At the conclusion of the Easter season we celebrate in the Church the Ascension of our Lord, when Jesus returned to Heaven to be with His Heavenly Father.

The event is recorded in the book of Acts:

When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away.

While the apostles would have wanted Jesus to remain with them in physical form for the rest of their lives, He did not leave them to fend for themselves. Jesus knew that His disciples needed extra help in their mission of preaching and teaching and so He promised the Holy Spirit, or in other places called the Advocate.

These words of Jesus prepare the apostles for what would happen at Pentecost, when they would finally receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In the liturgy the Ascension of Jesus is celebrated with great joy and solemnity. This seems strange as one would think that Jesus leaving the apostles would be a time of mourning and loss. However, the angels who appeared to the apostles reminded them that this is only temporary and that Jesus will come again.

It is not like Good Friday, which commemorates a great tragedy, but instead focuses on the glory of Jesus' second coming and the promise of the Holy Spirit. The day also foreshadows our own promise of future glory, as the opening prayer at Mass prays:

Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God,
and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving,
for the ascension of Christ your son
is our exaltation,
and, where the head has gone before in glory,
the Body is called to follow in hope.
Through our lord Jesus Christ, your son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

The celebration reminds us that we too are not meant to remain on this earth, but are meant to be with Jesus in Heaven. We may be sad that Jesus did not remain on earth in physical form, but He only went to Heaven because He wants us to be with Him for all eternity.

To help us on our long and arduous road of life, Jesus gave us a Helper to assist us on our journey to Heaven. In our next article, we will look at who the Holy Spirit is and how He continues to help us and the Church draw closer to eternity.

​​Read the Entire Series

• Don't Forget to Feast!
• The Liturgy that Lasts Three Days!
• Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus During Holy Week
• What is Almsgiving?
• Why Do We Abstain from Meat on Fridays?
• Entering into a Prayerful Lent: Stations of the Cross
• What is the Purpose of Lent?
• What is Ordinary Time All About?
• The Epiphany Blessing - A Beautiful Tradition During the Christmas Season
• The Prophecy is Fulfilled: The Joyous Christmas Season
• The Start of a New Year - Advent
• The Liturgical Year - Christ's Life Relived Each Year

News from the USCCB:
USCCB President Calls For Dialogue, Peace In The Midst Of Violence WASHINGTON- Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued the following statement in relation to the July 17 fatal shooting of police officers in Baton Rouge, Lousiana...Read More
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News from the Pope: 
Pope sends video message to WYD participants and to the Polish nation - Pope Francis has sent his personal greetings to young people from throughout the world gathering in Krakow for World Youth Day and to all the people of the “beloved Polish nation” as he prepares to travel to Poland next week....Read More

News from the Church: 
Harrisburg's Msgr. Vincent Topper Is Oldest and Longest-Serving Priest in U.S. - Just shy of his 104th birthday, Msgr. Vincent Topper says of his 80-year vocation, ‘I tried to be a good priest and to bring others to Christ.’....Read more

Please keep in your prayers those pilgrims from the Central Wisconsin area who are leaving this upcoming Tuesday, July 19th for “World Youth Day” in Poland. May they have safe and good weather traveling to Poland and back ! Among them is: Dan Kitzhaber * Deb, Mandy Jo, Mikayla Mlsna, Felicia Bauer, Courtney Buss, Katie Fleischman and Father Daniel Sedlacek !

Youth Rummage Sale Aug. 4, during the Spencer city-wide rummage sale, the youth will be holding a sale at Christ the King in the Seton Center. You are invited to donate your gently used items Aug. 2 or 3, 9-3pm or call to make arrangements 659-4480. You are also invited to come purchase items from this sale to support these pilgrims on this spiritual journey. For more info. please contact Mr. Dan Kitzhaber.

Going to College? Know someone who is? Do you know someone who is heading off to college this fall? A new website sponsored by the Serra Club can help. At www.newmanconnection.com , click “Get Connected” and your students coming to campus can sign up to receive information about campus ministry at prospective schools across the nation. Don’t miss out on the opportunities to meet great people and experience the prayer, service, and social events that campus ministry offers. If you know someone going to college, make sure they visit www.newmanconnection.com !

Teen & Young Adult Retreat Team Looking for teens and young adults to help lead youth retreats. Living Stones is the name of the group and it rocks! Meet lots of great people, grow in your faith, and have tons of fun. If interested, contact Mr. Dan Kitzhaber.

While we seem to always remember to fast during Lent, few realize that the fasting we do is in preparation for the great feasting of Easter.

As Catholics, we know that our short lives on earth are a preparation for eternity and fasting is one way to prepare for our eternal home. However, in the process we forget that our ultimate hope of Heaven is not at all linked with fasting. In fact, it is the exact opposite; Heaven is referred to as the "Wedding Feast of the Lamb."

Now, feasting on earth does not mean gorging ourselves so much that we get sick. To feast as a Catholic means to enjoy the wonderful fruits of the earth with family and friends in a way that does not put the focus on food, but on the celebration.

Easter is a time to celebrate; it is a time to rejoice in the beauty and glory of the Resurrection. It is a time where we eagerly anticipate the joys of Heaven that Christ won for us on the cross.

That is why Lent is 40 days long and Easter is 50 days long! Our joys are meant to surpass our sufferings and sorrows!

We are an "Eater People" and feasting is an important aspect of Catholic life. It is not sinful to enjoy food and the Church has never been against eating delicious feasts.

So remember, fasting is always followed by a feast and reminds us of an important fact of life: the sufferings of this life are meant to be followed by the joys of Heaven.

​Read the Entire Series

• The Liturgy that Lasts Three Days!
  
• Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus During Holy Week
• What is Almsgiving?
• Why Do We Abstain from Meat on Fridays?
• Entering into a Prayerful Lent: Stations of the Cross
• What is the Purpose of Lent?
• What is Ordinary Time All About?
• The Epiphany Blessing - A Beautiful Tradition During the Christmas Season
• The Prophecy is Fulfilled: The Joyous Christmas Season
• The Start of a New Year - Advent
• The Liturgical Year - Christ's Life Relived Each Year

Ministry Participants: The ministry schedule will be worked on for September / October / November / December 2016. Please let parish office know if you will stepping down from your ministry position so the next ministry schedule can be adjusted properly.. Deadline is: Monday - August 15 @ Noon ... ** There is a need of participants in the ministries of lector / servers/ crucifix bearers / Ushers at weekend masses. Please consider using your time and talent to help out at these masses. There are reference guides, in the sacristy, that help you to prepare for the weekend masses. If you have any questions about a particular ministry do not hesitate to ask Father Martin or one of the ministry participants who are in that particular ministry that you have a interest in. If you would like to be a Minister of Holy Communion please talk to Father Martin as there is certain protocol for this ministry.

The parish office will be “closed” the week of July 25th. If you are in need of assistant this week, please call the St. John’s Parish office at 715-384-3252 and talk to the parish secretary, Mary , and she will help you or Father Martin.

Ladies of the parish: The National Council of Catholic Women during this “Year of Mercy” has asked that each individual PCCW is to take part in “A Million Works Of Mercy”, going until Nov. 20th sheets have been placed on back table in the gathering room listing the “Acts of Mercies” that you and your families can choose to do during the month. Diane Witmer, the PCCW President, asks that you return your sheet each month to a box designated for the “Million Works of Mercy” and she than will take totals of the mercies done, from our parish, that month and submit them to the N.C.C.W. on a monthly basis. Please continue each month to take new sheets in helping to reach the N.C.C.W. goal of “one million” . If you have questions please contact Diane Witmer. 
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Family Night
The Family Life Committee is organizing a “Family Night “at Athletic Park in Wausau, Woodchucks vs. Battle Creek, on Wed. July 13 at 6:35. Gates open at 5:35. Reserved seating, a Woodchucks ball cap, a hotdog and soda, all for $10.50. Transportation is on your own as no bus will be provided. If you wish to join us, please put $10.50 per person in an envelope provided (under the bulletin board) for registering and place your completed envelope in the collection basket or give to an usher. First come, first served, but please do so before June 26th.
If you have questions please contact Joan Meyer. 

Please join us in prayer for all unborn babies and all who are afflicted by abortion. Every Wednesday afternoon @ 3 p.m. until the display of white crosses is taken down at the intersection of Highway 97 and County E (the Lang property) in Marshfield. The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and the Rosary will be prayed.