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| Baptism: Third Sunday of month at 9:30 a.m. Pre-Baptismal class required. Call office, 815-625-1134.
Marriage: 6-Month Preparation Reconciliation: Saturdays, 4:30-5:00 P.M., or by appointment. NOTICE: On August 23, due to a conflict in scheduling, Reconciliation will be held from 8:30 a.m.—9:00 a.m. | |
| Sun. 10:00 AM Children's Church
11:00 AM Baptism Ceremony Mon. 5:10 PM Communion Service w/ Benediction and Adoration Sat. 7:30 AM Al-anon 8:45 AM Al-anon Business Meeting Sun. 10:00 AM Children's Church Olive tree carvings for sale after all Masses | |
| Amount required weekly: $6,193.00
Collected total 7/27/08: 6,959.75 YTD required (Week 4): 24,772.00 YTD Collected: 26,884.50 Total envelope holders: 621 Envelopes used: 154 (25% contributed) | |
| Last week - CGH Health Foundation - $283.00
This week - Home of Hope Next week - Agape | |
| Joan Smith, Jean Porter, Mary Marconi, Anne Gronbach, Anne Steinert, Jean Zook, Cayden Fischbach, Steve Dauen, Lawrence McCormick, Athena Koldzik, and Marilyn Klocke | |
| The Holy Rosary is recited before the early Mass on the first Sunday of every month. Please join us at 8:10 a.m., Sunday, August 3. | |
| Dear Parishioners,
For my letter this week, I came across an article written by a priest who is a mentor to me. I think it ties into what I spoke about in my homily a couple of weeks ago. “The Eucharist - when we receive this sacrament we receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are told that a great number of Catholics do not know this to be the teaching of our Church. Many tend to think that in receiving Communion the bread and wine symbolize or signify the presence of Christ. With all that has been written and preached on this subject, I'm hoping that this trend is being reversed and Catholics are becoming more knowledgeable about the teachings of our Church. Knowing the teaching, however, is just the beginning. Believing and accepting that teaching is the next step a person must take. And that step is absolutely essential if a person is ever to obtain the full benefit of receiving the Eucharist. It could be compared to the person who knows that a balanced diet and proper exercise are necessary for good health. Knowing that is fine but if the person stops at that point, that knowledge will do nothing for the person. For the person must take the next step and believe in and accept what is known. Only then will the full benefits be obtained from the knowledge of what is good for our health. If you have read this far, you know what our Church teaches about the Eucharist. The question then becomes do you believe and accept that teaching? We may verbalize an answer to that question. However a better answer is given by our actions, by the way we approach the reception of the Eucharist. And so your answer to the following questions may give a truer answer to your believing and accepting what our Church teaches about the Eucharist. 1) Do you go to Mass every weekend? A nonbeliever once commented to a Catholic friend, "If I believed what you believe, I'd crawl on my knees to the church every day. " What an awesome thought... each one of us has the opportunity to encounter the living God in the Eucharist. This is the same God Who always was, always is, always will be. This is the same God Who created the heavens and the earth and formed each of us in His own image and likeness. This is the same God Who dealt with the great figures of the Old Testament - with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. This is the same God Who was born of the Virgin Mary, Who suffered, died and was buried, Who rose from the dead and now reigns forever in Heaven. If we believe this how can people pass up the opportunity to encounter this God because it's the only morning they can sleep in, they're too busy working around the house, it's nice to get up in the morning and not have to go anywhere, they don't like the priest, the schedule of masses isn't convenient... Granted it does take effort to attend mass every weekend, but isn't it worth it knowing that we'll meet up with the living God? Do you believe that? 2) What goes through your mind as you move along the Communion line and how do you approach the minister of the Eucharist? We hear much about body language... our actions speak volumes. A sloppy, careless manner of receiving the Eucharist hardly betrays a person who believes that he/she is encountering the living God. Those moments just before the reception of Communion should be prayerful-either privately if there is no singing or communally by joining in with the song. They should be moments of lifting up our minds and hearts to God knowing that we will soon be receiving Him into our lives. How intense our focus would be if we were waiting in line to meet and shake hands with Michael Jordan. But who is Michael in comparison to the God Who created him and endowed him with his talents and abilities? How inclined we are to give more glory and praise to the creature than we are to the Creator! We will never have on earth a moment more special, more spiritual, more God-encountering than that moment of Communion reception. To come to that realization takes effort, it means that we must concentrate on what we are doing. But isn't it worth the effort knowing that we'll meet up with the living God? Do you believe that?” "Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe." -St. Augustine. God Love You! --Fr. Finn | |
| Sacred Heart is looking for a volunteer to assist Jan Hammes in cleaning and pressing the corporals and purificators.
If you would like to volunteer for this position, please call the office at 815-625-1134 or Jan at 815-284-1414. | |
| Sacred Heart Church is looking for another wheelchair to be used here at the church. Currently, we only have one wheelchair and are in need for more.
If you can donate a wheelchair or know of someone who can, please contact the Parish Office at 815-625-1134. Thank you! | |
| Senior send off and welcome to Freshman BBQ.
Where: The Geil’s When: August 10 Time: 5:00 pm—8:00 pm Parents and Students are Welcome!! For more information, call Kristie at 815.441.3957 or Michelle at 815.499.6036 | |
| NEWMAN HALL - DEKALB AT UNIVERSITY PLAZA
A COMMUNITY OF CATHOLIC STUDENTS AT NIU Newman Hall at University Plaza, NIU offers Catholic Students a chance to live and learn in a social, intellectual, & spiritually nurturing environment. Conveniently located at the center of Campus Student organized activities & events. All the amenities of NIU’s best private dorm. For An Application Contact: Msgr. Glenn Nelson’s Office at Newman Catholic Student Center, Christ the Teacher Parish, Phone 815-787-7770. Or on the Web at: WWW.NEWMANNIU.ORG (click on Newman Hall DeKalb link). Rooms are expected to fill up quickly, so don’t delay and call today. | |
| Summer is the slow season, however it is not the slow season for families in need. Lately there have been a large number of families that need grocery assistance.
Cereal, ground meats, canned food, laundry and dish soap are some of the items FISH is running low on or completely out of. Fresh vegetables and fruits are also in need. If you are able to donate some of the above items, or make a monetary donation, please drop them off at the office and we will be happy to deliver them to FISH. If you would like to volunteer your time to the FISH Pantry, please call Sue Hondley at 815-626-9519 for more information. | |
| In the Diocese of Rockford, Catholics come together monthly for a time of prayer and celebration of the Holy Mass offered for the protection of all life.
Tuesday, August 5 St. Mary East Dubuque, Illinois Rosary at 6:40 PM Mass at 7:00 PM | |
| On Monday, August 11, there will be an informational meeting and registration for the divorce support program at 6:30 PM in the Alcove at Sacred Heart.
Divorce & Beyond is a 10-week session of self-healing and spiritual support. The sessions will be held on consecutive Tuesdays starting August 19 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Alcove. Any previous participants are welcome to come again and/or refer anyone they know who might benefit from the program. For additional information, please call the parish office, 625-1134, or the facilitators, Betty Jordan at: bjordan@newmancchs.org or Bob Verhulst at: verhulst@frontiernet.net. | |
| ...Is accepting new students for the 2008-2009 school year in grades Kindergarten through Eighth grade. If you are interested in sending your child or children to St. Mary’s, please call the school office Monday, Wednesday, or Friday mornings at 815-625-2253. | |
| The local Lincoln Land Branch of the American Red Cross needs your help and the help of our parish.
There are two urgent needs: * People to call past donors for new donations (all age groups are encouraged to volunteer) * Blood Donors 60% of the population is eligible to donate blood, but only 5% are donating. If you would like to donate, or volunteer, please call the American Red Cross at 815-625-0382. | |
| Have you never been baptized?
Have you been baptized in another Christian faith but would like to explore membership in the Catholic church? Are you a baptized Catholic seeking the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist? Are you or is someone you know interested in finding out more about the RCIA process? Would you like to share your faith with or walk with newcomers as they learn about our Catholic faith? If you answered YES to any of these questions and would like to know more, please contact the parish office, 625-1134. Classes will begin in September. | |
| Newman Girl Tennis Team Car Wash
Saturday, Aug. 16 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Pete Harkness Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, Inc. 2811 Locust Street, Sterling | |
| The Diocese of Rockford is announcing the launching of the Diocesan Theological Institute, acknowledging the need and desire for ongoing formation for graduates of the Ministry Formation Program. The Diocesan Theological Institute is also intended to continue the theological education for all Permanent Deacons, their spouses, and lay pastoral ministers.
Courses being offered include Introduction to World Religions, Jesus of Nazareth, Church History, The Gospels, Spiritual Direction, History of the Catholic Church of America, Theological Reflection, Meeting Christ in the Liturgy, Lead Like Jesus, Fathers of the Church, Overview of St. Paul’s Epistles, Documents of Vatican II, and The Church’s Teaching on Life Issues. To receive more detailed information regarding the Diocesan Theological Institute, please contact the Ministry Formation Office at 815-399-4300 or email jsartino@rockforddiocese.org. | |
| Catholic Charities Long Term Care Ombudsman Program
Volunteers for Catholic Charities Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program visit nursing home residents and provide confidential assistance. Ombudsman provide information on the rights of nursing home residents and advocate for individuals to receive the highest level of care. A one-day Volunteer Ombudsman training will be held on Wed., Sept. 10, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at Catholic Charities 801 West 11th Street, Sterling. More information, call Kate, 800-369-0895 | |
| If some people did not hoard the riches of this world, all people would have enough to eat and drink. Too many people starve to death every day. Who will speak loudly of justice today? | |
| America’s brand of secularism poses a particular problem: it allows for professing belief in God, and respects the public role of religion and the Churches, but at the same time it can subtly reduce religious belief to a lowest common denominator. Faith becomes a passive acceptance that certain thing “out there” are true, but without practical relevance for everyday life. The result is a growing separation of faith from life: living “as if God did not exist.” This is aggravated by an individualistic and eclectic approach to faith and religion...each person believes he or she has a right to pick and choose, maintaining external social bonds but without an integral, interiors conversion to the law of Christ. Consequently, rather than being transformed and renewed in mind, Christians are easily tempted to conform themselves to the spirit of this age. ...We have seen this emerge in an acute way in the scandal given by Catholics who promote an alleged right to abortion.
- Pope Benedict XVI, Responses to the Questions Posed by the Bishops, April 16, 2008 |
| INTERCESSIONS FOR LIFE
For expectant parents: That through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mother they might wait in joyful hope for the wonders God will bring them; |
...We pray to the Lord. |
Sacred Heart Parish
2224 Avenue J
Sterling, Illinois, 61081-1023
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