"Everyone wants eternal youth. God created us with this desire because he wants to fulfill it. How? Through the Sacrament of Confession." Everyone is encouraged to take home a The Fountain of Youth book, and one for family and friends. We received the books as a gift from an anonymous person. There was no cost to our pastorate. The book was written by Dave Durand (a cofounder of Lighthouse Catholic Media) and endorsed by Bishop Hying and Fr. Mike Schmitz.

Everyone is invited to attend St. Mary’s School Christmas Program on Wednesday, December 17 at 7:00 p.m. the rehearsal will be on Monday, Dec. 15 at 12:30 p.m.

The Home and School Association is sponsoring a Calendar Raffle for the month of January. Please contact the school office at 608-994-2435 if you are interested in purchasing a chance to win. All money must be turned in by December 22. Every year, St. Mary's has a "Christmas Club" where people can donate money for gifts for the St. Mary Parish staff. If interested, you may leave a donation at the parish office or at school.

If you work or volunteer in any of our parish churches and serve in ministries involving children, please ensure your Diocesan Safe Environment Training is current.

It's time again to think of decorating our churches for Christmas, and we are asking the members of St. Mary’s and St. John’s churches to help by purchasing poinsettias in memory of their loved ones. The prices for the flowers are $18 for a small poinsettia, $30 for a medium poinsettia, & $42 for a large poinsettia. Parishioners also have the option of making a donation to help offset the cost of decorating the churches.

St. John's Parish is seeking a Sacristan and a musician (organist) to play for the Sunday, 8:00 a.m. Mass.

The men’s group will be meeting at St. Clement Dining Hall at 7 :00 p.m. on Sunday nights during Advent and then in January after Christmas and New Year.

A number of the churches in our pastorate are in need of people to assist in distributing Holy Communion at Mass. If you would be willing to help, please contact Deacon Roger Scholbrock at [email protected] or 723-6946, with your name, contact info, and parish so that we can plan training events. Training will also cover bringing Holy Communion to the sick & homebound.

"We invite ladies to host a table and bring your friends along for a beautiful night of fellowship and inspiration. Each table seats up to 8 guests. A hostess would provide elegant decor, table settings, a selection of appetizers, desserts and drinks for your guests to enjoy. The evening will be filled with meaningful conversation, festive cheer, and an inspiring speaker to help prepare our hearts for the Christmas Season. Come be part of a night to remember!" Please contact Leigh Boorn if you would like to attend, but are unable to host a table. [email protected].

Have you ever felt like what you are doing or where you are at just isn’t really your destination in life? Could it be that you are not just called to a new job or a different apartment, but to a whole new life? Might religious life be the life for you? I am Sister Kathleen Murphy and that whole new life came to me when I became a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity! It wasn’t a long journey from my farm home in the Diocese of Madison to our beautiful motherhouse in Manitowoc, and yet it was a chance to experience a God-given adventure. If you are up to enter on such a journey, visit my Community at https://fscc-calledtobe.org or even think about an in person stay with us here in Manitowoc, WI. As the Gospel urges, “Come and see!”

TEC Retreat What is TEC? TEC (Together Encountering Christ) is an experience in Catholic Christian living, especially designed for adults and young people ages 15 and up

Hello! My name is Deacon Roger Scholbrock, and I’m a Permanent Deacon serving in the Diocese of Madison, currently assigned to the St. Joseph the Worker Pastorate. My wife, Wendy, and I have lived in the Potosi/Tennyson area for over 30 years, where we raised two daughters (now both married) and are blessed with one amazing grandson. After retiring from my previous career, I recently stepped into a new chapter as Pastoral Minister at St. Clement’s, following Bill Manthe’s retirement. It’s a big transition for me, and I sincerely appreciate your patience and support as I settle into this new role. For the past 40 years, I worked as a graphic designer, illustrator, museum and exhibit designer, and senior art director. Shifting into full-time ministry is certainly a major change—but one I’ve prayerfully hoped for over the years. I’ve often asked God to show me how I might use the gifts He’s given me in service to His people, and in His time, He answered. That’s what led me to retire from design and accept this new calling. I already have the pleasure of working alongside Leigh Boorn, our Director of Evangelization, across our pastorate communities. Together, we’re focused on offering prayer and outreach that helps individuals grow in their personal relationship with Christ Jesus. I’m truly excited to see how this ministry unfolds and how I can walk with you in your faith journey. I believe God is doing something beautiful in our parish, and together, we’re just beginning what promises to be a vibrant and faith-filled future. Pax, Deacon Roger

All pastorate member are invited to take a journey through the Acts of the Apostles. You don't have to be an expert in scripture to attend. Bibles will be provided. Adoration will be held on Tuesdays after Mass.

Musicians and singers are needed for a praise and worship team for Saint Joseph the Worker Pastorate. A workshop will be held on August 23. Time to be determined. If you are interested or want more info, please contact Leigh at: [email protected].

We are excited to participate in Clarity’s Baby Bottle for Life Campaign! Thank you to Belinda Lyght, Advancement Director Clarity Clinic of SW Wisconsin, for sharing information about Clarity Clinic and how we can help to change and save lives. Filling a bottle with change will truly change lives. Filling a baby bottle helps fund Clarity Clinic so that they can continue saving the lives of the unborn and supporting the pregnancy and parenting needs of women and men. There are extra baby bottles at each church if you were not Mass when Belinda gave her presentation. Please return your baby bottle to a parish office by August 31.

I have announced my retirement as pastoral minister, effective August 31. God placed this on my heart 7-8 months ago, and His promptings have continued to this day. I spoke numerous times with my spiritual director about this, wanting to discern that this was truly coming from God. One of the concerns I had about retiring was the void if I left. But God took care of that as well. Fr. Steve and Dcn. Roger had been in discussions about the possibility of him coming on staff. It was God’s providence that brought this about for myself and Dcn. Roger. How good God is! Know that I am not moving and will still be involved at the parish. You’ll see me at Mass, lectoring and volunteering at the parish. I plan to continue coordinating our Family Promise Host week along with Peg Jonas, assisting at the Food Pantry and being the pastorate Mental Health Advocate. Please pray for me in the coming weeks, as change and adjustment can be challenging. May God watch over us all, and bless us in abundance. ~Bill Manthe

St. Clement Parish will be hosting a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training workshop on Wednesday, August 13. Did you know that 1 in 5 adults in the US lives with some form of mental illness; and that 130 persons die by suicide every day? MHFA training teaches you how to recognize, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse challenges among adults. In our rural area, we face so many mental health challenges and barriers. The more people who receive MHFA training, the more that we can reach out to others, and whose lives can be supported, changed and even saved. Be the Difference! Sign up for the Mental Health First Aid Training on August 13 from 9 AM to 5 PM. To register, email [email protected], or call 608-821-3050. Two hours of online pre-course work must be completed before the training. ​Register ASAP

St. Mary’s Holy Name Fair Stand The Blake’s Prairie Fair on July 18-20 will soon be here. LOTS of workers are needed to make sure that the fair stand is successful. Men from other parishes can also volunteer to help! All workers will need to have a fair button. The fair stand provides delicious food from morning to evening all three days of the fair and has also been an important part of the fair experience in Bloomington. The income from the fair stand is used toward the parish insurance which was over $20,000 this year. The stand will also need LOTS of double-crusted apple and cherry pies from our wonderful bakers! Please contact Mike Patterson or St. Mary’s Parish office if you would like to help at the stand or to make a donation. All men are asked to contribute $20.00 to help defray expenses. Everyone is invited to attend the fair, enjoy the delicious food and to help make this event successful.

Everyone from our pastorate is invited to join us for a fabulous SUNSET CRUISE on Friday, August 1. The cruise will be from 8-10 p.m. and will depart from the Cassville Ferry Landing with loading to begin at 7:45 p.m. The cost is $12/person. Pay and Sign Up for the Cruise at the St. Clement Parish office. Please make checks out to Knights of Columbus and sign up ASAP! Bring your own chairs, drinks and snacks. Please Note: No Glass of any kind is allowed on the Ferry! We’ll be having live music too, for an enjoyable evening on the Mighty Mississippi! Invite your friends (and sign them up) and meet new friends from our pastorate! While everyone is invited, space is limited, so sign up soon. For more information, contact Bill & Judy Seyer at 608-988-6543.

SS. Andrew-Thomas School is seeking to hire a Music Teacher for the 2025/26 school year, please contact Beth at 608-763-2120 or [email protected].