SacredHeart Heron Lake

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary.
St. Gertrude the Great

Observances and Readings for the Week
Monday (2-3)
Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr
Saint Ansgar, Bishop
Heb 11:32-40
Mk 5:1-20
Tuesday (2-4)
Weekday
Heb 12:1-4
Mk 5:21-43
Wednesday (2-5)
Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr, Memorial
Heb 12:4-7, 11-15
Mk 6:1-6
Thursday (2-6)
Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs, Memorial
Heb 12:18-19, 21-24
Mk 6:7-13
Friday (2-7)
Weekday
Heb 13:1-8
Mk 6:14-29
Saturday (2-8)
Saint Jerome Emiliani
Saint Josephine Bakhita, Virgin; BVM
Heb 13:15-17, 20-21
Mk 6:30-34
Sunday (2-9)
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 6:1-2a, 3-8
1 Cor 15:1-11 or 15:3-8, 11
Lk 5:1-11
Monday (2-10)
Saint Scholastica, Virgin,Memorial
Gn 1:1-19
Mk 6:53-56
Tuesday (2-11)
Our Lady of Lourdes
Gn 1:20-2:4a
Mk 7:1-13
Wednesday (2-12)
Weekday
Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17
Mk 7:14-23
Thursday (2-13)
Weekday
Gn 2:18-25
Mk 7:24-30
Friday (2-14)
Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop, Memorial
Gn 3:1-8
Mk 7:31-37
Saturday (2-15)
BVM
Gn 3:9-24
Mk 8:1-10
Sunday (2-16)
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jer 17:5-8
1 Cor 15:12, 16-20
Lk 6:17, 20-26
An Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen

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

Adoration Schedule
Saturday February 8th
Sacred Heart Church Brewster
4:00-4:45
Sunday March 2nd
St Francis Xavier Church Windom
11:00-12:00
Saturday March 8th
Sacred Heart Church Brewster
4:00-4:45

Ash Wednesday Schedule
9:00am Sacred Heart Heron Lake
5:15pm St. Francis Xavier Church Windom
7:00pm Sacred Heart Church Brewster

Mankato Area Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation
May 31st. St. Thomas More Newman Center, Mankato
Weekly Words from The Rock:
I Was Once Presented...
When you hear the heading I just presented, one thinks many things. I was presented:
  1. A Gift.
  2. A Stern Warning.
  3. An Award.
  4. A Job Offer.
None of that is what I am going to present today. Last weekend celebrated the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple in Jerusalem. The day marks forty days after Christmas. I was once “presented.” No, it wasn’t in the Temple. It wasn’t a gift, stern warning, award, or job offer. I was presented “an offer.”
In my undergraduate years at Saint John’s University, during the month of January, we used to have what was called “J-Term.” We took only one class and never received a grade. You either received a Pass or Fail. It was enjoyable because it was a much lighter load than semester work and one could spend time with friends. I recall two of my J-Term classes. The first was a business class. The second was a study in the ways of the Benedictines where one spent time with the monks in the monastery at St. John’s. The third J-Term? For the life of me, I can’t remember. St. John’s implemented a change during my senior year whereby one only needed to graduate with three J-Term’s completed. I had fulfilled my obligation thus decided I would take the month of January off and spend time with family. It was then that I was presented “an offer.” My mother and father had never been away on vacation (just the two of them) since their wedding. In conversation together, my mother, father, and I batted around the idea of them taking a significant vacation while I was home during J-Term. I was finally asked, or presented, the question, “Would you (Peter) be willing to take care of the hogs, move snow, and take care of your brother while mom and dad took vacation?” I said, “Certainly.” With that, they were gone on a tour of the southern part of the United States.
The task was in front of me. This was a time when we regularly received snow over the winter months. Fox hunting was a priority. I tried to go every day; however, I had to remember responsibilities. They were:
  1. Get my brother off to school
  2. Pick up his gun safe at school which he made in carpentry class.
  3. Check on the hogs.
  4. Bed them each night.
  5. Grind feed.
  6. Make certain the barns kept a warmth to them.
  7. Clean barns.
When it came to point (F) cleaning barns, my father used to wait until I arrived home for the weekend. We would together clean the hog barns and grind feed. While I was home over J-Term, I tried to do everything on my own. I wanted this to be a “vacation” for my brother too. That meant, along with hog chores, I had to cook for my brother each evening. Overall, things went well and I can’t remember any hiccups. It was a fun three weeks.
The story reminded me of when I was younger and my father went away on either a hunting or fishing trip for three or four days. My mother stayed home still I was “presented” a responsibility. I would have to do the hog chores. I was really young and this was a big responsibility. It didn’t entail grinding feed or cleaning barns. I was asked to:
  1. Check the waters.
  2. Make certain the feeders were flowing so the hogs could eat.
  3. Bed the hogs each night.
  4. Keep an eye on one hog which was ill.
When it came to the hog that was ill, the hog was really sick. My father told me that it might need a vaccination with penicillin. The first night I didn’t think it necessary. By the second night, I knew something had to be done. I had never given a vaccination before to any hog. This was my first time. I did everything my father told me to do yet after I was finished, I didn’t know if I had given the hog any penicillin or not. So, I did it a second time. Then a third time. Poor hog. It was so sick that it didn’t really put up a fight. Yet, I had done it. The task had been done. Did the hog survive? Sadly, it didn’t. It was too late by the time I had “done my duty” but I was proud I had done what I could.
When I think of the story of Jesus, the number of his healings were remarkable. Unlike me, when people were healed, healing happened. Such was the power of Jesus Christ. His healing power continues today. May he heal us of our frailties, sins, and hardened hearts so we may be ready when he comes in glory.
Peace be to you!
Father Peter Schuster
Vocation View: Do not be afraid. If the Lord is calling you to ordained or religious life do not be afraid. Jesus calls, and leads the way. (Luke 5:1-11)
Mini Reflection
What does it mean to lower your net? I means to listen to God, even when you don’t understand Him. It means to keep trying the hard thing that you know is the right thing. It mean to keep loving the person who is making life hard on you.
The Catch
I love today’s Gospel passage, and not just because I love a good fish fry.
I love it because I am Peter. Over and over again, I am Peter standing here exhausted because I relied on my own abilities, and it got me nowhere. I’m ready to call it quits. I’m ready to say it’s too hard. And here comes Jesus, asking me to lower my net. To keep trying.
And I try to talk some sense into him. “It’s not going to work, God,” I insist. “I’ve been trying.”
“You’ve been trying,” Jesus agrees. “But you haven’t asked for my help yet.”
What does it mean to lower your net? It sounds so simple and so easy, but it takes a great deal of humility and trust. I think I’m the expert on my own life, the captain of my own ship Peter probably thought so, too—he was the fisherman, after all. Why would a fisherman listen to a carpenter on matters of fishing?
Lowering your net means giving God control and letting yourself be changed by what He choses to show you.
It means to listen to God’s instructions, even when you don’t understand them, even when you find them frustrating. It means to keep trying the hard thing that you know is the right thing, even when it hasn’t born much fruit. It means to keep loving the person who is making life hard on you, even when all you want to do is give into feelings of bitterness and distrust.
If we would only lower our nets, the catch would astound us.
– Colleen Jurkiewicz Dorman
There will be Confession available 1/2 hour before mass on Sundays.
Meetings: CCW will meet on Tuesday, February 18th at 7 PM.
Mission Quilt Sewing will be on Tuesdays, at Steger Hall, weather permitting, starting at 1:30 PM. Extra hands make light work! Do you have any old drapes, mattress pads or blankets that could be used for batting? We could, also, use good used sheets or fabric for the quilt backs. Please drop these items at the Church, Steger Hall or the Rectory. Thank you!
Mark Your Calendars: Fun Sunday has been set for February 23rd with a snow date of March 2nd. The theme this year is “Hooked on Jesus.” Raffle donations can be given to Lisa Carlson and raffle tickets have been mailed. We are asking for $5 donation from each family for bingo prizes, as well.
Feb/Mar Liturgical Roles are now available to pick up in the entrance of the church.
Greeters: Looking for volunteers to greet parishioners as they enter for Sunday Mass. Please reach out to Melanie in the office or sign up on the sheet in the back of the church if interested! THANK YOU!
Reminder: If school is late or closed due to adverse weather, Wednesday Mass is also cancelled. Sunday Mass cancellation will be announced on KDOM and Worthington Radio Stations, along with being posted on Facebook.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter
“Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter; we are all the work of your hands.” As we begin the waiting of advent, let us strive to become the work of his hands by attending a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. THE NEXT WEEKENDS ARE FEB 14-16, 2025 IN WINDOM, MN For more information, call Miki Schultz at 507-227-8229 or visit them at southmnwwme.org. To register, visit our website: https://southmnwwme.org/applyWeekend.php?/hl=en choose Feb 14-16 Windom Shalom Hills Farm.
Day on the Hill:
Interested in joining people from faith communities around the state to share their values with our elected officials? Join us for the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC) Day on the Hill! It will be held on February 27 at Central Presbyterian Church in St. Paul. We'll gather for fellowship, hear from speakers, learn about JRLC's policy priorities and get advocacy tips before heading up the hill to the Capitol for more programming in the Rotunda and visits with your lawmakers. Don't miss this incredible day of interfaith advocacy for social justice! More info at jrlc.org/day_on_the_hill_2025
Eucharistic Revival: The Year of Mission
Have you thought about being an Eucharistic Minister? To culminate our assemblies in full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy, we continue to call the People of God to minister both in the liturgy and beyond. Extraordinary Ministers of Communion are involved and an important ministry within parish life. Consider volunteering to be one for your church. Thank you.
The Catholic Ministries Appeal 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 may also give online at: https://catholicfsmn.org
Feb 9th is Wold Marriage Day.
Please remember to check the back page of the bulletin and support our sponsors!
Facebook Page
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.
https://www.facebook.com/Sacred-Heart-Catholic-Church-2269000439994268
New Parishioners
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.
Marriage Preparation
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.
Baptism Preparation
Contact the parish office a month in advance to fill out the form and to attend Baptism Mentoring Sessions.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation still available by appointment for each Parish.
Quinceanera Preparation
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.