St. Francis Solanus
m o n t h l y n e w s l e tt e r
Inside This Issue: 2
Keeping Our Stewardship Commitments in the Summertime
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Time Is Limitless… Or Is It?
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Totus Tuus and Monumental Vacation Bible School Parish Youth Share in Faith, Fellowship and Plenty of Fun
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The Church, a Universal Family The Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
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Parish Picnic Offers Opportunity for Faith Community to Gather and Grow
J U N E / J U LY 2 0 2 2
Honoring Mike Holbrook,
Retiring Director of Religious Education “It’s So Fulfilling to Walk with Someone on their Faith Journey”
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ere at St. Francis Solanus, we have been blessed with the talents of Mike Holbrook, who is retiring as our Director of Religious Education after more than four years in the role. Mike has been involved with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process for more than 30 years, both here and at his previous parish. He took on a more significant role at our parish when then-DRE Carol Seifert Mike Holbrook served as our Director of Religious Education got sick. Sadly, Carol passed away in late 2017. In early 2018, the position for DRE was open, from February 2018 to May 2022. and Mike thought he’d throw his name in the hat. Mike’s love for teaching the faith made him enthusiastic about this opportunity. He had retired from his position at FedEx in 2014 and was working for a church missalette printing and publishing company. “I had experience teaching adults, so I thought maybe I could work with kids too,” he says. “I figured if it’s God’s will, then fine.” It was God’s will, and Mike served as DRE since February 2018. Mike has now stepped away from this beloved position, and his last continued on back cover
St. Francis Solanus Keeping Our Stewardship Commitments in the Summertime
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he kids are out of school and our fast-paced lives centered on school and youth sports activities have slowed down. Our own internal clocks are now on summer time. We’re ready for a break from our hectic lives. And while we take vacations and enjoy the leisurely pace of the season, we need to remember that summer is not the time to take a vacation from God. In fact, summer can serve as the perfect opportunity to grow in our relationship with God, especially since most of us have considerably more free time. So, instead of neglecting our faith due to busy days and late nights, try these simple steps to embrace God during the quieter summer months and during your vacation.
Give Thanks for the Sun Praise God for the sun, time off from school and easygoing days by visiting the adoration chapel to say a quick prayer. Bring a journal or rosary along to help stay focused. Little children can even bring a religious coloring book to give thanks to God on their terms. Or, before heading to the pool, why not attend daily Mass with the kids? It’s a perfect way to start the day and set the tone that — vacation or not — God is still an important part of your family life.
Don’t Take a Vacation from Mass Often while on a vacation away from our parish family, we are not familiar with where to attend Mass. Don’t let that be an obstacle for you. Check out masstimes.org in order to find out where and Get More Active in a Parish Ministry when to go to Mass. In addition, if you are lodging The summer is actually a perfect time to get at a hotel, the concierge will assist you with direcmore involved in a parish ministry. Because we no tions to the nearest Catholic Church. longer have to get the kids to and from school, or get them to sporting events or other activities that Summertime Stewardship of Treasure normally occur during the school year, our schedThe prime reason for keeping up our pledge ules are a bit less cluttered. Summer is indeed a per- all summer is that God doesn’t go on vacation. He fect time to fill some downtime with service to God continues to sustain us throughout the summer through ministry and giving of your talents. Take months. He persists in pouring out blessings on a look through the parish ministries to find some- us, even during the hottest weather. He keeps on thing that suits your particular interest or talent. meeting us in His sacramental presence when we go to Mass wherever we travel. As God remains Vacation Bible School, for Kids and Adults faithful to us during the summer, we are called to Vacation Bible School is a great way for younger be faithful in our commitments to Him and our children to learn about God through songs, activities parish family, even during our vacation time. and fellowship. The fun-filled lessons build upon Gospel teachings while keeping kids’ attention. For So, enjoy the warmer temperatures and the reolder children, it is a great opportunity to offer service laxed atmosphere. Just don’t forget Who provides by being a team leader or assistant. Adults can also the sun and the sand! And most importantly, rehelp plan, decorate, organize and teach during the member to take God with you wherever you go week. It’s a wonderful activity for the entire family! on vacation! 2
a l e tt e r f r o m o u r p a s t o r
Time Is Limitless… Or Is It? Dear Parishioners,
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e all like to measure time — not necessarily in minutes and hours, but certainly in terms of what happens at particular times of the year. In the Church, we celebrate so many occasions that measure time — Easter, Christmas, Corpus Christi, Pentecost, Ordinary Time, the feast days of our saints, and much more, all of which give us that sense of moving forward. In our own lives and the lives of our families, we mark birthdays, anniversaries, Baptism days, and more dates than we can possibly remember. These dates commemorate or remind us of a point in time. Time is also one of those gifts from God that we attach to the idea and life of stewardship. We are fond of saying that time is the one thing given to all of us in equal amounts. However, we all know that is not necessarily true. Does a mother with several children have the same amount of time as a person with no family? Does a company manager who is expected to be available seven days a week have the same amount of time as someone who works a 9-to-5 job? My point is that time is a valuable commodity, whether we feel like we have a lot or very little. God, on the other hand, is timeless. The Lord sees things in an eternal view, while we tend to look at it in shorter measures. The question is really “What do we do with our time to serve others and to increase our relationship with God?” We have
said many times that each of us needs to set aside time for both of those purposes — to serve and to pray. There is a reason it is called “prayer time.” Prayer should be a part of our lives, as much as eating, sleeping, and working. Another thing that June brings to mind is how life slows down for most of us. Young people are on summer vacation from school. Families and individuals take vacations. Unfortunately, some see it as a time to take a bit of vacation from worship. We can see it in declining Mass attendance and in the reduced number of activities within ministries and organizations. We all mark time. We all know that it is limited, and can be fleeting. That is why even countries celebrate special days that mark time — throughout the summer season, Americans celebrate Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. How do we mark time as individuals, as families, and as a parish? That may say more about our understanding of stewardship than anything else. Maybe now, as summer is upon us, is the perfect time to concentrate more on our spiritual habits, rather than less. Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Steven Arisman, Pastor 3
St. Francis Solanus
TOTUS TUUS AND MONUMENT
Parish Youth Share in Faith, F
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hen school lets out for the summer, learning doesn’t end for our children. In turn, learning about Christ and growing in love for Him doesn’t stop either. “Just because it is summer doesn’t mean that kids stop learning about their faith,” says Mike Holbrook, our former Director of Religious Education who retired from his position this past May. “This is a great opportunity to learn in a fun and meaningful way by attending Totus Tuus and Vacation Bible School.” This summer, the children of the parish are invited to take part in these two fun opportunities for fun and learning. This year, things will look a little different as St. Francis Solanus and St. Peter Catholic Church are working together to put on these two events for the children of the parishes. St. Francis Solanus will be hosting Vacation Bible School and St. Peter will be hosting Totus Tuus. Parishioners David and Lydia Spillman previously served as Totus Tuus missionaries. Now they volunteer to help put on this event for the parish. “There is a team of four college students who put on the weeklong program,” David says. “This program is so beneficial for kids because it meets the kids exactly where they are at in the summer. They don’t want to go back to school! This is not a school environment. It is more of a fun and engaging environment where they can interact. The missionaries engage them and teach them with fun activities.” The Totus Tuus day program is for kids going into first through sixth grades. The evening program is for seventh through 12th grades. “The day program is really filled with fun, but in my three summers of being a missionary, I truly found the teen program to be more fruitful,” David says. “Many of the students arrive the first evening not wanting to be there. They came because their
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TAL VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Fellowship and Plenty of Fun parents made them or they have a sibling there. But through witness talks and games, the team members show them that you don’t have to have a St. Paul type of conversion experience in order to be a good Christian. You can just live your everyday life and God is there in the midst of that.” The day program includes skits, games, Mass, and learning. The evening program consists of witness talks, small groups, games, snacks, and time in the church to pray. This year’s Vacation Bible School program, Monumental, offers a weeklong, southwest-themed adventure for the kids to celebrate God’s greatness! Each day, children will travel between stations including Awesome Bible Adventures, Imagination Station, Red Rocks Rec, and KidVid Cinema. Kids learn Bible verses for each day, sing songs, and watch skits. This engaging program is great fun for all who attend. For more information or to learn how to register, please contact the parish office, 217-222-2898. Monumental Vacation Bible School: Where: St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church Monday, June 20 to Friday, 24 5:30-8:00 p.m. Who: Kindergarten to fourth-grade students Totus Tuus: Where: St. Peter Catholic Church Kid’s Day Camp: First through sixth grades Monday, July 25- Friday, July 29 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Evening Program: Seventh through 12th grades Sunday, July 24-Thursday, July 28 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
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St. Francis Solanus The Church, a Universal Family
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The Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
n June 29, Catholics celebrate the feast of two of our Lord’s principal Apostles, foundational human cornerstones of the Church of Rome. The first missal reading of this feast day tells us of the miraculous deliverance of Peter from prison. This illustrates the concrete fact that despite persecutions, Christ and His chosen followers will be triumphant in this world, and in the world to come. The second is of Paul summarizing his own “pouring out” of his life as a libation. The way in which he poured it out is overwhelmingly significant — he gave his life as a missionary to gather all nations into God’s unified Kingdom. The Holy Gospel recounts Peter ’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah. After this confession, the “keys to the Kingdom” were conferred onto him. These “keys” became the fundamental building block supporting the ordained priesthood and episcopal government of the Church. In his homily on June 29, 2005, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI shared: “The Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul is at the same time a grateful memorial of the great witnesses of Jesus Christ and a solemn confession for the Church — one, holy, catholic and apostolic. It is first and foremost a feast of catholicity.” The celebration of our catholicity is a celebration of our unity in Christ. This unity endures unto the end, as our strength and fortress in the face of evil and the trials of earthly life. Sts. Peter and Paul remind us that our faith is founded on something much higher than ourselves, on an entity which raises horizons beyond our human frailties and imaginings. Our holy faith is founded upon the rock, Jesus Christ.
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Pope Emeritus Benedict described further: “When Peter and Paul came to Rome, the Lord on the Cross who had uttered the first line of that Psalm was risen; God’s victory now had to be proclaimed to all the nations...” Let us embrace all of the graces which these beloved saints have won for us. Let us imitate their example, and so follow Christ with unwavering resolution. As did the Blessed Virgin, let us persevere in serving the one holy, catholic, and apostolic church in all that we say and do.
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Parish Picnic Offers Opportunity for Faith Community to Gather and Grow
ark your calendars — we are excited to announce that the St. Francis Solanus Parish Picnic will be held Saturday, June 11! The picnic will take place from 5 p.m. to midnight, and there is no cost to attend the picnic — however, all games, food, and drink will need to be purchased. Many exciting events are lined up for this year’s picnic! For the kids, there will be games, train rides, and bounce houses. For the adults, there will be bingo, poker, and Plinko. Other picnic activities include a dunk tank, food and drinks, a basket raffle, a silent auction, and a quilt raffle. The Heidelberg Band will perform from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and ELEVEN will perform from 8 p.m. to midnight. Keith and Bonnie Wiemelt are longtime volunteers for the picnic. In the past, they have helped sell 50/50 tickets, worked in the drink tents, and assisted with the silent auction. This will be their second year serving as chairpersons. Being so involved in the picnic has allowed them to understand why this event is so special for the parish. “It is a way for everyone to gather socially,” Keith and Bonnie say. “It is a way for people to help give back to the parish. There are lots of people who grew up in the parish but have moved away. The picnic is a time that they come back to visit and see old friends.” The picnic also serves as a fundraiser for the parish, and all of the proceeds from this event will go right back into financially supporting the par-
St. Francis Parish Picnic SATURDAY-
JUNE 11 , 2022 ish, helping to offset 5PM- MIDNIGHT 1720 College Ave, Qui ncy, IL many of the costs of running the church Heidelberg Band Gengenbacher’s Ice Shack Edgewood Orchar d and school. To make ELEVEN Melton Kettle Cor n this picnic a success, many volunteers are Kiddie Korner needed. 50/50 “The three parts of stewardship can be fulfilled at the picnic, whether someone is helping run the event or attending the picnic,” Keith says. “The picnic couldn’t happen each year without the volunteers giving of their time and talent.” Volunteers are needed to help cook and serve the food, serve the drinks, run the games, set up and tear down the picnic, and help plan the different events that will take place during the picnic. There are plenty of opportunities for anyone interested in helping. “Our church is only as vibrant and strong as those who help in its activities,” Bonnie says. “The more people get involved and bring in their ideas, the more things will be made better.” TH
Live Music!!!
5:30 pm-7:30 pm
8:00 pm-Midnight
Quincy Notre Dam e Mega Raffle
Cash Raffle Silent Auction Basket Raffle Raffle
Train Face Painting Dunk Tank Games/Prizes Bounce House
If you would like more information or are interested in volunteering, contact Keith and Bonnie Wiemelt at 217-209-2560 or kbwiemelt@gmail.com, or call the parish office at 217-222-2898.
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St. Francis Solanus 1721 College Avenue Quincy, IL 62301 (217) 222-2898 stfrancissolanus.com
Honoring Mike Holbrook continued from front cover day as DRE was May 31. However, he hopes to continue helping with the RCIA process. “It’s so fulfilling to walk with someone on their faith journey,” Mike says. “I had already experienced that at RCIA. I look forward to continuing to watch adults experience that.” During his time at St. Francis Solanus, Mike has coordinated the Parish School of Religion, sacramental preparation, and the Safe Environment program. “I’ve enjoyed bringing the kids along in their sacramental formation,” Mike says. “It’s been a lot of fun getting to know the grade school kids and seeing the excitement on their faces as they get closer and closer to receiving sacraments.” Mike will miss getting to know the students and his proximity to the church and the Adoration Chapel. But he’s looking forward to more time with his
wife, Sue, and their own four children and 10 grandchildren. Sue is the Business Manager at St. Francis Solanus. “I’ve been able to go into the church anytime I wanted or visit the Blessed Sacrament,” Mike says. “I won’t be able to do that anymore.” Mike also looks forward to having more time to read and fish, and to engage his love of astronomy and looking at planets — he won’t have to worry about staying up too late anymore! In addition, Mike serves as an usher and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion at St. Francis Solanus. He will continue to serve with those ministries. “I always tried to give it 100 percent,” Mike says. “I pray for the next person who takes this position. I’m looking forward to some new energy and a new vision.”
LITURGY SCHEDULE
Saturday Vigil: 4:30 p.m. • Sunday: 7:00, 9:00, 11:00 a.m. Weekday Mass: Monday - Friday, 6:30 a.m. • Monday - Thursday, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, 8:35 a.m. • Saturday, 8:00 a.m. Confessions: Wednesday, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. • Saturday, 8:30 a.m., 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.; Exposition: Wednesday, 4:00-5:00 p.m. Holy Days of Obligation: Vigil 5:30 p.m.; Holy Day: 6:30 a.m., 8:35 a.m. on school days, 5:30 p.m.
