HAPPY BIRTHDAY FR. PRATAP!!
Thursday, July 2nd

Weekly Words from The Rock:

That is correct. Count them. We are three weeks into Ordinary Time and none of our Sundays have addressed Ordinary Time. Over three weeks, we have celebrated:

Questions arise with the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. What not just the Solemnity of Saint Peter or the Solemnity of Saint Paul? Why both together? Today commemorates the mission of the universal church. Saint Peter was the apostle to the Jewish people. Saint Paul was the apostle to the Gentile people. The Jewish people and Gentile people marked the whole world in the first century. Such is why in our Nicene Creed we profess the church as "catholic" and "apostolic." Built upon the work of the apostles, the Church extends to the ends of the earth.

With both apostles, their martyrdom found them in the same city. One would expect it to be in Jerusalem for Jerusalem was the location of Jesus' death and resurrection. Such is not the case. Peter and Paul's martyrdom took place in the city of Rome. Rome was the government center of a large area at the time of Jesus, Peter and Paul. We know that the government ruling in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus was Roman. Names like Herod and Pilate in the pages of the gospels verify this fact. Thus, it was to the ruling center of the world where Peter and Paul would go.

How was Peter martyred? By being crucified upside down. How was Paul martyred? By being beheaded. Both shed their blood for Jesus Christ; thus, when we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the color worn is red. Red signifies one who shed their blood for Jesus Christ.

As Peter and Paul were faithful in their mission of spreading the gospel, let us continue their work to the ends of the earth.

Charles Francis Adams, a 19th century figure and diplomat, kept a diary. One day he entered, "Went fishing with my son today - a day wasted." His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father - the most wonderful day of my life!"

The father thought he was wasting his time while fishing with his son, but his son saw it as an investment of time. The only way to tell the difference between wasting and investing time is to know one's ultimate purpose in life and to judge accordingly.

There was a little boy with a terrible temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive nails into the fence. Finally, the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there."

The point of the story being a verbal wound is as bad as a non-verbal one so try to curb your anger.

If you haven't done so, please send in your pledge for the Catholic Ministries Appeal. Any monies raised over the goal are returned to each respective parish at 100%. Also, any monies raised over the goal are not assessed by the diocese. The Catholic Ministries Appeal is a great way for us to raise funds for our parishes. Please be generous!

Peace be to you!

Father Peter Schuster

Vocation View: The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him. Psalm 34:7

Thank you Lord for rescuing us who look to you.

There will be Confession available 1/2 hour before mass on Sundays.

Office Closed: The office will be closed from June 25th - July 6th. Please call Father Schuster if there is an emergency.

The June Issue of the Diocesan Courier is available at the entrances of the Church.

Liturgy Roles: Looking to become more involved in church? Please contact Melanie if you would be interested in helping out with the rosary readings, serving, ushering, eucharist minister, lector, or contribution steward.

Southwest Area CCW Meeting for the deceased members will be held at 7 PM on Tuesday, July 22nd at St Joseph Catholic Church in Lakefield. All are invited to attend.

Weekday Mass Schedule: The weekday Mass Schedule is now back to every week, celebrating Masses on every Tuesday through Friday in the tri-parish. See the front of the bulletin for the schedule. Funerals and vacations scheduled intermittently may affect weekday Masses and there may be cancellations. Please be patient as we learn of these schedule changes. We will update you as best we can via facebook, signs at the church, announcements or even the bulletin when able. Thank you for your understanding.

Looking Ahead: There will be no weekday Masses on July 8th - 11th in the tri-parish.

Every year, all parishes in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester participate in the Missionary Cooperative Plan Weekend Appeal. Our tri-parish is assigned Fr. Rogue Buezas from Argentina, representing “The Institute of the Incarnate Word”. (IVE) Go to: WEB: http:// www.hogarsanmartin.org/ FB page: https://tinyurl.com/yc62vjh3 for more information. July 5-6

Early Bulletin Deadline: There is an early bulletin deadline for next week’s bulletin. Please have your announcements in by 1:00 on Monday, June 30th by calling St. Francis Xavier’s Church at 507-831-1985 or emailing secretaryfrancis2024@gmail.com. Thank you.

Since the beginning of the National Eucharistic Revival, a particular saying of Jesus has resonated in my heart:

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under-foot” (Mt 5:13).

This was the reason for the National Eucharistic Revival: if we lose our love for Jesus in the Eucharist and our belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, then we lose our “saltiness.” We lose the very character of what makes us Catholic, and any effectiveness we desire to have bears no effect on our world. The National Eucharistic Revival was a great “re-seasoning” of our Church, an invitation to worship and to fall in love with Jesus in the Eucharist and reclaim our identity.

While this saying has resonated in my heart, it is only the beginning of a larger teaching. Jesus continues:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5:14–16).

Joel Stepanek For more reading: https://tinyurl.com/2fvn73t5

Peter’s Pence Collection: The faithful’s offerings to the Holy Father, Pope Leo, XIV, through the Peter’s Pence Collection on this weekend, are destined to Church needs, to humanitarian initiatives and social promotion projects, as well as to the support of the Holy See. Go to: https://www.usccb.org/catholic-giving/ opportunities-for-giving/peters-pence for more information and to donate.

If you wish to donate by mail, please send to:

Peter's Pence Collection

c/o The Apostolic Nunciature

3339 Massachusetts Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20008

Synod For Evangelization & Vocations: Mankato Aug 21 starting at 4pm through Aug 22, full day. Two Representatives from Each parish are needed to serve on this SYNOD. You MUST be available during these days/times. Limited hotel rooms are available. Please contact Dana: 507-836-8030 if you are interested in serving. Each church MUST have 2 representatives.

Please like and share our Facebook page. The page is intended to connect current parish members and members that have moved with the activities of Sacred Heart Heron Lake.

We welcome you into God’s family! If you are interested in learning more about our church, or would like to join, please stop in the Parish Office.

Please notify the Parish Office of any change of address.

Contact the priest 6 to 12 months in advance of the date of marriage to fill out the forms, to do FOCCUS Test and to attend Marriage Prep Mentoring sessions. Please contact your parish office, if interested.

Contact the parish office a month in advance to fill out the form and to attend Baptism Mentoring Sessions.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation still available by appointment for each Parish.

When booking a Quinceanera and needing a 1st Reconciliation and a 1st Holy Communion. There is a three month preparation time. Please schedule your Quinceanera 3 months in advance. Thank you. It is also required that the family is a member of the parish.