St. Joseph of the Lakes

Anointing Mass                                                                                                       

This Saturday, November 23, we will have a special anointing Mass at 10:00 am in the Worship Space. At this Mass the Sacrament of Anointing will be offered for any who desire to receive it. The Church encourages the Sacrament of Anointing for those who are elderly, or suffering from debilitating illness, or chronic physical, mental, or spiritual suffering. It is not intended for a temporary illness that is expected to pass such as a cold or flu, etc. Please pray for all from our parish and beyond in need of Jesus’ healing grace.

OCIA off to a strong start!                                                                                                            

I am so excited that our OCIA, Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, process is off to a strong start under the leadership of our new coordinator Jacob Wilson. We have about a dozen participating and there’s room for more! If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about Catholicism to become Catholic, there’s still time to join in. Classes are Thursdays at 6:30 pm. It all culminates at the Easter Vigil with the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. We are blessed to have three preparing for Baptism, and others already baptized in another Christian tradition, or baptized Catholic and preparing to be Confirmed. Please pray for those going through this life changing process! Jesus is always calling us to grow closer to him to more fully experience his love.

Parish Stewardship Effort                                                                                      

Last Sunday I spoke at all our Masses to introduce our parish stewardship campaign that we will undertake over the next few weeks. This once-a-year effort encourages each of us to reflect on the importance of our Catholic Faith in our lives, and the importance of our generous giving to support the Faith. You will soon receive a letter from me encouraging your participation. Last week’s Gospel centered on the woman at the temple who gave her two cents, which was all that she had to God. We too have been blessed by God in so many ways and we are invited to give back to God in faith and gratitude for all that God has given to us. I thank you for your generous response. May God bless you for all that you offer to His Church, and to other vital charities that you support with your time, treasure and talent.

With gratitude in Christ,

Fr. Bill Deziel