HAPPY BIRTHDAY FR. PRATAP!!
Thursday, July 2nd

Weekly Words from The Rock:

Which of us hasn't dreamed about being the greatest at something. I don't watch a great deal of television; however, on Sunday, June 15th I sat down and watched the last holes being played at the U.S. Open. The world's greatest golfers were trying their hand at winning one of golf's majors. Betting odds had names like:

None of these names were in serious contention on Sunday afternoon at Oakmont Country Club. The winner was someone no one had picked. His name was J.J. Spaun. To clinch the tournament, his final putt on the 18th hole is nothing short of amazing.

What I learned from the U.S. Open was the greatest golfers in the world don't always have the final say. This weekend's gospel is about the "greatest." A scholar of the law asks Jesus, "What must I do to inherit enteral life?" The response from Jesus, "Love God with all your mind, heart, soul and strength and your neighbor as yourself." Down through the centuries, this has come to be known as the "Greatest Commandment."

With many things, the "greatest" can be debated. This would include a list of golfers. When it comes to the commandments, things are different. There is only one. And to further justify that love, the gospel defines "neighbor" in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Love is to extend to everyone - even our most bitter rival, the person we can't stand, the one who constantly mocks us.

So let us love and pray to our Lord that we remain in his love.

We often ask questions surrounding our faith. One such question is defining prayer. General Dwight Eisenhower defined prayer as follows: "Prayer gives you courage to make the decisions you must make in crisis then the confidence to leave the result to a Higher Power."

As a new bride, Edna moved into the small home on her husband's ranch near Snowflake. She put a shoebox on a shelf closet and asked her husband never to touch it. For 50 years, Jack left the box alone, until Edna was old and dying.

One day when he was putting their affairs in order, he found the box again and thought it might hold something important.

Opening it, he found two doilies and $82,500 in cash. He took the box to her and asked about the contents. "My mother gave me that box the day we were married," she explained. "She told me to make a doily to help ease my frustrations every time I got mad at you."

Jack was touched that in 50 years she'd only been mad at him twice. "What's the $82,500 for?" he asked.

His wife's response, "Well, that's the money I've made selling doilies."

If you haven't done so, please send in your pledge for the Catholic Ministries Appeal. Any monies raised over the goal are returned to each respective parish at 100%. Also, any monies raised over the goal are not assessed by the diocese. The Catholic Ministries Appeal is a great way for us to raise funds for our parishes. Please be generous.

Peace be to you!

Father Peter Schuster

Vocation View: It’s a simple concept: love God with your whole being and put that love into practice. How is God calling you to love? Have you considered the way of loving called priesthood or religious life?

(Luke 10:25-37)

Elijah Martin Olsem, son of Jason and Taylor Olsem who was baptized on Sunday, June 29th at Sacred Heart Church in Heron Lake. God bless him and his family and a warm welcome from Sacred Heart Church to Elijah.

There will be Confession available 1/2 hour before mass on Sundays.

Liturgy Roles: Looking to become more involved in church? Please contact Melanie if you would be interested in helping out with the rosary readings, serving, ushering, eucharist minister, lector, or contribution steward.

Southwest Area CCW Meeting for the deceased members will be held at 7 PM on Tuesday, July 22nd at St Joseph Catholic Church in Lakefield. All are invited to attend. There will be a diaper drive for this meeting so if you would like to donate diapers or wipes please drop off at rectory by Monday, July 21st.

*A Holy Year of the forgiveness of sin, conversion and joyful celebration.

“The coming Jubilee will thus be a Holy Year marked by the hope that does not fade, our hope in God. May it help us to recover the confident trust that we require, in the Church and in society, in our interpersonal relationships, in international relations, and in our task of promoting the dignity of all persons and respect for God’s gift of creation.” (Pope Francis, Spes Non Confundit 25)

For more information about Jubilee please visit the following website: https://www.usccb.org/jubilee2025

Sacred Heart in Heron Lake is a Jubilee location within the Diocese of Winona-Rochester

When Bishop Barron joined the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in 2022, he challenged the people of the diocese to grow our number of seminarians from 20 to 40. Today we have 25 Seminarians who will be continuing their formation in the fall. That’s some great progress in just 3 years! But more progress is needed. Our diocese has 67 priests who are actively ministering. After accounting for those who retire when eligible and others who could be recalled to their own dioceses, we’d be down to just 41 priests serving our diocese’s 90 parishes, a seminar, high school, college chaplaincies, Mayo Clinic and Chancery (diocesan leadership) roles! Can you believe that?

A second collection will be taken on July 26th - 27th to help replenish the Seminary Education Fund. Please give to this important cause, our diocese’s future priests.

Elizabeth Williams, MS

Executive Director Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota

Reconciliation continues to be available. All are encouraged to continue coming to confession throughout the year; or return to the sacrament of reconciliation.

Don’t Miss the Joy the Lord Wants You To Have. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available in the tri-parish, during adoration, on the 1st Sunday in Windom from 11-12 AM, also in Brewster on the 2nd Saturday from 4:00-4:45 PM and in Heron Lake before Mass on Sundays at 7:30 AM. Reconciliation is also before Mass on Saturdays at 4:30 PM in Brewster.

Weekday Mass Schedule: The weekday Mass Schedule is now back to every week, celebrating Masses on every Tuesday through Friday in the tri-parish. See the front of the bulletin for the schedule. Funerals and vacations scheduled intermittently may affect weekday Masses and there may be cancellations. Please be patient as we learn of these schedule changes. We will update you as best we can via facebook, signs at the church, announcements or even the bulletin when able. Thank you for your understanding.

Mankato Area Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation: Oct 25th Church of the Crucifixion, La Crescent, MN. Go to: https:// www.dowr.org/offices/life-marriage-family/marriagepreparation.html The next session is January 31st, at St. John Vianney, Fairmont, MN.

World Wide Marriage Encounter: The next session is October 4-5, 2025 at Schoenstatt of the Lake—Sleepy Eye, MN. Contact Miki Schultz at 507-227-8229 with questions.

The Eucharistic Heart of Jesus has been working and drawing all people to Himself: Can you feel it?

For six weeks, ending on Corpus Christi Sunday, 8 pilgrims walked (and drove) across 10 states and 24 (arch) dioceses and (arch) eparchies. Mile by mile, city by city, thousands of souls encountered the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. And along the way, the ordinary became extraordinary. Streets became sanctuaries. Strangers became family. Music became prayer. Hearts opened wide. Our Precious Lord was adored.

The St. Katharine Drexel Route was never just about a destination: this pilgrimage was about transformation and encounter. From small towns in the Midwest to major cities like Dallas and Los Angeles, we witnessed the Church ALIVE and a people showing up in large numbers out of their love for God. They used the word 'revival' not in a past-tense way to describe an initiative, but rather, to somehow articulate the burning in their hearts for more ways to encounter Jesus. This revival is a fire. And it's spreading.

It's difficult to summarize the Eucharistic amazement that took place. Children knelt in adoration along the roads and in their schools. Confessions were heard as the faithful walked in Eucharistic processions. Many wept tears of joy and the music felt like a foretaste of praising the Lord in Heaven. At some points along the way, the journey felt like "the Way of the Cross." Even when we prayed in places stricken with devastation from the recent wildfires, or when our closing procession in Los Angeles had to be modified for safety, this pilgrimage became a way to see how the Lord calls us to something deeper. That revival doesn’t avoid suffering, but surrenders everything to the Lord's will, trusting that we will have the grace to pass through.

Corpus Christi Sunday does not mark the end of the revival. It is only one moment in the divine work of the Eucharistic Lord to transform hearts across our country.

We are frequently asked: What is next for the National Eucharistic Congress after the pilgrimage? And the answer is simple:

Filled with hope, we run with an urgent and renewed call to mission. The Church needs witnesses on fire: and we NEED YOU. Your personal love for Jesus in the Eucharist is meant to light up your home, your parish, your community.

We invite you to become a Eucharistic Missionary: someone who doesn’t just receive the fire of revival, but carries it forward. The Revival lives on in every act of faith, every hour of Eucharistic adoration, and every invitation you extend to someone longing for more.

Because hope has a name. And we carried Him. And now, so will you.

In Jesus,

Stephanie A. P. Mahoney

Senior Director of Marketing & Communications National Eucharistic Congress

Please like and share our Facebook page. The page is intended to connect current parish members and members that have moved with the activities of Sacred Heart Heron Lake.

We welcome you into God’s family! If you are interested in learning more about our church, or would like to join, please stop in the Parish Office.

Please notify the Parish Office of any change of address.

Contact the priest 6 to 12 months in advance of the date of marriage to fill out the forms, to do FOCCUS Test and to attend Marriage Prep Mentoring sessions. Please contact your parish office, if interested.

Contact the parish office a month in advance to fill out the form and to attend Baptism Mentoring Sessions.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation still available by appointment for each Parish.

When booking a Quinceanera and needing a 1st Reconciliation and a 1st Holy Communion. There is a three month preparation time. Please schedule your Quinceanera 3 months in advance. Thank you. It is also required that the family is a member of the parish.