Missionaries of the Holy Spirit in the Family

Dear Parishioners,

First, thank you to everyone who helped make our parish dinner so successful last weekend!  It was a joy to encounter so many individuals returning to St. Joseph for a great meal and conversation!  Thank you for the donations, food, and other items given to the dinner.  A special thank you to our head couples Karl and Laura Weist, Joe and Sophie Meduna, and Bob and Amy Rezac for their leadership in making this meal what it is!

Last weekend I had the joy of introducing our parish to the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit in the Family (MHSF), an apostolate dedicated to helping married couples live their vocation with greater love, holiness, and mission. I am deeply grateful for the many encouraging conversations, questions, and words of support I received after speaking about this opportunity. It is a beautiful sign of the hunger in our parish for strong Catholic families.

To remind us, MHSF brings together small groups of married couples (usually 6 to 15) for two years of formation in the four pillars of human, intellectual, spiritual, and apostolic life. Couples meet once a month for a meal, a teaching session, Adoration, and Confession. Each meeting is three hours on the first Wednesday of the month from 6:00–9:00 p.m. Through prayer, formation, and authentic community, couples are equipped to grow in holiness aiding them to be a light for their children, our parish, and our wider community.

We are blessed to have the Holy Family as our model: St. Joseph, St. Mary, and Jesus. Though their family life was unique, the Holy Family shows us that holiness is lived in the ordinary realities of family life—through prayer, sacrifice, work, obedience, love, and a willingness to place God at the center of the home. St. Joseph and St. Mary teach us that a holy family is not one without difficulties, but one that continually seeks to receive God’s grace and faithfully respond to His will. May they intercede for our families and help our homes become places where Christ is known, loved, and served.

In this second week, I want to personally encourage you to take time as a couple to pray and discern whether the Lord may be inviting you to this mission. Perhaps you are desiring to grow closer to Christ together, to strengthen your marriage, or to build friendships with other Catholic families who share the same desire. MHSF offers a meaningful path to do just that.

If you feel drawn to learn more or would like to express your interest, please speak with me or with Brandon and Nicole Henkel. You can also use the QR code on the flyer to complete the interest form. There is no immediate commitment by filling out the form—it simply helps us know who is discerning and interested.

Please join me in praying for all the married couples in our parish, that the Holy Spirit would guide them, give them wisdom, and bless their discernment. May our parish continue to foster Sacrament-nurtured disciples of Christ who live a bold and extraordinary faith, first in the family, then flowing out into our community.

In the Sacred Heart of Jesus,

Fr. Luke Fleck