Pro-Life Women Deliver Semi-Truck Full of Supplies, $72,000 to the Border

Mary Rezac/CNA
BROWNSVILLE – The heat index in McAllen, Texas was 125 degrees on Saturday, but that did not stop members of the pro-life movement from delivering a semi-truck full of supplies and thousands of dollars in aid to respite centers at the border of the United States and Mexico.
The #BottlestotheBorder campaign, launched by New Wave Feminists in partnership with And Then There Were None (ATTWN), collected more than $120,000 worth of supplies and donated more than $70,000 in aid funding to multiple respite centers, where migrants who…

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/pro-life-women-deliver-semi-truck-full-of-supplies-72000-to-the-border

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is quite clear in his message: “bear fruit or be cut down.” This Lent we are called to cultivate and fertilize our spiritual lives through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

THROUGH YOUR ALMSGIVING TO ST VINCENT de PAUL, YOU ARE PERFORMING A GOOD WORK. CHOOSING TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING WILL FILL YOUR HEART WITH THE BLESSING OF JESUS.

MRC Spaghetti Dinner 2019

IHM Sisters and the MRC Family wish to express their sincere gratitude to Father Barr and our beloved St Joseph-St Mary Parishes for all the support we received for our Mission. The Spaghetti Dinner was a huge success thanks to all of you. The desserts, and turning out in your numbers despite the biting cold, meant so much to us. We served about 475 dinners and netted over $1,000.00 in donations. Thank you for always being there for us. May the good Lord reward you abundantly. — Sister Theo

Lent Almsgiving

This Lent our almsgiving offering will be given to
the Society of St Vincent de Paul. You will find
envelopes in the pews with a St Vincent de Paul
label. According to custom, you are asked to make a
sacrifice of eating one small meal in place of a large one
and place the difference of the cost in your almsgiving
offering. Please return your offering by Easter. The Society
of St Vincent de Paul operates with the generosity of YOU.
Thank you for your generosity.

Meals on Wheels

 A huge THANK YOU to Ron and Roberta Schradermeier, who braved the snow and cold on Friday, February 1, to deliver Meals on Wheels for the St Joseph/St Mary parishes! Because of the snowstorm and deep freeze that followed, Meals on Wheels had to cancel deliveries for most of our scheduled week. I want to thank our new team members, Pat Weigel and Karen Hildebrandt. Also, our other volunteers, Jim Full, and Jane and Jacob O’Connor, who were unable to deliver due to the weather cancellations.
We are so grateful for your willingness to be a part of this wonderful ministry! Our next delivery week will be mid-May when the weather will be more cooperative! If you would like to be a part of this amazing group of caring and selfless people, please call Joanie Williams at 815-298-9705.

What is Love?

Feb 8, 2019


Audio and Video

Listen to all three. Each Homily has the same base information, but was persented differently as there is so much to talk about on this issue. Still, there is more about love tha what is presented here.

Saturday 4pm Mass:

Sunday 8am Mass:

Sunday 10:30 Mass: 

There is an appropriate way in which God wants us to share His love for each other, based on the nature of our relationships. Mothers are to love their children in a way that is appropriate for mothers to love their chidren. Priests need to love their people in a way that is appropriate to the way God calls them to love, with chastity. Their is an appropriate way in which men are called to love men. Men are indeed called to love each other; God demands it! But this love is called to be chaste and ccording to God’s plan. …

Continue reading “What is Love?”

Knights of Columbus Gifts Checks

Freeport Knights of Columbus got together on December 12 for their annual Potluck Christmas dinner. The KC’s distributed checks from the Tootsie Roll drive in September to Freeport Special Olympics, represented by Anne Schulz, Freeport Park District; Malcom Eaton, Brian Babcock, Marketing; and Presence St. Vincent, Diane Cushman. Fun was had by all and we are looking forward to next year’s fundraiser. Nils Sandstrom and Todd McKenna represented the Knights of Columbus.

Bible: Romans #18

In the Last article dealing with the book of Romans, we see how patriotism is important and even virtuous. The law of the land is to be upheld by all Christians for the good of society. St John Bosco once said, “Many people [in authority] oppose us, persecute us, and would even like to destroy us, but we must be patient. As long as their commands are not against our conscience, let us obey them, but when the case is otherwise, let us uphold the rights of the Church, for those are superior to all earthly authority”. This is pretty sound advice and is steeped in catholic tradition. It is what the first Christians did up through the conversion of Rome.
Verse seven talks about giving what is due to others, be it government or individuals. But verse eight recognizes something greater and even more “primary” as the theologians may put it. Love demands that we ourselves fulfill the law of God, which is superior than man’s law. If we love a person, we would never think of offending that person. When I was a child, I was so afraid to sin against my mom. I knew my mom loved me and I would have been crushed if I had done something that offended her. Love does not demand it from others, it demands it from ourselves. It is the purest form of strength.
I have heard many people say that if you want to work for peace, work for justice. There is wisdom in this saying, but it will always come short of any lasting peace. If everybody demanded and got justice, strictly speaking, it might be a brutal world and a lot more people may be in jail. But Jesus has found a way where justice and mercy have met. Combined, justice and mercy, and only understood being together do they produce virtue. This is because love is the motivation of mercy and therefore fulfills the law. That is why forgiveness is not letting somebody get by with something (complacency) and justice is not revenge.
Verse eleven recognizes the motivation of love to do God’s holy will. It also recognizes that our faith also demands that we do God’s holy will. We have faith in those we love, or at least that is what normally should happen in God’s design. This is particularly true with our love for God. If we trust God, It is much easier to do His will. But to shed off the old self, it takes more than faith, it takes love. It is our love for Him that would make us give up coffee, alcohol, chocolate, sugar or any other comforts we like. In a husband, it is love for his wife that makes him go to the opera, not faith in her. It takes love for her husband that makes her go to the game with him, not faith in him. It is love that makes grandma go to the school activities, not faith in the grandchildren.
Paul’s challenge is what are we willing to do for Jesus? It was His love for us that motivated Him to die on the cross for us. Are you motivated by love to do something for Jesus? Is it something that reflects the way you live? Has your love for Jesus changed your life? How?

ARYL DAILEY FREE LUNCH

SVDP round One hundred twenty-eight meals were provided at the November Free Lunch. We were overwhelmed by the generous donations of cookies, fruit, cereal bars and items of warm clothing. One first-time visitor remarked that she took a long time to eat her meal because “it was such a happy place with everyone smiling and visiting with one another.” Thank you for helping us to make all of this possible.

The December meal will be Saturday, December 15. We will need cookies/bars and fresh fruit. If you can provide any of these items, contact Mary Koppi at 815 232-4687.

We wish all a Blessed Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.

FACC Christmas Basket Blessing

RACC Christmas BasketThe Freeport Area Church Cooperative has completed the sign-up for its annual Christmas Basket Blessing. St Joseph Church is being asked to provide 250 boxes of macaroni and cheese and St Mary Church is being asked to provide 250 cans of green beans to help fill the baskets. Any excess items will be incorporated into FACC’s food pantry, which is desperately low on food. Additionally, if you are interested in supplying gifts for the baskets, please call Robert Varner at FACC at 815-233-0435 (ext. 1). Please bring your donations to church by Sunday, December 16.
Delivery of the baskets to those who signed up will be Saturday, December 22, from 10:00am until completed. We will deliver from Holy Family Community Center. Volunteer delivery drivers are needed.
If you have any questions concerning this year’s Christmas event, contact Dean Wright at FACC at 815-233-0435 or by email at deanfacc@aeroinc.net.