Fr. Kevin Schmittgens, Pastor
June 20-21, 2015
Saturday:
5:00 p.m.
Sunday:
8:00 & 10:00 a.m.
(636) 583-2806
Web: www.stjosephneier.com
Email: kevin.schmittgens@borgia.com
Chris: cbstjoe@yhti.net
Rev. Kev’s Cell Phone (314) 960-4745
Rev. Kev’s Thoughts: “Wise and Otherwise”
I am off this week to my ancestral homeland (at least on my mom’s side), Ireland. This will
be my fourth trip there, having gone in 2001, 2003, 2007 and now 2015. Needless to say, I
love it. I will only be gone for a week, but it will be filled with golf and fun. (Those two
things being mutually exclusive.) I am looking forward to this vacation because I know that
when I get back I will be off to the races in my new job. I think it is vital to get away. I
have never regretted a single trip I have ever taken. They may not have all been as glorious
as I would have liked (although the last three big trips have been spectacular), but I come
away from them with memories and experience that is difficult to put a price on. The first
time I traveled to Ireland was almost a mystical experience for me. I remember landing in
Shannon and thinking to myself: “Grandma and Grandpa, I am back.” They, of course, were
both born in Ireland. My Grandpa Gannon having been born on a small farm in Mohill, in
the county of Leitrim. My Grandma having been born in the town of Newry in the Northern
county of Armagh. Things are a little different in Ireland now than when they left. Grandpa
Gannon always used to say that the only thing he left in Ireland was an empty stomach. My
favorite place in Ireland is a town called Ballybunion. There is a world class golf course
there (two, to be precise), but it is the scenic view that always captures my heart. It is
fascinating looking out over the Atlantic and thinking that the next bit of land you run into is
North America. I can only imagine what my ancestors thought as they looked out to sea.
Quick Inspiration: “Love is never defeated, and I could add, the history of Ireland proves
it.” -Pope John Paul II
Excerpts from Mercy in the City by Kerry Weber
We pick up our bilingual programs, which read on the front: “Rite of Calling the Candidates
to Continuing Conversion.” It is a ceremony at which all the local candidates gather together
with their sponsors and the local bishop to recognize the candidates’ readiness to join the
church. I have never seen St. Patrick’s so full of people. Each pew is labeled, and each
parish group huddles together looking both joyful and nervous. I think about the individual
journeys that brought each person to this place— the decisions, the troubles, the graces that
occurred to bring us all together, those things that enable us to make a leap of faith. But
maybe a “leap” isn’t the most appropriate metaphor for this spiritual journey. As the
program states, we are called to “continuing conversion.” We do not simply just fall deeper
and deeper into our faith after our baptism or initial conversion. We are called to keep
jumping. We talk of that “leap of faith,” but our reality is one of multiple leaps, every day.
Tiny jumps, or steps, even, sometimes just the distance it takes for our feet to go from the
bed to the floor. It is that forward motion that keeps us going, that keeps saying that today
will be better. Today I will try harder. Today I might fail. But I am still loved. It is why I set
my alarm to get up to go to the breadline even after sleeping in a few days in a row, because
sometimes having faith simply means, to steal Samuel Beckett’s words, to “fail better.”
Holy Humor: “Lack of money is the root of all evil.” -George Bernard Shaw
A Bit of Useless Information: Dublin boasts one pub for every 100 head of population.
(Don’t worry, I am not going to Dublin this time around.)
100 Simple Secrets for the Best Half of Life:
#88 Set Your Goals When we become adults and start careers or families, we have
numerous goals for our lives. We can see them clearly and know what we have to do to
move toward them. Yet the same should be true at any stage of life. Goals give us focus and
purpose. Regardless of what is important to you now, your goals should be clear and visible
every day. People who could identify a goal they were pursuing were 19 percent more likely
to feel satisfied with their lives and 26 percent more likely to feel positive about themselves.
Neighboring Activities
Sunday, June 21st
KING FOR A DAY! Father’s Day Breakfast at
Washington K of C serving 8 – 11:30 am
Fellow Knights,
2015 Dues Notices were mailed in December 2014. Please check your membership card, if it does not say
2015, you may not have paid your dues. Please contact Matt Freeman (314.570.7863) to verify payment
or to make arrangements regarding your payment.
Dues = $32.50, RIB = $7.50, Total Due = $40.00
St. Joseph News & Events
Please keep saving Prairie Farm milk caps for "Shop with the Deputy" for underprivileged children.
The container is in the back of church. Thank you.
The Ladies Sodality is collecting the UPC Labels from the Best Choice Brands. We will have a
collection box in the back of church. If you are cutting the UPC symbol out
please DO NOT cut off the words best choice at the top of the label this is
critical. Some of our local vendors selling BEST CHOICE are Voss Market
in Beaufort, Frick’s Market & Fink’s in Union. The labels of the following
products are excluded: Aluminum cans (12 pk. & 24 Pk. soda cardboard
are acceptable), Aerosol Cans, Cigarettes and Fluid Milk (due to Missouri
Milk Law). If you have any questions please contact Ellen @ 573-484-3067.
Thank You for all your help.
The Sick of the Parish who need your prayers
Anna Marie Brueggemann
Ryan Elbert
Diane Schwentker
Margaret Pillen
Zachery Gossage
Kevin Brunkhorst
Lilly Mae Randolph
Jane Schroeder
Cecilia Helling
Eugene Brueggemann
Karen M Bobbitt
Melinda Helling
Our Little One: Walt Coble
Michelle Voss (not Calkins)
Theodore Feth
Anyone who would like to be added to or deleted from the prayer list,
Please, contact the rectory or drop a note in the collection basket.
ANNUAL CATHOLIC APPEAL
We will be starting to wrap up the Annual Catholic Appeal. Phone calls and visits have begun in an
attempt to have everyone share their gifts with others. We have quite a ways to go so please
respond to their contact, even if you are unable to give at this time.
Thank you,
Jim Noelker, ACA Chairperson