January 9, 2026
Greetings in Christ,
We are near the end of the Christmas season with the Baptism of Our Lord this weekend. In this light, we will need help following 10:00 am. Mass to take down all the trees and decorations. As always, many hands make light work! Thank you for all the helping hands that make our Christmas season so special!
Vacation: I am getting a chance to take a little vacation this coming week to obtain a little extra rest and spend some time with a priest friend in Florida. I will celebrate the 8:00 am Sunday Mass, and Fr. Maloney will have the 10:00 am Mass. Fr. Mike Van Sloun has graciously offered to help with daily Masses next week.
Archbishop’s statement regarding deadly ICE-related shooting in Minneapolis:
Fr. Mike Schmitz interview: A few parishioners told me about an interview that Fr. Mike Schmitz did with Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in The Chosen. Below is a link to that interview, which has hundreds of thousands of views in a week!
Catholic Saints and Feasts: I recently discovered an interesting Catholic website called Saints & Feasts of the Catholic Calendar. It has a liturgical calendar for each month wherein you move the arrow over the day, and it gives you options to read the daily Mass readings or read/listen about the saint of the day. The saint videos are succinct and informative! Bravo to this company for making things so easy! Below is the link to their website. You could bookmark the site for easy reference.
School of Prayer: We will be offering a course on prayer to help deepen your life of prayer with our Lord Jesus in a more intimate way! The course will run from February 3 to April 28. Classes will be weekly on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 am – 11:30 am or Tuesday evenings from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. The 11-week course will include how to pray from your heart, overcoming difficulties in prayer, persevering in times of dryness, how to discern God’s will, and ways to sanctify your day. Current St. Therese parishioners receive a discounted course fee. If financial assistance is needed, there will be an opportunity for a financial scholarship found on online registration. All registrations are done online through the St. Paul Seminary Catechetical Institute. Please note that livestreaming will not be an option. Below is a flyer about the course and the registration to sign up for what will be an amazing course this spring!
Reclaiming Sundays: The Archdiocesan resource, Reclaiming Sundays, continues in this new year. January’s theme for Reclaiming Sundays is “Invitation.” In the January video, a couple recalls their experience in growing their community of faith. Use the helpful “Reclaiming Sundays and More” guide to focus on key activities both in our parish and around our community, to help your family grow to live Sundays as God intends. Links to both resources are found below.
Catechist Talks: A brother priest reached out, asking me to speak with the catechists at his parish. When I asked him what he would like me to talk about, he said, "All the controversial topics." Yeesh! How exciting and heart-warming for me! I put together the two presentations.
The first is on the Mission of the Church. What do we mean by bringing people into communion with Jesus Christ? What does a summary of our Catholic faith look like? Second, I presented some of the more hot topics for the catechists. Naturally, an explanation for any of these topics can be put into child-friendly language. In short, there are very rational reasons for our beliefs in what God has revealed. In the end, the goal is communion with Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life (Jn. 14:6).
Vatican Unveiled: A wonderful exhibit called Vatican Unveiled is at the Mall of America this month! The display is the largest exhibit of Vatican memorabilia in the world outside the Vatican. The exhibit will be at the Mall of America from January 10 to February 1, 2026, and will feature more than 350 diverse items. Below is the website from the archdiocese that provides details about the exhibit that is coming soon!
Sunday Evening 5:00 pm Mass: With the busyness of the Christmas season and the New Year, our Sunday evening 5:00 pm Mass will resume on Sunday, January 18.
Women's Retreat Updates: Wife, mother of six, evangelist, and retreat leader Jessica Chastek will help retreat participants build their relationship with Jesus through three talks
- An Invitation: Come Away with Me to a Lonely Place
- Embracing the Yoke of Friendship
- You are Called to the Vineyard
The retreat also includes small group discussions, worship, prayer, Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, Friday dessert, Saturday breakfast snacks, lunch, and fellowship.
The early registration deadline is January 16. After January 16, the registration fee increases from $60 to $70.
Please stop by the table in the Gathering Space after Masses this weekend to speak with a committee member, pick up a registration form, or click below to register online.
Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children: Every January 22, the Church in the U.S. observes the annual Day of Prayer. This day is set aside to pray for the legal protection of human life and to do penance for the violations of human dignity through abortion. We are called to observe this day through prayer and penance. You are invited to participate in the following opportunities:
- Prayer Service and March for Life at the St. Paul Cathedral: January 22, 10:30 am. The prayer service is followed by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life’s March for Life at the Minnesota State Capitol. See details below or click on the Respect Life tab of the Parish website. The St. Boniface Knights of Columbus have contributed funds to provide transportation to these events. The bus will depart from the Lund’s parking lot in Wayzata for the St. Paul Cathedral promptly at 9:30 am. The bus will return to the Wayzata Lunds following the MCCL program.
- Stay and Pray for Life: Please join us for 15 minutes after Masses next weekend to pray for all human life—from conception to natural death. This prayer vigil is sponsored by the Parish Community Caring for Life team.
- Spiritual Adoption is Coming Back to St. Therese: You’re invited to “spiritually adopt” a child who is newly conceived this month and hold that child in prayer throughout the coming 9 months. Not all babies make it to birth. Many parents tragically experience the loss of a child to miscarriage or premature birth. Others sadly lose their lives to abortion. These are the babies you are being asked to “adopt” simply by praying for him or her each day. You may “adopt” a child individually or as a family by signing up at the table in the Gathering Space starting this weekend--January 10-11. Watch the bulletin for monthly reports describing “your baby’s” development.
- 9 Days for Life is a novena for the protection of human life: Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a culture of life. Join today at: www.respectlife.org/9-days-signup
Adoration: There is a quiet peace that settles over the heart in the presence of Adoration. Sitting before the Blessed Sacrament invites us to slow down, breathe, and rest in the loving gaze of Christ. In this sacred stillness, worries soften, clarity returns, and we remember that we are held by a love deeper than anything we face. Whether for a few minutes or a longer visit, Adoration offers a place to simply be—with God, with our thoughts, and with the peace that only His presence can bring.
Dinner Invitation for Those Discerning Religious and Consecrated Life: The Archdiocese warmly invites you to join them for a special dinner and evening of fellowship. This gathering is a wonderful opportunity to share a meal, connect with others who are discerning, and learn more about the beauty of religious and consecrated vocations. See flyer for more details.
Calling all high schoolers! In our ever-changing world, Jesus is the answer to the longing of our hearts for meaning, fulfillment, security, and love. Join hundreds of Catholic teens at Steubenville St. Paul at the University of St. Thomas on July 24-26, 2026, to be transformed by the love of Christ.
All current 8th-12th students are invited to attend this retreat with our group.
Contact Chelsie Blustein at cblustein@st-therese.org for more information.
Extreme Faith Camp: Registration Now Open!
Registration is now open for Extreme Faith Camp, our middle-school summer camp, which will be held from July 13-17, 2026. EFC is a high-adventure summer camp for middle schoolers. It is packed with incredible activities, including high ropes, zip lines, tubing, laser tag, climbing walls, archery, water activities, and more! It is also a wonderful opportunity for middle schoolers to grow in community and fall in love with Jesus and our Catholic faith.
For a taste of what EFC is like, you can check out this video of past camps!
Registration is open now at this link. For more questions or information about our scholarships, you can email Joe at jschiltz@st-therese.org. Space is limited, so sign up now!
Greece Pilgrimage: Registration is open for the Greece Pilgrimage in 2026! We will be taking a pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Paul on a 9-night Cruise plus 4 nights in Athens. The pilgrimage that will take place from September 14 to 28, 2026, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
We will follow in the footsteps of Saint Paul through Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Thessaloniki, and Philippi! The 9-night cruise will sail through the breathtaking Greek Isles, giving you the opportunity to visit ancient temples and idyllic seaside villages in six ports of call: Rhodes, Ephesus, Santorini, Mykonos, Philippi, and Thessaloniki. Check out this updated link:
Job Openings at St. Therese School:
• Pre-School After-School/Evening Aides (10-15 hrs./wk.)
More information on our school website or the Archdiocesan careers page.
Estate Planning: A reminder that we have a Little Flower Legacy Society at St. Therese to encourage planned and estate gifts to our parish, our school, or one of our endowment funds. Please include St. Therese as a beneficiary in your estate planning! It is an opportunity to give back to our beloved parish and ensure that our parish remains financially viable for generations to come!
Flocknote:You can receive my daily Mass reflections sent right to your
phone! To sign up, just text the word “ANDRIE” to 84-576 to follow the link.
Stewardship:Thank you to everyone who continues to support St. Therese! I invite you to continue supporting our beloved parish as it helps us to serve you and remain connected with you! This can be done in the following ways:
- Click the donation button on our main parish website. You can contribute as a guest or log in if you have previously created a profile. You can choose the frequency of your gift (one-time, weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually).
- Bring or mail your stewardship envelope to our parish office.
- Consider transferring a stock “gift” to St. Therese. It’s a tax-free donation.
As always, be assured of my gratitude for your generosity and prayers to St. Therese. Be assured of my prayers for you as well!
Blessings,
Fr. Andrie
A recent sighting of the Loch Ness Monster in the Scottish Highlands.