Antigo Area Catholic Churches Newsletter — February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

Antigo Area Our Faith Formation Program: Faithfully Working to Bring Children Closer to Christ

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ur youngsters in our Antigo Area Catholic Churches will have the wonderful opportunity to attend retreats planned this year, as part of our Faith Formation program that strives to lead them to intentional faith and an encounter with Jesus.

Kristen Rolling, Faith Formation Coordinator, oversees 11 catechists who are teaching more than 120 students across three parishes.

The Faith Formation classes are held on Wednesday evenings at SS. Mary and Hyacinth and run from October through April. The Faith Formation students are in kindergarten through 11th grade.

“Our catechists are the driving force of our goal of intentional faith and an encounter with Jesus,” Kristen says. “They are motivating the kids and instilling faith in their lives.”

Through the Faith Formation classes, as Kristen Rolling, Faith Formation Coordinator well as the Sacramental Preparation classes, our Antigo Area Catholic Churches are working to develop a culture of intentional faith that helps people know how much God loves them. The children learn the basic proclamations of the Gospel that help them understand the relationship God wants for them.

“Even when we fall away, Jesus is there for us,” Kristen says. “We can use our talents and gifts to glorify Him. This is something we try to instill.”

Kristen is working to develop more youth ministry activities that will help bring the youngsters closer to Christ.

“Our Faith Formation team works to teach kids how to welcome Jesus into their lives and be willing to trust and rely on Him for everything” Kristen says. “That really is what intentional faith is about.”

Although the Faith Formation classes do not include students at All Saints Catholic School, our program collaborates with the school for Sacramental Preparation classes. continued on page 5

Prayer:

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Come to Know the Lord

e make constant reference to the “three Ts” of stewardship, recognizing that to truly live as a stewardship people, we must give God the first fruits of our time, talent, and treasure. It is easy for us to see the concrete reality of the latter two. If we are to give God our talents, we must first recognize with what talents He has blessed us, and then use those talents for His greater glory. And as we continue our stewardship path, we know very well that our money is something concrete.

When we recognize it as a gift from God, we know that we are to give a certain amount back to Him. It is easy for many of us to understand what it means to give God our talent and our treasure.

But what does it mean to give God a portion of our time?

This idea is much harder to grasp, and yet giving to God the first fruits of our time is just as important as the other two. And if we understand this idea and implement it properly, our stewardship of time will serve as the very foundation from which our stewardship of talent and treasure bear fruit.

When we talk about stewardship of time, we are referring to prayer time. Prayer is of the utmost importance in a disciple’s life, and in the Diocese of Wichita’s The Pillars of Parish Stewardship, it is also one of the four pillars of stewardship.

Does this mean that in order to be true disciples, we should say the Our Father three times a day or pray a daily Rosary?

Not particularly. Of course, we must not discount the merits of prayer, as the Church in her wondrous wisdom has given us certain prayers to help guide our lives. However, the disciple’s deep life of prayer involves even more.

St. John Chrysostom explains, “You should not think of prayer as being a matter of words. It is a desire for God, an indescribable devotion … the gift of God’s grace” (Hom 6).

That is, if we look at prayer as a mere regimen that we must follow every day, then we do not see to the heart of it. The reality is that prayer will take on different forms for every one of us. One person may have a deep devotion to the Rosary, and in praying it, he is closely united to the Lord. Another person might feel deeply connected to Him through constant conversation – in the car on the way to work, before bed at night, or at other hours throughout the day. Meanwhile, for another person, a daily or weekly hour of silence before the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration is the best place for him to offer the Lord

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his heart. No matter how we choose to pray, we must get to the root of it all. If we are to truly give God our time, it must be a gift of ourselves. It must come from the heart and not take the form of mere word repetition. If we offer an Our Father without meditating on the words, it can simply become recitation.

The point of prayer is to get to know the Lord. If we are committed to living as His disciples, we must be on personal terms with Him. The first disciples didn’t know what it meant to pray the Rosary. And until the Lord taught them the Our Father, they couldn’t pray that either. But they were definitely true stewards of their time. They walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, and ate meals with Him. He was their best friend, and the more they got to know Him, the more they longed to serve Him. The same holds true for us today. We can walk with Him, talk with Him and sit with Him, just as they did. And He wants us to do this, too. St. John Chrysostom proclaims, there is nothing more worthwhile: “For prayer unites us to God as His companions” (Hom 6). How can we serve Him if we don’t know Him? If we truly desire to be a servant people, we must talk to Him whom we wish to serve. We must get to know Him. Then, most assuredly, we will fall in love with Him. We will undoubtedly desire nothing more than to serve Him. Recognize Jesus as your best friend and spend time with Him as such. He is the Lord, the Creator of the Universe, without whom we would cease to exist. Bring Him your cares and concerns, your excitement, your worry, your fears, and your frustrations, and allow Him to comfort you. He is there, and He wants to speak with you.

No matter how we choose to pray, we must get to the root of it all. If we are to truly give God our time, it must be a gift of ourselves. It must come from the heart and not take the form of mere word repetition.

A Letter From Our Pastor

The Word of God is Living and Effective Dear Parish Family, y niece just turned one year old on the third of February. I now have 10 nieces and nephews. The majority of them, however, were born in other states, or are growing up in other states. This niece happens to live close enough that I have seen her pretty much every month since she was born. I’ve watched her learn to roll over, stand up, and walk. It’s amazing how much she learns and grows each time I see her. It’s also amazing how much she has yet to learn. She does everything but talk. I’m afraid, based on her genetics, that once she finally starts talking, she may never stop.

There are so many words in our world today – billboards, text messages, podcasts, 24-hour cable news channels with double scrolling feeds of extra news underneath. It’s hard to appreciate a well-crafted word, a deep thought, or a carefully worded conversation. It’s hard to remember how long it took each of us to learn to form words and complete sentences, let alone master writing an article or speaking in public.

The Bible begins with God speaking his word and the world is created. The Gospel of John reprises the theme when it opens with this statement, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He was spoken into the world by the Father. He never stops speaking to us. He speaks to us in prayer, in signs, and most especially through the Scriptures. If you come to Mass on Sunday, you hear at least 4 scripture readings every week. The Word of God is

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the living Word. God is speaking to us as a community, and He asks us to be faithful to His Word. If we pay attention and truly listen, God can nourish our spirit, and Christ can be more real and present to us. The Homily, the Responsorial Psalm, the Profession of Faith, and the Intercessions develop the Word further and complete it. The Profession of Faith is our acceptance of God’s Word.

How do we respond to the Word?

Does it change our lives? Does it speak truth into your heart? Or does it get swallowed up by constant babble, the lies we believe about ourselves, the gossip, the hustle and bustle, the anxieties of the world, and the selfish vices that are growing in our hearts? Being able to listen, to hear and then to act requires conscious effort. We must uproot the weeds that are growing from the hurts and fears in our hearts. We have to face the lies and reject them. We need to accept the truth, cherish it, and nourish it. The word will bear much fruit if you let it take root in your heart. Listen!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Joel Sember Pastor

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Welcoming Fr. George Dan

“Wherever I Go, I Ser

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Fr. George Daniel

ust after Thanksgiving, we were blessed by the arrival of Fr. George Daniel in our church community. Fr. Daniel comes to our Antigo Area Catholic Churches with the experience and wisdom of 31 years as a priest. As a community, we are looking forward to getting to know Fr. Daniel.

As a young man, Fr. Daniel didn’t expect the priesthood to be in his future.

In fact, he says he was rather lukewarm in his faith.

“I would go to church but never thought of becoming a priest,” he says.

However, his family had a very

Fr. Daniel was ordained in Pakistan on October 19, 1990.

strong faith and there were frequently priests and religious brothers and sisters coming to his home to visit his father.

Over time, Fr. Daniel, along with his family, developed a strong relationship with these visitors. After his graduation, one of these visitors planted a seed in his mind and heart.

“One day, a sister asked me, ‘Why don’t you go to seminary?’” Fr. Daniel says. “It got me thinking. I think God called me, and I went to seminary.”

From there, his faith truly began to grow and blossom. The humble obedience that led to Fr. Daniel answering the call to the priesthood persists today.

Wherever he goes, he brings a peaceful receptiveness to the will of God. “As a priest, I’m not looking forward to anything in particular,” Fr. Daniel says. “I only look to one thing — to move along with the people, to love God, and to love my brothers and sisters. I would like to walk with the people on the path of God. We are all walking behind Him on the path to the Truth.”

Fr. Daniel has a special devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary, St. Anthony, and St. Padre Pio. These are the saints that have resonated with him in his spiritual life. continued on page 5

“I only look to one thing — to move along with the people, to love God and to love my brothers and sisters. I would like to walk with the people on the path of God. We are all walking behind Him on the path to the Truth.” — Fr. George Daniel 4

niel to Our Faith Community ve the People of God” “Their spirituality has had a deep impact upon my life,” Fr. Daniel says. “I like the way they have lived their life in the Lord and give themselves to Him, and I have learned from their examples.”

In his free time, Fr. Daniel likes to spend time with Scripture. Prayer and reflection on the Bible and on God’s will for him are of the highest importance to Fr. Daniel. The opportunity that he has to serve God by serving His people is Fr. Daniel’s favorite part of being a priest.

“Wherever I go, I serve the people of God,” Fr. Daniel says. “It’s the work of God I do, it’s not my work. I do whatever He wants me to do.”

We are thankful for Fr. Daniel’s service to our community. Please help to make his welcome warm! ·

Our Faith Formation Program Confirmation was held on Jan. 9 and First Reconciliation was held during January, as well. First Communion will be held either at the end of April or in early May. As planning continues for the retreats, “Love Begins Here,” there will be notices posted in the Sunday bulletins.

Although the Faith Formation classes have been underway since October, parents can enroll their children at any time.

“We welcome them,” Kristen says.

“If maybe they just weren’t ready yet, or coming back to the faith, we extend a welcome at any time. It’s so important to feel welcome. Wherever they are, we want to walk with them.”

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If you would like more information about our Faith Formation classes, please call Kristen Rolling at 715-623-5255.

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Marriage Preparation:

Helping Our Engaged Couples Build a Life Together in the Faith

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t. John parishioners Chelsea Payant and Charlie Husnick were married on Dec. 11. Like many couples who marry in the Church, Chelsea and Charlie participated in a marriage preparation course to learn more about the sacrament and ready themselves for marriage. But it was much more than simply discussing ceremony details such as music and flowers.

The pair met with Fr. Joel for several sessions, as well as Deacon Andy and his wife, Stephanie. Their preparation also included the completion of an online questionnaire and virtual retreat. Finally, they met with Fr. Joel to discuss logistics for the marriage ceremony.

The overall experience, however, was not simply about the wedding.

Charlie says they were given a broader look at the sacrament.

“I realized that the Church focuses on the Catholic teachings on marriage,” Charlie says. “It was much more than just the ceremony logistics. We discussed life together beyond just the one day of the ceremony.”

Starting a life together in the Sacrament of Marriage is no small undertaking. Chelsea found it interesting that there was an emphasis not only on Catholic teaching but also the practical side of life in their new vocation.

“Many of our questions and conversations revolved around how to simply live together as a married couple,” Chelsea says.

“For example, we discussed who would be doing dishes, who would be paying bills, how we would spend holidays, and many other simple but important everyday questions.”

Although both were struck by the focus on life after the wedding day, the two say they gained more understanding about the importance and sacredness of the sacrament. This led them to think about the ceremony more than just the reception to follow.

Chelsea and Charlie have strived to keep Christ in the

Chelsea Payant and Charlie Husnick married on Dec. 11.

The two say that the marriage preparation process helped them with the big-picture aspects of their new vocation.

center of their relationship, even before their vows at the altar.

Throughout their relationship, they have prayed, volunteered, and attended church together. They say these practices have helped them grow closer in the faith as a couple.

When asked what they learned during their marriage preparation experience, both Chelsea and Charlie affirm the aspect of faith as part of the marriage vocation and commitment to each other.

“I learned the parallel between Jesus and His unconditional and sacrificial love for the Church and a husband and wife’s unconditional and sacrificial love,” Chelsea says.

“I learned that it is a covenant between Chelsea, myself, and God,” Charlie says. “It’s so important to remember that God is also part of the marriage.”

“I realized that the Church really focuses on the Catholic teachings on marriage. It was much more than just the ceremony logistics. We discussed life together beyond just the one day of the ceremony.”

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The Importance of Loving God

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More Deeply at Mass

hen young people see a person that intrigues them, that attraction becomes the topic of conversation at every opportunity. This attraction alters behavior so that we become enthralled with the other and desire to share our enthusiasm.

Imagine if we were more enthralled with the presence of Christ in our lives.

Imagine if we fully recognized that Christ is truly present to us in His precious Body and Blood, and present as well in the proclamation of His Word and in the gathering of our community, praying and singing (see Sacrosanctum Concilium [Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy], para. 14). Recognizing the living Christ in all these ways would awaken in us the desire to be with the One who is the object of our most fundamental, pure, and holy attraction to our merciful, loving, and gracious Savior.

If we were to recognize the presence of Christ in these beautiful ways, wouldn’t our desire to be more completely in His presence increase? Surely our desire to be better stewards of our time with the Lord would grow. Our attention to the readings and other prayers of the Mass would bring about within us deeper communion with the One who suffered and died for us. If I recognized that God is the answer to all my pangs of hunger, that Christ is my way to the Father, and that the Holy Spirit works to convert my heart and soul every day, would I not seek to fill that hunger at the banquet of the Lamb?

While active participation in Sunday Mass is an obligation for Catholics,

we also will do well to see the lovely, motherly care the Church shows us in establishing that requirement. The Code of Canon Law states clearly in paragraph 1247, “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.” Sometimes, we might hear that as an overbearing rule.

But it might more correctly be understood as our Mother, the Church, helping us learn what is best for us. At Mass, we hear the living Word of God proclaimed. He speaks to us. We receive

as hungry, needy sinners, the precious Body and Blood of Christ. We encounter Christ’s living presence in our brothers and sisters worshiping God with us. If we truly understood that amazing truth, then how might it affect our lives? How might it affect our relationships? How might it impact our decision to bring our children along to Mass? How might it awaken within us a deeper attraction, fascination, desire for the Lord?

Generally, when we find ourselves fascinated with someone, we do not continued on back cover

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Saint John the Evangelist 415 6th Ave. Antigo, WI 54409 (715) 623-2024 stjohn@antigoareacatholicchurches.com Saints Mary & Hyacinth 819 3rd Ave. Antigo, WI 54409 (715) 623-4938 ssmh@antigoareacatholicchurches.com Saint Wenceslaus N5340 Church Rd. Deerbrook, WI 54424 (715) 627-2126 stwencel@antigoareacatholicchurches.com

Loving God More Deeply at Mass decide to spend as little time as possible with them. We do not ration our time with them. We want to spend time with them, to see them, to listen to them, to get to know them, to develop a healthy, loving relationship with them.

Considering our reliance on the Lord of life and love, our fascination with His mercy, His goodness, His willingness to call us to Himself, maybe we should ask ourselves about what happens in us at Mass. As I prepare to come to Church, do I find my mind turning to a receptive welcome of the Lord, just as I’ll be welcomed at the door of Church? Have I dressed for the important weekly (or daily) moment of meeting my King? Do I expect some profound wisdom from God in the readings? Am I open to correction, to challenge, to affirmation in the readings of God’s Word? Do I intently pray along with the priest presider throughout the Mass? Do I make an offering of my life, along with the

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bread and wine? Do I genuinely hunger for the Body and Blood of Christ? And do I long for that blessing that sends me on my way with the mission to build the Kingdom?

Instead of worrying about what “counts” when it comes to Sunday Mass, maybe we should work hard at fostering our love for the Eucharist, our desire for eternal life, our attraction to the Master who calls us into a life of active discipleship. Instead of a merely heavy-handed requirement, maybe we can see more clearly that being at Mass together helps nourish us for a whole week of building God’s Kingdom. Coming with those expectations, desires, and hopes, leaving early when unnecessary would disappear as a temptation instantly. Coming late because other things have taken priority would not typically happen, other obligations notwithstanding. Christ desires our company at Mass, from beginning to end. Let’s draw near to Him.

MASS & CONFESSION TIMES SAINT JOHN: Masses: Monday, 8:15 a.m., Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, 8:15 a.m., Thursday, 8:15 a.m., Saturday, 6 p.m., Sunday, 9 a.m.

Confession: Tuesday, 5:30-6:15 p.m. & Sunday, 8-8:45 a.m.

SAINTS MARY & HYACINTH: Masses: Wednesday, 7:15 a.m., Thursday, 7:15 a.m., Friday, 7:15 a.m., Saturday, 4 p.m., Sunday, 7 a.m.

Confession: Saturday, 3-3:45 p.m.

SAINT WENCESLAUS: Masses: Tuesday, 8 a.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. Confession: Sunday, 10-10:45 a.m.