St. Theresa/St. Kunegunda ~ Three Lakes/Sugar Camp ~ P.O. Box 8 Three Lakes, WI 54562 V.2~May, 2020

Two Parishes, One Mission

In time of worry and stress… cling to prayer In recent months our country has faced an unprecedented situation with the onset of COVID-19. Across the world we have seen something that has never happened before, business forced to shut down, people asked to stay home, parish doors closed to the faithful. This has caused great anxiety for many people causing questions like; where is God in all of this? Why did God let this happen?

To start, he is here with us through it all. He never leaves us. Especially in trying times, it is important for us to remember that our Lord never promised us that this world would be easy, without fear, Never too young to inspire. illness or pain. He does however, promise us that “Therefore do not Matteo Farina had a self declared he will be with us always. We hear very be anxious about mission to ‘infiltrate’ among young specifically in Isaiah 41:10; “Fear not, for I am people speaking to them about God. He tomorrow, for with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I gained a devotion to St. Francis and St. tomorrow will be will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold at an early age from the anxious for itself. you with my victorious right hand.” Our Lord Capuchin friars who cared for his home parish. As a young child he had a Let the day’s own promises to give each of us the strength and devotion to reconciliation and the word trouble be sufficient support we need to handle whatever it is that this of God. By the age of eight he was life has to throw at us. All we need to do is to praying the every day. At nine, for the day.” turn to him. He is there waiting for us. he had a dream which St. Padre Pio Matthew 6:34 told him that if he understood that he The fact that the Lord is with us always, does not who is without sin is happy then he make our worry and fear any less real. It is must help others to understand this so that “we can all go together, happy, to important though to remember that it is not ours the kingdom of heaven.” alone. Even though it can be easier said than done, give it to God. Start by Matteo’s love for Mary strengthened making God the center of your life. Wake up every day by acknowledging to during his time of illness and he him in prayer that you know he will help you to face whatever the day may consecrated himself to the Immaculate bring and he will carry what you cannot. A simple start to the day in this way Heart of Mary. Keeping a journal changes the focus, making him center. When we start to feel overwhelmed, during his treatments, he referred to the pray. Even if the prayer is humbly “God help me.” pain as “one of those adventures that change your life and that of others. It Worry is simply concern for what we cannot control, what we don’t want to helps you to be stronger and to grow, above all in faith.” happen or what we fear… give it to God. Even though we may not be able to change the outcome, we certainly have full control over how He felt strongly about the need to bring it effects us both mentally and spiritually. good faith education to young people. Noting in his journal to “take time to take care of your soul, love God with While fear is the opposite of faith, worry opposite of trust. your whole being and reflect his love When you find yourself in a place of worry or fear, turn to for others.” God in prayer. “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. Matteao Farina was declared venerable God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” St. Padre Pio on May 5, 2020. A Journey in Faith A great way to begin my day is to start with prayer thanking our Lord for all He does for me, for the beautiful day He has given me, for my family and of course to ask Him for whatever needs I have. Eventually I experienced the need to know more about Jesus, the Bible and our Church.

I was invited to participate in an evangelical bible study and I spoke to my priest about joining the study. He told me it was okay but to remember that they read and interpreted the Bible differently than we did. I joined the study with an open mind.

The presenter was a lively, dynamic speaker. The homework was challenging with engaging discussions. As we went through the studies, I began to see things that were questionable to me. It became apparent to me that I needed to become involved with Catholic Bible studies.

My daughter invited me to attend a presentation by Jeff Cavins, a Catholic evangelist. His inspiring talk left me with a desire to learn more. I purchased his study Matthew and worked on the study independently. I then searched out other studies from Ascension Press as well as the St Paul Center. I began to attend and facilitate studies in our parish. Studying together with others was very rewarding. These studies became an important part of my day. When our church subscribed to Formed, I encountered another tool to enhance my daily devotions.

Studying with theologians such as Dr. Ed Sri and Dr. Scott Hahn, and other experts in the Bible and Catholicism gives me a better understanding of the life of Jesus, the Bible and our Catholic faith. It gives me an awareness of the gifts God has given to me and ways to use those gifts to better serve Him.

By inviting God into my heart and receiving the gift of faithfulness, I experience a sense of peace during these troubled times.

~Emmy Nitzel

Bible Study & Formation Opportunities…

Wednesday Bible Study formed.org ascensionpresents.com Meeting weekly from Movies, studies, relevantradio.com ebooks, and more for 10-11:30 am to discuss stpaulcenter.com both adults & kids! the upcoming weekend readings. Currently Studies, podcasts, Daily prayer articles, webcasts Register for FORMED meeting via Zoom. FREE on our webpage: opportunities Studies & tools and more! Contact Parish Office or Podcasts, Live Rosary Podcasts sttheresathreelakes.formed.org web site to register. Formation opportunity

2 Why join a book club? helped me to develop more meaningful relationships in a smaller, safe environment. Several years ago, at my previous parish in Tomah, Supporting and encouraging each other WI, I was part of a small faith based group of facilitated a closeness to live more fully as women who desired to grow in their faith through sisters in Christ. spiritual book reading. This was during a time in my life when I was looking for opportunities to 3. Increase confidence to share my faith. grow more deeply in my faith and hopefully Reaching out to others and sharing my develop more faithful friendships. However, as an challenges, as well as supporting others in introvert, it was hard for me to put myself out there theirs, helped me feel more comfortable and initiate new relationships. I considered myself praying with other people and talking about a pretty good Catholic, attending church on God outside of my home or church. weekends, participating in the sacraments, and 4. Moving forward on my faith journey. By serving in a couple parish ministries. Yet, I wanted studying and discussing spiritual material with more. other women through their ideas, inspirations My initial reaction to this opportunity for a and experiences, my interior life flourished as I women’s book study was excitement, as well as learned other ways to live His word and thus apprehension. I was excited to continue forward move God from my head to my heart. on my faith journey by increasing my knowledge 5. Accountability. Having time set aside for and understanding through spiritual reading and meeting obligations, helped me stay focused doing so with a group of women who wanted the and accountable to the group experience. same thing was very appealing. But I was hesitant. Could I share my thoughts and feelings Meeting as a small community of women has been openly? This would also take my time, effort and a fun, rewarding experience. Discussions were accountability on my part. always inspiring, laughter was often present, as well as the occasional tear. We became friends, In spite of my being hesitant, I took that step companions on this journey of life. Companions forward and soon became part of a closer who offered another perspective, a community of Christian women, all with various recommendation, or shared an experience that faith experiences and all at a different point on their ignited my interest and pushed me to live a better faith journey. Looking back, there were many life, a Christ centered life. benefits to my participation in this women’s group and I would like to share a few pertinent ones. God often uses other people to bring us closer to him. To shake up our comfortable life and 1. Increase knowledge of the Catholic faith. challenge us to come closer to him. Is this how he Reading spiritual books, and discussing with is calling you? other women deepened my understanding of Jesus Our new book club Christ and the truths of the will be starting soon, catholic faith and how to watch emails, web live those truths in my (under the formation own life, the life Christ tab) and FaceBook to planned for me. find out more and to register! 2. Social interaction/ Companionship. Meeting with faithful women, ~LuAnn Maternoski

3 Why do I me (and hoping that I would have her confidence in submitting to it). love being Catholic? Then of course there are the sacraments. Just look I want to skip over all the great stuff about being at reconciliation: that God forgives me over and Christian because that applies to any Christian over again (and to be honest for pretty much the religion. For me there are things specific to same things) is incredible to me! I am (all at the Catholicism that are so dear to me and I want to same time) humbled, ashamed, grateful and touch on some of those. inspired—— inspired to be more forgiving of others who have hurt or disappointed me in the First there are various Catholic devotions, many of same ways repeatedly. which I cherish. One of these is the living rosary. My crisis counseling work involved dealing with a But of course the real highlight of Catholicism for problem as efficiently as possible so spending a me is the . Understanding the connection whole month on a single mystery was in itself a between the Mass and the Book of Revelation has challenge. But I found a transforming richness in led me to appreciate that this celebration is my praying one mystery every day for a month. Each wedding to the Lord. And through the Eucharist he mystery began as an event 2000 thousand years ago and I are intimately joined. It is like his parents and morphed into a directive for my life today. For (the Father and Mary) know I’m not good enough example, the mystery of the Annunciation. The for their son (and how right they are), but Jesus month started with an angel appearing to Mary, says the word (that he loves me) and I am my best moved through Mary accepting God’s plan for her self. I am transformed and he chooses to share his to finally me yearning to discover God‘s plan for life with me. And I am so undeserving of his love. But so grateful. And this is true for each of us at every Mass!

For me, the fullness of my relationship with God just could not exist outside of the . And that’s why I love being Catholic.

~Pam Cira

Steps to Sainthood A Tribunal follows the ‘nihil obstat’ (official certification) from the Holy See. This tribunal investigates the candidate’s The Catholic Church does not ‘make’ Saints. When a person dies, life and how they lived heroic virtues. they go to heaven, purgatory or to hell. Jesus Christ, not the ~Phase II: Congregation for the Causes of Saints church, who determines where a person is. When the Church *Documentation is sent to the Congregation for the “names” someone a Saint, it is just recognizing the person is in Causes of Saints once the investigation is finished.examined heaven. by nine theologians who then vote. Stage I ~ Examining the Life of a Candidate for Sainthood Stage II ~ Beatification ~Phase 1: Diocesan or Eparchial Level ~A miracle must be attributed to a candidate’s intercession for *Five years must pass from the time of a candidate’s beatification and proven through canonical investigation. death before a cause can be started to allow for greater ~The title Blessed is given once beatified. objectivity. However, the pope can dispense from the waiting period. Stage III ~ Canonization *The investigation begins with the bishop of the diocese ~In order to be canonized, another miracle is needed to have or eparchy where the person died. The petitioner asks the been attributed to the intercession of the Blessed, occurring bishop through a postulator to open the investigation. after the beatification. *The bishops begins consultations with the episcopal ~Canonization allows for the public veneration of the Saint by conference, the Holy See and the faithful of the diocese. the Universal Church, and title becomes Saint.

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