The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) Discussion Group
Maybe you’ve only read parts of the Catechism, or maybe you aren’t familiar with this book at all. Regardless of your current knowledge of the Catechism or our faith, this podcast will help you learn more and grow closer to God. The Catechism discusses and explains the teachings of the Catholic Church, a Church founded by Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago. It’s rooted in Scripture and because we’ll be reading it in podcast form, it is easy and accessible. Each of the daily episodes will be about 15-20 minutes long, making it easy to listen to while driving into work, going on your daily walk, or drinking your morning coffee. The podcast is completely free and available on all major podcast apps and YouTube.
Oftentimes our New Year resolutions start off strong, but we eventually fall off the wagon. For those seeking accountability, community, and/or fruitful conversations, the Family of Four Parishes will be offering a yearlong discussion group, meeting once a week to discuss what we have read/heard in the Catechism in a Year podcast and how it applies to our everyday lives. Please feel free to attend some or all of these discussions! We will meet in person on Tuesday mornings from 8:30 – 9:30 am at Old St. Mary. We will meet virtually on Thursday evenings from 5:30 – 6:30 pm.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact our Director of Human Concerns, Sarah Haus, at shaus@ffpmke.org, or register at https://forms.office.com/r/y7cXKAXgXG.
Grief Support Group – Your Journey from Mourning to Joy
GriefShare – 13 Week Program
Location: Old St. Mary Parish Office, 835 N Milwaukee St
Tuesday, March 21–June 20 (No Meeting on April 11)
6:00 – 8:00 pm
After the funeral, when the cards and flowers have stopped coming, most of the people around you return to their normal lives, but your grief continues, and you feel alone.
Often, friends and family want to help you, but don’t know how. That’s the reason for GriefShare. Our group will be led by caring people who have the experienced grief and successfully rebuilt their lives. We understand how you feel because we’ve been in the same place. We will walk with you on the long path through grief toward healing and hope for the future.
What to expect: GriefShare is a support group that meets weekly. You’ll find it to be a warm, caring environment and will come to see your group as an “oasis” on your long journey thought grief. There are three key parts to your GriefShare experience:
Video Seminar – Encouraging, information-packed videos featuring leading grief recovery experts.
Support group – Small group discussion about the weekly video content
Workbook – Journaling and personal study exercises that reinforce the weekly session topics
$20.00 for the cost of the workbook. Scholarships are available.
If you have questions or wish to register for the next grief support group, please contact Terri Balash, Director of Pastoral Care at 414-469-6173 or tbalash@ffpmke.org. Registration is required so we can plan accordingly.
Weekly Seminar Topics
Week One: March 21 – Is This Normal
Week Two: March 28 – Challenges of Grief
Week Three: April 4 – The Journey of Grief Part 1
No Meeting: Tuesday April 11
Week Four: April 18 – The Journey of Grief Part 2
Week Five: April 25 – Grief & Your Relationships
Week Six: May 2 – Why?
Week Seven: May 9 – Guilt & Anger
Week Eight: May 16 – Complicating Factors
Week Nine: May 23 – Stuck
Week Ten: May 30 – Lesson of Grief – Part 1
Week Eleven: June 6 – Lesson of Grief – Part 2
Week Twelve: June 13 – Heaven
Week Thirteen: June 20 – What Do I Live for Now?
Contact Mary Robertson, Director of Liturgy and Music, at mrobertson@ffpmke.org.
Dorothy Day writes, “The final word is love…To love we must know each other … and we know each other in the breaking of bread, and we are not alone any more…We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.”
Despite the many challenges we face today, we believe in the power of love found in Communion and in community. Our parishes invite anyone who is interested in exploring the Catholic faith to consider the RCIA process. RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, is a place where adults of any or no faith tradition can explore questions of faith and prepare to join the Catholic Church.
This group meets weekly September through May, with sacraments being received at the Easter Vigil. If you or someone you know might be interested, contact our Pastoral Associate, Chad Griesel, at 414-271-6577 or cgriesel@ffpmke.org.
Parishes from around the archdiocese are hosting this year’s Lenten Day of Reconciliation, which will occur on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Parishes will have different schedules for Reconciliation, and some locations will have Spanish-speaking priests available. Please visit www.archmil.org/pray-reconcile-rejoice for specific times and locations.
The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) Discussion Group
Maybe you’ve only read parts of the Catechism, or maybe you aren’t familiar with this book at all. Regardless of your current knowledge of the Catechism or our faith, this podcast will help you learn more and grow closer to God. The Catechism discusses and explains the teachings of the Catholic Church, a Church founded by Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago. It’s rooted in Scripture and because we’ll be reading it in podcast form, it is easy and accessible. Each of the daily episodes will be about 15-20 minutes long, making it easy to listen to while driving into work, going on your daily walk, or drinking your morning coffee. The podcast is completely free and available on all major podcast apps and YouTube.
Oftentimes our New Year resolutions start off strong, but we eventually fall off the wagon. For those seeking accountability, community, and/or fruitful conversations, the Family of Four Parishes will be offering a yearlong discussion group, meeting once a week to discuss what we have read/heard in the Catechism in a Year podcast and how it applies to our everyday lives. Please feel free to attend some or all of these discussions! We will meet in person on Tuesday mornings from 8:30 – 9:30 am at Old St. Mary. We will meet virtually on Thursday evenings from 5:30 – 6:30 pm.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact our Director of Human Concerns, Sarah Haus, at shaus@ffpmke.org, or register at https://forms.office.com/r/y7cXKAXgXG.
Dads – We Have a Group For You Too! Bacon Dads was formed as an offshoot of “Beacon Moms.” Join a community of dads from a variety of faith experiences who share the common goal of developing a deeper faith through fellowship, conversation and the occasional beer. The hope is to become better men, husbands and fathers by sharing in each other’s wisdom and strength.
Bacon Dads group will be starting up again February 16. They meet every other Thursday, February 16 – May 11 (skipping April 13), from 8:00 – 9:30 pm. The theme of this session is “The Fathers Read the Fathers”, exploring the Sunday Gospel readings with the early Church Fathers as our companions. At each meeting we’ll read from the homilies of SS. John Chrysostom, Gregory the Great and Bede the Venerable to see what the distant past can teach us about the Good News today. If you are interested in joining these fun and faith-filled dads please register at tinyurl.com/bacondadsgroup.
Questions? Contact Jacob Riyeff at jacobriyeff@gmail.com or Andy Clausen at garnet888@gmail.com.
The Caregivers Support Group meets once a month on a Saturday morning from 8:00 – 10:00 am. Caregivers need care too! When we allow others to support us, we will find we can do much more in supporting and encouraging those who are in our care. Please consider joining our Caregivers Support Group and let us help!
Please contact Terri Balash, Director of Pastoral Care, at tbalash@ffpmke.org if you plan on attending or need further information.
Scheduled Dates:
August 13
September 10
October 1 – CANCELED
November 5
December 3
February 4
March 31
May 6
Please mark your calendars for a Fish Fry Community Dinner with Catholic East on Friday, March 31, at Good City Brewing, 5:00 – 7:00 pm. Join staff, students, family, friends, and parishioners for an evening of fun, socializing, and community building while enjoying food, beverages and, of course, a fish fry. Even better, 10% of the proceeds will go back to Catholic East!
Please join us at Kinship Community Food Center for a fruitful time of service and community, as well as conversation with our neighbors! All are welcome, regardless of parish affiliation, so please bring friends and family! To register or ask questions, please email Sarah Haus, Director of Human Concerns, at shaus@ffpmke.org.
The Outdoor Community Stations of the Cross will begin and end at Saints Peter and Paul Church (2490 N Cramer St). Together, we will publicly profess our faith and pray for the needs of the community by walking and praying at different “stations” or locations in the surrounding Eastside neighborhood. All ages are welcome and it is a stroller and wheelchair friendly event.
Please email Sarah Haus at shaus@ffpmke.org with any questions.
Join a group of parishioners every First Saturday to clean the church! “Do little things exceedingly well for Love of Me” the little Mandate of Madonna House Apostolate. There are many little things that cannot be done by the maintenance crew alone! We need your help to continue to keep our parish sparkling.
11:30 am – arrive by the north entrance and pray the rosary
11:45 am – 1:30 pm – clean: dust, vacuum, clean wax off candles
1:30 – close/clean-up
Contact Samantha Vosters to join at 920-470-4167 or samantha.vosters@gmail.com.
Kulaktik Coffee, grown in our sister parish in Chiapas, Mexico and roasted here in Milwaukee by Colectivo Coffee, will be sold after each of the SSPP Masses the first weekend of each month. An act of faith in every cup! Thanks for your support of our sister parish. If you have any questions please email our Director of Human Concerns, Sarah Haus, at shaus@ffpmke.org.
UPLIFT Teens provides spiritual formation for all High School students from the parishes of Old St. Mary, Our Lady of Divine Providence, SS. Peter and Paul, and Three Holy Women. UPLIFT Teens will encounter Jesus Christ and be in a peer community that supports a life of discipleship. Whether you are a Junior or Senior in High School preparing to receive the sacrament of Confirmation or an underclassman open to learning more about your Catholic faith, UPLIFT Teens is for you!
We strongly encourage at minimum two years of preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Acceptances will be given to those who are just joining as a Junior or Senior, however, it becomes much more crucial to attend, participate, and engage!
Our UPLIFT Teens format will meet two Wednesdays a month for two hours in the Ministry Center (Adjacent to SS Peter & Paul parish office). Our time will consist of a dinner meal, prayer in the chapel, videos, small group discussion and a fun game to include throughout the night.
Please register for UPLIFT Teens by September 9 at tinyurl.com/upliftteens2022.
For more information on UPLIFT Teens, contact Nino Rebholz, Associate Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, at nrebholz@ffpmke.org or 414-271-6577.
During this Winter/Spring session of Beacon Moms groups, we will be discussing the theme based on Joanna Weaver’s book, “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.” Whether you are contemplative like Mary or driven like Martha, all are invited to join a Moms Group as we explore what it takes to choose “the better part,” to deepen our devotion, and to draw closer to the Lord amidst the busyness of life perhaps with a little less stress and a little more joy.
Even though our name is Beacon Moms, our groups are intended for all women – young, old, mother, not a mother, married, or single. All women are welcome to join a group.
Groups will be offered at three different times of the week, starting the week of February 20. We are excited to be able to provide free and loving childcare during the Tuesday daytime group.
– In-Person Monday Evenings 7:00 – 8:30 pm at Family of Four Parishes Ministry Center (2479 N. Murray Ave.)
Facilitated by Mamie Riyeff
Feb 20, March 6, March 20, April 3, April 17, May 1
– In-Person Tuesday Mornings 9:30 – 11:00 am at Family of Four Parishes Ministry Center (2479 N. Murray Ave.)
Facilitated by LaTanya Bacon & Darcy Lesniak
Feb 21, March 7, March 21, April 18, May 2
Childcare will be provided during these meetings.
– Virtual Tuesday Evenings 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Facilitated by Katy Benway and Anh Clausen
Feb 21, March 7, March 21, April 18, May 2
Please register at https://forms.office.com/r/GdcS1SWS4a.
If you have any questions, please contact Mamie Riyeff at mriyeff@ffpmke.org.
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God remains forever.” Isaiah 40:8
On the first and third Mondays of each month, we invite individuals to share and reflect on the upcoming Sunday readings. In a small group setting, we break open God’s Word, allowing it to speak to our lives and to challenge us to grow in our understanding of who God is, who we are, and who God is calling us to be.
For further information contact Chad Griesel, Pastoral Associate, at cgriesel@ffpmke.org or 414-271-6577.
During Holy Week, our Family of Four Parishes has Ministers of Care who will bring the Eucharist and a meal to our parishioners who are homebound or living in a healthcare facility.
If you’d like to get involved in this ministry, please contact Terri Balash, Director of Pastoral Care, at 414-469-6173 or tbalash@ffpmke.org.
The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) Discussion Group
Maybe you’ve only read parts of the Catechism, or maybe you aren’t familiar with this book at all. Regardless of your current knowledge of the Catechism or our faith, this podcast will help you learn more and grow closer to God. The Catechism discusses and explains the teachings of the Catholic Church, a Church founded by Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago. It’s rooted in Scripture and because we’ll be reading it in podcast form, it is easy and accessible. Each of the daily episodes will be about 15-20 minutes long, making it easy to listen to while driving into work, going on your daily walk, or drinking your morning coffee. The podcast is completely free and available on all major podcast apps and YouTube.
Oftentimes our New Year resolutions start off strong, but we eventually fall off the wagon. For those seeking accountability, community, and/or fruitful conversations, the Family of Four Parishes will be offering a yearlong discussion group, meeting once a week to discuss what we have read/heard in the Catechism in a Year podcast and how it applies to our everyday lives. Please feel free to attend some or all of these discussions! We will meet in person on Tuesday mornings from 8:30 – 9:30 am at Old St. Mary. We will meet virtually on Thursday evenings from 5:30 – 6:30 pm.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact our Director of Human Concerns, Sarah Haus, at shaus@ffpmke.org, or register at https://forms.office.com/r/y7cXKAXgXG.
We invite you to prepare your heart to meet Christ, the Lord of Life, by scheduling some time for quiet prayer in Adoration, taking the time to quietly gaze upon the Blessed Sacrament. Join us on the first Tuesday of the month from 6:00 – 7:00 pm at SS Peter & Paul Church for Holy Hour. Prayer resources will be provided.
Grief Support Group – Your Journey from Mourning to Joy
GriefShare – 13 Week Program
Location: Old St. Mary Parish Office, 835 N Milwaukee St
Tuesday, March 21–June 20 (No Meeting on April 11)
6:00 – 8:00 pm
After the funeral, when the cards and flowers have stopped coming, most of the people around you return to their normal lives, but your grief continues, and you feel alone.
Often, friends and family want to help you, but don’t know how. That’s the reason for GriefShare. Our group will be led by caring people who have the experienced grief and successfully rebuilt their lives. We understand how you feel because we’ve been in the same place. We will walk with you on the long path through grief toward healing and hope for the future.
What to expect: GriefShare is a support group that meets weekly. You’ll find it to be a warm, caring environment and will come to see your group as an “oasis” on your long journey thought grief. There are three key parts to your GriefShare experience:
Video Seminar – Encouraging, information-packed videos featuring leading grief recovery experts.
Support group – Small group discussion about the weekly video content
Workbook – Journaling and personal study exercises that reinforce the weekly session topics
$20.00 for the cost of the workbook. Scholarships are available.
If you have questions or wish to register for the next grief support group, please contact Terri Balash, Director of Pastoral Care at 414-469-6173 or tbalash@ffpmke.org. Registration is required so we can plan accordingly.
Weekly Seminar Topics
Week One: March 21 – Is This Normal
Week Two: March 28 – Challenges of Grief
Week Three: April 4 – The Journey of Grief Part 1
No Meeting: Tuesday April 11
Week Four: April 18 – The Journey of Grief Part 2
Week Five: April 25 – Grief & Your Relationships
Week Six: May 2 – Why?
Week Seven: May 9 – Guilt & Anger
Week Eight: May 16 – Complicating Factors
Week Nine: May 23 – Stuck
Week Ten: May 30 – Lesson of Grief – Part 1
Week Eleven: June 6 – Lesson of Grief – Part 2
Week Twelve: June 13 – Heaven
Week Thirteen: June 20 – What Do I Live for Now?