There has been questions asked pertaining to Bishop Nickless’ retirement, and when a new bishop will be appointed. As Canon Law mandates, a Bishop must send in his letter of resignation when he reaches the age of 75. Whether or not the Pope acts on immediately is another case.

We offer Religious Education classes for Elementary through High School children at all three of our Boone County Churches. (Boone, Ogden and Madrid) Sign up today!

Avarice. Rapacity. Acquisitiveness. Cupidity. Avidity. “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.” (Mahatma Gandhi). As our gospel passage from Luke details, “greed” by any definition causes us to venture far from the Christian faith we hold, the presence of Christ in our daily lives and endeavors.

Our bulletin will cover the next two weeks of July, within this season of midsummer. Looking ahead, as the days of summer so quickly go by, I invite those who desire to join the Catholic faith, those who have questions about the RCIA journey to be received into the Sacramental life of our Church, and those who simply desire more information about our traditions, Sacraments and Rituals to please contact me at the parish office.

Currently, a small group of women is meeting once a week as part of a 6-week Bible Study called, Walking with Purpose (see video below). It is our plan to offer the full program this Fall. Click here to open the article and have your name added to our list for a Fall group!

New Mass times effective immediately Saturday: 4:00 p.m. - St. Malachy (Madrid) Saturday: 5:30 p.m. - Sacred Heart (Boone) Sunday: 8:30 a.m. - St. Malachy (Madrid) Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - Sacred Heart (Boone)

Beginning this Monday (11th) the new Mass schedule will go into affect. Without Fr. Ross’ presence we need to readjust the times during the week and weekend. Not what either Fr Ross or I expected at this time, and with any consideration about Mass times, the schedule is not perfect.

Just a week into summer vacation, waking up and heading downstairs for breakfast, this eleven year old was pulled aside by his mother.  Not for some discipline or punishment (though I surely deserved anything coming my way), but to call my attention to the breaking news on TV: the sudden death of a well known family man and Senator. 

We are creating a new county-wide pictorial directory and would love all our families to participate. Click on the image to access the online scheduler.

Fr. Clem Currans died last Saturday and the Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday at Immaculate Conception Church in Graettinger.  Fr. Currans served Sacred Heart Parish from 1998 to 2005, known for his Irish heritage, salvaging that which can be later used, inspiring Deacon David Brown’s diaconate, creating a pastoral assistant position, and guiding individuals and families to the Eucharist. 

“Surrender your own poverty and acknowledge your nothingness to the Lord. Whether you understand it or not, God loves you, is present in you, lives in you, dwells in you, calls you, saves you and offers you an understanding and compassion which are like nothing you have ever found in a book or heard in a sermon.” (Thomas Merton, Trappist monk)

A pastor commented how, for the forty some years of his ministry, he has never given a satisfactory homily explaining the Holy Trinity on this feast day. Even theologians struggle to dissect this aspect of the Godhead. Bishop Christopher Mwoleka of Tanzania commented: “The mystery of the Trinity is not a doctrine dealing with division of power in the Godhead, but a statement about the way in which God shares ‘self ’ with creation and calls us who believe not so much to explain as to imitate that sharing, by sharing our own lives.”

Our ‘forgotten’ feast day, Pentecost Sunday, the beginning of our Christian Church always falls in the midst of graduations, the end of the school year, between Mothers Day and Fathers Day, as individuals and families are transitioning to outdoor activities. Our attention may observe the symbol of the Holy Spirit—red—fashioned in the sanctuary, but we may be distracted away from the significance of this feast in relation to our Church, the faith we inherited, and the Holy Spirit continually at work within the activities, prayers, Sacraments that call us into community.

Bishop Nickless’ decision to move Fr. Ross was unexpected, especially after the initial moves were announced a couple weeks ago.  However, as our Bishop reiterated, with the priest shortage and situations that occur, changes will take place as the need arises. 

God wants us to know that life is a series of beginnings, not endings. Just as graduations are not terminations, but commencements. Creation is an ongoing process, and when we create a perfect world where love and compassion are shared by all, suffering will cease.” (Bernie Siegel)

A few thoughts on the renaming of our parish inclusive of St. John/Ogden, St. Malachy/Madrid, and Sacred Heart/Boone as directed by the Pastoral Plan for our Boone County Catholic Community. Please remember the physical church is a sacred building and the ‘parish’ is the parishioners and visitors who worship there. Once a church building has been dedicated, (as has the three worships sites), it keeps its name.

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date. As full of spirit as the month of May, And as gorgeous as the sun of Midsummer. (William Shakespeare)

As part of the Diocesan Pastoral Planning, a new name for our cluster of three churches will be needed.  Each church will retain its name (St. John, St. Malachy, Sacred Heart) but an overall name must be chosen. We may not choose a name that already encompasses another cluster of churches in our diocese. Click here to be taken to our online submission form.

Our Boone County Catholic churches will be hosting a baby item donation drive for Mary's Helping Hands Mother's Day weekend. Consider volunteering your time or donating items to help!

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” Matthew 18:3-5