A Mother’s Reflection for Easter:

(by Abby Henderson, Coordinator of Faith Formation, grades 6-8 at Our Lady’s)

On Easter morning, in the midst of the glory of the morning and the rush and hustle to get everyone ready for Mass, one of our family’s favorite traditions is Resurrection Rolls. It combines my charge to feed my family physically and spiritually in one delicious swoop.

We take refrigerated crescent roll dough, which, when rolled out, represents the burial cloth, marshmallows for the body of Jesus, melted butter as the oil for anointing the body, and cinnamon sugar as the spices used to prepare the body. Cover the marshmallow in butter and sugar mixture, then wrap in the triangle dough, being sure to “seal” it in the tomb, pinching the edges together.  Bake as directed on the package.  When they’re done, an “empty tomb” results, as the marshmallow melted, leaving a tasty quick breakfast that reinforces the Easter story for my children.  (for a complete recipe click here).

As a mother of five I do a lot for feeding the hungry, both physically and spiritually, every day in my family. Randy and I take our role of leaders and partners in our domestic church seriously and do our best in taking these responsibilities seriously.

Physically we provide three meals a day, plus snacks, for seven people.  Spiritually feeding my family takes similar daily effort. We make it a priority to provide them a family meal with dinner prayer every night of the week. Often Randy and I will split who eats with who, so that any child who may have activities and eats early/later will still have a parent pray and sit with them during their dinner.

We also pray with all of our children before we drop them off for school each morning.  It’s often just a quick cross signed on their forehead and a “God bless you and keep you safe” repeated again at bedtime when we bless them and we share a short prayer, to end our days with a thank you to God. Weekly Mass attendance, spontaneous prayer intentions for friends and family, and monthly adoration are also a part of our family life, and volunteering where we are able. Our youngest filled up our M&M tube within 5 minutes of getting home from Mass at the beginning of Lent this year!

In Matthew 25, the Judgement of the Nations, where we take our inspiration for this year’s focus, Jesus says, using the parable with the king,

‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me….. ‘I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’

When we take the time to pause and reflect it’s apparent how much more work there is yet to be done for the Kingdom by me, my family, our parish, and the world. Having used this Lent as a time of education and reflection on feeding the hungry, may our Easter season now be a time to put in to practice all that we know and have learned.

As we hear in today’s first reading, Peter says of Jesus:

“He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God” -Acts 10:42

Let us use this as an encouragement to seek and live the truth of Christ resurrected in our daily lives to preach to the people through our words and actions today and every day.

May this Easter be a blessed one for you and your families as we reflect on the glorious, amazing miracle of Christ’s Resurrection.  Help us to keep that joy in our hearts and may it remind of the importance of feeding the hungry wherever, whenever, and however we find them.

Alleluia!  Alleluia!  He is risen! 

This Lent at Our Lady’s we focused on the idea of Feeding the Hungry both physically and spiritually.  If you haven’t yet, I invite you to go back and read through the daily blog – even as a staff member here for over a decade I learned much about the many ways our parish is involved in outreach, both to parishioners and the community, in these actions.

Read today’s reflection by Patty Mayer, Director of Adult Faith Formation at Our Lady’s:

On Holy Thursday we walk through the Last Supper, Jesus shares so many beautiful words with his disciples and then bends down and washes their feet, knowing that the events of the next few days will test their faith. We end the evening Jesus praying in the garden.

On Friday there is a lot of noise and activity as Jesus is condemned to death and carries his cross, then the earth quakes, the veil is torn, and He dies crying out “It is finished.” We end the day in silence.

Saturday is silent.

Jesus is in the tomb.

Mary grieves for her Son.

Peter grieves his denial and the death of his Lord.

The disciples grieve their own weaknesses and the death of their Master.

Witnesses to his crucifixion sit in silence trying to comprehend what they experienced – “was this truly the Son of God?”

Followers of Jesus silently pondering what’s next.

Does anyone really understand what will come? Or do they believe this was the end?

All is silent.

When we read the creed we know that in this silence something amazing is happening that no living person was even aware of.

“Even if everything seems to be silent. Christ is at work. In fact, according to ancient tradition, on this day, Jesus descended into the realm of the dead to save man and take him along with Him to heaven, where He precedes us and where He awaits us with open arms.

In the realm of the dead. Jesus meets Adam, the first man who here symbolizes the whole of humanity, shakes him out if his slumber and proclaims His salvation from which no one is excluded. In fact, Jesus creates a bridge between the tomb and the Kingdom of God. He carries the infallible weapon of the cross because with death he conquers death”

~(The Silence of Holy Saturday with Mary, Vatican News April 20, 2019)

As dusk falls we enter the darkness of Saturday evening, the eve of the new day. It is only then that we gather for the Easter Vigil. We begin in silence and darkness, the light of Christ symbolized in a simple flame. We listen to the stories of creation, Moses, Israelites and the Red Sea, we hear from the prophets. The light of Christ bursts through the darkness as we exuberantly exclaim Glory to God! This is the night we welcome in newly baptized adults to join us in living lives dedicated to Jesus!

Without the silence of Saturday, we may miss the absolute praise and glory of the resurrection! Darkness is overcome by light, silence is filled with singing and rejoicing! The void has been filled!

When we know the end of the story it’s easy to forget the pain, the sorrow, the despair of Mary and the disciples while Jesus laid in the tomb.

Many of you know I went through a divorce six years ago. As I journeyed through that first year after my divorce was final I entered into a time of emotional darkness. One day my Spiritual Director asked me to tell her about the darkness. As I intentionally explored the darkness I came to realize I knew I was not alone, and I was not afraid. She asked me to use my senses to explore the darkness.

As we walked through this exercise I found myself sitting against a wall that I could lean back against – I was supported. The floor felt like dirt, firm but not hard – I was grounded. As my eyes adjusted to the lack of light I noticed I was in a small intimate space with rock walls. There was a stone bench beside me. On the bench someone was quietly laying, I wasn’t alone. Jesus turned His head to look at me and said, “We can go whenever you are ready, all in your time.” I stayed in that darkness, knowing that when I was ready I would be able to step out, but in the darkness and in the silence much healing was happening inside of me.

Over the weeks that followed the stone slowly moved away and Jesus and I walked out together. Every year since then I imagine myself back in that tomb, sitting with Jesus, knowing that there is work to be done in my heart as I sit with Jesus in the silence of Saturday.

Each year I meet with our elect on the morning of Holy Saturday. We have brunch and a time of reflection and conversation about the journey they have been on. There is great sharing about our faith journeys and how each of us have ended up where we are today. There is a brief walk through of the events of the evening. Then I encourage them to hold the quiet of the day. To break from normal routines and busyness, to find stillness before they return in a few hours for the Easter Vigil where they will enter into the waters of Baptism and emerge from the waters a new creation in Christ.

Once the building is quiet again, I sit in the silent empty church filled with hope. I know the rest of the story and place my trust in it. What about those who don’t know who Jesus is? What about those who lose their faith? What about those who give up on Jesus because they think He gave up on them? What about those whose faith became lukewarm? I pray for all of them. I pray for you. I pray for those who will be baptized. I pray that each of us come to know Jesus in a way that when He feels far away we can trust in the silence of Saturday – Jesus is here with us making things happen we don’t even know about. Trust Jesus in the silence.

How will you spend today? Will you sit with Jesus in the tomb? Will you enter into silence and contemplate all that Jesus did for you?

Stations of the Cross are a wonderful and important meditation to undertake during Lent, particularly on Good Friday. We have many booklets available outside the sanctuary at Our Lady’s. And we invite you to watch this video of the Stations of the Cross on this, Good Friday, led by Fr. Mark Toups:

The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ's last day on Earth as a man. The 14 devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation. The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station. At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ's last day. Specific prayers are recited, then the individual moves to the next station until all 14 are complete.

The Stations of the Cross are commonly found in churches as a series of 14 small icons or images. They can also appear in church yards arranged along paths. The stations are most commonly prayed during Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays, and especially on Good Friday, the day of the year upon which the events actually occurred

Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

CRS is the international humanitarian agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  For 80 years it has worked to provide relief in times of emergency, it works to empower and facilitate people in developing countries to break the cycle of poverty through community- based sustainability development initiatives.  It promotes the sacredness of every human life and the dignity of the person.  Please visit the CRS website for further information & details.

CRS serves more than 130 million people in more than 110 countries and 5 continents.  They serve people based on need regardless of race, religion or ethnicity and there are three main ways to get involved. Prayer, Alms Giving, Education, and Advocacy- getting involved in one of their campaigns. Specific and current can be found under the Get Involved tab on their website.

As Catholics we are called by the Gospel to put our faith in action to live in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable, our brothers and sisters around the world. Be an integral part of living your Faith; work to bring about positive improvement in peoples’ lives through your actions and see the measurable outcomes of people thriving and reaching their full potential.

Prayer and donations can be done at any time year-round. Sign up for action alerts and know when it is necessary to contact your federal congressional team on important legislation that can make a difference in the lives of millions of people internationally.

  If you are interested in establishing personal relationships with your legislators and work with other committed CRS volunteer advocates consider joining the Des Moines CRS Diocese Chapter. National Meetings occur monthly via zoom.  The local chapter meets regularly to discuss current legislation that affects the work of CRS and how to advocate for their priorities in person or via zoom with our national legislators.

Who to contact:

Kathy Avey            aveydp@msn.com                   515-360-8996

Phil Kohler            philhkohler@gmail.com          515-250-1377

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Tomorrow evening, we will celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. In this Mass, we celebrate the Lord’s institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood. Our Lord also models for us the act of charity in washing of the feet of His disciples.

But I want to focus on the institution of the Eucharist and the reason why our Lord left us with this great Sacrament. We know that the Eucharist feeds us spiritually. Adoration and worship of the Blessed Sacrament is a way in which we extend the graces of our worship of God in the Mass.

When I made my pilgrimage to Israel in 2023, my classmates and I had the opportunity to experience a holy hour at the Church of All Nations, located on the hillside of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. There, in that church, lies the rock that Jesus rested prayed on the evening after the His Last Supper.

Every Thursday evening, the Franciscan friars hold a Holy Hour of Adoration in honor the Last Supper and Jesus’ prayer in the garden. I was a transitional deacon at the time and had the opportunity to serve the Holy Hour along with a priest from Philadelphia.

As I knelt before the Eucharistic Jesus, it occurred to me why Jesus desired to leave us with this great gift! In Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said to His closest disciples during His lonely agony in the garden, “Could you not spend one hour with me?”

Jesus desired to give us Himself and be more united to us.

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” -John 6:56

Secondly, Jesus desired to leave us with His presence. Jesus tells us

“I will be with you always.” -Matthew 28:20

In all Catholic churches and chapels, there is a tabernacle that holds a reserve of the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is present in all these churches! There’s a reason why for centuries the cathedrals, basilicas, and parishes church were built with such splendor. The architecture was meant to point us towards God in heaven and be a fitting shrine to fit for Jesus in the Eucharist. All churches are indeed shrines of the Eucharist!

The Eucharistic presence of Jesus calls us towards adoration and worship of God. Eucharistic adoration is a way we worship Jesus outside of Mass. For Eucharistic Adoration, the Eucharist is sometimes displayed in a monstrance, a metal stand that resembles a sunburst that holds a consecrated host.

Other times, it is kept in a ciborium (the dish from which hosts are distributed during Holy Communion) inside of a tabernacle. A candle signals the presence of Jesus. The idea is we are physically present with Jesus, who is physically present with us in the Eucharist.

Simply being in the presence of Christ is a prayer itself. There are many things we can do in adoration. We can pray a rosary or any other devotional prayer. We can prayerfully read sacred scripture as in Lectio Divina. Or we can sit peacefully with our Lord.

One of the features of Holy Thursday is the procession of the Blessed Sacrament to an altar of repose. We don’t place the consecrated host in tabernacle because we want to remember that our Lord was arrested and imprisoned before His trial and execution. So, we have a procession of the Eucharist around the church to the altar of repose in our chapel. There, we all have an opportunity to adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

Like His closest disciples, we can stay vigil with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. We don’t need to go to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem because He will be truly present with us in the altar of repose our chapel. Jesus invites us to be with Him in the garden. Once we’ve spent time in prayer with our God, we disperse in silence waiting for the His trial and crucifixion.

As you we enter the Sacred Triduum, I invite you to spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament especially on Holy Thursday. You can also make a pilgrimage to other Catholic Churches that evening to adore our Lord. Will you heed the Lord’s invitation, “Could you not spend one hour with me?”

Parishioner Molly Hackman speaks of her experiences with the Meals for Moms Ministry:

OLIH Parishioner Vicky Berberich is also a volunteer with Meals for Moms and says she enjoys the personal satisfaction knowing she’s helping others in their time of need.

“The more we give the more we get. It feels good know that either making a meal or dropping a gift card in the mail for them is helping. It’s a really easy way to live our Christian call to help others.”

To sign up as a chef - please click here at fill out the form.

To sign up to receive a meal train, please click here to fill out the form.

Reflect with the quote for the week

Join us this Holy Week:

Holy Thursday, March 28
7:00 - 10:00 pm Washing of the Feet; Adoration
(no 5:30 pm Mass)

Good Friday, March 29
7:00 pm Passion Reading & Veneration of Cross (no 8:30 am Mass)

Easter Vigil, March 30
8:00pm Service of Light/Rite of Christian Initiation/Mass
Celebration Party in Mary’s Place

Easter, March 31
8:30 & 10:30 am Mass; MPR & Church

from Tom Primmer, Director of Youth Faith Formation at Our Lady’s:

HERE ARE THE SUNDAY READINGS

This weekend we begin Holy Week. There is so much drama packed into this one weekend of the Church year. What starts out with tones of triumphant celebration, quickly comes crashing down with somberness and dismay.

When we hear the word, “passion,” the first thing that comes to mind most likely isn’t a triumphant beginning followed by a seemingly tragic end. We might be more inclined to think of “having a passion for something or someone. Passion for something could be a hobby, work, or favorite pastime. Passion for someone might include romantic overtones, but could also include a deep love, care & concern for, which doesn’t necessarily need to incorporate romantic overtones.

This later sense is what the “Lord’s Passion” is all about. Jesus, (God in the flesh) has such a deep love, care, and concern for us that he (Jesus) is willing to suffer on our behalf so that the gap between us can be repaired.

The Lord’s Passion is the love story between a Creator and the created, how the created broke it’s connection to the Creator and how the Creator became like one of the created in order to repair the broken relationship, so that the created may enjoy the original and eternal bond it was meant to experience.

When you reflect on the Lord’s Passion this week ask yourself, “What does it say about my value as a person that the Creator of all that was, is and is to come, has such a deep love, care and concern for me, such that he would endure such unthinkable suffering?”

What does it mean to accept this gift freely? Remember the gift wasn’t free, it did cost something, however like most gifts that are given, it is given freely in love.

Pray with me: Merciful Lord, thank you for your deep love, care, and concern for me as your beloved. Help me to ponder in my heart this passion of yours so that I may live into the relationship you are calling me toward. In Jesus name. Amen.

Emily Haack and Abby Henderson were both pregnant when they started the Meals for Moms ministry, and they made a point to make sure people knew this ministry wasn’t quite as self-serving as it seemed when they launched it to the Catholic parishes of Ankeny.

Being pregnant did help, though, because it meant they knew firsthand the blessings involved in receiving a meal from someone in the whirlwind that is the first few months after having a baby.

Meals for Moms provides 10-12 meals over the course of 3-4 weeks for anyone in the Catholic community of St. Luke’s and Our Lady’s who has recently added a child to their family through birth or adoption, or needs some extra help due to a hospital stay, surgery/injury recovery, loss of a loved one, cancer treatments, and other major life transitions.

Meal help can be requested here. Once a request is received Emily and Abby creat a meal train with the details provided and send it out to the volunteer list of more than 80 volunteers. Special requests, like food allergies, likes & dislikes (ex: not too spicy, no onions, etc.) are easily handled and chefs contact the recipient on their delivery day to set up a drop-off time.

In just over 6 years Meals for Moms has provided more than 120 meal trains to parishioners for a total of more than 1,200 meals to local families. What a beautiful way to build and support our Catholic community!

Volunteer “chefs” from both St. Luke’s and Our Lady’s sign up to bring meals as they are able. To sign up as a chef - please click here at fill out the form. If you don’t consider yourself much of a chef, gift cards are also encouraged!

To get involved:

Contact Meals for Moms at mealsformomsankeny@gmail.com

or fill in one of the forms above to sign-up or request a meal train.

Stephen Ministry

Stephen Ministry is a lay care-giving ministry that supplements pastoral care.  The program teaches laypersons to provide one-on-one care for individuals who request support.  

The confidential care-giver and care-receiver relationship, usually conducted by weekly visits, may continue for months or years.

Reasons for requesting a Stephen Minister’s visits may range from grieving the loss of a loved one, experiencing a major illness, going through a divorce, job loss, struggling with substance abuse, or other life difficulties.

The central offices of Stephen Ministry are located in St. Louis, Missouri. Congregations which choose to participate in Stephen Ministry programming pay a fee to the central organization to cover the cost of intensive on-site training of lay leaders. These lay leaders then become instructors for the 50 hours of training for small groups of Stephen Ministers.  After this initial training is completed, Stephen Ministers participate in twice-monthly peer-to-peer supervision meetings. Supervision groups, which may be led by a pastor, are an essential component of support for and guidance to lay ministers.

The mission of the Stephen Ministries organization is summed up in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. 

 “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12–13). [1]

During life’s journey all of us have times in which there are many challenges.  It may be a change in jobs, financial difficulties, relationship problems, or other concerns in which a person needs to talk with someone about the situation.  Sometimes we think we can go it alone or with a life partner but sometimes it is good to get another perceptive. 

Prayer and talking with God can help and frequently God provides answers or solutions to our situations.  However, we as humans want to express ourselves to others and get their perspective. 

A possible solution to our challenges is to request or seek a Stephen Minister at OLIH and St. Luke’s.  A Stephen Minister has been well trained (50 hours of training) and supported by our parish.  A Stephen Minister will meet with you frequently (usually weekly) to listen to you and to pray with you.  The experience with a Stephen Minister is Christ-Centered. 

Many individuals who have had a Stephen Minister say the minister listened to their issues, cared about them, cast no judgment, prayed with them and for them, and was most encouraging.  The Stephen Minister was someone they could trust and held their conversation confidential.  

The Stephen Minister let them share their concerns without prying for more information and never judged.  The Stephen Minister helped them to move forward with their life and helped them move out of the valley they were in.  The minister always showed up to listen each week.

Could someone you know benefit from Stephen Ministry?

We need your help in identifying a friend, neighbor, coworker, relative, or parish member who may be going through a difficult time and would benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister.

 Listen to others that have a concern or struggle and suggest the idea of a Stephen Minister.

Tell the person about Stephen Ministry.  Tell them about laypersons who have been trained to come alongside individuals during difficult times.  Provide them a brochure (available in the gathering space at OLIH or St. Luke’s) about Stephen Ministry.  Share a Stephen Minister spotlight from the OLIH bulletin.

Get permission to pass along the person’s name and phone number or encourage them to connect with our Stephen Minister Coordinator’s.  They can ask any questions they may have with coordinators.

If the person doesn’t want to contact a coordinator, offer to contact Stephen Ministry yourself.  The coordinator will be in touch with the individual to follow up.  Sometimes taking the first step can be hard.

Stephen Ministry is a way congregations can provide high-quality care and outreach to people during some of life’s difficulties.  Ministers are matched by men with men, and women with women and they meet weekly to listen, care, pray, and encourage. 

Stephen Ministry is known to be dependable, trustworthy, caring, confidential, prayerful and encouraging.  Often people certainly have friends and realize the value of friendship, but know a Stephen Minister can see more objectively.  Life can be a roller coaster of emotions and problems, but a Stephen Minister may bring some stability to life.

 So, if you are going through a valley of life’s journey, consider contacting a Stephen Minister from OLIH or St. Luke’s.

To contact Stephen Ministry:

            Men:    Paul Arend 515-314-2326

            Women:          Joyce Clawson 515-710-7645

                                    Diane Hamilton 712-830-0032

•  A Stephen Minister is available after weekend Mass at Our Lady’s at the southwest prayer corner of the sanctuary for prayer and blessings. 

•  Further information on our parish website

To learn more about Stephen Ministry, visit the website.

Life’s Journey

• Ups and Downs

• Peaks and valleys of life

Challenges often addressed by Stephen Ministers:

·       Grief

·       Health Issues

·       Personal Crisis

·       Divorce

·       Terminal Illness/End of Life Issues

·       Spiritual Crisis

·       Caregiver for a Loved One

·       Financial Difficulties

·       Job Loss

·       Infertility

·       Anxiety/Depression

·       & others

[1] Stephen Ministry Wikipedia

Urban Bicycle Food Ministry

UBFM is an outreach charity to provide radical hospitality to people in need in the Des Moines area.  Each week teams of people make  burritos and sandwiches, then deliver them along with donated water, other food and survival essentials.  Check out their website for more information.

With UBFM, you can help the most needy in our community.   You may give someone the only meal they'll get that day.   More importantly you'll demonstrate God's love and caring for people you wouldn't ordinarily meet.  There's definitely grace in connecting with a stranger in a meaningful, caring way.  The city's homeless look forward to Thursday nights knowing the burrito slingers in bright yellow shirts will be showing up. God moments happen and are generally shared at weekly group meeting.  Lastly,  you'll get to know some of the other volunteers, who are generally caring, kind people, the sort of people you'd like to have as friends.

The weekly event is on Thursday nights, starting and ending at Capital Hill Lutheran Church in Des Moines (5th and Des Moines Street). Timing depends on which areas you want to volunteer. Community cooking starts around 4pm. Team organizing happens between 5pm and 6pm. There's brief group meeting and prayer at 6pm, followed by the teams departing to make deliveries. Currently there are eight teams covering different parts of the city on bicycles and in vehicles. Each team is expected to be finished and back at Capital Hill by 8:30pm. Easy! 

Cook, roll burritos, make sandwiches, organize donations and/or participate on bicycle or vehicle delivery teams. 

To get involved:

facebook page. - https://www.facebook.com/groups/410291065841161.   There's a volunteer signup here for each week's event. 

Or just show up with a willing attitude. There's always plenty to do before the teams depart and there will be people to help you pick a team to help with deliveries. Bring your bicycle  if you're a biker.   

If you have specific questions before you get involved, contact parishioner Curt Carlson 515-783-3819

Concluding Rites of the Mass

We have been reflecting on the how God spiritual feeds particular through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Mass. Throughout our walk through the Mass, we have discovered how God feeds spiritual and physically.

It is not about what we get from Mass. Reconciliation and Mass are not transactional events.  It is all about what He gives us and what we receive from Him. The gift of the Word of God and the gift of His Jesus Christ, in the Eucharist.

Let us look at the Concluding rites of Mass. It is the shortest ritual within the Mass, but it sends us off on mission. It occurs immediately after the closing communion prayer.

Depending on the parish, announcements are appropriately placed after the communion prayer because it gives an insight to what we do next. We receive the Word of God and the Blessed Sacrament to strengthen us to go on mission.

Announcements give us a practical response to a gift we just received. It helps put our faith into action. The concluding rite points us to respond with faith. Our faith is meant to be lived out and not stuck in the church building.

 We conclude with the formal greeting once again, Dominus vobiscum, The Lord be with you. The priest may give a simple blessing or give a solemn blessing done in three parts. The solemn blessing is always indicated by the priest or deacon who says, “Bow down for the blessing.” Followed by three intersessions. Whichever blessing is given, it always ends with the sign of the cross.

Just as we begin with the sign of the cross and invoking the Trinity, we end our prayer of the Mass with the same sign. This gesture reminds us of our relationship with the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is also a sign that we are guided by divine love and the sacrifice of the cross.

The priest or deacon will say, “Go forth, Mass is ended” or “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.” This dismissal is not just a nice saying. It is a command! In these words, we are commanded to go out into world and carry the presence of God in us to all we meet. We bring Christ into our homes, to our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and to the passerby on the street.

I had priest friend tell me at his parish he noticed many of his parishioners leaving after communion and before the final blessing. After some months of this, he decided to teach his parishioners a lesson. At one Mass, he noticed some of parishioners leaving early and he instructed the altar servers to process out with them candles in hand. The servers followed them out to their car. Confused by this, the pastor said to his people “The light of Christ dwells in you, especially after receiving the Eucharist.” Hence the servers carrying out the candles, the light of Christ, out of the Church.

As disciples of Christ, we bear the light of Christ into the world. We are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ bringing renewal to the world with Christ’s peace. We receive God’s love so that we may share that with the world. We are spiritually feed by the Scriptures and the Eucharist so we may draw others be fed from source, God Himself!

Listen to Ann Wright speak about the food ministry which packages up leftovers from the KC’s Lenten Friday night Fish Frys:

Ann Wright continued:

I am a firm believer of our parish theme-Invite. Learn. Serve. I really want to take this opportunity to invite every single person to learn about all the activities at Our Lady’s and learn what your gifts are and how you want to serve.

In Ann’s office she has the poster below. This quote sums up her mantra of making sure she gets out and serves others.  Come to OLIH, check in with the staff and parishioners who will help you get involved, get to know fun people, and enjoy yourself serving others.

Join us on Mondays in Lent for:

Adoration 9amp-7pm

Reconciliation 12noon-1pm & 5-6pm

The Chosen Season 3 7-9pm in Mary’s Place

For more information & the full list of Lenten offerings

5th Sunday of Lent reflection by Deacon Pat Davitt John 12:20-33 In this section of John’s Gospel, John is outlining that Jesus’ public ministry is concluding. Jesus will soon be on his way to the Hebrew Feast of Passover. His suffering, death on the cross, but with his resurrection will be his final act of teaching and ministry.

His suffering can teach us how to cope with our own suffering. His death can be a support for those who face their own death, as well as those who join them on that journey. His resurrection gives us hope that there is so much more that God has prepared for us.

In this gospel, (verse 24) Jesus states that only when a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, is when it produces much fruit. What have we died to this Lent?

Has our faith been challenged this Lent? Have we spent more or some time in prayer? Have we participated in any of the various opportunities that have been offered by OLIH? We cannot make up for what we promised to do, but we can take comfort in what we have done to prepare.

We are, as can be said, on the final lap to Holy Week and Easter.

Perhaps we can renew our commitment to what Jesus said that are the two greatest commandments: to love God with our whole heart, our whole soul and our whole mind and our neighbor as ourself.

Have a blessed week. And, by the way....Happy Saint Patricks Day

Monthly Meal at Catholic Charities Family Shelter

Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter (formerly the St. Joseph Shelter) keeps homeless families together during a very difficult time in their lives, by offering shelter for the entire family for one month with resources, meals, and a place to stay. The goal is to help each family leave the shelter with stable housing, financial stability, and empowerment to live a successful, sustainable life. Further information about the shelter and volunteer opportunities are available at their website.

A group from OLIH has been providing meals for the shelter for about nine years the 3rd Wednesday of each Month. Tim Lallier, the coordinator, plans a meal and sends it out to a list of volunteers that furnish the items on the list before the meal needs to be delivered.

Meal prep and delivery is the only help needed. The staff and guests at the shelter set up the meal and clean-up. There are 30 to 40 new guests each month. They are always full so the group prepares meals for 40 people each month.

They are always looking for more volunteers to help with meal prep, as the group is fairly fluid with busy schedules, “snow birds”, and life in general. One of the benefits of the monthly meal is you sign up only when you can.

To get involved:

Tim Lallier tlallier@alliedconst.com 515-238-4986

Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Parish has a long history of understanding the importance of educating EVERYONE, from birth to retirement and beyond. Our Faith Formation Staff offer their perspectives on how our programs help to fill a spiritual hunger in our parishioners of all ages:

Mary Sankey, Coordinator of Early Childhood FF

Just as I take active steps to educate my children on healthy choices with food & their bodies, I make a conscious effort to foster my children’s faith.  Prayer, participation in the sacraments, biblical reading, and acts of mercy are spiritual nourishment. Children need to be taught they can trust the Lord.  This happens when children are brought to Jesus in baptism and given the opportunity for relationship and proper attachment.  OLIH teaches God is sovereign and a friend.  We also emphasize the importance of church family and community.  Whether in Faith Formation Class or at CLOW (Children’s Liturgy of the Word) children hear the gospel, are taught to pray, and are offered various modalities of learning.  Some examples include videos, books, song, crafts, games, pantomiming, and tactile exploration. 

Jackie King, Coordinator of Grades 1-5 Faith Formation

In elementary faith formation we work on giving our youth a strong foundation in our Catholic faith. Expanding on the basics they have learned at home and in preschool classes we want to make sure everyone knows they are loved and valued, not only by Jesus, but by our parish family. Making sure everyone knows basic prayers, the importance of the Eucharist and the Mass, and the importance of daily habits of faith help to teach and remind our younger kids how amazing it is to be Catholic!

Abby Henderson, Coordinator of Grades 6-8 Faith Formation & Youth Ministry

Middle School youth are learning and exploring who they are apart from their parents and family, being given the responsibility to start making larger and longer-lasting decisions that affect not only themselves but those around them. We work to invite them into a friendship with Jesus by showing them the how to live their faith daily in small and big ways through prayer, service, and fellowship. Cupcake rosaries, skits with fake mustaches, and baking egg casseroles for local charities are all included in our lessons to show the liveliness and relevance of our faith in both our daily lives and to the world.

Tom Primmer, Director of Faith Formation, Grades 9-10 & RCIC

"St. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in (God) you." Feeding our spirits involves intentionality. Our Lady's offers youth in grades 9 & 10 the opportunity to feed their spirits as they prepare for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Grade 9 youth learn basic Christian truths about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church, Scripture and Prayer. Grade 10 youth dive deeper into the meaning and benefits of the Sacrament of Confirmation and its practical effects in our daily lives."

Randy Henderson, Director of Youth Ministry and Grades 11-12 Faith Formation

Youth ministry provides opportunities to encounter Jesus in new and exciting ways.  Whether putting faith into action through acts of service, engaging and discussing topics of faith or exploring God's creation on Wilderness Retreats, youth ministry strives to meet the hunger that lives in us all: To know, to love and to serve Jesus.  Grades 11 & 12 faith formation seeks to encourage confidence in our youth as they near the end of their high school careers, knowing learning and practicing their faith is a life-long journey and seeking small groups and parish communities and connections as a disciple of Christ.

Patty Mayer, Director of Adult Faith Formation & RCIA

When it comes to our relationship with Jesus we are always in motion, much like a boat on the river. We are either floating downstream, or paddling up, even when we drop our anchor to rest we are pushed and pulled by the current. If we don’t intentionally pick up the paddle to go against the current we can drift, and for a while it may be fine, but drifting leads to getting stuck or going places we didn’t intend to go. Adults often think they have “learned” all there is to learn and thus are unintentionally drifting through their journey. One thing I have learned is that there is always more to learn – stay curious and asking questions because, when we do, more is revealed and revelation leads to growth. Adult formation nurtures the head, the heart, and the hands – it empowers us to continue to grow in knowing Jesus, loving Jesus, and being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world today. Begin with the end in mind, don’t be content with drifting too far for too long, fight against the current of society, and be intentional along your journey!  

For further information, please visit the Grow & Learn section of our website or contact our staff!

Faith In Action Spring Break Stay-Mission

 Randy Henderson, Director of Youth Ministry at Our Lady’s writes:

Each year for over 20 years  teens and adult leaders from various parishes in the Diocese of Des Moines have been putting their “Faith In Action” by serving others at various Des Moines metro agencies. FIA is held annually during spring break and is often hosted at OLIH.  Our participants minister to the working poor, the homeless and the outcast.  This experience is a communal experience of living, praying, working and growing together in fellowship.  

In Matthew 25:35 Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,...”  FIA participants serve at Habitat for Humanity, Families Forward (Bidwell Riverside), Catholic Charities, Refugee Resettlement projects,  and other agencies that meet the physical and spiritual needs of many.  

Not only do our young people provide wonderful ministry for those in need, they too are “fed” by those they encounter.  They are not there to merely get the job done, rather our FIA participants are encouraged to savor the encounters with those they are serving.   When we see our brother or sister in need and truly encounter them we too are spiritually fed..       

 As I reflect on my experience of FIA as a youth minister, it is humbling to recall the many young people who have participated during their spring break.  These young people choose to set aside these days when other options are available and this is such a beautiful and inspiring witness of their own spiritual thirst to serve. 

FIA is one of my absolute favorite opportunities and I encourage parents of teens to talk to their young people about giving FIA a chance in March of 2025! 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst or the Eucharist

This week we continue our discussion of the Mass. Having been fed with the Word of God, we turn our attention to the highlight of the Mass; the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

The introductory rites and the liturgy of the word points us towards Jesus, the Word Made Flesh, revealed and given us in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist is the climax of the Mass. It is where God feeds us spiritually. We hunger and long for God in the Word. And our hunger and longing for God is fulfilled in the Eucharist, the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.  But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe me.  All those the father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.  For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6: 35-40,

The liturgy of the Eucharist is the highlight of the entire Mass! It is where Jesus is made present body and blood in the concreated bread and wine.

The Eucharistic prayer begins with a dialogue between the presiding priest and the congregation with the familiar words, “The Lord be with you”. The presider then invites us to “Lift up [our] hearts.” It is call for all of us to lift up the entirety of our hearts to God. Then we are invited to give thanks to God because it is right and just.

The liturgy moves in to what is called the Preface prayer. It is a prayer that changes depending on liturgical season or saint feast day that is celebrated. The preface prayer elaborates the thanksgiving we are offering to God. This prayer expresses for us the work of God through the salvation completed by Jesus Christ. This prayer of thanks sets the tone for the Eucharistic liturgy. In Greek, eucharist means thanksgiving and we offer thank to God.

At the conclusion of the Preface, we say or sing the Sanctus/Holy, Holy, Holy. This is a hymn of praise to God. It is not just some interlude prayer but it is a hymn that we sing along with the angels and saints in the Heavenly worship of our God.

Next, comes Epiclesis prayer, where the priest presider calls down upon Holy spirit upon the bread and wine to be offered. He makes the sign of the cross to make calling upon the Blessed Trinity to make Jesus to make it present in elements of bread and wine.

Some churches use bells to indicate this prayer and as well as during the elevation of the body and blood of Christ by the presider. It is a tradition from when the Mass was in Latin and the prayers of the priests were inaudible. The bells indicated the importance of what was taking place and  indicated when the bread and wine were consecrated.  The use of bells is no longer required, but can be used at the desire of the parish/priest.

Once the Epiclesis is said, the priest moves into to the narrative of the Last supper. Throughout the Mass, the priest is in persona Christi capatis, “in the person of Jesus Christ the head”. He is not representing Jesus, he IS Jesus Christ through the sacramental character given to him at his ordination.

The narrative of the Last supper is not a dramatic recreating of the Last Supper because the priest recounts the last Supper in the first person, as Jesus Christ. It is Christ made present sacramentally through the priest who re-presents His Last Supper and Passion.  

As the priest takes the bread, he says,

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you.”

Likewise, as the priest takes the chalice, he says “Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.” 

These words consecrated the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. After consecrating the bread and wine, the priest genuflects after each elevation of the Body and blood of Christ.

After the consecration, the priest continues the prayer and offers intercessory prayer for the Church, Pope Francis, the local diocesan bishop, and for those who have died in Christ. This prayer also focuses on the glory of our resurrection yet to come.

At the conclusion of this prayer, the priest moves into the doxology prayer. The presider raises the body and blood of Christ, the Sacrifice of Christ offered to God the Father. The priest says, “Through Him, with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.”

We pray the “Our Father” prayer, expressing our unity as brothers and sisters in Christ. The prayers asks God to give us our daily bread and we ask God to forgive us of our sins. Next, we offer a sign of peace, offering the peace of Christ to one another. In the United States, it is customary to offer a handshake as a sign of peace.

After the sign of peace, as the Agnus Dei/Lamb of God is sung or recited, the presider begins the Fragmentation rite. The priest says a secret prayer while breaking the consecrated Body of Christ in two and breaking a fragment of the host. He then mingles the fragment of the host with the Precious Blood of Christ. This gesture symbolizes Jesus breaking bread with his disciples and the broken body of our Lord on the cross. The comingling of the Body and Blood symbolizes the one body and blood of Christ.

After the fragmentation rite, the priest will genuflect and elevate the body and blood of Christ saying “Behold the Lamb of God...”. To which we respond, “Lord I am not worthy...” using the words of the centurion who went to Jesus to healing his servant.

The priest then reverently consumes the Body and Blood of Christ saying a secret prayer. The presider receives the Eucharist first and then distributes it to the deacon, the altar servers, and the extra ordinary ministers of communion.

The reception of the Eucharist forgives us of our venial sins. Our faith teaches us that the fullness of Christ is present in the consecrated bread and wine. We can receive either one and receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. But it is praiseworthy to receive under both species, bread and wine.

The minister of communion says, “The body of Christ” or “the blood of Christ,” o which we respond, “Amen”, giving our consent and belief in the body and blood of Christ made present in the Eucharist. We don’t take communion, we receive communion.

The reception of the Body of Christ maybe received reverently on the hand or on the tongue. Once we receive communion, Jesus is closest to us this side of heaven. For we have received His body and blood and now carry Christ with us physically.

After the communion rite is finished. The clergy and extra ordinary ministers return to their seats. There is a sacred silence that is offered so that we can say a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the gift of the Eucharist, that gift of Jesus Christ that we receive.

The Liturgy the Eucharist ends with the Post-Communion prayer that sums up the effects of what we just received in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Through the gift of the Mass, God feeds us spiritually and physically. In the Word of God proclaimed and in the Eucharist we receive. Next week, we’ll discuss what we are to do in response to gift God gives us in the Mass.

For more than 20 years the youth of Our Lady’s have gone trick or treating on Beggar’s Night, but it’s not exactly what you might think! Owen, Missy & John Schwebach share their experiences and reflection on this wonderful ministry in this short video!

Randy & Abby Henderson, youth ministers, have organized and led the Trick or Treating for Canned Goods for years and they inherited the event from Mike Koontz, the previous youth minister at Our Lady’s.

On average about 25-35 youth and 10-20 adults take part to canvas the neighborhoods around OLIH. In groups of 3-5 youth and 1-2 adult chaperones they take a grocery cart out to a pre-set neighborhood and ask for donations of non-perishable food items to be donated to DMARC Food Pantry network.

Every year we collect more than 1,000 items and around $50 cash. AND the youth DO end up with lots of candy, too. It’s a wonderful way to spend about three hours on Beggar’s Night.

Look for information every September as we near Beggar’s Night. In addition to the group chaperones, we also need adults to drive vehicles for food pick ups and on-site donation drop-off. Everyone in grades 6-12 & above are invited to join!