Saint Anthony, Holy Family and St. Mary Parishes

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Within five years
the St. Anthony, St. Mary and Holy Family faith community will:

 
            A.  Bring God’s love to all through dynamic liturgy, heartfelt                                
                 worship and inspirational music.
    
            B.  Remain individual parishes yet create an environment of                                              
                 togetherness for our parishes and community.
         
            C.  As good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, be able                             
                 to fund our parish ministries through our regular weekly                                
                 collections.

            D.  Fund ministries that address the needs of all members.

            E.  Provide children the opportunity to attend a local Catholic                              
                 School.

            F.  Have our youth enthusiastically engaged in our parishes and                                
                growing into lifelong committed Catholics.

            G.  Provide a variety of opportunities for the continued faith                                   
                 growth of our adult members.

            H.  Spread the Good News of the Gospel locally, nationally and                           
                 internationally through works of charity and works of Social Justice.                       

  Dear Holy Family, St. Mary and St. Anthony Parish: 

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.  Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
                                                                                    (Philippians 4:6-7)
 
It would be easy to dismiss Paul’s words in today’s second reading as from a world other than our own violence torn one.  But in fact, Paul writes them while in a Roman prison so oppressive he is not sure if he will live or die.  Yet he writes:  “Have no anxiety at all….”  Like Jesus asleep on a cushion in the midst of the storm, Paul rests in God even as his world is being tossed about.   Let us try out his advice, and make known to God with prayer, petition and thanksgiving what is happening in our lives.
 
It was a marvelous Fall Festival at St. Anthony’s last weekend.  The 44 lawn tractor contestants pulled before a lovely crowd of family members and friends.  It was 8:30pm by the time I got to the Sportsman’s Club and there was still a good crowd.  The meat raffle being called was followed by a second Bean Bag Tournament.  I lasted two games in the (double elimination) tournament! 
 
Sunday began with a little suspense when we received the call that Dani Meyer, the painter, and family had car trouble and would be late.  We all sat back and enjoyed the uplifting music by Peggy Jackson, Coni Meyer and Grace Genteman.  Dani arrived and began painting to the mystification of the congregation.  No one could figure out what it was she was creating…. until the very end when her dad turned it upside-right.  And suddenly there was Christ the Good Shepherd on his way to Jerusalem.
 
The roast beef & polish sausage meal was outstanding!  I sat with a group from Wausau and am pretty sure all had at least three pieces of pie.  The live auction was filled with laughter and gratitude as June Hoeser’s sisters-in-law carried on trying to out bid each other for the remaining pies.  I think the moment that touched us all the most was when Dani’s painting was being auctioned.  The Meyer family had all pooled their funds wanting to buy the painting and have it hung in the church.  But there was someone else in the crowd determined to get it.  One hundred, two hundred, FIVE hundred, SIX HUNDRED, the bidding kept going up.  The Meyer’s recounted their cash and put in their final bid of Seven Hundred Dollars…  only to have the other bidder get it for $750.00.  Just when disappointment was about to set in, the bidder announced he was giving it to the parish to be hung in the church!!
 
Thank you to all who worked so hard to create a place of beauty and joy right in the middle of a world being tossed about.  Watch the next One Voice newsletter for Shannon’s full report with all the numbers.
 
This is another full week of things to thank God for.  Monday and Tuesday I join the priest of the diocese for some continuing ed.  Tuesday evening the Clark County Development Office is celebrating the successful start of our Little Angels Child Care with a Ribbon Cutting.  Sheila Nyberg herself will lead the ceremonies. Come and get a tour of the rooms that now serve 46 children.  It begins at 6:00pm on the first floor of the Old School building.
 
Thursday our Social Concerns Committee is heading to St. Mary’s in Neillsville to hear Ann Dorn speak about the Open Door Program in Wausau.  The Open Door is across the street from Marathon County Jail and provides those coming out of jail with warm clothes, food, and healthier connections than their old friends.  St. Mary’s is hosting this because they have people coming out of Clark County jail sleeping in their church.  We go to see if we can be of assistance in starting a similar ministry for our county.
 
Please hold in prayer our Confirmation candidates as they go on retreat Sunday to St. Anthony’s Retreat Center in Marathon Wisconsin.  The 12 Candidates from St. Mary’s and Holy Family and the 8 candidates from St. Anthony’s will be joined by other parishes candidates for the retreat. 
 
In all these things it is easy to give thanks to God.   I will trust in Paul’s advice as well with the arrival of this year’s Diocesan Annual Appeal Mailing this week.  The target for each of our parishes has gone up a bit again.  Still I am sure that if everyone does what they can, we can surpass our targets again this year.  Paul did say have no anxiety at all…. Not even with diocesan annual appeals!
 
Fr. Steve