In the coming week the priests who have been reassigned will be moving to their new parishes and assignments. 
Our newly ordained priest, Fr. Thomas Kollasch will return to Rome for further studies. Our two priests involved with vocations—Fr. Shane Deman and Fr. Travis Crotty—will now be assigned to parish ministry, which will involve sacrifices on their part. Next June we will ordain two young men into the priesthood for our diocese, providing much needed presence and ministry within the parishes of northwest Iowa.With the changes taking place this coming week, our Catholic community within Boone county will benefit with the retirement of Fr. Bill Schrieber. Fr. Schreiber will reside in the Ogden rectory upon his fu ll retirement in August. For the last few years he has requested to reside in the rectory here when he retired. We welcome Fr. Schreiber’s presence within our Ascension Parish, and the help he is willing to offer within the Sacraments of our Church. His presence, dedication, and outgoing personality will be a grace to our Catholic community.Please bear in mind, even with Fr. Schreiber’s presence, the Bishop has not rescinded the prior order or given us permission to hold Sunday Mass on a regular basis at St. John’s church. I have visited briefly with Bishop Keehner about the possibility, but such has not been granted. As a parish we need to respect the diocesan decision that was set a couple years ago. However, Fr. Schreiber is so willing to help as much as possible within the ministries of our Ascension Parish. Slowly, Fr. Schreiber has been moving in his belongings and preparing the Ogden rectory for his ‘home.’ We are blessed to have his presence and help within our parish. On this note, the Archdiocese has undertaken similar steps as we began a few years back, consolidating parishes with priests reassigned within these various clusters. Our neighbors to the west, Ames (St. Cecelia & St. Thomas), Nevada, State Center and St. Peter & St. Paul likewise will form a‘grouping’with four priests assigned to pastor those churches. Though some parishioners may not fully understand such decisions, as in our diocese, we trust in the Holy Spirit’s presence guiding our Church, the enduring grace of our Sacraments, and the communities that gather to share in the Eucharist.Again, thank you for your generosity toward Together As One, (DAA), meeting our parish goal of $40,000 plus. Funds raised through Together As One directly impacts our parish and the other parishes throughout our diocese, supporting Religious Education, Youth Ministry, Minority Outreach, Adult Education, Vocation Awareness, and Sacramental Preparation (such as Confirmation and Marriage). Your caring is a gift of hope for our Church.Because our Social Justice Committee is actively reaching out and responding to the needs of charitable organizations and individuals in need within our area surrounding Madrid, Ogden, and Boone, we rely on the Christian awareness of parishioners to share our blessings. Such affirmation of our caring faith is a recent letter received from Salvation Army.
Dear Friends, On behalf of all of us at The Salvation Army of Boone, thank you for your faithful and generous support. 
We are sharing the most recent Impact Report with deep gratitude for the compassion and commitment you demonstrate through your partnerships. Since opening our doors in1887,The Salvation Army has been a cornerstone of support for individuals, offering vital services to those in need. . . .Many blessings.
In September as Religious Education gatherings begin, so to our OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) program for those interested in being received in the Catholic faith. If you are someone you know has questions, desires more information or is interested in actively participating in the Sacraments of our Catholic Church please contact the office and I’ll get in touch with them. Thank you. In a little over a week the streets of south Boone will be filled with individuals of all ages as they make a stopover on their RAGBRAI journey, (in much the same way as they passed through Madrid a couple years ago). We are hosting three small groups of fifteen or so, in addition to a few other individuals needing a safe (and quiet) place to rest. With that in mind, a few quotes to ponder:
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving(Albert Einstein).
“Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use(Charles Schultz).”
“Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul(Unknown).”
“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike(John F. Kennedy).”
God Bless, Fr. Tim
FYI: “Every time you miss your childhood, ride on a bicycle.”(Mehmet Murat)