Sauk Centre Catholic Parishes Newsletter — March 2022

S T. A L E X I U S - O U R L A D Y O F T H E A N G E L S - S T. PA U L ’S

Children’s Liturgy of the Word Volunteer Tori Marthaler Grateful to Share the Faith With Our Little Ones

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ome of the littlest parishioners among us may have trouble sitting, listening, and staying in one spot for an hour. Sometimes, the readings can be a little hard for them to understand.

During the school year, children at our parishes can step out of Mass from the start of the readings through the offertory to be with other kids and listen to a more age-appropriate Gospel and lesson. Children’s Liturgy of the Word, or CLW, is for ages three to pre-First Communion. During CLW, kids hear a child-specific lesson and have a chance to color or do a project while listening to music from Vacation Bible School.

Tenth-grader Tori Marthaler has been volunteering with CLW at St. Paul’s Parish for about six months. Her friend, Serena Middendorf, also helps out. It all started when Tori brought her little cousins to CLW. Coordinator Katherine Mackedanz asked Tori if she wanted to

teach — she shadowed a few times then took over.

“I love how excited the kids are to be involved,” Tori says. “It’s fun to see how they understand it when it’s put in their terms.”

The Catholic faith is important to Tori — and it runs in the family. Her mother, Jean, is an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Her dad, Todd, and brother, Spencer, are both ushers. Tori also helps with Vacation Bible School in the summer.

At St. Paul’s, CLW is held in the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, which is closed during that time. The kids start by lighting a battery-operated candle. Tori says she loves seeing how excited the kids are to light the candle.

“It’s just important to help these little kids so they can keep growing in the faith,” Tori says. “Then, they can go on and teach the next group of little kids.”

Tori Marthaler loved being with 14,000 other Catholics at the National Catholic Youth Conference.

Sauk Centre students got to spend time with the bishop.

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ST. ALEXIUS - OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS - ST. PAUL’S

Children’s Liturgy of the Word

Tori Marthaler enjoyed her time at the National Catholic Youth Conference last November.

Last fall, Tori had the opportunity to grow in her faith when she attended the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, Ind., with 14,000 other youth and

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adults. She was blown away by the event. Tori loved the opportunity to attend Reconciliation in a large room with priests spread out all over the place. She also enjoyed the lunch they had with Bishop Donald Kettler.

“It’s just amazing that everyone there wanted to be there,” she says. “No one told them they had to be there.

It’s so cool to see all those Catholics, and everyone was so inclusive, fun, and nice.”

As Tori looks forward to receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in a few months, she encourages others her age to get involved in a ministry.

“I’d say, ‘Go for it,’” she says. “Even if it sounds intimidating, everything I have tried has always turned out fun.”

If you would like to get involved with Children’s Liturgy of the Word, please contact Katherine Mackedanz at katherine.mackedanz@gmail.com.

- Upcoming Events Ash Wednesday (March 2)

A letter will be sent out with Mass times and a schedule for Stations of the Cross, Confessions, and Holy Week.

Lenten Chaplets

Chaplets will be available starting on Ash Wednesday, March 2 thru March 13. The chaplet is 22 prayers that you pray daily during Lent for one person, and after Good Friday, you give the chaplet to the person for whom you have been praying.

Instructions will available by the chaplets. The suggested donation for chaplets is $5. All six parishes in our ACC will have Lenten Chaplets.

The donations will go towards Youth Programs at each parish where the Chaplets are placed.

First Saturday Devotions

March 5 — Our Lady of the Angels 7:45 a.m., Confessions 8 a.m., Adoration 8:30 a.m., Rosary 29 a.m., Mass

Baptism Instructional Class

Pre-Kindergarten Testing

Youth Group

Full Steam Ahead Opportunity Grant for Holy Family School

Monday, March 14 — 7:30-8:30 p.m.

St. Paul’s Church St. Alexius Youth Group will be March 19 from 2-4 p.m. at the Parish House for students in grades 4-12. We will be watching the movie “Overcomer.”

Popcorn, snacks and beverages will be provided. Fellowship and discussion after the movie. Please bring a lawn chair, bean bag chair and a friend! All are welcome!

Lenten Small Groups

Join other searching souls every Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Centre for Christ for videos and small-group discussions with a different topic each week to grow in our Catholic faith together! Please call 320-761-3590 for more information.

Be sure to “like” the Searching Souls Ministries Facebook Group!

March 7: Intro to Vatican II March 14: Seven Sorrows and Seven Joys of St. Joseph March 21: Seven Deadly Sins March 28: Vatican II Lumen Gentium

Will be held on March 29 in the morning.

Check the bulletin for times, TBA.

Last date to receive donations to reach the $25,000 goal is March 31. For further information, please contact the school.

March 6-27 — Annual Springfest

Will be a virtual event for the Live/Silent Auction. Bidding will open on Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. and close on March 6 at 1:30 p.m.

The event website is: http://bidpal.net/hfsspringfest2022 This event also includes a raffle — tickets are available from parents and at the school and parish offices. We are also providing a “Taste of Springfest” by offering containers of wild rice soup with or without bread bowls and/or chili with breadsticks.

Lunch items will be picked up on Sunday, March 6.

A Letter From Our Pastor

Joy of Lent

The My Dear Friends in Christ,

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ave you ever thought about the joy in sacrifice that Lent provides? Most of us don't delight in sacrifice; in fact, in our daily lives, we often do our best to avoid challenges and practices that push us outside of our comfort zones.

In Christianity, there is a beautiful irony between joy and sacrifice, and we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to embrace this uniquely during Lent. In one of his Lenten messages, Pope Francis shared, “Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help and enrich others by our own poverty.”

While giving up sweets in favor of healthy snacks for Lent is a common and noble endeavor, the goal of Lent should not only be a spiritual excuse to lose weight! In choosing acts of self-denial, we are saying “no” to things in order to get into the practice of saying “no” when inclined towards sin, ultimately deepening our faith and our relationship with the Lord. Victory can be found when we deny ourselves and pick up our crosses and hardships in order to grow closer to Christ!

Therein lies the joy. When we grow closer to God by denying our will, we say “yes” to a life of abundance with Him. Our God is a benevolent God; He will not hold back His grace from those who honor Him and choose challenging things to grow and give Him glory.

Christ even tells us Himself, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Without question, Lent is a time for conscious penitence and spiritual preparation for Easter. And it is important to remember that God loves us whether we make Lenten changes or not. At the same time, Lent provides us an opportunity to make God a greater part of our life, and to take our faith to new levels. Stewardship is a God-centered way of life — a spiritual way of living that, above all, acknowledges God's presence in all we do.

Lent is a time for every one of us to do more than simply deny ourselves; we need to welcome God into our lives in greater ways so that when we get to Holy Week and Easter, we have an even greater appreciation for the sacrifice the Lord made for us. Talk about pure joy!

May you and your loved ones enjoy a holy and joyous Lenten journey.

In our Father’s hands,

Fr. Greg Paffel Pastor

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ST. ALEXIUS - OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS - ST. PAUL’S

Eucharistic Adoration J

ust like the first disciples of Christ, Eucharistic Adoration offers a unique opportunity to sit in the presence of the Lord. Here at Parishes on the Prairie, the St. Faustina’s Chapel at St. Paul’s Church offers parishioners to do just that.

“You’re face-to-face with Jesus,”

says Linda Frericks, one of the adoration coordinators for St. Faustina’s Chapel. “He’s sitting with you; you’re sitting with Him. Holy Hour adoration is time with the Lord.”

The chapel, which will celebrate 20 years in April, has four pews and four wingback chairs, making it an

inviting place to sit. Though not perpetual, the Eucharist is exposed for most of the week, from 1 p.m.

Sunday to 10 a.m. Saturday. This schedule allows for cleaning the church and for weekend Masses.

Whenever the Eucharist is exposed, there must be at least one

“Our Lord desires for us to be with Him. Adoration provides the perfect opportunity to do that, without interruptions or cell phones. It is an opportunity to reflect, thank Him, tell Him you love Him, ask for help, and to turn your life, desires, and problems over to Him.” — Linda Frericks

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Spending Time with the Real Presence of Christ adorer, and the chapel is always in need of volunteers. You can sign up to be a committed adorer and will be assigned to a specific hour weekly, or you can serve as a substitute adorer as often as you’d like.

Our parish adoration coordinators maintain a calendar, located at the sign-in desk in the lobby outside of the chapel, with a list of requests for substitutes. Anyone can come in and sign up to fill an hour slot in need of an adorer, without an ongoing commitment.

“People who sub on a regular basis are just as important as committed adorers,” Linda says.

Adoration is open to everyone. You do not need to be Catholic, and all ages are welcome. However, adorers are asked to please be respectful of the desire for quiet when considering bringing children.

If you’re intimidated by the commitment of adoration, there are many creative ways to be involved. Some families sign up for a slot and rotate attendance among the family members. The Knights of Columbus is signed up for three different times slots throughout the week, and members take turns attending.

If you are worried about finding a substitute for when you can’t make it, consider asking

a friend or family member. Also, though at least 48-hour notice is appreciated, if you let a coordinator know when you are unable to make your time or find a substitute, they will find a substitute for you.

What’s more, participating in adoration does not require much beyond being present.

“The goal of adoration is to just be there with the Lord,” Linda says. “Just sit there, in a quiet and peaceful place that doesn’t require anything of you other than to be present with the Lord. You can

pray, rest in the Lord, listen for Him, read, or study.

“With everything that goes on in this world, it can be so hectic, and we don’t stop to listen to the Lord,” she adds. “And maybe He’s trying to tell you something.

Our Lord desires for us to be with Him. Adoration provides the perfect opportunity to do that without interruptions or cell phones. It is an opportunity to reflect, thank Him, tell Him you love Him, ask for help, and to turn your life, desires, and problems over to Him.”

If you would like more information on Eucharistic Adoration at St. Paul’s, or to sign up as a committed adorer, please contact Linda Frericks at lindafrericks2@gmail.com or 320-352-0105.

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ST. ALEXIUS - OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS - ST. PAUL’S

ENTERING INTO LENT

How We Can Make the Most of this Solemn, Sacred Season

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ow might we make the most of this solemn, sacred season? There are three main aspects to Lent in which the Church asks us to engage — prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We don’t need to take on many things in order to make this season worthwhile, but it is important to consider how we might deepen our faith lives during this time of year.

Perhaps we might be inspired to take each aspect of Lent to heart, and pick something we can do within each category, so to speak, in order to truly enter into this sacred season. Each one — prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, provides us an opportunity to grow spiritually and prepare for Easter.

PRAYER Let us start with prayer. In order to grow our personal and communal prayer lives, we need not spend the entire day in the chapel. Rather, perhaps consider adding one new devotion to your prayer life.

For example, if you aren’t already spending time each day in prayer, maybe it’s time to start spending five minutes each morning with the Lord while enjoying your breakfast and coffee. If you usually start your day by opening your computer and phone to check messages and emails, start instead with a morning prayer or Scripture, offering your day up for the Lord and whatever may come. If you already have a regular prayer routine, perhaps you might consider adding a daily Divine Mercy chaplet at 3 p.m. during the hour of mercy, or a family Rosary after supper cleanup.

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FASTING While we often think of food when it comes to fasting, there are other ways we can fast during Lent.

Fasting means abstaining from something in order to grow spiritually. This could mean giving up Facebook or cutting down on internet use. Perhaps you might consider fasting from watching your favorite TV series and instead watch daily Mass. Another idea of fasting is giving up takeout or delivery and instead using that extra money to give to the poor.

ALMSGIVING Giving alms may be the less obvious of the three but is no less important for growing spiritually. Giving alms can mean a number of things. Perhaps this means giving a bit of extra money to charity during these 40 days. It might also mean visiting with a grieving friend, listening, and helping out those in need. You might also consider stepping out and helping in a new capacity, whether in a new ministry or volunteer effort.

Lent affords us a wonderful opportunity to renew our spiritual lives. While it may not always seem so easy, it is necessary to use this time to prepare our hearts and lives for Easter. We might be tempted to simply look ahead to the joy of Easter without considering the sacrifice of Lent, but in that way, we would be missing out on the chance to grow, learn, give, and pray. We cannot have the Resurrection without the Cross. Lent is a reminder not to be filled with sadness and dread over our sacrifices, but to take up practices that help us engage in our spiritual lives, purify ourselves with God’s help and rejoice when Easter comes around.

GET TO KNOW PARISHIONER

JANET ZENZEN

Embracing Prayer and Discovering Stewardship

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o stranger to the Our Lady of the Angels Lord, my eyes were opened to seeing different needs community, Janet Zenzen has been a member within the parish community that I could contribute of the parish for almost her entire life. She and to and support other areas of the parish.” her husband, Steve, have three adult Currently, Janet continues to parchildren and seven grandchildren. ticipate in the Teen Intercessory Considering her lifelong ties to Prayer Ministry and leads the Our Lady of the Angels the Rosary before Sunday community, Janet sees Masses. She particularly how blessed she is to loves these prayer-based continue to be a part ministries as they have of the community that laid the foundation for provided her with deepening her faith such a strong Catholic life. In addition, she upbringing. serves as a lector, is on “I am incredibly the ACC Leadership blessed that my parents Team, and is in her laid such a strong founfirst year as a member dation for my Catholic of the Stewardship Comfaith,” Janet says. “I had mittee. Looking back, she the opportunity to attend sees how deepening her Holy Family School growing faith life has led to deeper up and that, partnered with formation opportunities and Mass on Sundays, taught me greater love of her faith.

Janet Zenzen and her youngest grandchild, Vaida Berscheit the importance of the faith in “Last summer I had the our daily lives.” opportunity to go to the Msgr.

When stewardship was introduced to the Our McGread Stewardship Conference in Wichita, Kan.,” Lady of the Angels community, Janet signed up to Janet says. “The conference really opened my eyes support teens in the community through intercesto how stewardship is a way of life and why it is sory prayer. This commitment to pray for the youth critical to your relationship with God. Stewardship of the parish became the starting point for entering isn’t an obligation — it’s gratitude to the Lord for deeper into a relationship with our Lord. the gifts He has given us and we, in turn, use them “Soon after I began supporting the Teen Intercesto serve others.” sory Prayer Ministry, I signed up to lead the Rosary Through her journey — particularly leading the before Mass on Sundays,” she says. “That was the Rosary before Mass — Janet has found the importance beginning of my deeper involvement within the continued on back cover community. Through prayer and listening to the

“I am blown away by how my participation in parish life has transformed me since I made specific commitments to prayer. I invite and encourage people to pick a ministry to pray about and be willing to listen to God’s plan.”

— Janet Zenzen

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ST. ALEXIUS - OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS - ST. PAUL’S Parish Office: 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 (320) 352-2196 parishesontheprairie.org Mass Schedule

Saturday 4:00 p.m. - St. Paul’s Saturday 5:00 p.m. - Our Lady of the Angels Saturday 8:00 p.m. - St. Paul’s Sunday 8:00 a.m. - St. Paul’s Sunday 8:30 a.m. - St. Alexius Sunday 10:00 a.m. - St. Paul’s Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Our Lady of the Angels

Reconciliation Schedule

Thursday 4:00 p.m. - St. Paul’s Saturday 3:00 p.m. - St. Paul’s Saturday 4:00 p.m. - Our Lady of the Angels Sunday 8:00 a.m. - St. Alexius

GET TO KNOW PARISHIONER JANET

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and beauty of praying the Rosary every day. By helping lead the community she can pray the Rosary, which she loves, and provide a welcoming space for others in our community to engage in this prayer. Regardless of where we are in our faith life, we can follow the example of our Rosary leaders to pray the Rosary or simply a decade because they offer the opportunity to encounter this prayer with the community.

“I am blown away by how my participation in parish life has transformed me since I made specific commitments to prayer,” Janet says. “I invite and encourage people to pick a ministry to pray about and be willing to listen to God’s plan. Even turn to a family member or friend and ask, ‘What do you think I’m good at and how can I use these talents in the community?’ and then do that! You will be shocked by the joy and happiness the Lord provides as you serve others. Serving our community ceases to be an obligation, but a joyful experience to be encountered.”

ZENZEN