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August 31, 2026Just a few ‘housekeeping’ updates. A few areas around St. Malachy church where the curb was crumbling have now been refurbished. Several weeks—presumably due to high winds—a piece of the steeple came loose.
Recently, a company fabricated a similar piece and reattached to the steeple, while examining the steeple for other areas of concern. All in good shape. With Fr. Bill Schreiber’s retirement into St. John rectory, the washing machine needed repaired, and a startup for garbage collection for the rectory and the church. St. John’s lawn and cemetery grounds have been well taken care of this summer; and the ol dead tree on the west side has been removed.With the unpredictable weather patterns the church steeple at Sacred Heart has continued to leak, though certainly much less than before the repairs were made a year and half ago. Without a good guarantee to prevent further leaks the decision was made to enclose the openings on the steeple. Bannisters will be taken down along with the chicken wire and replaced by heavy duty glass windows, with ventilation allowing air to move through. Costs of this project will be covered through a family’s generosity. Another leak that has been ongoing in the church sacristy has been examined by the owner of the roofing company that last replaced our roof in 2018. His company will do the repairs, considering their pledge to stand behind their work. On the east side of the church, next to the steps, the KCs have cleaned the area, put down landscaping material with the addition of three considerable pieces of limestone (from the old, old step)
Plants will be added along with a statue of St. Francis to be blessed on his feast day, Sunday, October 4th. Sacred Heart cemetery has undergone a dignified transformation the last few years guided by dedicated volunteers.Three weeks ago we inadvertently announced in the bulletin the marriage of Elizabeth Good and John Kofmphl at St. John Church. I apologize for this oversight. They have not set a firm date for their marriage which will take place at a date of their choosing. For the families, my apology for this error. My blessing for this engaged couple who hope to share their vows in the Sacrament of Marriage at a future time.Because of circumstances the annual“September Fest Outdoor Mass”at the shelter house in Herman Park will be a bit later: on the Sunday of Puffer Belly weekend (the 20th). Though Art in the Park will be held that day we should be fine, and God willing, conducive weather for the Mass, the picnic following, and time to visit amongst parishioners.Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”For each of us regardless of the outward expression of comfort, of achievements, of satisfaction, jubilant in our daily lives, we have confronted our own crosses. Whether sickness, injuries, anxiety, loneliness, grief, depression, defeat, doubt, hurt, anger, even hatred, our crosses can be well hidden, fleeting or overly burdensome. Faith doesn’t provide us an answer or remedy to our choosing, but the trust in a Presence that embraces our humanity
As explained by the Christian author, Philip
Yancey:
“To some, the image of a pale body glimmering
on a dark night whispers of defeat. What good is
a God who does not control his Son's suffering?
But another sound can be heard: the shout of a
God crying out to human beings, "I LOVE
YOU." Love was compressed for all history in
that lonely figure on the cross, who said that he
could call down angels at any moment on a
rescue mission, but chose not to - because of us.
At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable
terms of justice.Any discussion of how pain and
suffering fit into God's scheme ultimately leads
back to the cross.”
Perhaps the first Pope to visit Iowa, St. John
Paul II, validates the author’s premise in terms
of our Catholic faith: “There is no evil to be
faced that Christ does not face with us.There is
no enemy that Christ has not already conquered.
There is no cross to bear that Christ has not
already borne for us, and does not now bear with
us.And on the far side of every cross we find the
newness of life in the Holy Spirit, that new life
which will reach its fulfillment in the
resurrection.This is our faith.This is our
witness before the world.”
God Bless, Fr. Tim
FYI:“That old September feeling, left over from
school days, of summer passing, vacation nearly
done, obligations gathering, books and football
in the air.“ (Wallace Stegner)