Antigo Area Catholic Churches Newsletter — April 2022

APRIL 2022

Antigo Area MEET PARISHIONERS

Louie and Dorothy Guenther

Sharing a Joyful Life of Faith, Prayer and Service

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ccording to the 2010 census, about six percent of marriages make it past the 50-year mark. A 71-yearmarriage likely isn’t even measured — there are so few of them. But St. John parishioners Louie and Dorothy Guenther have beaten the odds, and are looking forward to celebrating 72 years of marriage on Aug. 9.

“One day before Dorothy’s birthday!” Louie says.

Aug. 9, 1950, was a hot day at St. John’s Catholic Church. The couple was married on a Wednesday because the priest at the time believed marriages should be on Wednesdays. The 9 a.m. ceremony was followed by dinner at Dorothy’s parents’ house and a dance in a hall above a local tavern.

“The secret is to give and take and share,” Dorothy says. “Don’t ever go to bed mad.”

“We had our problems, too,” Louie Louie and Dorothy Guenther says. “But we stuck together.”

Louie and Dorothy enjoy gardening and being in the yard. They had a huge garden and did a lot of canning. After retirement, the couple attended daily Mass until Dorothy had a stroke a few years back, leaving her unable to drive. They pray a lot of rosaries and novenas.

The Catholic faith has always been an integral part of Louie and Dorothy’s life.

Dorothy was a longtime member of the Altar Society and Christian Mothers. Louie was part of the Holy Name Society before it disbanded. continued on page 5

FORMATION Transformed Through Christ

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his month, we are emphasizing the third pillar of parish stewardship — formation. Formation is the process of studying Christ’s teachings and incorporating them deeply into our lives. It is a lifelong effort by which we “put on Christ” (Rom 13:14) and are “transformed by the renewal of our minds” (Rom 12:2).

Above all, our formation should include studying Scripture and Church teaching. It should also include discussion with other Catholics and honest self-assessment.

Its goal is to “discern the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom 12:2).

Because formation helps us understand God’s will, it, therefore, leads naturally to good stewardship. When our minds are transformed through Christ, we become like Him — as Christ gave His life for us, so we give our lives to others.

Formation is not just an individual task. Instead, it is a communal responsibility that, when applied, will further help us to grow as a stewardship community. Each one of us has an inherent need to give — to move from “selfishness to selflessness,” as the Diocese of Wichita’s document The Pillars of Parish Stewardship aptly states. Formation is a process of spiritual growth, and it leads to a deeper

“Jesus not only calls people to him but also forms them and sends them out in his service.”

From STEWARDSHIP:

A DISCIPLE’S RESPONSE understanding of loving others as God loves us.

Naturally, then, our Catholic formation should not end upon celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation or turning 18 years old. Formation is a formidable task that we as Catholics should participate in for the duration of our lives. It involves “education of the mind and conversion of the heart” (The Pillars of Parish Stewardship), and helps us to lead the stewardship way of life rather than just understand it.

This Lent, why not make formation a part of your penitential renewal to Christ? Start off by reading 10 minutes of Sacred Scripture a day, or by studying a chapter of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on a daily basis. Read a biography of your favorite saint for an example of an individual who lived as a disciple of Christ, and use this person as a role model when tending to your daily tasks. Keep an eye on our weekly parish bulletin for faith formation opportunities at the parish. Before long, your commitment to formation will lead you to naturally live the Catholic faith and understand stewardship in ways that you never imagined before.

Holy Week Schedule

Holy Thursday (April 14) 7 p.m. at Sts. Mary & Hyacinth Service includes washing of the feet and concludes with a procession with the Blessed Sacrament and Adoration until 10 p.m.

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Good Friday (April 15) 1 p.m. at St. Wenceslaus 3 p.m. at St. John 7 p.m. Tenebrae Service at Sts. Mary & Hyacinth A reflective evening service with music and meditations on the seven last words of Christ

Easter Vigil (Saturday, April 16) 8:15 p.m. at St. John Easter Sunday (April 17) 7 a.m. at Sts. Mary & Hyacinth 9 a.m. at St. John 11 a.m. at St. Wenceslaus

A Letter From Our Pastor

Three Days That Will Change You Dear Parish Family,

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y favorite time of the whole year is Holy Week, which begins with Palm Sunday, celebrated this year on April 10.

On Tuesday of Holy Week, the priests of the Diocese will celebrate the Chrism Mass at our Cathedral in Green Bay. The priests renew their promises that were made at their Ordination. The bishop also blesses the three oils that will be used throughout the year for Baptism, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick.

We then move into the Paschal Triduum, the three-day celebration of the Paschal Mystery. The word “triduum” means “three days” and refers to Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil celebrated on Holy Saturday night. “Paschal” comes from the Hebrew word for the Passover. I love the simple yet profound rituals that allow us to enter into the mystery of Divine Love.

Holy Thursday commemorates the evening of the Last Supper. At that meal, Jesus gave His disciples the intertwined gifts of the Priesthood and the Eucharist. We become dinner guests at the Last Supper. We watch Jesus, in the person of the priest, wash His disciples’ feet. Then we process with the Eucharist into a “garden,” a prayer space where we can spiritually watch and pray with Our Lord as He undergoes His agony in the Garden.

Good Friday is marked by the absence of Christ. The altars are bare, and Mass is not celebrated. We will hold two services of the Lord’s Passion that include a reading of the Passion, the veneration of the Cross, and Communion from hosts that were consecrated at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper the night before. Sts. Mary & Hyacinth will host Tenebrae, an

evening service that reflects on the Seven Last Words of Christ in word and song.

Holy Saturday is marked by patient waiting. Folks inevitably try and show up for 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. Mass, but Mass on Holy Saturday is never celebrated until sundown, this year at 8:15 p.m. We begin in darkness with the lighting of the Easter fire and the chanting of the Exsultet, an ancient hymn of praise to God. We listen in the darkness to the words of the Old Testament, then sing the Gloria finally as we proclaim Jesus’ Resurrection. We renew our Baptismal promises and are blessed with Easter Holy Water. Those who are entering the church will make a profession of faith and receive Confirmation and First Communion. It is a glorious, blessed, and grace-filled participation in Jesus’ Resurrection.

You can, of course, just come for Easter Sunday Mass.

But I promise you that you will find the three-day celebration to be a profoundly rich experience. I promise that if you come each day for all three days, you will be changed by the experience. I have so experienced the transforming power of these grace-filled days that I get emotional just thinking about it. May you experience new life in Christ this Easter season.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Joel Sember Pastor

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The SACRISTAN Ministry

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he Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the beating heart of the Church’s prayer and life. At Mass, Heaven and Earth unite and our Lord Jesus is present in flesh and spirit. Such sacred moments demand much preparation.

The Sacristan Ministry is devoted to the logistical preparations of Mass, which include arranging all the holy vessels for Mass, setting up the altar, and assisting the priest in other small ways so that the Mass is celebrated smoothly.

“Being a sacristan is a great service for the Lord,” says Vicky Stickney. “This is a ministry which serves Jesus directly.”

Vicky is a sacristan for St. John and has been preparing the altar and setting up for Mass for the last couple of years.

She views the ministry as an extension of her stewardship spirituality.

“It is a sacrifice of time,” she says. “I get to Church about 20 minutes early so that I can take my time and make sure everything is set in its proper place for Mass. This time is spent with Jesus. It is a time of service and prayer for me.”

The Sacristan Ministry has several members who share the responsibilities of preparing for the many Masses that span the whole Antigo area.

“We have an amazing team,” Vicky says.

Cathy Strobel has been a sacristan for Sts. Mary and Hyacinth for a little over a year. “Fr. Joel asked me and I immediately said ‘yes’, Cathy says. “It puts me in the right frame of mind for Mass. The whole job of being a sacristan is very special to me and has been a true blessing.”

Together the sacristans set a schedule that assigns each member

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Sacristans Cathy Strobel and Vicky Stickney

to prepare Masses that they typically attend. If a scheduling conflict arises, the team members help cover each other’s assignments as needed.

The service that the Sacristan Ministry provides positively affects the entire parish. By cleaning the vessels and cloths that are used in Mass, preparing the altar, and setting up the liturgical books such as the missal and the

lectionary, the sacristans free the priest to prepare for Mass in other ways.

Often, a priest will use this time for personal prayer. Sometimes, priests will reflect upon the Mass readings and listen to the Holy Spirit to inspire their homilies or even use this time to administer other sacraments like the Sacrament of Penance.

“Father does not have to worry

Preparing the Altar in Service of Our Lord “I have never found such joy, peace and love as I do when I am serving as a sacristan. When I am alone with Jesus before Mass, I feel very close to Him.” — VICKY STICKNEY about Mass prep,” Vicky says. “His time is freed up because he knows that everything will be in its proper place.”

Sacristans have the unique blessing of handling the holy vessels that are used to honor Christ in the Eucharist. Vicky notes how her time spent as a sacristan has transformed her outlook on the Mass and her relationship with God. “As a sacristan, I have learned a lot about the different parts of the Mass and not only know what is happening at Mass but why,” she says. “I have never found such joy, peace, and love as I do when I am serving as a sacristan. When I am alone with Jesus before Mass, I feel very close to Him.”

The Sacristan Ministry is always looking for more volunteers. All new sacristans are trained so that every volunteer is confident in their service. If you are interested, you can talk to Fr. Joel, Cathy Strobel, or Vicky Stickney after Mass. You may also reach out to Vicky directly by calling 715-610-5977.

MEET PARISHIONERS Louie and Dorothy Guenther continued from front cover Dorothy and Louie could never have children, but they consider their goddaughter, Donna Smith, to be family. They befriended Donna’s parents when they moved to Pelican Lake. Donna attended church with the couple, went to Stations of the Cross, and sang in the choir.

Donna was baptized into the Catholic Church when she was 12.

“Their love for one another and

others has been an inspiration for me,” Donna says. “Their love for each other, their love for me, and their love for my family were so evident. We were not brought together by blood or family. We were brought together by God.” Louie spent his career in construction, and Dorothy was a teacher.

The couple spent many years living in Green Bay and also Pelican Lake.

“The secret is to give and take and share.

Don’t ever go to bed mad.”

— DOROTHY GUENTHER 5

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Divine Mercy Sunday and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

n the 1930s, Sr. Maria Faustina Kowalska of the Most Blessed Sacrament, a Sister of Our Lady of Mercy, received a message from the Lord that she was to live her life as a model of Christ’s merciful love and spread Christ’s mercy throughout the world. She proceeded to offer up all of her personal sufferings in atonement for the sins of others. She kept a diary in which she wrote of God’s mercy, as well as about her special devotion to Mary Immaculate and to the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, which gave her strength.

Sr. Faustina’s diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul, serves as the handbook for the devotion to the Divine Mercy. In it, we read of the message of mercy that she received from Christ.

On April 30, 2000, Sr. Faustina Kowalska was canonized

by Pope John Paul II. Then, on May 23, 2000, the Congregation

for Divine Worship decreed that “throughout the world, the second Sunday of Easter will receive the name Divine Mercy Sunday, a perennial invitation to the Christian world to face, with confidence in divine benevolence, the difficulties and trials that humankind will experience in the years to come.”

On Divine Mercy Sunday — occurring this year on April 24 — all parishioners are encouraged to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, always remembering and practicing the essential “ABCs” of Divine Mercy: Ask for mercy Be merciful to others Completely trust in Jesus

How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

"Chaplet" simply refers to the prayers counted on a rosary.

The Lord said to St. Faustina, "You will recite this chaplet on the beads of the Rosary in the following Manner:" Begin with: One Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Apostle's Creed On the “Our Father" beads, say: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

On the “Hail Mary" beads, say: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

In conclusion, three times recite these words: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

“I want the whole world to know my infinite mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in my mercy” (Diary, 687).

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Getting to Know Parishioner Mary Brennecke Embracing Service as a Vital Component of Life with Christ

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ur faith in Christ is something to be lived, not simply something to observe. Parishioner Mary Brennecke believes in the importance of serving our community as a vital component of life with Christ.

“Without participating in the ministries and joining in the other parish activities, it is like going to a movie — not that you shouldn’t go to a movie — only you’re with a group of strangers,” Mary says. “Jesus wants us to join with others in prayer, but also in communion with each other.”

Dedicated to several ministries in our parish community, Mary knows what it means to be actively involved in parish life. She joined as a parishioner of St. John the Evangelist Parish 38 years ago and quickly integrated into the parish. Mary joined the Petition Committee in 1984.

At the time, the committee didn’t have the same kinds of resources we now have for choosing current petitions, so she remembers it being a bit of a challenge.

“We were very dedicated to our task,” Mary says.

The Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound is the

An EMHC to the Homebound meeting

Mary Brennecke (center) at a Mass intention meeting

ministry that Mary holds closest to her heart. Through this ministry, she has had the opportunity to take the Eucharist to those near death.

“Not all were able to fully participate, but for them and their spouses and caregivers, it was a blessed moment,” Mary says.

She recalls one instance in which she was also present for the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

“What a privilege to serve these people,” Mary says. “It was such an opportunity to visit with them and hear a little about their lives.”

For many years, Mary served also as a Eucharistic continued on back cover

“Without participating in the ministries and joining in the other parish activities, it is like going to a movie — not that you shouldn’t go to a movie — only you’re with a group of strangers. Jesus wants us to join with others in prayer, but also in communion with each other.” — MARY BRENNECKE 7

Saint John the Evangelist 415 6th Ave. Antigo, WI 54409 (715) 623-2024 stjohn@antigoareacatholicchurches.com Saints Mary & Hyacinth 819 3rd Ave. Antigo, WI 54409 (715) 623-4938 ssmh@antigoareacatholicchurches.com Saint Wenceslaus N5340 Church Rd. Deerbrook, WI 54424 (715) 627-2126 stwencel@antigoareacatholicchurches.com

Getting to Know Parishioner Mary Brennecke continued from page 7 Minister at Mass. In addition, she has served on our Stewardship Committee for six years, participated as a Rosary leader during May and October, and six years ago, she joined the Christian Mothers and Altar Society, of which she was elected president. Actively involved in many aspects of parish life, Mary enjoys meeting people and coming together with others in fellowship.

“I enjoy going to the other parishes, as well as St. John’s and meeting people who are involved in their ministries,” she says. “An example of this is that we are working to coordinate The Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound so that we are not overlapping or missing those who need us.”

A Christian Mothers and Altar Society meeting

MASS & CONFESSION TIMES SAINT JOHN: Masses: Monday, 8:15 a.m., Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, 8:15 a.m., Thursday, 8:15 a.m., Saturday, 6 p.m., Sunday, 9 a.m.

Confession: Tuesday, 5:30-6:15 p.m. & Sunday, 8-8:45 a.m.

SAINTS MARY & HYACINTH: Masses: Wednesday, 7:15 a.m., Thursday, 7:15 a.m., Friday, 7:15 a.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. & 4 p.m., Sunday, 7 a.m.

Confession: Saturday following the 8 a.m. Mass & 3-3:45 p.m.

SAINT WENCESLAUS: Masses: Tuesday, 8 a.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. Confession: Sunday, 10-10:45 a.m.