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

Weekly Words from The Rock:

I am asked to bless items, and it is a good practice on the part of the faithful. The following question and answer may prove helpful regarding the blessing of items.

Question: I recently became Catholic and keep hearing that all of the stuff you have is “blessed.” Someone even gave me a holy card that they said had been blessed. I like the idea; I just don’t know what it means for something to be blessed.
Answer: You are correct in noting that most anything can be blessed. For a thing to be blessed means that it becomes holy. In fact, we often use those two words interchangeably. They convey the same sense of being “set apart.” In the Old Testament, God calls his people to be holy, or He tells them that the Sabbath day will be “holy unto the Lord.” This particular sense of holiness highlights the “otherness” of someone who or something which is blessed. It is no longer ordinary but has been “set apart.”

If we stop for a moment and consider what it meant for Israel to be holy in practical terms, we quickly see that it means that they had to be different. For God’s Chosen People to be “blessed” or “holy” it would mean that they couldn’t just live like everyone else, and they couldn’t just look like everyone else. They would have to conduct themselves differently. This is one of the reasons the People of Israel had so many unusual laws governing what they ate and what they wore. They were set apart, and this meant that they had to live the blessing – they had to live differently.

Now to be “blessed” did not merely mean to be “set apart.” It meant to be set apart for something. There is no virtue in simply being different. Israel was holy because it was set apart for the Lord. To be blessed (or to have an object blessed) is to be set apart for a purpose. Another way to word it: It is not simply to be “removed from use,” but to be “elevated to a higher purpose and use.” You could also think of the term “consecrated.” In this sense, you could see how certain people or things were “consecrated” for a purpose: how Samson and John the Baptist were both consecrated from the womb, or how the altar in the Temple was consecrated for the worship of God.

When we bring forth an object or a person to be blessed, we are presenting that person or thing to God so that (by the power of the Holy Spirit and the invocation of the name of Jesus), they would be set apart for God’s purposes. For example, many people will ask me if I can bless their cross on a chain or a bracelet. When they bring it to me, it is merely jewelry. But after it is blessed, it ceases to be jewelry that is nothing more than an accessory to one’s outfit. That object has been set apart for a purpose. It will still be worn like jewelry, but the purpose for which it is worn has changed because the object has been consecrated for a higher purpose. In the case of the cross around one’s neck, the higher purpose is that it will, from then on, only point to Christ and his saving death and resurrection.

Why do we do this, though? Why bless all these ordinary objects around us? We do this for the simple reason that we are much like ancient Israel. Our tendency is to want to be just like everyone else. Having all these reminders around us that have been consecrated to the Lord assists us and reminds us that we too have been consecrated for a higher purpose, to God.

Think of part of the Mass on the feast day of St. Blaise, February 3. On that day, faithful people show up and have their throats blessed. The prayer reads like this: “Through the intercession of St. Blaise bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” It is a prayer for protection and healing. But consider this: for a thing to be blessed is for that thing to be consecrated for a purpose. All of those who present themselves (and their throats) to be blessed are essentially offering their throats to be set apart for God’s purpose. I like reflecting on this and being reminded that I must use my throat – my voice – for God’s purposes only. If my throat has been blessed, then it is no longer merely “my throat,” and I cannot use it however I want; I have to use it to point to Jesus and his saving death and resurrection.

Remember, by virtue to baptism, you have been blessed. You have been made holy, consecrated for the Lord at your baptism. To be holy does not mean being perfect, but it does mean being set apart for God and His purposes. Because of that fact, all of us who have been baptized have received a very high call: to always be people who, by our lives, point to Christ and his saving death and resurrection.

(Article written by Father Michael Schmitz, The Catholic Spirit, December 16, 2018, page 15).

Do you have any electric motors that are lying around, and you would like to be rid of? Even with the passing of my father, I would be happy to take any electric motors. You can leave them by the rectory garage in Slayton, or I can pick them up at any of the parishes. Thanks!

Peace be to you!
Father Peter Schuster

Vocation View: Come to me all you who are weary and find life burdensome and I will refresh you. Pray for priests, brothers, and sisters, for all who offer their lives to be a sign of Jesus’ refreshing love. Pray for those who are called them in that ministry.

Matthew 11:25-30

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

Office Closed: The office will be closed from June 26th through July 5th. Please call Father Schuster if there is an emergency.

Prayer Chain: Colleen Freking is taking over the prayer chain for Sacred Heart in Heron Lake for Maurita Volk. Please call the office or Colleen with your prayer requests. Also, if you would like to a member of the prayer chain please contact the office or Colleen. THANK YOU to Maurita Volk for your time and dedication to this mission over the years.

The Southwest Area Diocesan CCW is looking for a Commission Chair. A commission chair reads a report from the Diocesan newsletter at each area meeting. They are, also, looking for the position of Vice President. They would like to return to a 2 year term. If interested contact the office or Barb Hussong.

Do You Love To Sing? The Sacred Heart Choir is looking for new members to enhance the Mass with their beautiful voices. Please reach out if interested.

Faith Formation: Sacred Heart is seeking a teacher for the 7th/8th grade Faith Formation classes for the 2026/2027 school year. Please reach out to Judy Stenzel or Melanie in the office if interested or have questions.

Phone/Address Updates: Please let Melanie know if you have any updates to addresses or phone numbers that may be out of date in the system or directory. Thank you!

Recent Changes Have taken place with the Catholic Foundation (CMA). Checks should be made payable to : Diocese of Winona-Rochester. It is very helpful if donors include CMA– Heron Lake in the memo line. The CMA appeal, as always, remains a tremendous benefit for our parishes when goals are met and overage funds are returned.

As a church, we can help promote mental well-being. Our Churches can provide a safe space for people to discuss and obtain information about the importance of mental well-being and can share their thoughts and feelings. Would you like to participate in a New Catholic minis- try that follows the following core pillars: of education, accompaniment, and advocacy to walk with individuals to foster well-being and wellness and create a faith community free from the stigma and isolation often associated with the discussion of mental health and well-being. If you have questions or would like to participate in this new ministry please contact Maria Stumpf-Ahmed at Catholic Charities, mahmed@ccsomn.org or 507-905-8602.

The Light Is On For You: : Reconciliation continues to be available. All are encouraged to continue coming to confession throughout the year; or return to the sacrament of reconciliation.

Don’t Miss The Joy The Lord Wants You To Have! The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available in the tri-parish, during adoration, on the 1st Sunday in Windom from 11-12 AM, also in Brewster on the 2nd Saturday from 4:00-4:45 PM and in Heron Lake before Mass on Sundays at 7:30 AM. Reconciliation is also before Mass on Saturdays at 4:30 PM in Brewster.

Remick Ridge Estates is looking for an individual or couple who would like to lead a weekly Bible Study for our residents. We are open to dates/times. Please call Brenda at 507-831-0745.

Mikkelsen Manor invites all seniors to join us Fridays at 2:00 pm for Bingo fun with our residents! Call Brenda with any questions, 507-831-0745.

Weekday Mass Schedule: Regarding the weekday Mass 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, the church website, signs at the church, announcements or even the bulletin when able. Thank you for your understanding.

Heavenly Father, Giver of all good things, Your Son told us to beg You to send workers into Your rich harvest, and so we have the confidence to ask You to raise up an abundance of priests in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. Send us good and holy men to respond to your call to lay down their lives in service to Your people. We know that the Church comes from priests. Therefore, Gracious God, send us priests to build up Your church, through Jesus who is High Priest and Lord forever and ever.

Amen.

The cost of educating one seminarian averages $45,000 per year, totaling over $1 million annually. This financial burden can be a major obstacle for those discerning a priestly vocation.
That’s why I’m asking for your support. Your gift to the Seminarian Education Fund directly helps form future priests-men who will preach the Gospel, celebrate the sacraments, and shepherd our parishes for generations to come.

Let us not allow financial hardship to stand in the way of God’s work. With your generosity and God’s grace, we will continue to cultivate a rich harvest of vocations in southern Minnesota.
Thank you for your faith, your prayers, and our support.

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Rev. Robert Barron
Bishop of Winona-Rochester

The Catholic Ministries Appeal has started and offers a unique opportunity for you to give back to the God of Love, from whom all things are given. Grow closer to Christ by doing your part to build up the Kingdom of God in southern Minnesota. You can give online at: https:// catholicfsmn.org. More information available on page 4 for all parishes.

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.