The Roman Catholic Parish of
Sacred Heart
Polonia, Wisconsin
Welcome! Witamy!
A Word from Father
SÅ‚owo od Pastora
SEPTEMBER 3, 2023
"When we suffer much, we have a great chance to show God that we love him."
— St. Faustina Kowalaska
Dear Parishioners:
Be aware that beginning the week of September 3, for approximately two weeks, the asbestos will be removed from the church. Please use the handicapped entrance only. The other doors may not be used.
Fr. Mark Miller
Pastor
AUGUST 13, 2023
"On this earth we must attach ourselves to nothing, not even the most innocent things, for they fail you at the moment when you are least expecting it. It is only what is eternal that can content us."
—St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face
Dear Parishioners:
As I mentioned last week, we are ready to begin "Phase 1" of the renovation project. The parish has waited a long time for something to happen, and now it is. It was a long preparation process, but it was necessary, and I want to thank all those on the committee who assisted me. This will begin the week of August 20, although some of the statuary, votive candles, and items in the various storage areas will also be cleaned out. If you're available to help with this, there is a sign-up sheet. (Aug. 15) During the next few months (hopefully ending by Dec. 17), the following will take place:
1. Removal of pews and disassembly of the kneelers. The pews will be removed by the restoration company, but we are responsible for storing the kneelers. Wood Renovators will remove the kneelers, and we are to store them. If you can help with removing the kneelers from the church, it would be greatly appreciated. There is a sign-up sheet in the lobby.
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2. Asbestos abatement
3. Removal of carpeting in the lobby area, the nave of the church, confessional, and storage rooms adjacent to the lobby.
4. Installation of carpet and tiling
5. Cleaning, preparing, and repairing the plaster.
6. Painting of the sanctuary, side altars, and areas under the windows in the nave.
While this process is going on, there will not be Mass in the church, Mass will be in the basement. The chairs that are in the basement as well as any of the pews along the walls will be used for seating. I'm going to add a 6:00pm Mass on Saturday, but as time goes on I will evaluate that. If there is no reason to have it, it will be removed, we'll just have to see where we're at as far as attendance. I will be using the music room as the "confessional".
As far as parish activities, the basement should still be free to use. However, there will not be funeral Masses offered as the church is unusable, and there will not be funeral luncheons provided at this time. Funerals may be held at Immaculate Conception Church. Once the restoration is completed funeral Masses and luncheons may resume
JULY 2, 2023
"Jesus was obedient to his parents.' [Luke 2:51] Master of virtue that he was, he still obeyed the duties of family love. Why do you marvel that, in addition to showing obedience to the Father, he also obeyed his mother? In this submission is revealed not weakness, but love. Take some useful teaching from his example. Learn how much you owe to your parents. You cost your mother the perils of pregnancy, a long period of weariness and pain. Your birth, the fruit that she longed for so much, freed her from the pains of childbirth but not from anxieties on your account. And what shall we say about the worries of fathers? They work hard to provide the necessities of life for their children. They are like a farmer who sows seed for future generations to reap. This in itself is enough to command at least respect in return."
- St. Ambrose
Dear Parishioners:
Our parish picnic will soon be upon us. This takes a lot of work and effort. I want to thank Arleen Gross, and the committee chairmen/women for all of your time. I also want to thank those who helped with the picnic in past years. Please consider assisting again this year. There are plenty of opportunities to help, and a variety of tasks. Please take this to prayer. Thank you in advance!
JUNE 25, 2023
"It is surely most necessary to beware, as our Lord solemnly bids us, of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. We may be infected with it, even though we are not conscious of our insincerity. I would maintain that no one is to be reckoned a Pharisee or hypocrite in his prayers who tries not to be one - who aims at knowing and correcting himself - and who is accustomed to pray, though not perfectly, yet not indolently or in a self-satisfied way."
—St. John Newman
Dear Parishioners of Sacred Heart:
On July 15 and 16, Fr. Joseph Birungi of the Diocese of Hoima will be at our parish for this year's Mission Appeal. In his diocese, he administers a school of nursing. He mentioned that in Uganda there is a shortage of nurses. The ratio of nurses to patients is 1:11,000. Due to the lack of medical care, many people die. The School of Nursing currently has 480 students studying. The specific purpose of this appeal is to raise funds to provide a borehole for water as well as a solar power system for electricity. The total cost of the project is $79,500. I encourage all of us to take this to prayer and contribute to his needs.
MAY 28, 2023
"In her magnanimity and generosity in suffering, Mary is, as compared with the Apostles, fitly imaged as a tower. But towers are huge, rough graceless structures with nothing of the beautifulness, refinement, and finish which are conspicuous in Mary. Therefore, she is called the "Tower of Ivory", to suggest to us, by the purity and exquisiteness of that material, how transcendent is the loveliness of the Mother of God."
- St. John Newman
Dear Parishioners
The third Commandment - "You shall keep holy the Sabbath Day", is a serious one for us as Catholics. We are bound under pain of mortal sin to attend Mass on Sundays and other days as the Church dictates to us. While there are legitimate circumstances such that the obligation would be lifted (e.g. confined to home or hospital), too often other activities take its place. It's important that we give the worship that is due to him. It's important that we be faithful to the Lord even while on vacation. As summer quickly approaches, remember to attend Mass even while away. A good website to look at is: masstimes.org. Simply type in the zip code of where you will be going, and it will give you all of the parishes along with addresses and Mass times. Vacations are good and necessary, but we also have to remember the Lord. Whatever your vacation plans are, I hope you find rest, and to remember to spend time with the Lord on Sundays!
MAY 21, 2023
"The value of our life does not depend upon the place we occupy. It depends on the way we occupy the place."
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Dear Parishioners:
I'm sure most, if not all of you, are familiar with Bl. Solanus Casey and Bl. James Miller. Recently the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments has given permission to the Diocese of La Crosse to publicly venerate Bl. Casey and Bl. Miller within the context of Mass. Their feast days are July 30 and February 13, respectively. Please note however, this applies only to the Diocese of La Crosse. Other dioceses may not publicly venerate them until they are canonized and are on the Universal Calendar. Also, like other blesseds or saints, if another liturgical feast that happens to fall on those dates is of a higher rank (e.g. Sunday), their feast is omitted that year. We continue to ask for their intercession!
APRIL 23, 2023
"Love is the bond of life, the mother of the poor, and the teacher of the rich. It is the nurse of orphans, the attendant of the elderly, the treasure of the intelligent, and the common port of all the afflicted."
— St. Gregory of Nyssa
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Dear parishioners:
We are entering the third week of the Easter Season. Yes! It is STILL Easter. Remember, Easter is NOT just Easter Sunday. For a number of weeks we will be celebrating liturgically the mystery of the Resurrection. This is a special time. We need to be living it!
APRIL 9, 2023
"Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. For He
whom you did merit to bear, alleluia, has
risen, as he said, alleluia. Pray for us to God,
alleluia. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary,
alleluia, for the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
O God, who gave joy to the world through the
resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession
of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of
everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen."
(Regina caeli)
APRIL 2, 2023
"Devout souls cling wholeheartedly to the cross with Christ. They thus acquire the most abundant fruits of the redemption for themselves and for others."
- Pius XI
Dear Parishioners:
We are now in the holiest time of the year. In the upcoming days, remember what is happening. Remember all that Christ will undergo. We should all make good efforts this week to pray, and to allow the fruits of this week to be effective in our live
MARCH 26, 2023
Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures – I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into your hands I commend my soul: I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands without reserve, and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father. Amen.
(Prayer of abandonment - Bl. Charles de Foucauld)
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Dear Parishioners:
I wanted to give you an update as far as our capital campaign is concerned. As of March 20, 2023 we have available for our use $320,981! Thank you to all who have been contributing to our campaign. I have been meeting regularly with the committee and you have seen periodic bulletin updates with the progress. You will continue to be informed when we reach the next step.
MARCH 19, 2023
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus while before Your face I humbly kneel and, with burning soul, pray and beseech You to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity; true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment. While I contemplate, with great love and tender pity, Your five most precious wounds, pondering over them within me and calling to mind the words which David, Your prophet, said to You, my Jesus: “They have pierced My hands and My feet, they have numbered all My bones.” Amen.
(Prayer before a crucifix)
MARCH 12, 2023
Dear Jesus, in the Sacrament of the Altar, be forever thanked and praised. Love, worthy of all celestial and terrestrial love! Who, out of infinite love for me, ungrateful sinner, assumed our human nature, shed Your most Precious Blood in the cruel scourging, and expired on a shameful Cross for our eternal welfare! Now illumined with lively faith, with the outpouring of my whole soul and the fervor of my heart, I humbly beseech You, through the infinite merits of Your painful sufferings, give me strength and courage to destroy every evil passion which sways my heart, to bless You by the exact fulfillment of my duties, supremely to hate all sin, and thus to become a Saint. Amen.
(Prayer to overcome sinful passions)
MARCH 5, 2023
O Lord and Master of my life, keep from me the spirit of indifference and discouragement, lust of power, and idle chatter. Instead, grant to me, Your servant, the spirit of wholeness of being, humble-mindedness, patience, and love. O Lord and King, grant me the grace to be aware of my sins and not to judge my brother and sister, for You are blessed, now and ever and forever. Amen.
(Lenten prayer of St. Ephraim)
FEBRUARY 26, 2023
My precious and crucified Lord, I offer You this Lent. I offer it to You with total abandonment and trust. I offer You my prayers, sacrifices and my very life this day. Do with me, Lord, as You will. I pray that this Lent will be fruitful. I know You have much to say to me and much to do in my life. May this Lent be a time through which Your mercy is poured in abundance into my soul, and into the souls of all Your faithful. Dearest Lord, help me to especially see my sin, this Lent. Humble me so that I may see clearly. Give me courage and strength to confess my sins, and to turn from them with all my heart. Enlighten me with Your Holy Word, dear Lord. Help me to come to know You and to deepen the gift of faith in my life. Show me the plan You have for me, and place my feet upon the path You have chosen. My suffering Lord, I thank You for the fullness of Your perfect Sacrifice. I thank You for holding nothing back, giving Your life to the last drop of blood. May I offer You my very life as a sacrifice, trusting in Your mercy with every offering. Keep me faithful to my Lenten promises, and bring forth new life through these sacrifices of love. Amen.
-Prayer for a fruitful Lent