we will celebrate Mary during the month of October, including our annual Living Rosary, but today we celebrate St. Francis of Assisi. St Francis is a popular saint with our children, mainly due to his love of all of God’s creatures. Our children adore their pets, and love stories about St. Francis and his special relationship with animals.
We remember St. Francis for his strong desire to imitate the life of Christ and to carry out so literally Christ’s work in Christ’s own way. Ultimately, Francis’ devotion to those less fortunate, whether in body, mind, or spirit, is an excellent model for all of us. We work hard to teach our students empathy. We hope that they understand the feelings of others, and that this drives the way they treat those around them. St. Francis is an excellent model of this. His life is a model for us all as we endeavor to treat others with kindness and love.
...Together in God’s Name
Mary Laidlaw-Otto, Principal
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Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
Whether you were born into the Catholic Faith and are looking to deepen your faith, or inquiring about becoming Catholic, please join us as we explore, rediscover, and share our Catholic Culture. Each week, a new topic is offered to enrich your faith journey. RCIA begins on Sunday, October 4 at Noon in Room A of the Rectory. All are welcome.
For more information, contact
Austin Rahill at 414-530-5770.
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Religious Education programs for students in grades 1 - 8 (Sunday, 9:30am) and High School students (Sunday, 6:00pm) begin this weekend. At the start of both classes, there will be a brief parent meeting and Austin will answer questions about classroom setup, physical distancing, and what may happen if there is a Covid-19 outbreak. Those families interested in home-schooling their students should contact Austin to request study materials at 414-530-5770.
See you Sunday!
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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:
- Monday at 8:00 a.m.
- Tuesday at 7:30 a.m.
- Wednesday at 8:00 a.m.
- Thursday at 7:30 a.m.
- Friday at 8:00 a.m.
- Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and 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 daily 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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Internationally renowned speaker and theologian Dr. Scott Hahn teaches the importance of giving our complete “yes” to Jesus Christ and fully recognizing him as King of Kings, and Lord over all. Dr. Hahn delves into Scripture to show that by dedicating ourselves to the Lord, he can accomplish more in us and through us than we ever could on our own. This talk is filled with wisdom for all who want to grow closer to God. |
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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 in the Narthex. 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.
Our enrollment code is 18DE7D4F11822. 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 Wednesdays. 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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