St. Libory Catholic Church

FROM THE PASTORS DESK Next weekend is the annual Junk Jaunt, and our High School youth are participating as a fund raiser. It will be held in the parish hall. Food will be served, and they are solicitating the donation of items to sell as well as food. (Please check sign-up sheet for requested food items.) After Sunday all unsold items will be appropriately disposed. If you wish to reclaim any unsold item, you will need to make arrangements to pick it up by Sunday 1 pm. This is the first time the parish has participated in many years. It was successful then with the exception of the removal of unsold item. Hence, this is why there is requirement of picking up unsold items you wish to keep. You may bring item beginning Wed. Sept. 22 after 7:30 pm (conclusion of religious ed.) through Thur. Sept. 23. For more information or questions please contact Ken Kozisek (308-379-7170) or Beth Kozisek (308-379-1949). Yours in Christ our Lord, Fr. Sid.

This Wednesday we will begin our new youth religious education school year. As I write this we are still in need of catechist for the kindergarten and 5th grade. Why do I say “catechist” instead of teacher? Because a catechist is more than a teacher. They do teach but more than teach, they hand on the Faith, the Faith of the Church, and the faith they personally possess. St. John-Paul said that what the Church needs is not teachers but “credible witnesses” and if a teacher is to be effective, they must be a credible witness. The difference is a teacher might only pass on information. A witness gives testimony, just like a witness does in court. Every one of us bears witness in our world to something by our words or silence, our action or inaction. The “catechist” bears witness to their faith in Christ Jesus as taught by the precepts of our Catholic Faith. By our Baptism and Confirmation every one of us has been gifted to be a witness via the uniqueness of our individual personage, created by God. There is no exemption from this call. Every Christian is to be a witness for the Lord. So, have you prayed about this need we have for catechist. Not everyone is called to this just as not everyone is called to be a priest or religious. But some are. Is it you? Yours in Christ, Fr. Sid.

Our nation observes Labor Day this weekend. It should be pointed out that it was Christianity that gave dignity to “labor”. Prior to the time of Christ all who did manual labor were considered to be of lessor value, not worthy of respect. Christ came as a common man who labored with his hands as a carpenter. This changed everything. God became a laborer! Unfortunately, as the influence of Christianity wanes in our culture we are once again seeing this nasty division among people. We have on one side wealthy, educated and politically connected elite and on the other side a working class, high school educated who hold politically incorrect values according to the elite. The tension has increased year after year. Only Christ can heal this. The name “devil” means “divider” and boy has he been working overtime. Let us not get caught up in this but remember our true values as Christians. As Bishop Sheen has observed, “Our test is not in how much we love our family and friends but rather, how much we love our enemies!” Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

We have had an unusual string of deaths here at St. Libory’s. Bert Placke, Tony Sabin, Betty Schwenk and Michele (Buhrman) Brase all within a few days of each other. We extend our sincerest condolences to each family during their time of grief. I want to say a special thanks to the CCW for the invaluable service they render to the families by putting on the lunch after the funerals. Attending a funeral, putting on the lunch or providing in any way to comfort the sorrow of the families is what the Church defines as a “corporal work of mercy”, specifically called “burying the dead.” Burying the dead is one of our primary ministries as the Church. This is a time when the message we proclaim is most readily realized, the hour when someone leaves this life on earth and crosses over into eternity. Our participation reminds us that we too will face such a moment, our last moment. Helping to “bury the dead” prepares each of us for that day. “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son so that everyone who believes in Him should not parish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.