Greetings St. Joseph Parish!
Second winter has come and gone, but third winter might be around the corner yet! It's a great time to settle in and catchup on the latest from our 175 year old parish!
St. Joseph Parish Life
Ann Gibney, Chair
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the St. Valentine Project! Residents of Scenic Acres, Kingston Court, and Elkader Care Center were so happy to receive all the donations!
Share Your Ideas!
- Who: YOU! And every parishioner you know!
- What: Parish Life Meeting
- Where: St. Joseph Parish Hall
- When: Thursday, March 7 @ 6:00pm
- Why: Plan activities for the 175th Anniversary!
175 Years Collections
To celebrate 175 years, let's collect 175+ items/month to donate to the Clayton County Food Shelf! Here's what we'll collect and when!
- January - 110 peanut butters & jellies collected!
- February - 235 soups & crackers collected!
- March - cereal
- April - canned meats
- May - canned vegetables (especially peas)
- June - socks and underwear
- July - school supplies
- August - canned fruit and 100% fruit juice
- September - jackets and coats
- October - hats & mittens
- November - Giving Tree presents
- December - toilet paper, tissues, tooth paste, shampoo, and laundry detergent, dish soap, and hand soap
St. Joseph Pastoral Council
Claudia McCalley, Chair
A Joyful and Promising
Year Ahead!
"Built on History. Growing by Faith."
Interested?
New members will be elected to St. Joseph's Pastoral Council in May. If you or someone you know is interested in running, please contact the Parish Center, Deacon Paul, or a current Council member.
St. Joseph Day
& Town Hall
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 19! We'll celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary and Foster Father of Jesus! We'll have...
Mass at 5:30pm
Chili supper in the Parish Hall
Town Hall after supper
The town hall will feature reports on the year gone by, how well we've achieved our current goals, and time to set new goals for next year!
What a great way to celebrate the 175th anniversary of our parish!!
More Fun Is Coming!
Other activities are being planned, so watch the bulletin, your email, and weekend announcements over the coming weeks!
Think you want to help lead an event? Contact a current Council member!
Faith Formation
Danielle Becwar
St. Joseph Coordinator of Faith Formation
March Feast Days!
Click the images of St. Patrick and St. Joseph to learn a little about them! St. Patrick's Feast is on March 17, and St. Joseph's Solemnity is on March 19! See elsewhere in this newsletter about our parish's plans on March 19.
Be sure to join us on the Wednesdays of Lent for Stations of the Cross at 6:30pm!
Post Confirmation students and others lead on March 6, Confirmation students lead on March 13, and Knights of Columbus lead on March 20.
Adult Faith Formation
Fran Zichal, Emmaus Pastorate
Adult Faith Formation Coordinator
The Chosen
This groundbreaking streaming television series about the life of Jesus continues at St. Mary Parish from 6:15pm-7:30pm on March 10, March 24, April 7, April 28, May 12, May 19, and May 26. Please register by calling the St. Joseph Parish Center at 563-245-2548. Handouts will be available on the date. If you can't come one night, come another!
Beautiful Eucharist Discussion
Coming soon is a book study on Beautiful Eucharist by Matthew Kelly! It'll be a six-week discussion on the Eucharist. The class and book are free, and it's a great read! Child care may be available, too. Please contact Fran Zichal at 563-880-0873 to inquire and for a book.
The Sacred Paschal Triduum
Don't miss a day of the Church's holiest time of year!
Celebrate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday! Mass at St. Joseph will be on March 23 at 4:00pm.
Commemorate the Last Supper, institution of the Eucharist, and Jesus' command to serve others on Holy Thursday, March 28. It all begins at 7:00pm at St. Mark Parish!
Remember Christ's crucifixion as we continue the Triduum celebration on Good Friday at 7:00pm at St. Mary Parish on March 29.
Celebrate the holiest night of the year! The Easter Vigil retells the story of our salvation and leads us into the glorious celebration of Easter. It begins with the holy fire outside on March 30 at 8:00pm at St. Joseph. Don't miss it!
Easter Sunday, March 31 Masses
8:00am @ Sacred Heart Parish
8:00am @ St. Patrick Parish
10:00am @ St. Joseph Parish
10:00am @ St. Mark Parish
5:00pm @ St. Mary Parish
Baptism Class
The fourth and final Baptism class of this academic year in the Emmaus Pastorate is scheduled for May 22 at 6:00pm at the St. Joseph Parish Center in Elkader. It is our practice that parents of the Emmaus Pastorate participate in a Baptism class prior to each child's baptism. If you wish to have your child baptized, please contact John Uhal at the St. Joseph Parish Center at 563-245-2548 or j.uhal@dbqarch.org. Classes are open to all parents of the Emmaus Pastorate.
Covenant of Love Marriage Mentors
Do you desire a deeper understanding of God’s plan for your marriage? Are you experiencing a time of difficulty in your relationship? Are you seeking a more intimate relationship with God and each other?
Trained Covenant of Love marriage mentor couples are available throughout the Archdiocese of Dubuque to help equip married couples with practical tools for everyday life. If you are looking for help to strengthen your marriage, you can sign up to meet with a marriage mentor couple to receive support and guidance for you as a couple. To learn more, visit: www.dbqarch.org/marriage-mentors.
2024 Archdiocese of Dubuque Men’s Conference
You’re invited to the 28th Annual Archdiocese of Dubuque Men’s Conference on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids! The keynote speaker will be John Edwards, the founder and director of Pew Ministries, a Catholic apostolate with the mission of bringing the person of Jesus Christ to the person in the pew. John is also the host of the popular “Just A Guy in the Pew” podcast. The day will also include Mass celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Zinkula and breakout sessions presented by local speakers. If you're unable to attend in-person, the conference will also be livestreamed.
Contact Deacon Paul Dolan at the St. Mark Parish Office at 563-928-7200 to arrange carpooling.
Do you or someone you know want to become Catholic?
The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the process for adults who are not Catholic to join the Catholic Church. The process involves formation to help you understand and live the Catholic faith and prepare for receiving the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation). If you or someone you know would like to explore becoming Catholic, contact Fr. John Haugen, 563-543-5873 or Fran Zichal at 563-880-0873 to learn more about the RCIA process in the Emmaus Pastorate.
Liturgy & Worship
John Uhal, Emmaus Pastorate
Director of Liturgy & Worship and Webmaster
Welcome to the Christian faith, Griffin Lynn Seeland! Griffin was baptized on February 2. Congratulations to Thomas Seeland and Sophia Keppler on their son's birth and baptism!
Got Palm?
Do you have old palms around your house? Bring them to any Emmaus Pastorate church soon, drop them in the box labeled "palm," and we'll burn them in the Easter Vigil fire on March 30 for use on Ash Wednesday 2025.
KMCH Sponsors
- March 3: Judy & Mary Ellen Beckman of Cedar Falls, IA
- March 10: Mary Sue Quinlan of Lewisville, TX
- March 17: Jeff Vorwald of Edgewood, IA
- March 24: Brenda & Michael Landwehr of Guttenberg, IA
- March 31: Robert & Anette Myers of Dunkerton, IA
March Mass Intentions
- March 1: Mary Jo Moore
- March 2: Josh Collins
- March 8: Carol & Rita Geraghty
- March 9: for the people of St. Joseph Parish
- March15: Marilyn Ryan
- March 16: Roger Bries
- March 19: Ben & Lee Zuercher
- March 23: Patrick Fitzgerald
- March 30: John H. Haugen
- March 31: for the people of St. Joseph Parish
Social Justice Committee
Colleen Moore, Chair
Clayton County Food Shelf
In February, St. Joseph collected 172lbs of food and $363! Thank you!! Our next collection will be Saturday night, March 2. The Food Shelf needs cereal, canned fruit, canned juice, peanut butter, tuna, toilet paper, and dish soap! Thank you so much for your generosity!
Pay-It-Forward Update
The Pay-It-Forward fund recently helped someone with medical needs. Thanks for your generosity! Please remember that loose change from the 3rd Sunday's collection adds to this very needed fund.
Knights of Columbus
John Uhal, Grand Knight
Tootsie Roll Drive Conclusion
Funds collected during the annual Campaign for People with Intellectual Disabilities (aka the Tootsie Roll Drive) were given in January and February to three local organizations who serve people with disabilities. Central Schools, Elkader Child Care and Learning Center, and RISE, Ltd. all received $582.45 for the services they provide every day. Thanks to the great staffs and all who make these organizations possible!
Care Center Project
Our Elkader Knights will be providing projects and activities for residents of Elkader Care Center in the coming weeks. These are invaluable to people with only time on their hands, and the gifts will be greatly appreciated! We thank all of our homebound ministers who give so much of their time to visit those living in care facilities and in their homes and for bringing these needs to our attention!
More Things to Know
Donate to the Treasure Sale!
Cleaning out your house and/or garage for the new year? If you have items that you are planning on donating or pitching, donate them to the St. Joseph Treasure Sale! Arrangements can be made for furniture pickup. For more information, contact Mike Rentschler at 563-245-2219. Large exercise equipment, clothing, and electronics (anything with a chord) will not be accepted.
Never miss an issue of our Sunday bulletin! Catch it on our website as early as Thursday or in one of our five churches on Sundays!
Do You Listen?
Did you know the Emmaus Pastorate has a podcast where you can listen to over 200 Sunday homilies and special musical episodes? Click here and start listening today!
The Crafters are back at it!
Every Wednesday morning, anyone interested in creating handmade crafts is welcome to join them in the Parish Hall. Thanks for all you do for our wonderful parish, Crafters!
As the Easter season approaches, we joyfully extend an invitation to join us for a special Easter Dinner Celebration. This gathering is not only about delicious food and cherished company but also a time to reflect on the profound significance of Easter—the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Celebrate with us and enjoy Easter Sunday dinner on March 31 at St. Mary Parish from 2:00pm-4:00pm. We'll complete the afternoon by worshiping together during 5:00pm Mass. Please call the Emmaus Pastorate office to make reservations so we can make plans. If you'd like to help or donate to the meal, please get in touch with Lori Keppler at 563-880-1758 or dbq194re@dbqarch.org.
Saturday, March 23 @ 9:00am. Come help make our 175 year old church beautiful for Easter!
Upcoming Events
- March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: That Man Is You; 7:00am-8:30am @ St. Mary Apartment
- March 5, 12, 26: Euchar Party 1:00pm-5:00pm @ St. Mark Parish Center
- March 5, 12, 23, 26: Bereavement Class; 5:30pm @ St. Joseph Parish Center
- March 6, 13, 20: Stations of the Cross; 6:30pm @ St. Joseph Church
- March 9: Archdiocesan Men's Conference; 9:00am-3:00pm; St. Pius X Parish, Cedar Rapids
- March 10, 26: Holy Thursday music rehearsal; 11:15am; St. Mark Parish
- March 10: Parish Life Card Party; 1:00pm-4:00pm; St. Joseph Parish Hall
- March 10, 24: Easter Vigil music rehearsal; 6:00pm; St. Joseph Parish
- March 18, 25: Good Friday music rehearsal; 6:00pm; St. Mary Parish
- March 19: ST. JOSEPH DAY!! Mass, supper, and dinner starts at 5:30pm
- March 23: St. Joseph Church Cleaning Day
- March 24: watch The Chosen; 6:15pm @ St. Mary Parish
- March 25: Diversity Inclusion Birthday Party; 11:00am-1:00pm; St. Mary Upper Room
- March 28-31: Sacred Paschal Triduum (see schedule above)
- March 31: Easter Dinner followed by Mass; 2:00pm; St. Mary Parish
Do you have something to add to this newsletter? Please send any articles and/or pictures to John Uhal at the Parish Center, by calling 563-245-2548, or by email at j.uhal@dbqarch.org.