November 14

November 14

Fr. Simon's Happenings: I will be gone this Sunday night and return this Friday night hunting pheasants in the Claremont area or at least try again! I wasn’t able to even get a shot off two weeks ago when I hunted two days there with our small group.

Gregorian Masses for a Poor Soul: As popularized by Pope St. Gregory the Great, these are a series of thirty (30) Masses offered consecutively for thirty days for the repose of the soul of an individual departed person. According to this pious belief the individual soul, if in Purgatory, immediately goes to heaven after the completion of these Holy Masses. The Sacred Congregation on Indulgences has declared that "the offering of Gregorian Masses has a special efficacy for obtaining from God the speedy deliverance of a suffering soul, and that this is a pious and reasonable belief of the faithful." This devotion is due to Pope St. Gregory the Great writing in his fourth book Dialogues about when he was an abbot prior to being Pope, fearing that a certain monk may have to spend a long time suffering in purgatory, had thirty Masses offered for him, one each day consecutively, for thirty days. On the thirtieth day he appeared to a brother monk to tell him he was freed from Purgatory due to the thirty Masses offered for the repose of his soul. These Masses do not have to be offered by the same priest, but the priest is making a serious obligation by accepting the Gregorian Mass stipend to successfully accomplish this whether or not he is able to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on any scheduled day. He will have to have at least one backup priest ready on any given day to avoid interruption. Failure to do this means restarting the series of Masses. A web search will provide offers of this service or you can contact Fr. Brian Simon. Arrangements can be made to have Gregorian Masses offered for oneself after death upon notification by a survivor as directed. This direction can be in important papers to be read after one's death or stated in one's Last Will & Testament.

October 24, 2021

October 24, 2021

Fr. Simon's Happenings: Plans have changed again. I will still be on my canonical priest retreat at Broom Tree starting Sunday evening, October 24 but return Thursday evening. I will be here to celebrate the Funeral Mass for Ruth Starks 10:30 a.m. Friday morning and then go to Eden Friday evening to have weekend Masses there and pheasant hunt Saturday and Sunday to return Sunday evening. Fr. Ken Lulf plans to be here the weekend of October 30 – 31 to switch with me.

Youth Faith Formation (YFF) News: We continue to improve our new mission approach to forming young disciples of Christ. We are constantly adding formation opportunites for all grades in both parishes by meeting in large group for 15 minutes or more. We have been teaching and witnessing on the importance of confession, the Holy Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration & Benediction, and Divine Mercy. As we transition into November we will be talking about how to faithfully help people in danger of death, preparing ourselves for a happy and holy death, and praying for the faithful departed. (Periodically, I will provide 15 minute teachings on these and other topics immediately following Mass for people interested.)

All Saints Day & All Souls Day: All Saint’s Day, Nov. 1, is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year, but we will be having Masses in both parishes. As allowed by the Church, we will have three Masses on Nov. 2, All Soul’s Day and a blessing in each cemetery (weather permitting). Contact Fr. Simon or call the parish office to listen to the phone message for locations due to weather. (You can gain an indulgence by visiting a cemetery and praying.)

First Fridays Devotion: Jesus Christ revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque the first Friday of each month needs to be consecrated to the devotion to and adoration of His Most Sacred Heart. Communion on this day should be offered to make some satisfaction for all the ingratitude which Jesus receives in the Blessed Sacrament. His first promise for those who do this follows: "I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life." Starting Friday, November 5 we will have our regularly scheduled 8:30 a.m. Mass in Sacred Heart Church followed by a Holy Hour with confessions. In December we will schedule this devotion in St. Pius X Church as well. First Saturdays Devotion: Our Lady of Fatima revealed to St. Lucia her desire for the faithful people to observe every first Saturday of the month in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) and to make reparation to it. She promised to help at the hour of death with the graces needed for salvation whoever on the First Saturday of five consecutive months do the following: 1. Confess and receive Holy Communion. 2. Recite five decades of the Rosary. 3. And keep her Immaculate Heart company for fifteen minutes while meditating on one or more of the mysteries of the Rosary with the intention of making reparation to the IHM. Starting First Saturday, November 6 we will have 8:30 a.m. Mass followed by a guided Holy Hour with confessions. S

acred Heart Parish (SHP) Missals for Mass: We restarted our subscription to Today's Missal which is the smaller missalette with Mass readings and prayers and some traditional, seasonal hymns. It will restart the first Sunday of Advent, November 28, 2021. We are still reviewing hymnal choices. 

Pheasant Hunting Opener 2021

Pheasant Hunting Opener 2021

Greetings Faithful Parishioners in Christ,

Fr. Simon's Happenings: As you can tell if you were in church here this weekend, my hunting plans have changed. My hunting friend from MN injured himself, so he needs time for healing. Fr. Ken Lulf plans to be here the weekend of October 30 – 31 to switch with me. I am available to be invited for pheasant hunting this week along with one K.C. friend from Webster who is salmon fishing with me through Tuesday. I will be on my canonical priest retreat at Broom Tree starting Sunday evening, October 24 and return Sunday evening, October 31.

Sacred Heart Parish (SHP) Missals for Mass: We restarted our subscription to Today's Missal which is the smaller missalette with Mass readings and prayers and some traditional, seasonal hymns. It will restart the first Sunday of Advent, November 28, 2021. We are still reviewing hymnal choices.

SHP Projection & Video Volunteers Needed: We will continue to use projections during Mass. I ask for volunteers to prepare them up to one month in advance and others to project them during Mass. We also need video controllers for Livestream.

COVID-19 Clergy Days Impact: A significant number of priests in the Sioux Falls Diocese tested positive for COVID-19 this past week (I heard of 18.), including Fr. Randy Phillips in Faulkton. (Welcome Faulkton area parishioners here the next couple weekends!) I tested negative last Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Please do not hesitate to call me for Last Rites even if somebody has COVID-19. I have had two Moderna vaccine shots. As reasonably as possible, I have all the PPE I need to prevent transmission and exposure as follows: Hand sanitizer, N95 particulate respirators, protective face shields, isolation gowns, disposable gloves, LED UV-C disinfecting lights, and disinfectantsprays and wipes for all types of surfaces. I also use vinegar or bleach when washing clothes. I am not concerned about getting the coronavirus personally, but I do not want to spread it to others, and I definitely do not want to be knocked out of priestly ministry for two weeks. I have not had it previously as far as I know.

Youth Faith Formation (YFF) News: We continue to improve our new mission approach to forming young disciples of Christ. Since we are meeting for an hour and a half on Wednesday evening with the older grades, we are able to expand our formation opportunities. In SHP 6th – 8th grades will meet as a large group for one-half hour every Wednesday thanks to catechist volunteer presenters and the Formed.org website. (I hope to start this in St. Pius X Parish (SPXP).) When I am available in Gettysburg, I will have the 9th – 10th grade join in. Our SPXP older grades were able to join us by Livestream last Wednesday. You can watch and listen (if you have good computer speakers) to this video and audio recording by going to www.getshc.org and selecting the word "Livestream" or use the following link: https://livestream.com/accounts/7796382/events/9892288.

Introduction to Eucharistic Adoration: I do this presentation for adults in Sacred Heart Church this Monday starting at 6:30 p.m. followed by a Eucharistic Holy Hour at 7:00 p.m. and Mass at 8:00 p.m. To accommodate YFF high school disciples, I am offering Holy Hours and Masses every third and fourth Monday evening of the month whenever I am available.

YFF Lesson for All!: Our lesson this past Wednesday had our youth disciples to consider how they would want people to speak about them at their funeral or what type of person they want to be as a part of their life story. (Parents, please ask them about this and have a good follow-up talk with them.) Towards the end of this part of the lesson, I asked our 9th – 10th grade disciples during YFF, "What would it be like to all of a sudden die?" Immediately, the power went out in Gettysburg due to a wind storm. Everything went black except for the security lights. Hmm.... What a sign from God! Thank God for providing your immediate intervention by Divine Providence! God, you got my attention! We embarked on this YFF venture which is new to me and you in our parishes, not knowing what it would all entail. This made some parents nervous or be doubtful about it. Look what happens when you rely on God to provide! We had signs even from the beginning that we were headed down the right road, although rocky at times. "Walk by Faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) 

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Published on  August 29th, 2023

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