Sacred Heart volunteers at the Habitat Apostle Build work site.

On Tuesday, April 9, Sacred Heart Parish was well represented at the Habitat Apostle Build work site.  Sixteen parishioners (8 Knights of Columbus) performed various functions.  One of the first jobs was sweeping out the house interior and removing trash so that all studs could be marked on the floor.  This is needed for drywallers and trim workers later in the build.  All windows were installed, roof decking was installed on the shed and covered with roofing felt.  Gutter soffit was installed on the house and some worked to separate and organize nails, screws and roofing clips.  It was an impressive work session.  Because of the bad weather forecast, the Wednesday work session was cancelled.  Workers will be notified as to our next work rotation.  Click here to view additional pictures in the photo album.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church will start a new golf program for all parish members. This program will replace our monthly Choir Golf Outing and is open to everyone who would like to play golf and socialize.  We will play nine holes the second Sunday afternoon of each month starting Sunday, April 14, and ending October 13, weather permitting. Couples and single players are welcome.  If you have an interest in playing, please sign the sheet in the narthex with your name, e-mail address, and phone numbers.  When we get a head count, we will e-mail you with more information. We will need seven days notice, prior to play date, in order to schedule all players.  Call Bob Lennen at 922-1606 or Kent McAllister at 226-5094 with questions.

Our weekend bulletin is an important way for us to communicate with you.  Producing it every week could be very costly, but through our arrangement with the J. S. Paluch Company, the parish does not pay for the printing, saving thousands of dollars each year. The Paluch Company arranges for the bulletin to be supported through the generosity of the businesses that you see advertised on the back cover.  Most of these advertisers are members of our local community, and many belong to our parish.  So, please support these advertisers with your patronage.  Tell the business owners that you appreciate their support of our parish through their advertisements in the bulletin.  This is one small way that we can work within our own community to weather the economic challenges we face. A strong and vibrant parish is good for our community and a thriving business community is good for our parish.

The messages of Our Lord to St. Faustina in private revelation were recorded in the saint's diary.  She noted that Jesus told her:

"My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy.  I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and a shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners.  On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open.  The soul that goes to Confession and receives Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment."

The Divine Mercy continues with public recitation for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy immediately following the 9:00 a.m. Mass, Monday through Saturday, this week.  If you can't join us, pray the novena intention and Chaplet on your own or as a family in your home.

We will celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy with a Holy Hour at Sacred Heart of Jesus beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 7.  There will be song, solemn blessing and veneration of the Image of Mercy, adoration of the blessed Sacrament, praying the Chaplet of Mercy, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

A plenary indulgence has been attached to devotions in honor of Divine Mercy Sunday.  This indulgence removes all the temporal punishment for sin.

In addition to the promises of Jesus, as related by Saint Faustina, for complete forgiveness of sin and punishment, a special plenary indulgence (under the usual conditions of a sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion, and a prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father) is granted to the faithful who are in the state of grace, having interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin, and who take part in the prayers held in honor of the Divine Mercy before the Blessed Sacrament.  This means complete remission before God of the temporal punishment for sin, the guilt of which is forgiven.  The faithful can gain these indulgences for themselves, or apply them for a soul in purgatory.

Our Finance Council is investigating the possibility of installing something called a "Hearing Loop" in our church which would allow some people with hearing aids that have an embedded T-coil, to receive an amplified sound from our speaker system directly to their individual hearing aid.  The council would like to get an idea of how many parishioners have hearing aids with an embedded T-coil.

Since the cost to the church is significant, the question is: How many parishioners would benefit from this endeavor? Please contact your hearing aid provider and ask if your model hearing aid has this T-coil.  Then, ask them to activate the T-coil.

We will have a demonstration of the Hearing Loop technology followed by a question-and-answer session on Friday, April 5, at 9:45 a.m. in Classroom C/D in the Education Building.  Please consider attending this short demonstration of this new technology if you wear a hearing aid.

"But I will show you a more excellent way." (1 Corinthians 13:1).  Love never fails.  It is so much more than a mere emotion.  Love opens our hearts (and our lives) and allows us to selflessly consider others ahead of our own needs, wants and desires.  This same selfless love brought Jesus to the cross and it calls each of us to follow Him by reaching out to others who are in need.  CASA is a way for each of us to share in God's incredible love for the world by giving our financial support to others who need it so much more.  Become a CASA supporter today.  Return your CASA Gift/Pledge in the envelopes provided or visit us on the internet at www.dolr.org.  Our parish goal this year is the same as last year, $58,323.83.