Catholic Churches of NCC includes: Saint Patrick Parish Seneca WI; Saint Philip Parish Rolling Ground WI; Saint Mary Parish Gays Mills WI; St James Cemetery Rising Sun WI; Kneeland Cemetery Seneca WI catholicchurchesofncc.com

Sunday, March 15^th, 2026

4^th Sunday in Lent

St. Mary, St. Patrick, St. Philip Parishes

Mailing address for all three parishes:  PO Box 35, Seneca WI 54654

Website: https://www.catholicchurchesofncc.com

Confessions: Normally, 30 minutes before every Mass

and by appointment.

Normal Monthly Eucharistic Adoration:

St. Patrick: First Friday after the 8:30 AM Mass

St. Philip: First Sunday after the 10:30 AM Mass

Mass Intentions This Week

Pastor: Fr. Tom Huff – Rectory 608-734-3252 email: frtomhuff@gmail.com

Bookkeeper, Bulletin, Mass Intentions, Membership: Kevin Murray 608-391-0434 or 608-734-3931

email: secretary@ncc.diolcparish.org

New Bulletin Information Deadline: Mondays at 6:00 PM. Bulletin is posted on our website.

UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS

Tri-Parish Adult Faith Study

Adult Faith Sessions will not be held during the Lenten Season. Sessions will resume on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at St. Mary’s at 7:00 PM. Please take advantage of these informational learning sessions and join us!

St. Philip Announcements:

St. Philip Candles: Contact Bonnie Murphy. The cost is $5 per candle.

Food Pantry items are needed. Please leave any gift at the rear of the Church.

The St. Philip’s PCCW is sponsoring a service project to support Passages in Richland Center and Door of Hope in Viroqua. Door of Hope supports new moms and babies. Things they could use include diapers, baby blankets and baby clothing. Passages is an organization that gives support to women and families who find themselves in difficult situations and need a safe place to stay and, if necessary, help to start over. Items that are needed include:

Women’s underwear (S, M or L)

Women’s and Men’s Deodorant

Baking Mixes (for baking with kids)

Blankets

Baking Utensils and kitchen Supplies

Dinnerware or Pots & Pans or Silverware

Please bring your items to St. Philip’s Church and place either in the back to church or in the basement. Please label which organization you would like to donate to. Cash donations and checks can be made out to St. Philip’s PCCW and we will issue one check or purchase items to donate. For questions and donating money, please contact Bonnie Murphy, Peggy Schmitt, Amy Murphy or Donna Bell. Thank you for your donations.

St. Mary Announcements:

Rosary – 30 minutes before Mass

First Sunday Potluck Brunch after Mass each first Sunday of the month. All are welcome, dish to share is appreciated, but not required. There will be no Potluck Brunch on Easter Sunday April 5^th. Next potluck is Sunday, May 2^nd.

Saint Mary’s is open 7:00am – 6:00pm (winter hours) daily. Please feel free to come and pray and light a candle if you would like.

Food Pantry Donations can be left in the basket in the rear of the Church.

St. Patrick Announcements:

In need of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion! Anyone willing to volunteer your time to be an Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Saturday nights or Sunday mornings please text or call Sue Boland @ 608-851-0192.

Tri-Parish Announcements:

Lenten Stations of the Cross and Soup Supper will be held on all Wednesdays of Lent at St. Mary at 6:00 pm. The soup supper will follow the service in the Church Hall. All are welcome.

DIVINE MERCY IN MY SOUL - St. Faustina writes: In the evening, I was reflecting on why, today, I had lapsed so extraordinarily, and I heard the words, “You were counting too much on yourself and too little on Me.” And I understood the cause of my lapses. (Diary, 1087)

Other Announcements:

From the Diocesan Office for Sacred Worship, the season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18. Lenten regulations are as follows:

1. Catholics who have celebrated their 14th birthday are to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, all Fridays in Lent and Good Friday.

2. In addition to abstaining from meat, Catholics who have celebrated their 18th birthday, until they celebrate their 59th birthday, are to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Those who are bound to this regulation may eat only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength according to one’s needs but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.

The Weekly Bulletin is available on our parishes website, this is the link to the bulletin page, updated every Friday: https://www.catholicchurchesofncc.com/bulletins

Tri-Parish Prayer List – We want to pray for the ill and others in our parishes who need ongoing prayer. To be placed on or to place someone on our prayer list, please call: Sue Peterson 608-735-4865, Bonnie Murphy 608-386-4954, or Ica Boylen 608-734-3287.

Income from Last Week

From the Priest’s Corner:  Are we walking in Darkness or in the Light of Jesus?

There are different ways of seeing. In today’s Gospel, a man born blind is given sight in a two ways. He is given ordinary sight by Jesus by way of a miracle. More importantly for eternity, the man also receive the light of faith in Jesus. And with this new faith he believes in Jesus, and worships Him.

As the season of Lent unfolds, we see the dark clouds gathering around Jesus. The increasing darkness is symbol of the very dark and evil deeds about to unfold. Jesus says that the night will soon be here, yet while He is in the world, He is the light of the world. Later in the same Gospel, Jesus also says that He has come into the world as its light, to keep all who believe in Him from darkness. The effects of the sight and light given by Jesus is mentioned by Saint Paul in the second reading: Brothers and sisters, You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.

This Sunday is also called Laetare Sunday, a day of special joy. The penitential purple vestments of the priest at Mass may be exchanged for brighter rose-colored ones. This is meant to encourage the faithful a bright glimmer of hope amid the ever increasing gloom. We can rejoice because our joy is based on the light of Jesus and the sight He gives to His followers.

We cannot deny that there is a darkness even after Christ’s resurrection. It is a residual and lingering darkness which can dim the light for us, though we pray not extinguish it. This will continue until the total radiance of Jesus is finally revealed. We live in a time when dark clouds can obscure the sun. The sun is there unfailingly every day, but at times we may go forward with less than clarity and sometimes even stumbling. Yet, our hope is base on the divine light of Jesus which is always available to those with eyes to see. The cured man was not given sight just to see the natural world, but also to see and share in the supernatural world, by being transformed by the light of Jesus.

Fulton J. Sheen Prayer Request

Eternal Father, You alone grant us every blessing in Heaven and on earth, through the redemptive mission of Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ, and by the working of the Holy Spirit.

If it be according to Your Will, glorify Your servant, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, by granting the favor I now request through his prayerful intercession:

The miraculous healing of Conner Murray

I make this prayer confidently through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Imprimatur: +Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C., Bishop of Peoria