Monday 8:00—4:00 Tuesday 8:00—4:00

Wednesday 8:00—4:00 Thursday 8:00—4:00

Friday 8:00—4:00

Mass Times Office Hours: St. Joseph (Parish Central Office)

Reconciliation is 30 minutes before Mass Wed. 5pm, Sat. 4pm, Sun. 10:30am

Pastor: Fr. Crispine Adongo — cadongo@evdio.org Deacon: Jim Woebkenberg—jwoebkenberg@evdio.org Business Mgr. SJ: Devin Carpenter—dcarpenter@evdio.org Admin./Hispanic Ministry: Ana Perez—aperez@evdio.org

Admin./ Youth Minister Mark Berghoff—mberghoff@evdio.org CRE @ MHC: Marilyn Satkamp—msatkamp@evdio.org CRE @ SJ: Stephanie Wollenmann—swollenmann@evdio.org

St. Joseph (Central Office) Mary, Help of Christians St. Nicholas P.O. Box 684 6827 E. CR 1930 N 180 N. Holiday Blvd. Dale, IN 47523 Dale, IN 47523 Santa Claus IN 47579 Phone 937-2200 Phone 937-4326 Phone 937-2385 email: stjoedale@evdio.org email: maryhelp@evdio.org email: stjoedale@evdio.org

www.saintfrancisofassisi.net

Facebook: St Francis of Assisi Parish , Instagram: saintfranyouth

Communion Services: Tuesday & Wednesday

Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. St. Nicholas 6:00 p.m. St. Joseph (Spanish)

Wednesday: 5:30 p.m. St. Joseph

Thursday: 7:30 a.m. Mary Help of Christians

Friday: 7:30 a.m. St. Nicholas

Saturday: 4:30 p.m. St. Nicholas

Sunday: 7:00 a.m. Mary Help of Christians 9:00 a.m. St. Joseph 11:00 a.m. (Spanish/Español) St. Joseph

St. Francis of Assisi Parish

Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Parish! We want to extend our hearts to you and your family. If you would like to join our parish, or if someone is ill, in the

hospital, homebound or if you have any other concerns, please drop the information into the collection basket at church, phone, or stop by the office at St. Joseph so that we can minister to you as a Christian Parish Family.

Peace be with you, Last weekend our parish celebrated the marriages of couples who are having significant an-niversaries this year, beginning from the fifth year on up to seventy plus years of marriage. Within this broad section of couples some are beginning new families, some have children in the teenage years, some are becoming “Empty Nesters” and some are within the “elder” years. Each stage brings its own crosses to bear. My daughter has children who are teenag-ers and they are always trying to define the limits of mom and dad’s rules. Living in close proximity to each other, rules are important to families no matter what stage they are in. In the gospel today, Jesus is commenting on the law every Jewish person knows. “I have come not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it,” Jesus said. That is a handful of words! The scribes and pharisees who study the law saw Jesus as a lawbreaker. He picks grain on the Sabbath; he heals on the Sabbath; he moves from one place to another on the Sabbath; he does not follow the ritual cleansing required from the law. We are in a section of Matthew’s gospel that began with Jesus teaching the people the Be-atitudes in a setting that no one could mistake Jesus as the new Moses, the new lawgiver. Laws are an essential part of living. There are laws that govern nature from the smallest atom to whole planets, laws that govern human behavior, and laws that govern our spiritual lives. If you believe in God, then you will know that God set in motion all the physical laws that govern nature. God also set in motion laws that govern human behavior. In the Garden of Eden God told Adam, and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden. Throughout the ages, God had to refine the law that governed human behavior, first with Abraham, then Moses, then Jesus, and now the Church (Holy Spirit). In the next two weeks in the daily readings for Mass, the first reading is taken from the Let-ter of St. James. In this letter, the law is refined. Even if you do not attend daily mass, I encourage you to read this Letter from St. James. He gives us some very practical advice governing human behavior, especially behavior befitting a Christian. This letter has time-less advice for whatever stage your family is in. Every parent knows that teenagers need clear boundaries and that these boundaries must be refined as new situations occur. Within marriage, love is refined as each year passes. I cannot say the first twenty-five years of marriage are the best years. Marilyn and I are nearing the fifty year plateau and these are very good years for us. Seeing our children raising their own families has been a great blessing for us. Soon enough, the “elder years” will come upon us, readying us for glory, for love’s ending is God. God’s blessings to you! Deacon Jim

Sunday, February 16 St Meinrad Sunday (Fr. Julian Peters) Monday, February 17 President’s Day Tuesday, February 18 ESL Classes SJ PC Communion Service at SN 7:30am Wednesday, February 19 Faith Formation Classes Grade 2 Parent Meeting 5:30-6:00pm SJ Communion Service at SJ 5:30pm Thursday, February 20 Resisting Happiness Book Study 8am MHC ESL Classes SJ PC Community Table 5:00-7:00pm

Dale Presbyterian Friday, February 21 Have a Great Day! Saturday, February 22 Frank Radke Funeral Mass at SN 10:00am Sunday, February 23 Country Breakfast at SJ 7:00-11:00am Grade 2 parent meeting 12:00pm (Spanish) Encounter - Mercy & Healing

This Week:

VOCATIONS PRAYER CALENDAR Pray daily for an increase in vocations to the priest-

hood. Pray for the priests and seminarians of our dio-cese. Give thanks for their vocations.

TODAY’S READINGS First Reading — God allows us to make choices, but we are not to choose injustice or sinfulness (Sirach 15:15-20). Psalm — Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord! (Psalm 119). Second Reading — God’s wisdom is mysterious and hid-den (1 Corinthians 2:6-10). Gospel — Jesus has come not to abolish but to fulfill the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17-37 [20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37]).

READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Monday: Jas 1:1-11; Ps 119:67-68, 71-72, 75-76; Mk 8:11-13 Tuesday: Jas 1:12-18; Ps 94:12-13a; 14-15, 18-19; Mk 8:14-21 Wednesday: Jas 1:19-27; Ps 15:2-4ab, 5; Mk 8:22-26 Thursday: Jas 2:1-9; Ps 34:2-7; Mk 8:27-33 Friday: Jas 2:14-24, 26; Ps 112:1-6; Mk 8:34 — 9:1 Saturday: 1 Pt 5:1-4; Ps 23:1-3a, 4-6; Mt 16:13-19 Sunday: Lv 19:1-2, 17-18; Ps 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12- 13; 1 Cor 3:16-23; Mt 5:38-48 SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES Sunday: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Monday: The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order; Presidents’ Day Friday: St. Peter Damian Saturday: The Chair of St. Peter the Apostle St. John Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests, bless all priests with the strength and wisdom to follow

God’s will. These names will be listed in the bulletin 4

times. If you need continued prayers, please call the office

812-937-2200.

Barbara Schaefer Mario Jr. Rodriguez

For additional information go to https://www.saintfrancisofassisi.net/

Minister Schedule

Mass Intentions

Stewardship of Treasure February 2nd

Sunday EnvelopeS $ 11,596.92 Loose Cash/Checks $ 721.00 Total $ 12,317.92 Budget amount needed $10,000.00 YTD Actual: $ 297,277.79 YTD Budget: $ 310,000.00 (31 Sundays) YTD Behind: $ (12,722.21) Buildings & Grounds $ 225.00 St. Vincent De Paul $ 75.00 NSCAC $ 265.00 St. Pierre $ 175.00 Total Deposit $ 13,147.92

St. Nicholas — February 22 — 4:30 p.m. GR Marsha Grundhoefer, Faye Hagedorn SE Sarah & Emma Day LE Annie Oxley, Firmina Young CL Stella Bennett US Eric Day, Rob Oxley 2 Volunteers GB Flannagan Family EM Lisa Day, Richard Kempa, Ralph Langen, Janet Lifke 2 Volunteers Sacristan Stella Bennett Mary, Help of Christians — February 23 —7:00 a.m. GR Eric & Tammy Taylor SE Mia, Marcus, & Murray Becher, Emma Hoffman LE Ed Balbach, Lucy Meunier CL Marilyn Satkamp US John Becher, Elaine Burress, Lee & Joyce Philipps GB Volunteers EM Ronnie Begle, Sarah Denning, Kim & Dan Waninger 2 Volunteers Rosary Paulita Pund St. Joseph — February 23 — 9:00 a.m. GR Pat Crews, Carol Griepenstroh, Mary Striegel, Sheila Wahl SE Dylan Hagedorn, Carter Kress, Jacob Schmidt LE Ron & Mary Ballbach CL Emily & Brooke US Daryl Kast, Roger Kern, Ray Striegel, Phil Wahl EM Diana & Steve Clark, Dave & Sandy Fitz, Angie Schmidt, Emily Weyer GB Volunteers Sacristan Theresa Begle

Sat. Feb. 15, 4:30pm (SN) Jack Snyder, Earl Joe Meyer Sun. Feb. 16, 7:00am (MHC) Renola Cecil, Bob & Toni Gogel Sun. Feb. 16, 9:00am (SJ) Heather Snyder, Robert Wahl Sun. Feb. 16, 11:00am (SJ) SFA Parish Tue. Feb. 18, 7:30 am (SN) Communion Service Wed. Feb. 19, 5:30pm (SJ) Communion Service Thur. Feb. 20, 7:30am (MHC) Mary Louise Gogel, Ernestine Seger Fri. Feb. 21, 7:30am (SN) SFA Parish Sat. Feb. 22, 4:30pm (SN) Earl & Geneva Gelarden, Claude & Aline Gogel Sun. Feb. 23, 7:00am (MHC) Joanne Lehr, Bernard Buechler Sun. Feb. 23, 9:00am (SJ) Albert Hagedorn, Rosemary Becher Sun. Feb. 23, 11:00am (SJ) SFA Parish

When there is a funeral, the weekday Mass will be cancelled for

that day. Please call the office to reschedule your Mass intention.

Mass Attendance Feb. 1-2 2020 Feb. 2-3 2019

4:30pm: 199 4:30pm: 202 7:00am: 143 7:00am: 165 9:00am: 210 9:00am: 225 11:00am: 120 11:00am: 123

CPC Update Goal: $134,606 Pledged: $108,585 (82%) Need: $28,291.00 Participation: 48%

SFA BAPTISM PREPARATION

Parents that are planning to have their baby/child baptized should first contact

Fr. Crispine at the parish office. (812) 937-2200.

Community News

Dinner For Eight DINNER FOR EIGHT is returning March 14 &

April18! Participation forms will be available at all churches Feb. 15 ALL ADULT parish-ioners are WELCOME to join in these evenings of

fellowship and fun! Reservations for the March 14 dinner

must be in by March 1st.

Will you help feed our hungry children? One in every 5 children in the North Spencer School

Corporation lives in a home that is food insecure. This means they aren’t sure where their next meal will

come from.

During the school year children get daily meals at school, but weekends are often a time of hunger.

The Bag of Blessings Ministry serves approximately

60 elementary children and 30 older students. This ministry provides bags of food for these students to take home every Friday. Having this supplemental

food provides nourishment and helps ease the uncer-tainty of being food insecure.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish, in collaboration with the

Santa Claus United Methodist Church, supports this ministry. Donations from a few other local churches

help support the program. A partnership with Bread of Life Ministry provides food donations, but additional food items must be purchased to make the bags as

nutritious as possible.

School personnel identify those in need and distribute the bags.

These families are our neighbors, many of them a

part of the working poor, struggling to make ends meet, unable to qualify for income-based food assis-

tance programs.

How can you help? Prayer, monetary donations and volunteering to fill bags.

A $30 donation will sponsor one child for a month.

Questions? Contact Ed Hagedorn – 812-449-2865 or

email edhagedorn@psci.net.

North Spencer Community Action Center, the fiscal agent for this ministry, manages monetary donations. Make checks payable to NSCAC with Bag of Bless-ings on the memo line, drop in the weekend offering

or mail to: PO Box 79, Dale, IN 47523.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food” Matthew 25:35

St. Francis of Assisi Welcome Women’s Retreat Mary, Help of Christians Church

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Starts 7:45am (CST)

Sunday, March 8, 2020 Ends 2:00pm (CST)

To Register: Sherry Etienne

Email: theetiennes@gmail.com Call or Text: 812-661-9118

Mark Your Calendars!!! Parish Mission

March 15th, 16th, and 17th Father Denis Robinson OSB

St. Nicholas Church 6:00pm

Annual Ash Wednesday Women’s Ecumenical Breakfast

Who: All Ladies Date: Wednesday, February 26th Time: Starting at 6:00 AM CST

Where: St. Nicholas Church (Lower Level), Santa Claus

Enjoy a brief program and light breakfast with us! Call to Make Reservations: SJ Office 812-937-2200.

Lenten Fasting and Abstinence Q.: What is the purpose of fasting and abstinence during Lent? A.: Both fasting and abstinence can trace their usage back to Old Testament times, and the concept of inten-tionally limiting the amount or types of food eaten was not foreign to the first Christians. To them, it was not only a sign of one’s sorrow and penance before God, but it was also a pious work that helped unite them more closely to the passion of Jesus. Today Lent is seen in two ways. First, it is the time of final preparation for those who will enter the Church at Easter, so it has a baptismal charac-ter. Second, it is the time when all of the faithful prepare for the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ at Easter through added prayer and listening to the Word of God, giving it a penitential character. To physi-cally deny oneself by fasting and abstaining serves as a tangible reminder of the suffering endured by Christ at His Passion.

St Francis of Assisi Parish 123700

Main Contact: Devin Carpenter Phone Number: 812-937-2200

Special Instructions

475 Copies needed by Thursday

God Bless!