Click here for materials (Pulpit Announcement, Bulletin Text, and Images) for the weekend of the Special Collection, December 7-8, 2013.
(View Image Resources) To download all Special Collection Weekend text, please Download Word document of the Pulpit and Bulletin Texts.
Please note: this year we are offering two versions of the bulletin texts. Please use the version that better fits your space needs.
As Christmas and Holy Family Sunday approach, and we each prepare to give a gift to our sisters and brothers in La Sagrada Familia, Holy Family Parish, let’s remember that the motto for our relationship with the people there is “Sharing Faith and Friendship.” In today’s bulletin you will read about how the relationship became personal and mutual for one person who visited the parish several times. Your support of La Sagrada Familia parish is essential to the ministry of our archdiocesan priests who serve there and to the staff and programs that assist the people to grow in faith and friendship.
I first visited our sister parish in 2000 as part of the Jubilee Journeys sponsored by World Mission Ministries. My host family provided shelter, breakfast and supper and often invited neighbors in to meet me. Before I left I presented my gifts of chocolates and toys for the children. I returned again in 2008 and stayed with the same family. The children proudly presented the teddy bear I had given the youngest at the time of my first visit. This time I gave the children a jigsaw puzzle and we all had fun putting it together. As I walked over to church with my host family the 8 year old and then the 5 year old granddaughters took my hands and proudly led us into church as a family. On my 3rd visit I remember that we who had come to visit served the farewell meal to our host families. I received two envelopes with candies and photos of the daughter on her twelfth birthday and in her communion dress. These were another precious sign of being included in their family. Each visit I learned more about how the people coped with poverty and the aftermath of a tropical storm. Later, as part of a group assisting with vision testing I was able to provide an important service for my new family and friends. I still communicate with the family and will look forward to seeing them again on another visit. My host family and our sister parish relationship have indeed grown and deepened. Jim Carlson, St. Patrick Parish, Whitewater
Between the years 2000 and 2013, I had the opportunity to visit our sister parish La Sagrada Familia three times and to stay with the same host family each time. I witnessed the struggles of the entire parish to deal with poverty and to overcome the mudslides of a tropical storm and I helped with vision test procedures supervised by doctors who came to help resolve the various difficulties of the vision of the population. In each instance of growing closer to a family that included me as a member and closer to an understanding of the mutuality of a sister parish relationship we exchanged the gift of ourselves and grew in understanding of our need for each other. Jim Carlson, St. Patrick Parish, Whitewater
Below are thumbnails of the available images for the Special Collection Weekend. To download as high resolution image files (.jpg format), please do the following: • Hover your mouse over the file name link (blue text next to the thumbnail) • Right click on your mouse and choose, "Save Link Target As" or "Save Link As" • Your file directory will open up • Choose where you wish to save the file
(To download all images as one file, Download Publisher file containing all Special Collection Weekend images)
3501 South Lake Drive St. Francis, WI 53235