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

33^rd Week of Ordinary Time               November 16^th, 2025

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

Mail 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 frtomhuff@gmail.com

Bookkeepers:

Angie Martin - 608-734-3931 stpatricks.seneca.bookkeeper@gmail.com

Kevin Murray – 608-391-0434 secretary@cnn.diolcparish.org  

Bulletin/Mass Intentions/Membership:

Yvonne Hady -- 608 485-2109 hadyy@mwt.net

Kevin Murray – 608-391-0434 secretary@cnn.diolcparish.org

Bulletin Information Deadline: Tuesdays at 4:00 PM. Bulletin is posted on our website.

UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS

Tuesday, November 18^th Adult Faith Study at St. Mary’s, 1:30 PM

(New Time and Day)

Saturday, November 22^nd Hunter's Mass 7pm at St. Philip’s

Usual Mass at St. Patrick’s

Thanksgiving Day Masses

Thursday, November 27^th 8:30 am at St. Patrick’s

Thursday, November 27^th 8:30 am at St. Phillip’s

All Souls Day Mass Intentions: Please turn in your All Souls Intentions by the end of November. There are special envelopes in your offering boxes, or you can place them in a regular envelope marked “All Souls.” Any money donated will be combined to determine the number of All Souls Masses for the next year; you do not have to donate any specific amount. Checks should be made out to “Stipend Account.” Please include the names of any deceased that you would like to have remembered.

From the Priest’s Corner: The End Times and being Saved

I read a story about two evangelicals going from house to house asking the person who opened the door, “if they were saved.”

They came to one house which had a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the front lawn. They knocked and a woman opened the door. The evangelicals asked her if she was saved!

She quickly responded, “Of course not, I’m a Catholic!” The two evangelicals smiled thinking they might have a new convert!

However, the woman then said: “Well, I’m imitating the Apostle Saint Paul, who wrote to his fellow Christians that he was working out his salvation day by day.” She continued: “And so by working out my salvation day by day, I, too am being saved, and hope to be saved.”

The two evangelicals decided to change the subject by asking the woman if she had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

She responded: How much more personal can you get than eating someone’s flesh and drinking their blood? This is what I do every time I receive Holy Communion.

When I receive Jesus in Holy Communion I tell Him: “Just as you are giving me Your Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in this wonderful Sacrament, so I too, offer the joys and sorrows of my life to You, Jesus, and, if need be, to even die for You and Your teachings.”

The two evangelicals stated they had other people to visit, but before they left, the woman told them that she would pray for them.

A number of Christian denominations sing that dear old hymn “He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own...” The Catholic version of that hymn is “He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I had better be in church for the weekend Mass and make sure I’m there before the opening hymn starts....”

Our relationship with Jesus is both personal and communal. Like Saint Paul let us not fear the End Times, but instead continue to work out our salvation by loving the Lord and His Bride, the Church.

Income from Last Week

St. Patrick’s Announcements:

St Patrick’s Religious education program is gathering food donations through Sunday, Nov 16. Donations can be brought to the parish hall and will be delivered to the Gays Mills Food Pantry on Nov 16. Thanks for your support.

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.

St. Mary Announcements:

Rosary – 30 minutes before Mass -- St. Mary’s Church is open each day from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM (winter hours). You are welcome to stop in to pray and/or light a candle for your special intention.

First Sunday Potluck brunch after Mass each first Sunday of the month. All are welcome, dish to share is appreciated, but not required. Next potluck, Sunday, Dec. 7^th.

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

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.

Other Announcements:

Knights of Columbus poster contest. All kindergarten through 8th grade students are encouraged to participate in our local poster contest. Posters can be any size but approximately 11” x 17” is suggested. The theme is “Keep Christ in Christmas” so subject matter should relate to Christ coming into the world. Entry forms are available in the back of church. Judging will be based on: 30 points for how well art relates to theme, 30 points for how well art conveys message, 40 points for overall visual impact and quality. Entries must be turned in by December 7, 2025. For more information or an entry form contact Bill Schultz at: 608 306 0622

ST. MARY'S Coon Valley, ANNUAL CRAFT SHOW Saturday, December 6, 2025. Join us for St. Mary's Annual Craft Show and discover unique, one-of-a-kind gifts for the holiday season! Shop from a variety of talented local vendors and crafters. 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM Coon Valley Village Hall, 108 Roosevelt St. Enjoy delicious concessions available throughout the day. Admission is free, so bring your family and friends for a fun day of shopping and community spirit! For more information, visit www.stmarycv.org/craft-show or contact Nancy Peters at 608-790-6034 or Peters@mwt.net.

Catholic Perspective on Hunting

Question:

I know that we are not to treat animals cruelly and that we are allowed to kill an animal in self-defense, but is it okay to hunt animals for sport?

Answer:

God gave man stewardship over animals, and that includes using them for just purposes. Examples of just purposes that the Catechism of the Catholic Church points out are food, clothing, medical and scientific experimentation, and the work and leisure of man (CCC 2417–8). But man must not deliberately cause animals to suffer and die needlessly, because to do so would be contrary to man’s own dignity. Animals, properly speaking, do not have “rights” because they are not human. But man does have the human responsibility to treat them with reasonable care.

Does this exclude sport hunting? If a hunter were merely shooting an animal for the purpose of watching it suffer and die, yes. But the vast majority of hunters don’t do that. Some use the meat and skins of the animals. Others are helping to preserve the balance of nature by using carefully regulated licensing procedures to thin out animal overpopulation. Some hunt for sport, but the sport is in the tracking, gun skills, and trophy hunting, not in causing suffering and death to animals. All responsible hunters take care not to leave a wounded animal injured by a badly aimed shot to suffer; they make sure to track it down and end its suffering. In short, the Church does not oppose sport hunting.

About Saint Hubert, Patron Saint of Hunters

Saint Hubert is also known as St. Hubertus. A married man with a passion for hunting, Hubert was not initially passionate about his faith. On the death of his wife he immersed himself in hunting. As legend holds, an encounter with a stag with a crucifix between its antlers turned Hubert’s life toward God. He is known as the patron saint of hunters, dogs, and archers. Among sport hunters he is credited as the source of ethical hunting behavior.

Prayer: St. Hubert, patron saint of hunters, please guide me and grant me a safe & successful hunting experience and hunting season. Amen.

Why is November called the Month of Remembrance?

The month of November is traditionally a time in which the Catholic community remembers those who have died. It is related to the fact that the end of November is the end of the Liturgical Year with a new year starting the First Sunday of Advent – the four-week period of preparation before Christmas. The Church then uses this end of the year period as a time to think of the end of life and the end of all things and the great hope that our earthly end will be a transition into a new life in heaven. We pray for those who have gone before us, that they may be experiencing the beatific vision in their new heavenly life and such prayers may increase our own desire to join them there one day.