Holy Cross St Martin’s Catholic Church St Mary’s Catholic Church

GAUDETE — DEC 13, 2020

Catholic Parishes of Lake Vermilion and Pelican Lake www.stmmhc.com Pastor: Father Nick Nelson [email protected] 218-666-5334

Holy Cross Catholic Church 10696 Shady Grove Lane PO Box 218 Orr MN 55771 218-666-5334 [email protected] Judy Koch—Secretary Jennifer Herdman—Bookkeeper

St Martin’s Catholic Church 108 N 2nd Street PO Box 757 Tower MN 55790 218-753-4310 [email protected] Maryann Rot—Secretary/Bookkeeper

St Mary’s Catholic Church 124 5th St SE/PO Box 609 Cook MN 55723 218-666-5334 [email protected] Jennifer Herdman—Secretary/Bookkeeper

Baptisms, Marriages, , and Anointing for the sick and homebound, please contact the ap- propriate parish office.

Mass Schedules Saturday, Dec 12 Holy Cross 5:00 pm –Joseph Long MONDAY Sunday, Dec 13 Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a St Mary’s Psalm 25:4-5ab, 6 & 7bc, 8-9 8:00 am Mass-Jason Triska Matthew 21:23-27

St Martin’s TUESDAY 10:30 am Mass–Parish Families Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13 Psalm 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19, 23 Monday, Dec 14 Matthew 21:28-32 St Martin’s 2:00 –8:00 pm Adoration of the Blessed Eucharist WEDNESDAY Isaiah 45:6c-8, 18, 21b-25 6:30 pm —Reflections of St Joseph Psalm 85:9ab & 10, 11-12, 13-14 Tuesday, Dec 15 Luke 7:18b-23 St Mary’s 8:00 am Adoration THURSDAY 9:00 am Mass –Jan Ferguson Genesis 49:2, 8-10 St Martin’s Psalm 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17 6:30 pm Women’s Bible Study Matthew 1:1-17

Wednesday, Dec 16 FRIDAY: St Martin’s Jeremiah 23:5-8 8:00 am Adoration Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19 9:00 am Mass—Lucy & Wolfram Locher Matthew 1:18-25 Thursday, Dec 17 St Mary’s SATURDAY 7:00 am Adoration Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a Psalm 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17 8:00 am Mass—Frank Meyer Luke 1:5-25 2:00—8:00 pm Adoration of the Blessed Eucharist 7:00 pm Advent—Reflections of St Joseph SUNDAY Holy Cross 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 4:30 pm Adoration Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29 5:00 pm Confessions Romans 16:25-27 Luke 1:26-38 5:30 pm Mass—Special Intention

Friday, Dec 18 St Martin’s 7:00 am Adoration 8:00 am Mass—Lowell Lindy, Charles H Grant Jr Sunday, 13 & Deborah Ann Grant St Mary’s: Server: Alex Burckhardt Saturday, Dec 19 Lector: Denise Parson St Martin’s Ushers: Tim Johnson 7:00 am Mass Bob Fox Don Doroff Holy Cross Aaron Twite 5:00 pm Mass—Jim & Donita Plese St Martin’s: Sunday, Dec 20 Server: Mylan Miskovich & Juhani Rosandich St Mary’s Lector: Erin Peitso 8:00 am Mass— Parish Families Ushers: Rick Athmann St Martin’s Dave Ferrian 10:30 am Mass—Angelo Sacchetti George Stefanich Tony Luczak From the Desk of Father Nick: WEEKLY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRAYER OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME: Daily Mental Prayer “DAILY MASS IS THE HEARTBEAT OF THE PARISH” Monday Friends, if I can get everyone of us to realize the importance of 2-8pm @ St. Martin’s Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. prayer and to pray daily, I could die in peace. You always hear Just stop on in and ‘BE’ with Jesus from me. I’d like you to hear from the men and women who are more holy than I, and know God more intimately than I do. Take it from them… Tuesday 8-9am @St. Mary’s, Adoration “There is no danger if our prayer is without words or reflection 9am @St. Mary’s, Mass (only a half hour) because the good success of prayer depends neither on words nor on study. It depends upon the simple raising of our minds to God, and the more simple and stripped of feeling it is, the surer it is.” Wednesday -St. Jane Frances de Chantal 8-9am @St. Martin’s, Adoration 9am @St. Martin’s, Mass “You don't know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God, and as soon as you have said, ‘Lord, I don't know how to pray!" you can be sure you have already begun.’” Thursday -St. Josemaria Escriva 7-8am @St. Mary’s, Adoration 8am @St. Mary’s, Mass “We do not have to talk very much in order to pray well. We know 2-8pm @St. Mary’s, Adoration that God is there in His holy tabernacle; let us open our hearts to 4:30-5:30pm @Holy Cross, Adoration Him; let us rejoice in His Presence: This is the best prayer.” -St. John Vianney 5:30pm @Holy Cross, Mass

“Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for Friday cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against 7-8am @St. Martin’s, Adoration sadness.” -St. John Chrysostom 8am @St. Martin’s, Mass

“He who neglects mental prayer needs no devil to carry him to Rorate Caeli Mass 7am at St. Martin’s, Dec. 19th hell. He brings himself there with his own hands. The devil knows that he has lost the soul that perseveringly practices mental pray- “The Rorate Caeli Mass is a traditional Advent devotion wherein the er.” Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary for Advent is offered just before -Saint Teresa of Avila dawn. The interplay of light and darkness speak to the meaning of Advent and the coming of the Light of the world. “Mental prayer is the blessed furnace in which souls are inflamed The Mass takes its title, Rorate Caeli, from the first words of the In- with the love of God. All the saints have become saints by mental troit, which are from Isaiah 45:8: prayer.” “Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum, aperiatur terra, et - St Alphonsus Liguori germinet Salvatorem.” “Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the “He who does not make mental prayer does not even know his just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior.” defects, and therefore, as St Bernard says, he does not abhor them. The Rorate Mass is lit only by candlelight. Because it is a He does not even know the dangers to which his eternal salvation in Mary’s honor, white vestments are worn instead of Advent violet. is exposed, and therefore, he does not even think of avoiding them. In the dimly lit setting, priest and faithful prepare to honor the Light But he who applies himself to meditation instantly sees his faults, of the world, Who is soon to be born, and offer praise to God for the and the dangers of perdition, and seeing them, he will reflect on gift of Our Lady. As the Mass proceeds and sunrise approaches, the the remedies for them.” church becomes progressively brighter, illumined by the sun as our - St Alphonsus Liguori Faith is illumined by Christ.

• Pick up a simple guide to mental prayer at the entrances if you The readings and prayers of the Mass foretell the prophecy of the need one. Virgin who would bear a Son called Emmanuel, and call on all to raise the gates of their hearts and their societies to let Christ the King en- • When will you pray? Where will you pray? With whom will you ter; asking for the grace to receive eternal life by the merits of the pray? incarnation and saving Resurrection of Our Lord.” FSSP website

PRAYER CHAIN: REL ED CONTACTS CONFESSIONS: All Elementary: Holy Cross: Mary (757-0191) Emily Koch (218-235-9113) Holy Cross: 1/2 hour before Mass Judy (757-3170) [email protected] St Mary’s: 1/2 hour before Mass St Martin’s: Bette (753-4111) St Martin’s: 1/2 hour before Mass Helen (753-6220) All High School: St Mary’s: Mary (666-5771) Debbie Nelson (218-393-9153) Please note: If these times do not Cleo (666-2715) [email protected] work for you—please contact Father!

General: Stewardship: Dec 5 & 6 FORMED recommendation for this week: Watch the Holy Cross movie: Keys to the Kingdom; Listen to: Who Do You Adult: $995.00 Say That I Am? Plate: $282.00 UCA: $30.00 This weekend we take up the collection for the Re- tirement Fund for Religious. Hundreds of US religious St Martin’s: communities struggle to provide for aging members Adult: $1870.00 because most senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and Plate: $341.00 religious order priests served for little pay. Your gift UCA: $541.00 helps bridge the gap. Donation: $300.00 : $20.00 Holy Cross 2021 Giving Envelopes are available in the front of the St Mary’s: Church. Please be sure to grab yours. If you are cur- Adult: $1568.00 rently not an envelope holder but would like to be, Plate: $138.00 please contact Jennifer at St Mary’s. UCA: $255.00

Still needs $2611.00 If you would like to order a poinsettia in honor/ memory of a loved one, please let Jennifer know. Cost is $20.00 Advent—Series of Reflections: St Martin’s Mon, Dec 14—Reflections of St Joseph—St Martin’s—7pm 2021 Calendars are available at the main entrance! Thurs, Dec 17—Reflections of Baby Jesus—St Mary’s— Pick up your copy today. 7:00 pm Mon, Dec 21—Reflections of Baby Jesus—St Martin’s— If you would like to order a poinsettia in honor/ 7:00 pm memory of a loved one, please let Maryann know. Cost is $20.00

Father Michael Garry will be here on Monday, Decem- ber 21 to hear confessions—7:00 pm

***We will be decorating the Church for the season on Tuesday, Dec 22. We will start at 9:00 am— volunteers are needed and appreciated. Lunch will be served.

St Mary’s 2021 Giving Envelopes are available in the front of the Church. Please be sure to grab yours. If you are cur- rently not an envelope holder but would like to be, please contact Jennifer.

St Mary’s stills needs just over $2600 to reach our United Catholic Appeal assessment. Anything you can Christmas Mass Schedule: give to reach this assessment would be greatly appre- ciated. Thursday, December 24 4:00 pm—St Martin’s If you would like to order a poinsettia in honor/ 7:00 pm—Holy Cross memory of a loved one, please let Jennifer know. Cost Friday, December 25 is $20.00 8:30 am—St Mary’s

11:00 am—St Martin’s