First Friday Devotion

    This Friday, August 2^nd, we celebrate First Friday.  Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will be after the 9:00 a.m. Mass until Benediction at 6:45 p.m.  Immediately following Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is Mass at 7:00 p.m. Come and spend some time in prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

What is the First Friday Devotion, you ask?

    The First Friday Devotion was popularized by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. St. Margaret Mary was a mystic to whom the Lord appeared frequently and entrusted her with the mission of establishing devotion to His Sacred Heart.

    Basically, the devotion consists of going to Mass and receiving Holy Communion for nine (9) monthly consecutive Fridays with the particular intention of honoring Jesus’ Sacred Heart and in preparation for those who do not love Him or receive Him. In His own words, he said to St. Margaret Mary:

“I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy communion on nine first Fridays of consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they will not die under my displeasure of without receiving their sacraments, my divine Heart making itself their assured refuge at the last moment.”

    Jesus actually made 12 promises to anyone who would honor Him by this devotion. This shows His amazing mercy and love: we give him a little thing, like the sacrifice of our time for Mass, and He gives back so much more!

       SimpleCatholicLiving.com

~Cheryl Kreifeldt

St Michael's News Connection - Week of July 28th

World Youth Day

World Youth Day 2013 starts today in Rio de Janeiro and continues until the 28th. WYD is an amazing international event for youth all over the WORLD to come together and strengthen their faith though Mass, the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Father and his message, and fellowship with one another. The World Youth Day event was started by Pope John Paul II in 1985 for all young people (teens and young adults), and has continued every 2 to 3 years. The last WYD was held in 2011 in Madrid, Spain, and this year's event is being held in Rio. Pope John Paul II had this to say about WYD at the last conference he attended, "When, back in 1985, I wanted to start the World Youth Days… I imagined a powerful moment in which the young people of the world could meet Christ, who is eternally young, and could learn from him how to be bearers of the Gospel to other young people. This evening, together with you, I praise God and give thanks to him for the gift bestowed on the Church through the World Youth Days. Millions of young people have taken part, and as a result have become better and more committed Christian witnesses.”

The youth are the future of our Church! While the world tries to tell youth that they don't need religion, they don't need Christ, and they don't need the Church, we need to give them opportunities to learn and grow in faith and continue to spread the gospel message. Please pray for all of our youth, especially those who have traveled far to Rio, and also all of the teens who will be attending the Steubenville San Diego conference this weekend.

 Did you know that ALL of us have the opportunity to participate in WYD this year? Check out the World Youth Day page at http://usccb.org/about/world-youth-day/index.cfm where you can watch LIVE coverage!

Pope Francis has also announced special indulgences for World Youth Day this year. If you're like me, you're probably thinking, "what?" Indulgences? Yes, it's true! Learn more about it here: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/12-to-know-and-share-about-the-world-youth-day-indulgences/

Have a blessed week!!

Tara Hutter

St. Michael's News Connection - Week of July 21st

Summer Travels

We are all looking for an escape! A week in the Northwoods of Northern Wisconsin gave me time to relax and think of my life with God. Here are some of my thoughts for you to consider and reflect on:

Life is a miracle! We need to keep Jesus in our hearts. Keep it simple, we are all children of God.

We need to be content with the present, allow God to act in our lives!

My journey took me on a path where I learned to trust in God. We all need to have a passion for life and lead by example.

Remember, we are all disciples.

-Janice Griffing

St Michael's News Connection - Week of July 14th

St. Michael's News Connection - Week of July 7th

Fr. Neal's Notes - Week of July 7th

We had our first "Come Pray with Me" night on July 2nd, and it was inspiring! Over 125 people gathered in prayer! The witness of the speakers was the center of community interest and concern. The silent time gave us the opportunity to experience peace. Once again, you are invited to our July 9th gathering at 7:00 p.m. in the Church. Bring your prayer intentions with you!

St. Michael's News Connection - Week of June 30th

Religious Liberty

As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s 237^th birthday on July 4^th, it might be a good time to review the Declaration of Independence, especially the preamble which begins…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty published the following statement on April 12, 2012:

"We are Catholics.  We are Americans.  We are proud to be both, grateful for the gift of faith which is ours as Christian disciples, and grateful for the gift of liberty which is ours as American citizens.  To be Catholic and American should mean not having to choose one over the other.  Our allegiances are distinct, but they need not be contradictory, and should instead be complimentary.  That is the teaching of our Catholic faith, which obliges us to work together with fellow citizens for the common good of all who live in this land.  That is the vision of our founding and our Constitution, which guarantees citizens of all religious faiths the right to contribute to our common life together."
            Our First, Most Cherished Liberty:  A Statement on Religious Liberty

Both documents give us something to think about this week!

-Robin Swank