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

Weekly Words from The Rock:

Father Ed Broom, OMV wrote an article entitled, Taming the Tongue: 10 Fatal Abuses of Speech. With Lent upon us, I want to challenge each of us by looking into our interior lives and finding the face of Jesus Christ. This article can help as an examination of conscience. Last week we looked at the first five ways that our tongues can abuse speech. This week we take up the final five so let us delve into the words of Father Broom.

Sarcasm in Speech. Sarcasm is using irony and mockery to show contempt. Utilizing sarcasm wounds charity; it is like adding salt to the opened wound. It hurts, burns and smarts! The sarcastic person belittles, disparages and pokes fun at others, gets the listeners to laugh and degrades others and their innate dignity. Before giving in to sarcasm, apply the Golden Rule. How would you like it if you were to be the butt of a sarcastic joke? Do to others what you want them to do to you. So speak to others and about them as you would like to be spoken to and about.

Breaking Confidence. If what you have heard is meant to be kept in confidence, not revealed, or to be kept in secret, then it’s best to keep your mouth shut and sealed. Priests must maintain the seal of the confessional. Professionals are obliged to maintain confidence in many cases. In this case, the common proverb, silence is golden, is indeed very true. Therefore, in taming the tongue to prevent this fatal flaw, we sometimes are obliged to simply remain silent.

Blasphemy. Of the utmost serious flaw of the tongue is that of blasphemy. What then is blasphemy? In Father John Hardon’s Pocket Catholic Dictionary, we read: “Blasphemy is speaking against God in a contemptuous, scornful, or abusive manner. Included under blasphemy are offenses committed by thought, word or action, serious contemptuous ridicule of the saints, sacred objects, or of persons consecrated to God is also blasphemous because God is indirectly attacked. Blasphemy is a grave violation of charity against God. Its gravity may be judged by capital punishment in the Old Testament, severe penalties in the Church, and in many cases also of the State.” A concrete example of this was the abuse and the desecration of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary by pouring blood over the statue on Christmas Eve in Oklahoma. Through this act, the Church was mocked and Our Lord’s mother was attacked.

Abusive and Vulgar Language. While not as serious as blasphemy, a great abuse of the tongue is the all-too prevalent proliferation of vulgar language. Often words are used to degrade the human person as well as the intimate act that God has designed for procreation of new human beings. This is wrong and should be brought to a screeching halt for those who are in the habit of using such ugly and indecent language. We should never forget that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. As Catholics, our tongues partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus whenever we receive Holy Communion. As part of our preparation for Holy Communion we should tame the tongue to be ready to receive such a great gift. We should act according to the dignity of who we are temples of the Living God. We ought to also act according to our dignity as future citizens of Heaven, our eternal home with God.

Bragging and Boasting. Another form of speech that we should be careful of is that of bragging or boasting. What is this form of speech? It is when we are praising and placing ourselves above all, lauding and adulating our own supposed greatness. In this we attribute all of our successes, merits, and rewards to our own greatness. This is very displeasing to God because it is the epitome of pride! God lifts up the lowly but despises the proud of heart. Our Lady in her Magnificat expresses this truth: “For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness...He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.” Our attitude of heart should be that of the Psalmist: “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name give glory.”

May our speech this Lent radiate the grandeur and power of God!

Simple Things

In the March 2025 publication of Our Sunday Visitor, Father Augustine Wetta, on pages 6-7, shares some simple life lessons. I share three of his simple things.

This is pretty good advice to live a life dedicated to our faith and God. Good luck!

Peace be to you!
Father Peter Schuster

Vocation View: This is my beloved Son, hear him. Take some time to hear the beloved Son speaking to you. What does he say? (Luke 9:28-36)

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

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!

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.

Coffee and Rolls will be hosted by Barb Hussong and Steve Hussong on Sunday, March 23rd. Still looking for hosts for April 6th. Please let Melanie Krumbach or Dianne Freking know if you are interested.

Stations of the Cross will take place on March 19th at 7:00 PM led by the 9th and 10th grade Faith Formation students.

Chrism Mass: Sacred Heart Church in Heron Lake will be hosting the Chrism Mass this year on Monday, April 14th at 2 PM. We are looking for volunteers to help out with numerous responsibilities that day so if you are available to help please let the office know. THANK YOU!

On the Weekend of March 29-30, there will be a second collection for Catholic Relief Services. This collection provides funding for CRS, the USCCB Offices of International Justice and Peace, Migration and Refugee Services and Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees; relief work of the Holy Father; and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network.

The SYNOD. Bishop Barron asks that parishioners participate in a survey during the season of Lent prior to holding regional gathering of parish delegates and appointed members from all over the Diocese. The survey is online and accessible via https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeIOFORJddh-VSHuuYJStNBBvQMnCL9vLdIKz9nM7WmNQtUyg/viewform?usp=header. You may also access the survey through the dowr.org webpage.

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.