May 22, 2026
Greetings in Christ,
This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost or the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our Blessed Mother and the Apostles. The Holy Spirit is the birthday of the Church, wherein the Church receives “power from on high” to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ. One of the simplest and most powerful prayers that you can offer is “Come, Holy Spirit!”
Capital Campaign Planning Study: As mentioned last weekend, Steier Group is conducting a planning study to evaluate the proposed projects for our upcoming capital campaign to strengthen our beloved St. Therese Parish.
Cover letters and surveys will be mailed this coming week to all registered St. Therese parishioners and school families about the upcoming campaign. We encourage you to provide feedback about the potential projects to include in the campaign. The planning study receiving feedback ends on June 15.
For those of you who would like to provide feedback through the survey online, you may access the survey at the link below.
Cover letters and surveys will be mailed this coming week to all registered St. Therese parishioners and school families about the upcoming campaign. We encourage you to provide feedback about the potential projects to include in the campaign. The planning study receiving feedback ends on June 15.
For those of you who would like to provide feedback through the survey online, you may access the survey at the link below.
We will be holding an informational session at 6:30 pm on Thursday, May 28, at the Community Room, open to the entire St. Therese community.
We have included information about the proposed projects for the campaign and some renderings on our parish website. We have included locations for the proposed middle school addition, Martin Family Center, and on-site rectory. The on-site rectory would be located on the land donated in honor of Mark Fleischhacker, who was extraordinarily generous to our parish. Information about the capital campaign can be found at:
We have included information about the proposed projects for the campaign and some renderings on our parish website. We have included locations for the proposed middle school addition, Martin Family Center, and on-site rectory. The on-site rectory would be located on the land donated in honor of Mark Fleischhacker, who was extraordinarily generous to our parish. Information about the capital campaign can be found at:
Once the planning study is complete, Steier Group will provide a full report to the church and school leadership at the end of June. The report will help leadership make informed decisions for the upcoming campaign in September. If you would, please pray for the success of the campaign and that God’s will be done! Thank you for all that you do for St. Therese!
Sunday 5:00 pm Mass: We will have our weekly Mass at 5:00 pm this Sunday, May 24. We are blessed to have Teresa Shackelford with her beautiful singing voice and musical gifts with us at this liturgy.
Updates on Mass times and Confession times:
- St. Therese campus is closing early on Friday, May 29, at 12:30 pm. Adoration will close at 12noon that day.
- Confessions on Saturday, May 30, will be moved before Mass on Saturday, May 30, so that we can get to the ordinations at the Cathedral.
- Wednesday morning School Mass will move to 7:00 am beginning on June 3. This change will be throughout the summer until school starts again on September 2.
Stay and Pray for Life: Join us for 15 minutes of prayer for life after all Masses this weekend. Thank you!
Fr. Marty Shallbetter: Former pastor, Fr. Marty Shallbetter, passed away last week. He served as pastor of St. Therese from 1999 - 2005. A visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26 at the Church of Saint Edward in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, May 27 at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Saint Edward with a visitation beginning one hour prior to Mass at the church. If you would, please pray for Fr. Marty's eternal rest!
Pentecost Video: Dr. Brant Pitre provides a nice background on the Solemnity of Pentecost. In the Jewish tradition, Pentecost was a harvest where the Jewish faithful would offer up the first fruits of the spring harvest to God. It was seven weeks following Passover, wherein they brought bread and offered it to God in the temple along with other sacrifices. Finally, it was a festival of remembrance of the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The Israelites arrived at Sinai and received the 10 Commandments fifty days after being liberated from slavery in Egypt.
The Holy Spirit descends upon the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Apostles, the “first fruits” of God’s harvest, and gives the New Law with tongues of fire. The New Law is not on tablets of stone but rather written on their hearts. In short, Pentecost is a feast of God’s love, a gift of His Spirit!
Pentecost Video: Dr. Brant Pitre provides a nice background on the Solemnity of Pentecost. In the Jewish tradition, Pentecost was a harvest where the Jewish faithful would offer up the first fruits of the spring harvest to God. It was seven weeks following Passover, wherein they brought bread and offered it to God in the temple along with other sacrifices. Finally, it was a festival of remembrance of the giving of the Torah at Sinai. The Israelites arrived at Sinai and received the 10 Commandments fifty days after being liberated from slavery in Egypt.
The Holy Spirit descends upon the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Apostles, the “first fruits” of God’s harvest, and gives the New Law with tongues of fire. The New Law is not on tablets of stone but rather written on their hearts. In short, Pentecost is a feast of God’s love, a gift of His Spirit!
The Apostle Paul: St. Paul plays a big role in our local church. Our Cathedral, seminary, and capital city are all named after him. He is the greatest evangelizer the world has ever seen. The Acts of the Apostles records his missionary journeys, all of which involved a significant amount of suffering for the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Below are a couple of links that nicely layout his missionary journeys with the ability to click on what happened at each location. Enjoy!
Paver engraving orders now open:
Make a lasting memorial for your family or a loved one! Pavers are $150 for the first paver, & $125 for each additional. Forms available at entrances & online, turn in at the parish office. Orders due Tue., Sept. 8. Questions? Contact John Thomas, 952-262-7182 or jdthomas48@comcast.net
Traveling this summer? Set up recurring giving, and your stewardship continues, even when you're away. Your generosity helps keep our ministries strong all year long, supporting the parish community no matter where your summer adventures take you.
Healing Mass at St. Therese, June 10: A Healing Mass will be offered once again at St. Therese on Wednesday, June 10, at 5:15 pm. Rosary will begin at 4:45 pm, and confessions will be offered from 5:45 pm to 7 pm. This will be a grace‑filled time for our parish, and we look forward to gathering in prayer and hope.
After Mass, there will be a time for each person to be prayed over individually for physical, spiritual, and emotional healing. Prayer teams will also be available.
Make a lasting memorial for your family or a loved one! Pavers are $150 for the first paver, & $125 for each additional. Forms available at entrances & online, turn in at the parish office. Orders due Tue., Sept. 8. Questions? Contact John Thomas, 952-262-7182 or jdthomas48@comcast.net
Traveling this summer? Set up recurring giving, and your stewardship continues, even when you're away. Your generosity helps keep our ministries strong all year long, supporting the parish community no matter where your summer adventures take you.
Healing Mass at St. Therese, June 10: A Healing Mass will be offered once again at St. Therese on Wednesday, June 10, at 5:15 pm. Rosary will begin at 4:45 pm, and confessions will be offered from 5:45 pm to 7 pm. This will be a grace‑filled time for our parish, and we look forward to gathering in prayer and hope.
After Mass, there will be a time for each person to be prayed over individually for physical, spiritual, and emotional healing. Prayer teams will also be available.
Psalms Course: Save the dates for the fall course on the Psalms. I will offer a five-part series on the Psalms, which are sung or said at every Mass and in the Liturgy of the Hours. The Psalms are a rich array of human expression from times of lament to times of supplication to God, and finally to times of praise. Deacon Michalek will also teach a class on the Liturgy of the Hours that will be a part of this course. This class will be on November 10. Psalms classes will be on Oct. 6 & 20, Nov. 3, 10, 17, and Dec. 1.
The St. Martha's Circle Garten’s plant sale was a great success: They had 86 orders and made a profit of $3,998.72. Thank you to all who purchased plants and flowers…may they bring you joy all summer! The proceeds will go to various outreach programs like Sharing and Caring Hands and Enkrateia House of Hope. St. Therese will also receive money for specific needs like the FF Extreme Faith Camp and the Sisters' Travel Fund. Thank you to the women and men who helped organize the pick-up of flowers/plants last Saturday.
Look for us again next year—Gerten’s has beautiful flowers and plants--and you will want some!
Family Life, Holiness in the Everyday: In his monthly video, Archbishop Bernard Hebda explores saintly examples of holiness in families, explains how our Lord shows us families are important, and invites us all to support families as building blocks for our churches and communities. Along with celebrating his 10th anniversary shepherding our archdiocese, visit the Archbishop's letter to families below and see details here.
Why Archbishop is releasing his pastoral letter to families
Look for us again next year—Gerten’s has beautiful flowers and plants--and you will want some!
Family Life, Holiness in the Everyday: In his monthly video, Archbishop Bernard Hebda explores saintly examples of holiness in families, explains how our Lord shows us families are important, and invites us all to support families as building blocks for our churches and communities. Along with celebrating his 10th anniversary shepherding our archdiocese, visit the Archbishop's letter to families below and see details here.
Why Archbishop is releasing his pastoral letter to families
Watch the full video, or jump ahead to see:
It is time for us to update our database with any changes, additions, or deletions that may have occurred in your family. Have you changed your phone number? Do you no longer have a landline? Have you moved? Are you preparing to move soon? Please call Geri in the church office to update your record in our database.
- Memories of Archbishop's Installation Mass 10 years ago
- What children teach us about faith
- Saints that show holiness is possible in our families
- How Jesus' family shows us that "only one thing is necessary"
It is time for us to update our database with any changes, additions, or deletions that may have occurred in your family. Have you changed your phone number? Do you no longer have a landline? Have you moved? Are you preparing to move soon? Please call Geri in the church office to update your record in our database.
Job Openings: We are looking to fill two very important positions at St. Therese with Liz’s upcoming retirement and Joe’s move to Campus Minister at Holy Family Catholic High School next year. If you are interested or know someone who would be qualified for either of these two positions, please encourage them to apply. Below are the job postings for Director of Faith Formation and Middle School Youth Minister. Please pray that we can fill these positions with great disciples of Christ!
Join us for Summer Blast: Our summer series for youth! We’ll be offering opportunities for both middle school and high school students to grow in faith and community all summer long.
Middle School students (current grades 5–7) are invited to Summer Charge Nights featuring food, games, and prayer on June 24, July 8, and August 5.
High School students (current grades 8–12) are invited to Bible Studies on June 17, July 1, July 29, and August 12. High schoolers are also welcome to help lead at Charge Nights.
All events take place from 6:00–7:30 pm, with an invitation to attend Mass at 5:15 pm beforehand.
To register, click the button below!
Middle School students (current grades 5–7) are invited to Summer Charge Nights featuring food, games, and prayer on June 24, July 8, and August 5.
High School students (current grades 8–12) are invited to Bible Studies on June 17, July 1, July 29, and August 12. High schoolers are also welcome to help lead at Charge Nights.
All events take place from 6:00–7:30 pm, with an invitation to attend Mass at 5:15 pm beforehand.
To register, click the button below!
Adoration in our Little Flower Chapel: St. Therese campus is closing early on Friday, May 29, at 12:30 pm. Adoration will close at 12noon that day.
Currently, we are seeking a bit more assistance during the following times:
For more information, call Geri at 952-473-4422 or Marilyn Olson at 952-474-4344.
Currently, we are seeking a bit more assistance during the following times:
- Tuesday, 3–4 pm
- Wednesday, 12–1 pm
For more information, call Geri at 952-473-4422 or Marilyn Olson at 952-474-4344.
Greece Pilgrimage - There are still two cabins left until June 15, or they sell out beforehand: 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:
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 Opening at St. Therese School:
Job Opening at St. Therese Early Learning Center:
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!
- School Office and Database Manager
Job Opening at St. Therese Early Learning Center:
- Pre-School After-School/Evening Aides (10-15 hrs./wk.)
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:
Blessings,
Fr. Andrie
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.
Blessings,
Fr. Andrie
Goldy: “How can the Lord resist sending the Holy Spirit upon me wearing these glasses?”