Sacred Heart Saint Patrick's Parish

06/23/2026

06/21/2026

I believe in God the __________.

(Happy Fathers Day to all the Fathers in our lives!)

06/21/2026

Homily by Rev. Michael Klos

06/21/2026

I remember, early in my priesthood, how Pope St. John Paul the Great would write pretty regularly each summer about the importance of vacation. Of course, it really is a different game in Europe where there is a culture of taking four weeks off each summer for ‘holiday’. In the United States, we take vacations at various times of the year, or we don’t take vacation at all because of the demands of work. This is unhealthy.
I also remember, when I was in Arcadia – Waumandee, forcing my pastoral associate, an older religious sister, to use her vacation time – up to and including asking for the dates she would be taking off. This was a surprise to her because her former pastor never gave her any time off. She didn’t feel too bad about that, however, because she loved her work. But she was happy to have the opportunity to get away.
Even if we love what we are doing, it is important to take vacations. But, it’s also important to recognize vacation time as not simply a mad dash to do things such that we need to ‘rest up from our vacation’. As JPII taught us over those years of writing, vacation time should be a time in which we are rejuvenated in body, mind, and spirit.
I know this isn’t always possible, especially when children are involved. However, it is important. We need time to be centered again as human beings. We need an opportunity to do something simply for the joy of doing it and then have time after to rejoice in the doing of it AND give thanks to God for the opportunity to find ourselves in it.
It is important to have adventures which inform and fulfill. It is great to see new things, try new things. But a vacation that leaves us mentally exhausted, one that leaves families angry at each other, or leaves us in debt up to our ears defeats the purpose. Time spent on holiday doesn’t have to break our spirit, or the bank. Indeed, many of the simplest things in life are the ones I remember most vividly and joyfully. And we are blessed to be living in the Chippewa Valley where there is so much to be experienced and so many wonderful public spaces.
And so, the challenge is presented (which I’ve been struggling with so far this summer): plan a vacation that is fun and interesting, but mostly one that rejuvenates you in body, mind, and spirit; the kind of vacation from which you return with a joyful heart, ready to attack your everyday life with renewed gusto. I’ll report back later this summer about whether and how I succeeded in this endeavor. I hope you will tell me about your adventures too.
At the end of the day, holiness is about living our humanity fully. Not our fallen humanity, but our humanity restored in Christ, such that we walk again with God and one another in the garden of delight as did our first parents before the fall.

06/20/2026

Dearest Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
As summer takes full hold of our schedules and our consciousness, it seems a good time to remember the importance of a good vacation. I talk about that in this week’s “On Living the Vocation to Holiness”. I hope you will read it and give it some thought.
While summer is totally on my mind, it isn’t on vacation! With (soon to be) Fr. Kyle coming in another two weeks, Fr. John Domah arriving to Immaculate Conception in another week and a half, and my taking on Newman University Parish in another week and a half, it’s a whirlwind of preparation and activity.
Some interior spaces in the rectory were painted this week, especially Fr. Kyle’s rooms. They were in real need, and it was great to have that work completed before he (and his mother!) arrives. My own mother was rather unimpressed with the condition of my rectories over the years. I’m happy that we’ll be able to present ourselves well so that Fr. Kyle’s mother can rest assured that her son will be well cared for by us.
Nyle Neta has been quietly working away at the eves and soffit around the front porch of the rectory; a project I’ve been looking forward to completing for a little over a year now. It’s looking great and will be a real improvement when it is completed. I’ll admit, I’ve crossed over from merely wanting the rectory to look inviting to wanting it to shine. Additionally, Larry Liegel spent considerable time painting last fall; and with the work the ladies have been doing on the gardens under Linda Neta’s direction, we are definitely getting there.
This is nice, because there are a lot of people who come by here on a weekly basis, all year around. Not only are there people who come to the rectory to meet with me for marriage or baptism prep, or for coming into the Church, but there are many people who just come wandering about the south yard, stopping at the Sacred Heart statue for a moment of contemplation.
But, back now to figuring out how to match the priests available to ensure our weekend Masses and other obligations are covered and everyone knows where everyone is supposed to be!
“May Christ our Lord help us all with His bountiful grace, so that we may know His holy will and perfectly fulfill it.” (St. Ignatius of Loyola)
Fr. Klos

06/20/2026

Sit back and scroll through some more photos from this year's Corpus Christi Procession.
Thanks again to Sara Dybvik for documenting this wonderful event so beautifully!

06/20/2026

Relive some of the wonderful moments for this year's Corpus Chrisiti procession.
Thank you, Sara Dybvik, for documenting this wonderful event so beautifully!

06/14/2026

Now that we are through the series of solemnities that follow Easter, it is important for us to remember what to do with these weeks after Pentecost, commonly known as "Ordinary Time"; except there is nothing 'ordinary' about it. This is the time for us to take what we learned, acquired, or received as a point of growth over the Advent-Christmas – Lent-Easter seasons and integrate one or more of these points into our everyday spiritual life. Might this require 'pruning' of our spiritual life in order to make room for these new areas of growth? Indeed! But then, that is life. We prune away in order to make room for the new; and if it bears new fruit, we are all the better for it; if it does not, then we leave it behind and reacquire that which bore fruit before. There's nothing wrong with such an approach.

So, what to do? Well, think back on your experience of Advent-Christmas and / or Lent/Easter. What practice did you take up which, in the moment, seemed to be of spiritual benefit? If you found it of benefit, why not make it a permanent part of your spiritual discipline? Remember: Lenten disciplines aren't necessarily intended to be left to Lent! That time in the desert is a time in which we find ourselves discovering a closer communion with God. So, why not continue that throughout the year?

With regards to the issue of 'pruning' - Why? I often tell spiritual directees that they must remember they are not monks or nuns. They are often students, parents, working types, etc. And yet, they too often think they should be praying like a monastic monk or nun. My typical response is "if God intended you to pray like a monk or nun, He would have called you to that monastic life. But, He didn't! He called you to the life of a student, a parent, a working person, etc. Therefore, it would make sense that He also then provided for you to engage in a spiritual life that is congruent with your life's vocation.

It can be very helpful to seek the advice (short term) or guidance (longer term) of a spiritual director; someone, a priest, religious sister or brother, or even a well formed / trained lay person, who can give guidance regarding your particular situation, and applying good principles of spiritual growth to your situation and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

There are also some good books available, Fr. Thomas Ackland and Fr. Boniface Hicks' "Personal Prayer" comes immediately to mind, which can be helpful in understanding the principles of the spiritual life.

In any case, I propose these thoughts as a way by which you may make these weeks after Pentecost a time of growth in your relationship with God and with your neighbor, as well as begin to see Advent and Lent as times of stepping up one's game rather than simply a short visit to the desert which is forgotten as soon as the season is come to an end. May God bless you in your journey!

06/13/2026

Dearest Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

Last week was quite the week! It started off with our annual meeting, as sort of "state of the parish" address with an opportunity for addressing questions and concerns. If you were not able to attend you can check out the minutes on our website. The single biggest item was the plans for the redecorating of Sacred Heart church. There is a display board in the back of each of our churches so that you have an opportunity to see what is being proposed and comment on it. Please take the opportunity to share your insights.

Our new Bingo! machine was also delivered that week and programmed so it is ready for next fall's start of the new season. I'd like to thank Bruce and Anne Henriksen for their efforts in procuring the new machine. There were also two 75" televisions installed which will be the video board for the Bingo! machine and for playing videos for adult education and other programs. I want to thank Andy Bricco and Christopher Thornwall for accomplishing that work.

As the week closed out we once again hosted the "Share" ministry burial of the remains of the infants who had died before birth. We interred over 30 infants. I want to thank the women of "Share" and recognize Smith Funeral Home along with Mayo and Oak Leaf Hospitals who all play a significant part in this very important ministry to families who have experienced the loss of a child in that very early period in life.

We also celebrated the first of several weddings that will occur between now and the end of the calendar year; a veritable blossoming of the sacrament of Holy Matrimony which hasn't been seen in a number of years. What is even more wonderful is that many of these are young couples who will continue as members of our parish family.

And finally, I would like to thank everyone who made our annual Corpus Christi procession possible. It was such a great joy to see how we continue to improve year after year. It was also a joy to see how some of our older parishioners are handing their duties on to younger members. This particular celebration has been such an important barometer of parish family life on so many levels. So, thank-you! Let us continue to grow and grow and grow.

"Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Trial, or distress, or persecutions, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us." (Romans 8:35, 37)

Fr. Klos