September 19, 2011: Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our Lady of the Prairie Area Faith Community of
St. Mary’s – Tracy, Minnesota

Father’s Office in Tracy (507) 629-4075, Residence in Walnut Grove (507) 859-2164

Church of St. Mary
249 6th Street
Tracy, MN 56175
(507) 629-4075
www.stmarytracy.org
stmary@iw.net
St. Mary's School
Kathy Vondracek, Principal
(507)-629-3270
www.stmarysschooltracy.org
stmarys@iw.net
Religious Education for Tracy & Walnut Grove
Jean Schmidt (507) 629-3667
saintmaryre@iw.net

School Secretary
Cathy Schons (507) 629-3270
Church Bookkeeper
Joe Sanow (507) 629-4075
Prayer Network
Lota Hannasch (507) 629-4866
Alita Lenertz (507) 629-4145
Custodian - Tracy
Chuyee "Chewy" Her
(701) 212-9258

Church of St. Michael

200 Euclid Ave
Milroy, MN 56263

(507)-336-2505
stmichael@means.net
Administration / Religious Education
Rich Hamsa
(507) 336-2505
stmichael@means.net

Bookkeeper
Kami Parker (507) 336-2635
Prayer Network
Mary Kirsch (507) 336-2353
NU Diocese Catholic Charities
Counseling and Adoptions
Call toll free 1-866-670-5163

Confessions are before all weekday Masses

Baptisms: Contact Fr. Mraz or Rich Hamsa to schedule a date

Marriages: Contact Fr. Mraz or Rich Hamsa 6 months prior to proposed date to begin marriage preparation.

Hospitalized or sick parishoners: contact Fr. Mraz or Rich Hamsa.

Church of St. Paul
600 3rd Street Po Box 236
Walnut Grove, MN 56180
(507) 859-2164
Administrative Secretary
Nancy Hewittt (507) 859-2375
hewithin@redred.com

Bookkeeper
Pat Hansen (507) 859-2581

Prayer Network
Pam Baumann (507) 859-2503

Custodian - Walnut Grove
Merle Pacholl (507) 859-2627

7:00 p.m. Southwest Minnesota Men’s Chorus Practice at St. Paul’s Hall in Walnut Grove

Mon. Sept. 19 No Mass NEWA Testing this week at St. Mary’s School in Tracy

6:30 p.m. St. Paul’s CCW Meets after Mass in Church Hall to plan Fall Luncheon

7:00 p.m. Southwest Minnesota Men’s Chorus Choir Practice in St. Paul’s Church Hall/Walnut Grove

THIS WEEKEND IS CATECHETICAL SUNDAY. We will have the blessing of the Catholic School and Religious Education Teachers at the Masses.

GOT EXTRA SHOES? The Odilla Knights of Columbus are in need of light weight shoes, stuffed animals and school supplies, all to be provided to children in Dominican Republic. You can drop these off at the rectory, at Church, or call Doreen VanDeWiele at 629-3027.

CLASSES ON CHURCH HISTORY will resume THIS Sunday Sept 18 at 1:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s in Tracy. If anyone who was not with the group wants to join us you are very welcome to come. We do have a few extra books from last year available.

RCIA CLASSES WILL BEGIN ON THURS. SEPT. 29 6:30-7:30 P.M. IN THE ST. MARY’S OFFICE. We have one person now for the class. Others are invited to join us. This is for any who wish to join the Catholic Faith, any who have missed confirmation, any who would like to know more about their own Catholic Faith, or who are not Catholic but who are curious about what the Catholic Church teaches. Call Father Bob 639-4075 or Rich Hamsa if you would like to join the class.

ST. CATHERINE’S CHURCH IN REDWOOD FALLS IS HAVING ITS ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL, SUN. SEPT. 18 beginning with a Polka Mass at 10:00 AM. A Roast Beef Dinner (by Morgan’s Deli & Catering) will be served from 11 AM to 2 PM. Adults - $8.00; Children ages 4-11 - $5.00; Children under 4 – FREE. Come for a fun filled day of Games, Bingo, Country Store, Silent Auction, Cake Walk and Refreshments. This year our featured band will be the well known Wendinger Polka Band. Also for entertainment there will be “A Sing Along” with Charlie & Judy Dunlevy and Erica & Ryan Pope. Raffle drawing for 147 prizes at 4:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL AT THE CHURCH OF ST. CLOTILDE IN GREEN VALLEY, SUN. SEPT. 18 after the 10:30 a.m. Mass, serving pork loin dinner starting at 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Adults $9.00; Ages 6-12 $5.00; Ages 2-5 $3.00. Takeout meals are available call 507-532-2841. There will be games, other activities on the church grounds with a church raffle drawing at 1:15 p.m. Great fun will be had by all!

HOSPICE RUMMAGE SALE Bring your Rummage Sale Items to the Blue Commercial Building at the Slayton Fair Grounds on Tuesday, Sept. 13^th thru Fri. Sept. 16^th 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Furniture will be accepted but in good condition. Please do NOT drop off computers or TVs. Rummage Sale Times: Tues. through Fri. Sept. 20th – 23^rd : 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sat. Sept. 24^th 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Don’t miss Fri. & Sat., the Big $3.00/Bag Sale!!! New items daily. Also volunteers are needed to help with the rummage sale, both to set up and running the sale during the week. If anyone is interested or able to help for part of the sale, set up or even the whole event we would appreciate it. Please call Kay or Lori at Hospice 507-836-8114. Volunteers also needed to work at the Slayton Hospice. The Hospice is in need of volunteers to help with direct patient care and for general support work. Any amount of time is appreciated, from 1 hour to 20+ hours per week. If interested, there is a sign-up sheet on the table in the back of the church, or call Lori at 507-836-8114.

DIRECTED PRAYER WEEKEND – September 23, 7:00 p.m. to September 25 ending with lunch. Begin the autumn season with a gift to yourself of time and space for prayer, reflection, sharing and input. Allow the peace and quiet to restore, refresh and reinvigorate you after the long, hot summer. Let drooping spirits take on new life. All are welcome. To register and for information contact S. Mary Jo Welter mjwelter@ssndmankato.org or 507 389-4266 or S. Mary Kay Gosch mkgosch@ssndmankato.org or 507-389-4258. Please complete registration by September 19^th.

Why are there going to be changes in our responses in the Liturgy? It is natural to question the changes that we will experience in worship and some may wonder if this is just change for the sake of change. Since the time of Vatican II there have been over fifty documents issued in the form of statements, instructions, guidelines and laws regarding the translation of liturgical texts. Clearly, this is something that the Church has been dealing with for over forty years. This is an opportunity for us to be open to the harmony and unity that God embedded in creation. While it may seem like there are bigger fish to fry in the Church today, we are called to trust the Church, who, guided by the Holy Spirit, has asked that all English speaking countries share a uniform translation of the Mass texts. In the end, we will hold more in common with our fellow Catholics around the globe. We are just months away from implementing the revised texts of the Mass. If you have not done so already, take some time to familiarize yourself with the texts. You can review them at www.usccb.org/romanmissal. If you have any questions regarding the texts, you can contact the diocesan Office of Worship at 507-233-5320.

The Marriage Preparation Program dates for 2012, in Olivia, are: February 4, March 3, March 24, April 14, May 5 and September 8. The Remarriage Preparation Program dates for 2012, in Hector, are: March 17 and August 25. Contact Fr. Bob or Rich Hamsa on information to sign up if you are planning marriage.

The economy affects Marriages! It takes much effort just to make ends meet in our world today. Do you wish you could talk about something besides all the stresses in your life? A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend gives you the time and tools to revitalize romance, deepen communication, and nourish the spirituality in your marriage.

Upcoming weekends are scheduled for: Nov 18-20, 2011 - Stewartville, MN; - Feb 10-12, 2012 - Windom, MN; - Mar 16-18, 2012 - Frontenac, MN;- July 13-15, 2012 - Hutchinson, MN. For information and/or registration, contact: Jeff and Rondi Kodet at 507-644-3523 or jrek@redred.com or visit our website at www.wwmeSection8.org.

NOTE: PLEASE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE BULLETIN IN BY WEDNESDAY A.M. PLEASE SEND ALL BULLETIN INFORMATION TO THE CHURCH OFFICE - e-mail use: stmary@iw.net or call the office 629-4075.

DID YOU MISS GETTING THE SUNDAY BULLETIN?- Feel free to look up the website to find the Sunday Area Faith Community bulletin, the Area Faith Community monthly calendar, last Sunday’s homily and other information at the OUR LADY OF THE PRAIRIE WEBSITE: www.ourladyoftheprairie-afc.org

New VIRTUS training sessions have been scheduled: Sept. 19, 6 p.m. at the Church of St. John, Ortonville; Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m. at Holy Redeemer School in Marshall; Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m. at the Church of St. Peter, St. Peter; September 26 at the Church of St. Mary in Willmar at 6:30 p.m.; Oct., 9 a.m. at the Church of St. Anastasia, Hutchinson; Oct. 15, 9:00 a.m. at St. Peter’s School in Canby. Nov. 10, 6:30 p.m. at the Church of St. Andrew, Granite Falls ANYONE WHO WANTS TO VOLUNTEER OR WORK WITH THE SCHOOL OR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM WHO HAS NOT GONE TO ONE OF THESE SESSIONS IS REQUIRED TO GO. Contact Jean Schmidt, Fr. Bob, or Rich Hamsa for more information.

The Diocese of New Ulm is sponsoring regional workshops to provide information on Evangelization and Catechesis (Education) Committees. Any interested individual desiring to learn more about the work of these committees is encouraged to attend one of the locations. Current committee members will also want to attend. These free regional meetings are scheduled for 7 p.m. on October 11 at St. Anastasia, Hutchinson; October 13 at St. Mary’s, Willmar; and, October 18 at Holy Redeemer Parish Center, Marshall. Interested individuals are asked to register with Cindy Blickem at 507-233-5325 or cblickem@dnu.org.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS – The Office of Family Life Education will host a bioethics conference on Saturday, October 29 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New Ulm. Bishop John LeVoir, our keynote speaker will speak on the topic of the Theology of the Body and the Dignity of the Human Person. A full list of speakers, topics, and registration information will be available in your parish in the near future. Contact Sr. Candace Fier at 507-233-5328 or cfier@dnu.org for further information or questions.

Holy Redeemer of Marshall Fall Harvest Festival Sun. Sept 25, 2011 11 AM to 3:00 PM, Lyon County Fairgrounds. Grilled Pork Chop Dinner with fixings served from 11-1:30; $8 adults, $4 for children 8 and under. Entertainment from 11-2:30 includes bingo, games, country store, concessions, silent auction, and raffle drawing.

St. Anne’s of Wabasso Church Dinner and Festival Sun. Sept. 25, 2011 11 AM to 1:30 PM. 1052 Cedar Street in Wabasso. Mass at 10:00 AM. Turkey Dinner with trimmings 11 AM to 1:30 PM. $9.00 adults, $5.00 for children 6-12, Pre-school free. Takeout is available. 1^st Annual Scarecrow Spooktacular: bingo, games, refreshment, and country store opens at 11:00 AM. Raffle drawing at 1:30PM. Raffle tickets will be available for sale during the dinner.

Prairie Home Hospice grief support group and luncheons. Prairie Home Hospice of Marshall is hosting grief support group meetings every Tuesday in October and November 1^st and 8^th, 4:30pm to 6:30pm at Hill Street Place, 401 South Hill Street, Marshall. These events are free and open to the public. Call 537-9247 for more information or to register. Grief Support luncheons will be held the first Wednesday of each month, noon at the Wooden Nickel in Marshall. These luncheons are an informal opportunity to share conversation with others who have experienced the loss of a loved one. For more information, please call Barb Moore at the Hospice, 507-537-9247.

Tracy Senior Dining is holding a volunteer appreciation luncheon on Friday, Sept. 23 at 11:30 AM. If you have volunteered to help Tracy Senior Dining in any way, please attend this lunch. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by Tuesday, Sept. 19^th by calling Cheryl at 629-5547.

Congratulations to last week’s and this week’s calendar raffle winners—Kendall & Pam Cooreman and Scott Lanoue. Thank you for supporting our school.

Any extra fresh garden produce would be welcome for our hot lunch program at the school. It can be dropped off at the school office or contact Jan LaVoy.

Special thanks to all adults and students who helped with the Box Car Days activities, especially to the coordinators of each—Brenda Rolling, waffle feed; Claudette Ankrum and Marla Verlinde, food stand; and Dawn Benson, craft fair.

Please say a prayer for all faculty and staff who work with our parish school students, lifting them up and asking for strength concerning their hopes and needs.

Catechists and Children’s Liturgy Meeting – Wednesday, Sept. 21^st, 7:00 PM in the St. Mary’s Church basement.

We still need 1 catechist to teach grade 6 (afternoon 3:30 – 5:00 PM). If willing to serve, please contact Jean Schmidt, 507-629-3667. Fr. Bob has graciously agreed to teach the 7-9^th grades.

Parents and Students - Rel. Ed. Faith Formation begins Wed. Sept. 28^th. Parish also invited to attend.

WHOPPER FEED – 5:00 – 7:00 PM - Cost - $5.50 Per meal. SPEAKER and CLASSES at 7:00 in Church. Parish is invited as well. Registration Forms have been sent out. If you fail to receive one please contact our office – 629-3667

Thanks to all those who participated in Homeless Night in a Box. We collected several items for the Food shelf and have a better understanding of the homeless among us.☺

Trip planned for July 7-14^th Location : Champaign, IL. Need a deposit of $75.00 before Oct. 5^th.

A Big thank you to all the guys and gals who cleaned the Church kitchen and basement, you are the best! Bless you all!

GOT EXTRA PRODUCE? CONSIDER SHARING SOME WITH THE TRACY AREA FOOD SHELF. The Kitchen Table Food Shelf in Tracy is gratefully accepting donations of extra garden-grown fruits and vegetables. The Food Shelf’s hours are Monday 9:30 AM to Noon, and is located behind the Tracy Fire Hall.

Copies of the new Liturgical Minister Schedule is in Church entrance on the table. Please pick up a copy if you have volunteered or are interested in volunteering.

Support Saint Mary’s School Marathon. In the bulletin this week you’ll find a flyer discussing the School’s annual Marathon, being held on Saturday, October 1. Please support our Catholic school!

Scrip Orders: If you wish to order scrip bring your request to the school office.

CCW SHEPHERD OF THE FIELD FOR 2010-11 for St. Mary’s: Rev. Samuel Perez Tax, Church of St. Joseph, P.O. Box 427, Henderson, MN 56044-0427. Date of Ordination: June 2, 2001, Date of Birth: September 13. Please remember him in your prayers and send cards and letters of encouragement, appreciation and congratulations for his priestly ministry.

WE WILL HAVE SECOND COLLECTIONS WEEKLY TO PAY OUR DEBTS to the Diocese and for the insurance payment. Please use your “Debt Reduction Envelopes” for this.

ALUMINUM CANS FOR THE TECHNOLOGY FUND for St. Mary’s School can be dropped off in the wagon behind St. Mary’s Church.

LION’S CLUB October 13: Pat Hansen *, Vicky Rasmussen *, Karla Beens, Pearl VanDeWiele

Adult $274.00, Plate $118.00 , Youth $1.00, Fuel $10.00, Catholic University $60.00, Cemetary $10.00,

RECONCILIATION: 5:00 P.M. at St. Paul’s Saturday’s and prior to mass on weekdays when held at church.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR someone to step forward and volunteer to be a Co- CCW President. It has been several

years since we have had an active president. One person has volunteered only if someone will co-chair with her.

WE NEED MORE ~ MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST & LECTORS. If you would be willing to share

these gifts, please talk to Fr. Bob or Nancy. Thank you to those who recently volunteered – Mark DeSmith

OUR NEW CCW SHEPHERD OF THE FIELD is Fr. Tony Hesse of the Church of Holy Trinity, 111 Winsted Ave W,

PO Box 9, Winsted, MN 55395. His ordination anniversary date is June 2, 2001, date of birth October 23. Please remember

him in your prayers, send cards and letters of encouragement, appreciation and congratulations for his

MSGR. GREG SCHAFFER Please continue to remember him in your prayers as he continues his treatments

here in the US for skin cancer. He will return to the San Lucas Mission as soon as the doctors give him permission.

SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA MEN’S CHORUS practice in St. Paul’s Church Hall on Sun. Sept. 18 & 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Good People of St. Michael— Thank you for your continuing prayers and support. My son, Martin, who is stationed at Fort Leavenworth, KS, is here helping take care of me. I am grateful for your prayers for my healing and recovery. My son is also grateful that our parishes pray for those serving in the military.

Catechetical Sunday & Commissioning Those whom the community has designated to serve as catechists will be called forth to be commissioned for their ministry. Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. Catechetical Sunday is an opportunity for all to rededicate themselves to this mission as a community of faith. Please pray for our parish catechists: Rich Hamsa, Ken Lanoue, Amy Larsen, Lezlie LaVoy, Char Lightfoot, Chris Schmitt, Rose Warner, Mike Welu, Dean Zwach.

Jim Lokie Please remember in your prayers the repose of the soul of Jim Lokie, a former parishioner of St. Michael’s who also graduated from Milroy High School. He died on September 7th and was buried in our cemetery.

Religious Education—Time to Register for 2011-2012 Registration forms have been mailed to each household who was registered last year. If you were missed, please call the parish office, 336-2505, or pick up a form in the back of church

CCW Cleaning of Religious Education Center, Wednesday, September 22, 7:00pm, in the rectory basement. Please help. Men & women are needed this time. Thank you!

Question of the Week Using Jesus' parable as your starting point, describe in your own words how God will treat those who come to be part of the Church, even those who come late.

DIRECTED PRAYER WEEKEND – September 23, 7:00 p.m. to September 25 ending with lunch. Held at Our Lady of Good Counsel Campus in Mankato, MN. Begin the autumn season with a gift to yourself of time and space for prayer, reflection, sharing and input. Allow the peace and quiet to restore, refresh and reinvigorate you after the long, hot summer. Let drooping spirits take on new life. All are welcome. To register and for information contact S. Mary Jo Welter mjwelter@ssndmankato.org or 507 389-4266 or S. Mary Kay Gosch mkgosch@ssndmankato.org or 507-389-4258 Please complete registration by September 19^th

Why are there going to be changes in our responses in the Liturgy? It is natural to question the changes that we will experience in worship and some may wonder if this is just change for the sake of change. Since the time of Vatican II there have been over fifty documents issued in the form of statements, instructions, guidelines and laws regarding the translation of liturgical texts. Clearly, this is something that the Church has been dealing with for over forty years. This is an opportunity for us to be open to the harmony and unity that God embedded in creation. While it may seem like there are bigger fish to fry in the Church today, we are called to trust the Church, who, guided by the Holy Spirit, has asked that all English speaking countries share a uniform translation of the Mass texts. In the end, we will hold more in common with our fellow Catholics around the globe.

Marriage Encounter: give your marriage a well deserved vacation! Plan to go on a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend and come back with a marriage that is refreshed and full of energy! Upcoming weekends are scheduled for: * Nov 18-20, 2011 in Stewartville, MN. For information and/or registration, contact: Jeff and Rondi Kodet at 507-644-3523 or jrek@redred.com or visit our website at www.wwmeSection8.org.

Another Marriage Encounter group in the Twin Cities Discover the full potential of your marriage by attending the October 15-16 Marriage Encounter! Visit www.marriages.org for a listing of retreats and locations or call 651.454.3238.

Help for Hurting Marriages Twin Cities Retrouvaille offers a monthly program consisting of a weekend and several follow-up sessions. Retrouvaille helps couples put the pieces of their marriages back together and rebuild loving relationships. Registration is required. For information call 651.464.5855, or www.helpourmarriage.com

Pray for the safety of all from our families and communities who serve in the military, especially: Steve Sik, Jonathon Mejia, Nicole Harcus, Stuart Stroman, Patrick Carnahan, Brad & Andrea Bond, Matthew Dieter, Thomas Moudry, Travis Davis, Martin Hamsa, Sam Van Nevel, Henry Bernardy, Kyle & Cole DeBlieck, Patricia Baker, Joe Vogl, Pat Weisbrich, Rory Matter, and Troy Baumann.

Pray for healing for all the sick of the area faith community, especially: Laura Lanoue Sonne & Mia Anne Sonne, Sophie Buysse, Justin Nowak, Michael Hammerschmidt, Wayne McDonald, Dale & Curtis Borchert, Cedric Christensen, Rosella Vogl, Elizabeth Swan, 3 people suffering from severe depression, Rich Hamsa, Virginia Fetter, Dennis & Mary VandePutte, Beatrice Maeyaert, & 12 special intentions. If you know of someone who should be now removed from the sick list, please let the rectory know. Names will be left on the list for 1 month and then taken off, if you wish them put on again please contact the office we will gladly put them on again.

Boxcar Days Fundraising Results	Estimated Net Income (after expenses)
Waffle Feed	$ 896.00
Craft Fair	$ 641.00
Food Stand	$4,239.00
Calendar Raffle	$ 7,302.74
TOTAL	$13,078.74 Thanks to all who volunteered or donated!

Plate:	$ 77.00	Debt:	$ 130.00
Adult Envelopes:	$ 1,990.00	Mass Intentions:	$ 10.00
Church Endowment:	$ 20.00	School Endowment:	$ 10.00

Sept 18	8:30am, Catechetical Sunday— Do This in Memory of Me—Commissioning of Catechists at Mass
Sept 22	7:00pm, CCW Rel. Ed Cleaning rectory
Sept 24	9:00am, Diocesan Faith Formation Day at Willmar, MN
Sept 25	1:30pm, Levi William Hoflock will be baptized this Sunday.
Oct 5	6::00pm & 7:15pm, Religion Classes begin tonight.
Oct 6	8:00am – Noon, Eucharistic Adoration

Monday	Sept. 19	No Mass
Tuesday	Sept. 20	8:30 AM	Mass at Saint Michael’s / Milroy David Louwagie
Wednesday	Sept. 21	8:30 AM 1:00 PM	School Mass at Saint Mary’s / Tracy + Ruth O’Donnell Mass at Colonial Manor / Balaton + Willard Urban
Thursday	Sept. 22	8:30 AM	Mass at Saint Paul’s / Walnut Grove Special Intention
Friday	Sept. 23	8:30 AM	Mass at Saint Mary’s / Tracy + Laurence Lenertz
Saturday	Sept. 24	5:00 PM	Confessions before Mass @ St. Paul’s / WG
		5:30 PM	Mass at Saint Paul’s / Walnut Grove Joe Boerboom
Sunday	Sept. 25	8:00 AM	Confessions at Saint Michael’s / Milroy
		8:30 AM	Mass at Saint Michael’s / Milroy The People of the Area Faith Community
		10:30 AM	Mass at Saint Mary’s / Tracy Claire and Lota Hannasch’s 55^th Wedding Anniversary.
		Confessions before & after Mass at Tracy as time permits.