Pastor’s 2 Cents From: Fr. Jim DeBruycker

Well, Cabaret 2020 is now a memory – and a happy one at that!! I want to extend my personal gratitude to Lynn Hempe and Julie Rowekamp, this year’s co-chairs, for their extraordinary work. Doing this year’s show virtually was a real challenge but they – along with a list of people that runs six pages – produced a very successful evening. Thank you on behalf of a grateful parish.

I have mentioned this Cathy cartoon by Cathy Guisewite many times before, but when something speaks truth, it’s worth repeating. The first panel has Cathy moaning about her lot in life, in the next panel she rails against her enemies, in the third panel she wishes destruction upon her worst enemy, the final panel shows lightening striking her and leaving a little pile of ashes. The balloon above the ashes says, “Let me rephrase that.” The truth can be cruel.

There is an old joke which is a definition of a bad day: You are standing in line at the pearly gates; first bad news, you’re dead. You realize you are standing behind Mother Teresa, newly arrived herself. You overhear St. Peter saying to her, “I’m sorry, if only you had done more for the poor, Mother.”

Having a narcissistic personality I immediately imagine myself in that same position. Peter says, “You are a real let down, Jim. You were supposed to have won the Nobel Prize in literature and medicine, but you spent most of your life getting out of work, sleeping and playing pinball (computer games weren’t around yet). Go directly to underachiever hell.”

My therapist says I’m a neurotic suffering from acute intellectual abuse at the hands of German Benedictine idealists; too much Kant and Hegel. This may be true, but I thought I at least had a chance at a Pulitzer. Of course I would have to write something - no rewards for innate unrealized literary ability.

What brought this reflection on? Warning parables from Matthew’s Gospel, Covid-19, wildfires, a visit to St. John’s Monastery, and global warming to mention a few things. Jesus loves to remind us that he warned us. Shape up or bring on your own destruction. Making us feel left out because of our own inaction. How many warnings do you need? Do you want to be the only one not at the party? You are your own worst enemy!

It’s not easy to do the right thing. You watch the news talking about the horrible destruction of the environment and followed by commercials that try to sell you an all-terrain vehicle which will rip up the countryside. Or how many new body odors you have to worry about and miracle creams to camouflage the truth 40 is way back in your past.

Sorry, but I was feeling down so I thought I would pass it around. The good news is I have witnessed two weddings in the past week, so somebody is feeling hopeful and Jesus does forgive, I guess, I hope.

Maya Angelou Peace Prayer Father, Mother God,

we ask that those who live in pain be bathed in the river of Your healing; that those who are lonely may be kept in Your company.

Creator God, You, the Borderless Sea of Substance,

we ask you to give to all the world that which we need most – peace. Amen

Sun, Oct. 11: Isaiah 25:6-10a; Phi 4:12-14,19-20; Matt 22:1-14 Mon, Oct. 12: Galatians 4:22-24,26-27,31-5:1; Luke 11:29-32 Tue, Oct. 13: Galatians 5:1-6; Luke 11:37-41 Wed, Oct. 14: Galatians 5:18-25; Luke 11:42-46 Thu, Oct. 15: Ephesians 1:1-10; Luke 11:47-54 Fri, Oct. 16: Ephesians 1:11-14; Luke 12:1-7 Sat, Oct. 17: Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 12:8-12 Sun, Oct. 18: Isaiah 45:1,4-6; 1 Thes 1:1-5b; Matthew 22:15-21

Chuck Abramson, Carol Anderson, Arlene Axelson, Bill, Dennis Barta, Phyllis Berninger, Ellen, Linus and Lily Bendel-Stenzel, Elaine Boehm, Marcia Boehnlein, Patty Brennan, Lorraine Bryant, Stacy Budd, Pam Burd, Josefina Cahuex, David Carroll, Mary Cermak, Barbara Cracraft,

Culver family, Judy Dean, Larry Dease, Jim DeBruycker, Mae Deiekhuis, Colleen Dooley, Linda Duffy, Ava Dunlay, Kathie DuRocher, Pete Eichten, Henry F, Bridgit & Paul Fiore, Marguerite Flanigan, John & Margaret Frees, Michelle Fries, Heidi Gregorich, Ron Guillfoile, Linda Halley,

Judy Hilkemann, Brad Hinker, Jim Hinton, Megan Hoffman, Jan Horner, Kathy Horner, Kathy Itzin, Tom Jay, Janie, Jean E, Jeri, John, Annie Kack, Brad Karkkainen, Glen Kelley, Chuck Kennedy, Paul Kennedy, John Kingston, Sage Kirscht, Theresa Knaus, Steve Kremer, Jim Kummer, Abby L.,

Helen LaFavor, Amy Lainus, Melva Larson, Margaret Lulic, Chantilly Lynch, Dawn McCelland, Kate Meyer, Bob Miller, Rita Miller, Tom Moore, Bev Moran, Royce Morrissette, Jack Muelken, Ted Mueller, Cheri Murch, Nate, Randy Naae, Rita Nelson, Craig Nordby, Dick Olson, Paul Olvera,

Mike O’Rourke, Colette Ott, John Palmer, Jacques Parent, Milo Parker, Pam Paul, Alice Pirola, Gina R, Kevin R, Graham & Nancy Rattray, Carol Reiland, Jack Riebel, Jean Rieck, Gina Romani, Donald & Susan Roufs, Dorothy Rowe, Pat Russell, Ruth J, Sam, Shasa Satrin, Ottavio Savina, Don Schafer, Carter Schmidt, Phil Schmidt, Colleen Schroeder, Pam Schulstad, Betty Scully, Gerry Sell, Gary Sheppard, Paul Skrip, Sam Slagerman,

Harold Sonnek, Teddy Sparrman, Joan Speltz,,Ross Spriggs, Doug Stahlke, Vivian Steblay, Carson Stier, Nancy Stockhaus, Rick Streng, Teresa, Grayson Taylor, Matthew Tennant, Dennis Thurmond, Glo Tonskemper, Arturo Torres, Al Traynham, Linda Underhill, Jesus Uz Tiu, Carin Vagle,

Leroy Vague, Dave Velasco, Floyd Ward, Pam Washington, Marlys Weber, Mary White, Jerry Wohnoutka, George Wolf, Jim Wolfe, Morley Woodruff, Michele Wylie, Mike Wyman, Denise Wyttenbach, Sarah Yoder, Dave Youngren, Annemaire & Ava Zubrzycki, Bridget Zvirin

Prayer Corner Requests: To keep prayer requests current, names will be included in the bulletin for four weeks and then removed. To add a name or to renew your request, please call the Parish Center at 612.823.8205.

Our Liturgies from April through today’s will be available through the St. Joan of Arc website. Celebrate virtually with Fr. DeBruycker , Fr. Cassidy and the SJA community. Watch online at www.stjoan.com.

Family liturgies are launching again join us as we start off our Fall together!

Summary of contributions for the week and fiscal year. Includes plate, envelopes and estimated Sustaining Member payments.

Week of September 28 - October 4, 2020 Actual $23,054 Budget $34,583 Prior Year Actual $39,751

Year to Date (July 1 – October 4, 2020) Actual $402,916 Budget $447,582 Prior Year Actual $509,252

THANK YOU for your continued generosity!!

It Takes a Village! Since March 22, St. Joan of Arc has em-barked on a whole new way of celebrating our Sunday masses and community gatherings. Online is now the new normal and our response from parishioners has been only positive and ex-treme gratitude! We want to acknowledge the folks behind the scenes who help make this happen and say our "thank you" for keeping us together as a community in these uncertain and isolated times. Our gratitude goes out to Jeff and Rita Nohner who film our online masses every week. Thank you to Fred and Anna Vagle who plan music and edit videos along with our SJA musicians who share their new music and creativity. Thanks to JP Fitzgibbons, our office staff and many volunteer parishioner readers. Our Thanks to the SJA custodial staff, directed by Steve Friedrichs, who set up our physical location and make sure everything is sanitized and safe...and thank you to Fr. Jim DeBruycker and Fr. Jim Cassidy for their direction and inspiration as they bring the word of God to us every Sunday and continue to be the voice of St. Joan of Arc. It takes a village and we are remaining a village because of all of you! Blessings and profound gratitude! (Anna Vagle - director of liturgy and music)

The Importance of Gratitude: In these challenging times in which we live, I have found a practice which is helping me stay balanced and relatively happy. The practice – Giving Thanks! We have a choice either to focus on what we lack or how really terrible life is or to focus on what we have and how much we have been given. What’s your choice? Research has shown that people – regardless of age – who have a regular practice of expressing gratitude are healthier and happier. Also research has show that young people who regularly give thanks do better in school and have fewer headaches. And what are you grateful for? ~Mark Scannell

Warm Hands Warm Hearts: We’re In the Final Stretch! There is still time to donate a winter coat and accessories to a child in need in our community, and we are excited to reach our goal of 500 children served by this program and we thank all our volunteers and

donors for your incredible generosity! Here's how to be involved. Sign up online at https://www.signupgenius.com/

go/8050d49adad2ba64-warm7 to purchase a coat, or call 612.823.8205x237and leave a voicemail message letting us know what size coat you're buying.

Encourage friends and family to participate! Shop online and, if you'd like, have your purchase delivered

to St. Joan's Parish Office at 4537 3rd Ave. So., Minneapolis, 55419.

Send a donation to SJA, with “Warm Hands Warm Hearts” in the memo line. Volunteers will then shop for missing coats.

Purchase a coat from your favorite store and drop off at the Parish Center on one of the following dates (bags and labels will be available):

Saturday, Oct. 17, 9am-noon Monday - Friday, Oct. 12-16, 9am-3pm

Sister Parish Solidarity Walk: Last Sunday, Oct. 4 - what a gorgeous day! - a group of 25 SJAers gathered at Minnehaha

Falls to reflect and pray on our 26 year Sister Parish relationship with Tierra Nueva Dos in Guate-mala. Each year, we walk, and our family in TNII also

walks in their community, and we share what this ministry has meant to us and how it has impacted our journey of faith. Our theme was "We Are Called", and these were our discussion ques-tions: How have you experienced the love of God and love of neighbor in our Sister Parish relationship? What keeps us from loving more fiercely, dreaming more expan-sively, or acting more bravely? What have you learned from our brothers and sisters in Central America, and how can we work together to create a more just world? Go to the SJA website for photos of our beautiful walk, and please keep Tierra Nueva Dos in your prayers. Our closing prayer was by parishioner Ross Starkson and includ-ed these words: "Let us remember that we are always and everywhere in the pres-ence of God. God, we are being called into your future. Help us to embrace it with all of the hope you have for it. Help us to be sacra-ments of your love in the world." Thanks to our SJA Sister Parish ministry for your steadfast love and faith.

FFI on Peace & Justice programs contact Julie Madden at 612.823.8205 ext. 228 or jmadden@stjoan.com. "Wait...My Vote Can Send Me to Hell?" Step back from the current rhetoric coming from some voices in our church, and refresh yourself with the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and our SJA ISAIAH core team. Learn more about our faith, our call to political responsibility, and our actions to engage voters. Join us Sunday, Oct. 19, 11am - noon. To register, contact Julie Madden.

SJA Antiracism Ministry: This Sunday, Oct. 11, 11am - 1pm,

we will host a discussion to observe Indigenous People's Day. What has shaped our church's and our own relationships with Native people in our community? What has shaped your relationship

to the land we live on? How do we move forward together in solidarity with Native-led justice efforts? It will be a rich discussion. To register, please contact Julie Madden.

SJA Housing Ministry: SJAers Needed for a Volunteer Date with Urban Homeworks! It's been a long time, and we are so happy to announce that we have a date with our wonderful friends at Urban Homeworks on Saturday, Nov. 7. SJAers are needed to help rehab a home or apartment building that will provide beautiful, affordable housing for a low-income family. Very limited number of volunteer slots available, and no experi-ence is necessary. FFI/to sign up, contact Julie Madden.

SJA Justice Grant Deadline Approaching! If you volunteer with a great non-profit, large or small, please consider filling out a Justice Grant application from the SJA Outreach Fund. We award grants to organizations in which YOU, our parishioners, serve as volunteers and leaders. It is a powerful way to partner with great SJAers doing wonderful! Next deadline is Nov. 1; contact Julie Madden for an application.

Welcome the Stranger Fall Series: We continue our focus on immigration stories from greater Minnesota on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7pm, when we will hear from Star Tribune sportswriter Chip Scoggins, who wrote about the Austin high school boys' basketball team and its impact on the city. We have a link on our website to a video with some background on Chip and this wonderful story. FFI/to register, contact Julie Madden or go to www.stjoan.com.

Are You Financially Stressed? In this difficult time, any SJA parishioners who are in need of confidential emergency financial assistance to maintain housing or utilities are encouraged to contact Julie Madden at jmadden@stjoan.com or 612.823.8205 x228. Our SJA CARE Committee is available and waiting to help. Thanks to all the donors to our SJA Outreach Fund, who make this support possible.

FFI on Pastoral Ministries contact Sherri Stella at 612.823.8205 ext. 231 or sstella@stjoan.com.

Monday Mental Health: Please join us for a Zoom Webinar this Monday, October 12, 6:30 - 8pm as Dawn Tay-lor, PsyD, LP, presents Understanding the Scope of Eating Disorders. This is a free event and welcome to all. To join us, follow the link on our weekly email letter blast. Please contact Sherri Stella at

sstella@stjoan.com for any questions. Coalition for Grief Support: Join us this Thursday, October 15, 6:30 - 8pm, at Our Lady of Peace Church (5426 12th Ave S), as Mary Marcoux, Chaplin at Friendship Village presents, The Process of Grief. The evening begins with light refresh-ments, followed by a presentation and facilitated small group sessions. Space is limited. Please call Sara at 612.827.6159 to register.

FFI contact Cynthia Bailey Manns at cmanns@stjoan.com.

RCIA: SJA welcomes you on your spiritual journey of study, exploration, faith sharing, and faith formation. The Rite of Christian Initiation, or RCIA, is an important Sacrament designed for adults (called Candidates) who are interested in becoming Catholic, or for Catholics who wish to be Confirmed, and may also include the Rite of Baptism. Each Candidate works with an individual sponsor who will walk with them through this unique faith journey. The RCIA classes from Fall 2020 through Spring 2021, led by Fr. Jim DeBruycker and the RCIA leadership team, build learning relationships that encourage provocative questions about what it means to be Catholic and opportunities to grow in one's faith. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Cynthia Bailey Manns at cmanns@stjoan.com.

Centering Prayer: Sundays, 10 - 10:30am (email Ray Spack at raymondspack@comcast.net to register).

Parish Book Club: Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6:30pm, The Dog Says How by Kevin Kling (email Lucy Petermeier at lpetermeier@comcast.net to register).

Archdiocesan Synod: The Church Prepares - Please go to https://www.archspm.org/synod/ for more information on What's Next in Year 2 of the Synod. Contact Cynthia at cmanns@stjoan.com with any questions. Save the Dates: Sacred Presence Circle, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 7 - 8:30pm WSJA (Women of St Joan of Arc), Selfish Care, Self Care &

Soul Care: Tending to All of Who We Are, Saturday, Nov. 7, 9 - 10:30am

Help Parishioners In Need! If you are able to help members in our community with things like picking up & delivering groceries please contact Sherri Stella at 612.823.8205 ext. 231 or sstella@stjoan.com. Food Shelf/Toiletries Donations Needed: We will continue to accept non-perishable food items, laundry detergent and body soap for Sabathani Community Center and toothbrushes, tooth-paste, toiletry-sized soap, shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, and new, lightweight socks for Mobile Loaves Twin Cities. All items can be dropped off Monday through Friday, 9am - 3pm, in the bins in the Parish Center. Thank you for your willingness to help those in need! The Great TRUST Auction: Join TRUST virtually on Oct. 24, 5 - 6 pm. Bid on wonderful items, hear personal testimonies of how TRUST serves the community, and enjoy a diversity of entertain-ment – all from the comfort of your own home. Mark your calendar now and stay tuned for details on how to attend!

: (Ages 4-Kindergarten) FFI contact Magnolia

Ditzler at mditzler@stjoan.com.

: (Grades 1-6) FFI contact Marie

Bissonnette at mbissonnette@stjoan.com.

At-Home Elementary Faith Formation Program Grades 1-6: No cost to participants for 2020 - 2021. Register: https://www.saintjoanofarc.org/sja-elementary-2020-2021-registration this link is in the NEWS section of our website. Pflaum Gospel Weeklies curriculum: grade 1 – Promise; Grades 2 and 3 – Good News; and Grades 4-6 Venture. All resources will be made available online; our order will be placed according to the number registered and you will be notified when you may ac-cess the online materials. Printed materials are also part of your resources and you will be notified when you may pick them up at the Parish Center. Estimated date mid-October. First Reconciliation and First Communion: For those who are planning to prepare for First Reconciliation, we may begin to prepare early next year, 2021. An announcement will be broadcast. Hopefully we will celebrate in February/March. The 2020 First Communion children who have registered and prepared do not need to prepare again. You will be included with the 2021 group in whatever plans are developed. The hope is to begin preparation in March 2021, and to celebrate in late April, early May 2021. All plans are Covid-19 dependent! FFI contact Marie at mbissonnette@stjoan.com.

: (Grades 7-12) FFI contact Rose

Aspholm at raspholm@stjoan.com or Brennan Hall at bhall@stjoan.com.