January 30, 2026

Tomorrow, the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. John Bosco.   He is one of my favorite saints!   St. John was from Turin, Italy, who lived in the 19^th century.  He is the founder of the Salesian Order, known for his care of troubled young boys and abandoned youth.  Additionally, he was protected by a mysterious, large grey dog named Grigio (“The Grey One”).  Even saints love dogs!

Women's Retreat – Friendship with Jesus:  Our 10^th annual women’s retreat begins this evening!  Dr. Jessica Chastek will help retreat participants build their relationship with Jesus with three talks.  If you would, please pray for all our retreatants!

Presentation of the Lord and selling blessed candles:  We will celebrate Mass on Monday, February 2, at 8:00 a.m., marking the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, when Christ was presented as a child in the Temple of Jerusalem. This day is also traditionally when the Church blesses candles used throughout the year at Mass.

Blessed candles will be available for a $5 offering after the Saturday 5:00 p.m. Mass, and after both the Sunday 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Masses this weekend for those who would like to take one home.

Tackling Pornography:  Popular Catholic commentator, Raymond Arroyo, interviewed Matt Fradd last week on the troubling use of and addiction to pornography in our culture.  They provide some concerning statistics and adverse consequences of viewing pornography.  I watched the video and took some notes for those of you who do not have time to watch the video.

Holy Land Pilgrimage: Dr. Tim Grey with the Augustine Institute is leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from April 16 – 26, 2026.  I have been invited to be their chaplain for the pilgrimage.  I love the Holy Land!  They informed me that they have two rooms left for the pilgrimage.  If this is something that interests you, please email me and I can provide you more information about the pilgrimage.   Dr. Tim Grey is one of the best tour guides as he knows the Holy Land well!

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 website for what will be an amazing course this spring!

Holy Hour – Pray for Peace:  I would like to invite you and your families to join us for a special Holy Hour before Jesus in the Eucharist on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 6:00–7:00 pm.  This hour of prayer will include a short scripture reading with some intercessions and an opportunity for confession.  It will be a time to lift our State and Country, especially as we face significant challenges together.

Many parishioners have expressed a desire for a dedicated time to pray for unity and peace, and this gathering is a beautiful opportunity to do just that. All are warmly invited.  Please mark your calendars for February 12!  As Peter said to Jesus on Mount Tabor, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” (Matt. 17:4)

The Men’s Group of St. Therese Parish will be joining parishioners for a Holy Hour from 6:00–7:00 pm to pray for our state and nation. A meeting will follow in the Community Room.

Chris Kokal will be sharing a Personal Faith Testimony. Come and hear firsthand how God has been at work in his life. All men of the parish are warmly invited.

A light dinner will be available at 7:00 pm The presentation will begin at 7:15 pm and is expected to conclude by 8:00 pm.

Join Us in Praying the Rosary:  You are warmly invited to gather with us on Thursdays at 10 am by the fireplace to pray the Rosary together. It’s a peaceful way to pause, reflect, and lift our intentions as a community.

As a reminder, we also offer the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet every Thursday at 3 pm in the Chapel for those that this time works better.

Catholic Services Appeal 2026 In Pew Request Next Weekend:  As modern-day disciples, there are numerous ways we can serve the Lord and spread his Good News, like supporting our Catholic Services Appeal.  Let us prayerfully consider a gift to the Appeal so that the light of Christ continues to shine for those who are in need.  As a reminder, 90 cents of contributions benefit ministries and parishes directly, and just 10 cents go to administrative costs, which is below the standard fundraising and operational costs of 12-20%. St. Therese parish also benefits from your donation.

Archdiocesan Marriage Retreat:  Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Maternity of Mary, Saint Paul.  Couples married for 0-7 years are invited to attend the 2026 Archdiocesan Newly Married Retreat. Keynote speakers are Renzo and Monica Ortega, hosts of the popular marriage podcast, Two Become Family.  Find keynote and breakout topics, registration, and further details in the flyer below. Cost is $60/couple.

Vatican Unveiled:  A wonderful exhibit called Vatican Unveiled is now at the Mall of America!   The display is the largest exhibit of Vatican memorabilia in the world outside the Vatican.  The exhibit will be at the Mall of America until February 1, 2026, and will feature more than 350 diverse items.  Below is the website from the archdiocese that provides details about the exhibit!

Sunday Evening 5:00 pm Mass:  Our Sunday evening 5:00 pm Mass is this Sunday, February 1^st.  Teresa Shackelford shares her beautiful singing voice and musical gifts at our Sunday evening Masses.

Vianney Visit at St. John Vianney College Seminary:  The Archdiocese warmly invites you to join them for this special weekend on February 12-14.   It is open to young men who are in their sophomore year of high school to age 24 (without a college degree). This gathering is a wonderful opportunity to connect with others who are discerning and learn more about the beauty of religious vocations.  See flyer for more details.

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.

High Schoolers Lifeline: Join us on February 7 from 6:00-9:30 pm.  Lifeline is a powerful night where high schoolers can encounter Jesus in a real and personal way while building authentic friendships. Each evening includes Mass, an engaging speaker who connects faith to real life, energetic praise and worship, and meaningful time in adoration.  

The Guest Speaker, Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck, is a priest of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, currently serving as Vocation Director. Before priesthood, he lived an extraordinary journey: he was a high school All-American in soccer, played on the U.S. National Team, competed at the Division I level for Clemson University, and spent several years playing professional soccer in Chile and with Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution. In 2008, he left professional soccer behind to follow God’s call to the priesthood and was ordained in 2014. Today, Fr. Chase shares his powerful story of faith, purpose, and surrender with young people across the country.

We will be attending Lifeline in February and hope you can join us! If you are interested in coming, please contact Chelsie Blustein at cblustein@st-therese.org 

High Schoolers Embark Session:       Join us on February 25 from 6:30–8:00 pm in the Community Room for a meaningful Embark session on faith and mental health with Addy Diaz from the Martin Center for Integration. Addy is a Master’s-level clinician working toward licensure as a Licensed Practicing Clinical Counselor (LPCC), a former youth minister, and an active worship leader with In The Name Worship. She brings real-life experience, practical tips, and a passion for helping teens grow in both faith and emotional health.

Together, we’ll explore how our Catholic faith offers hope, healing, and practical support for the ups and downs of life. This is a welcoming space for anyone seeking encouragement and tools for the journey. Parents are also invited!

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:

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:

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