New bulletins will be posted online each Friday. We have even added the children's bulletins for the kids to enjoy at home. the kids to enjoy at home! And there are a number of resources available below of how to be "Church at Home" on Sundays, in Prayer, in Formation, and more!
Holy Week at Home
- The Archbishop is live streaming a celebration of Holy Mass each Sunday at 9 am CT. This includes Palm Sunday and Easter Morning. Go to the Archdiocese website and follow the link.
- Fr. Dole is making preparations to live stream the celebration of the Liturgies during the Triduum.
Thurs. 4/9, Mass of the Lord’s Supper, 7 pm CT
Fri. 4/10, The Passion of the Lord, 3 pm CT
Sat. 4/11, Easter Vigil Mass, 8:30 pm CT
Click here to follow the link to watch LIVE and see a full listing of scheduled broadcasts. - If you are unable to join us live online, please unite yourself prayerfully to the celebrations from home: on Thurs (4/9) at 7 pm; on Fri (4/10) at 3 pm; and on Sat (4/11) at 8:30pm. You might turn off screens, silence the phone, light a candle, and say a few prayers reflecting on the mysteries of the day.
- Also provided are additional ‘Liturgies before a Meal’. They are short services that you and your family can pray at home before the day’s meal—a way of reflecting on the day through the Word of God and bringing your hearts and intercessions to Jesus. View or download here:
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- While we are unable to share in the Eucharist, we should make some act of 'Spiritual Communion,' expressing our desire for the Sacrament. As Pope St. John Paul II reminded us (using the words of St. Teresa of Jesus): “When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you." The following prayer, by St. Alphonsus Liguori, may be used:
" My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Blessed Sacrament.
I love you above all things and I desire you with all my heart.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
I ask you to come spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already in my heart
and unite myself to you completely.
Please do not let me ever be separated from you. Amen. "
Prayer at Home
- The Archbishop will be broadcasting a live recitation of the Rosary each Thursday at 2 pm CT. Go to the Archdiocese website and follow the link.
- Join Fr. Dole in praying the Novena of Divine Mercy from Good Friday (April 9) through Divine Mercy Sunday (April 19). Information on how to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet can be found at the Marian Fathers' website.
- Fr. Dole is reflecting on the Stations of the Cross every other day (or so). He is posting the most recent video below. A list of previous videos follow. Think about taking 5-10 minutes to reflect and pray with him on this beautiful, Lenten devotion.
Video 0 - Introduction: The Stations of the Cross - 3/18
Video 1 - The First Station: Pilate Condemns Jesus to Die - 3/19
Video 2 - The Second Station: Jesus Accepts His Cross - 3/21
Video 3 - The Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time - 3/23
Video 4 - The Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Mother - 3/25
Video 5 - The Fifth Station: Simon Helps Carry the Cross - 3/27
Video 6 - The Sixth Station: Veronica offers her veil to Jesus - 3/29
Video 7 - The Seventh Station: Jesus falls the second time - 3/31
Video 8 - The Eighth Station: Jesus speaks to the women - 3/31
Video 9 - The Ninth Station: Jesus falls the third time - 4/2
Video 10 - The Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of His garments - 4/4
Video 11 - The Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross - 4/6
Video 12 - The Twelfth Station: Jesus dies upon the cross - 4/8
Video 13 - The Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross - 4/10
Video 14 - The Fourteenth Station: Jesus is placed in the sepulcher - 4/11
Video 1 - The First Station: Pilate Condemns Jesus to Die - 3/19
Video 2 - The Second Station: Jesus Accepts His Cross - 3/21
Video 3 - The Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time - 3/23
Video 4 - The Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Mother - 3/25
Video 5 - The Fifth Station: Simon Helps Carry the Cross - 3/27
Video 6 - The Sixth Station: Veronica offers her veil to Jesus - 3/29
Video 7 - The Seventh Station: Jesus falls the second time - 3/31
Video 8 - The Eighth Station: Jesus speaks to the women - 3/31
Video 9 - The Ninth Station: Jesus falls the third time - 4/2
Video 10 - The Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of His garments - 4/4
Video 11 - The Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross - 4/6
Video 12 - The Twelfth Station: Jesus dies upon the cross - 4/8
Video 13 - The Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross - 4/10
Video 14 - The Fourteenth Station: Jesus is placed in the sepulcher - 4/11
- Also, while washing your hands, pray the ‘Our Father’ each time. (It is a better way to reach the CDC recommended scrub-time of 20 seconds, rather than singing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice over.)
- Below, are some recommended Prayers for Protection in a Time of Pandemic, as well as our parishes' Lenten prayer, the Anima Christi...
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- The US Catholic Bishops recommend to pray this Prayer for Solidary on the USCCB website.
- Try setting an alarm on your phone (for noon or 6 or 8) and remind yourself to pray! Traditionally, at the hours 6, 9, noon, 3, and 6 Christians prayed--they turned to the Lord in the midst of their day and offered their intentions. (Monks and nuns still do!) So pick an hour; say a prayer!
- On the Feast of St. Joseph (March 19) the Church published a Plenary Indulgence* applicable during this time of pandemic and illness:
- Firstly, for people who are sick with the coronavirus, anyone caring for people who are sick with the coronavirus, and people who are quarantined because of the coronavirus, the conditions for receiving the plenary indulgence are: (1) a spirit of detachment from any sin (here, an act of contrition is good to say); (2) the desire or intention to go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, and pray for the Pope’s intentions as soon as possible; and (3) to participate (even via the media) in a celebration of Holy Mass, or to pray the Rosary, or to make the Way of the Cross, or (if those aren’t possible) to recite the Creed, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary.
- Then, for all the Catholic faithful, the conditions are: (1) having a spirit of detachment from any sin (again, an act of contrition is good for this), (2) having the desire or intention to go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, and pray for the Pope’s intentions as soon as possible; and (3) to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or to read Scripture (for at least 30 minutes), or to pray the Rosary, or to make the Way of the Cross, or to recite the Divine Mercy chaplet for the following intentions: "an end to the pandemic, relief to those afflicted, and eternal salvation for those who have died."
- Finally, for those at the moment of death (when they are unable to receive Anointing and Viaticum), the only conditions are that (1) the person be properly disposed (have contrition of heart), (2) have recited a few prayers during his/her lifetime, and (3) at the moment of death, to hold or look at a cross or crucifix (if possible).
* - if you are wondering what a "plenary indulgence" is, know that this would be a great topic for a June "Theology on Tap"...
but for now: It is a gift of grace from the abundance of the Church's merits (the merits of Christ and of his Saints) given to assist a soul to be completely free from sin (sin which has already been forgiven, but of which some vestiges still remain). In other words, it is a good and generous gift to be open to and receive... (and trust me, my explanation will go down better with a beer.)
but for now: It is a gift of grace from the abundance of the Church's merits (the merits of Christ and of his Saints) given to assist a soul to be completely free from sin (sin which has already been forgiven, but of which some vestiges still remain). In other words, it is a good and generous gift to be open to and receive... (and trust me, my explanation will go down better with a beer.)
Formation at Home
- Our parish is blessed to have FORMED.org. A site to find movies, videos, formation series, audiobooks, things for the whole family! If you have yet to claim your free membership, go to saintaparish.formed.org and sign up.
- When you get signed up, here are a few suggestions:
First Holy Communion Preparation:
For Parents > Presence - Session 2: The Story of the Eucharist
For Children > Presence - For Children: The Miracle at Every Mass
For Parents > Presence - Session 2: The Story of the Eucharist
For Children > Presence - For Children: The Miracle at Every Mass
For the whole Family, a Movie Night at Home:
Lourdes: A Story of Faith, Science, and Miracles
Lourdes: A Story of Faith, Science, and Miracles
Lenten Penance Preparation:
While events may be cancelled, we can all prepare for our next confession.
For Adults > Forgiven - Session 2: An Encounter with Mercy
For Children > Forgiven - For Children: How to Make a Great Confession
While events may be cancelled, we can all prepare for our next confession.
For Adults > Forgiven - Session 2: An Encounter with Mercy
For Children > Forgiven - For Children: How to Make a Great Confession
Other Links
- Keep up with daily Mass:
- with Fr. Jeff Dole—the LIVE stream will begin, Tues.-Fri. at 5:30pm CT during the Easter Season.
- with Fr. Henry Huber of Immaculate Conception & St. Joseph in Gilbertville-Raymond—the live stream will begin at 9:00am CT each morning. Follow him on Facebook, Immaculate Conception Church.
- with Fr. Tony Kruse of Blessed Sacrament in Waterloo—Masses will be live streamed daily according to their regular Mass Schedule (the full schedule is shown on their Parish Website).
- with Bishop Robert Barron—videos will be posted each day at 7:15am CT on Word on Fire.
- It is still not too late to sign up for making this the Best Lent Ever with Dynamic Catholic.
- Watch inspirational Catholic videos from Ascension Presents and hear from Fr. Mike and other well-known Catholic speakers.
- The following publishers have generously made their resources available during this difficult time:
- Liturgical Press: Give Us This Day
- Magnificat
- Bayard: Living with Christ
- The Word Among Us
- More resources can be found on the website for the US Catholic Bishops: usccb.org.