From the Desk of Fr. Mike
Jesus Journeys with Us
Posted by Anne Serwe on 8/10/20
Last week we heard how Jesus fed five thousand men not counting the women or children, with five loaves and two fish. All ate until they were satisfied and the disciples collected twelve baskets of leftovers. Today the great deeds continue as Jesus walks on water to join the ... Read More »
Greetings from Gulu, Uganda!
Posted by Anne Serwe on 8/03/20
Greetings from Gulu, Uganda!
My name is Fr. Martin Agwee and I serve as the Chancellor and Treasurer for the Archdiocese of Gulu in Northern Uganda. I have been looking forward to making my first visit to the great country of the United States of America to visit you in ... Read More »
God Leading us to Recovery
Posted by Anne Serwe on 7/20/20
For a time in my youth as I thought about the greatness of God, I would ask the common question: “If God is so powerful; why does he allow evil to happen in the world?” Isn’t the expression of evil in the world a sign of the weakness of God?
We hear in both the first reading as well as the Gospel that the answer is precisely the opposite. As Wisdom declares: “But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us; for power, whenever you will, attends you.” Jesus makes it clearer in his parable of the sower who sowed good seeds. While he was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds. As both grow the servants point this out to the sower with the question: “Do you want us to pull out the weeds?” and his answer: “No, if you pull up the weeds you might take the wheat with them.” The sower certainly had the power to rid his garden of the weeds, but if it costs his wheat crop it would not be worth ... Read More »
My 4th of July Story
Posted by Anne Serwe on 7/13/20
Thank you for your prayers and notes of encouragement as I take this trip with the medical community.
Some pre-history: about two years ago I began to struggle with sores on my right leg. I was diagnosed with cellulitis and prescribed an anti-biotic. I took the medicine faithfully, but ... Read More »
Happy 4th of July!
Posted by Anne Serwe on 7/06/20
Happy 4th of July to everyone. May your travels be safe and the time you spend with family joyous! If you are away from St. Joe’s this weekend—you can still watch Mass after 8:30 am on our website, YouTube channel and Facebook.
Thank You for Your Support of St. Joseph's!
Posted by Anne Serwe on 6/29/20
Jesus said to his apostles:
Whoever gives only a cup of cold waterto one of these little ones to drinkbecause the little one is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” Mt10:42
I want to thank you for your ongoing generous support of ... Read More »
The Gift of the Eucharist
Posted by Anne Serwe on 6/15/20
Thank you to all who sent me cards wishing me well on my birthday and congratulating me on my 37th anniversary as a priest. It was a great and necessary distraction in a very difficult week.
A group of Jews gathered about Jesus after he had fed the five ... Read More »
Act with Kindness and a Shared Humanity
Posted by Anne Serwe on 6/08/20
I spent last Saturday in a fog as I watched the flames shooting out of many different buildings in Minneapolis. I did not know what to do with what I was watching; I had never experienced anything like this before. I felt sadness for those whose properties were destroyed ... Read More »
The Church is Never "Closed"
Posted by Anne Serwe on 6/01/20
Last week in response to President Trump’s declaring that churches were essential and need to be reopened right away the Bishop-elect of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Missouri; Deon K. Johnson wrote:
"The work of the church is essential. The work of caring for the lonely, the ... Read More »
Reveal the Presence of Christ in Each Other
Posted by Anne Serwe on 5/18/20
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Jn 14:21
When I was pastor of St. Bernard’s in 2009 there arrived a group of Burmese refugees. Unlike earlier days when the Hmong and Vietnamese refuges came to our ... Read More »