We owe a big thank you to everyone who attended the Roots to Wings Gala on Saturday, April 20 at the Crow River Golf Club. It was a beautiful evening filled with good food and great company, all to raise funds for a cause that is close to our hearts – our school! We were blown away by the support shown before, during and after the event – a preliminary glance has us raising nearly $40,000!

Thank you to everyone who donated their time, talent and financial resources to help make this a successful event. We look forward to sharing the items we’re able to purchase for our classrooms thanks to the funds raised at the gala.

Join us for this RESTORED Parish Mission Friday night May 3rd through Saturday morning May 4th. International Catholic speaker and podcaster John Edwards will deliver three powerful talks for all the men and women of the parish. John is the host of the popular Just a Guy in the Pew podcast and the founder of Pew Ministries. Friday night, John will kick off the mission with his powerful conversion story and we will end the night with some time to fellowship. The mission will resume with mass and the final two powerful talks Saturday morning. You don’t want to miss this! See the full mission schedule below:

Friday, May 3 (for all)

• 6:30 PM: From Addict to Evangelist, John’s Powerful Conversion Story
• 7:45 PM: Reception Meet & Greet

Saturday, May 4 (for all)

• 8:00 AM: Mass
• 8:30 AM: Light Breakfast
• 9:00 AM: Restoring Your Identity – Who you are, Whose you are, and Why you’re here
• 10:00 AM: Break
• 10:15 AM: The Most Important Thing – A personal relationship with Jesus
• 11:15 AM: Mission Ends

Saturday, May 4 (Men only)

• 11:15 AM-1:00 PM: Men’s Lunch & Men’s Ministry Training

Construction has begun on the school kitchen! While we are still in demo mode, the space is already looking different, and we are so excited for the upgrade. This renovation will make a big difference in both school operations and parish functions. Thank you to all who have supported our Capital Campaign so far – we are grateful for your faith in our plan to improve the school and parish facilities!

We will do our best to keep you updated with pictures as the renovation continues to progress. A big thank you to our cooks, students and staff who have been patient and flexible as we transitioned our lunch room to the hospitality area of the church.

This year’s Youth Mission Trip is to Duluth, MN on June 23-28! Mission trips allow youth in our parish the opportunity to grow in their faith through serving others, connecting with peers, attending daily Mass, participating in Eucharistic Adoration and Reconciliation, and answering God’s call to be a faithful follower.

Hannah Visser has attended two mission trips and shares the impact these trips have had on her life: “My name is Hannah Visser and I have attended the St. A’s mission trips for the past two years. The first one was to Nashville, Tennessee. This week opened my eyes and I realized that my faith is my life. I also learned that I love serving others and the importance of laying down your life for the good of someone else. Throughout this week I was also able to connect with other youth and leaders on the trip. By the end of the week we became a mission trip family. My second mission trip was to  Alamosa, Colorado. I had some of the same experiences as my first mission trip plus more. I felt God’s presence like never before and that is a feeling that I will never forget because it changed my perspective on God. On this trip I started to realize what God was calling me to and what he has planned for me. This week was an opportunity for me to let God work through me and share my gifts with others. Spending a week focused on how I can grow and build my faith and surrounding myself with other people who shared that same passion, was exactly what God needed me to do. It changed my perspective and shaped my relationship with God. Thank you to everyone who has supported these past mission trips, they have been such a life changing experience for many. If you want to support this year’s trip, all donations and support are appreciated.” 

As we prepare for this year’s mission trip, we are asking St. A’s parishioners to consider helping us in two ways:

1. Pray for us! Use the “Prayer” tab of the mission trip website to let us know how you are praying for us & how we can be praying for you. We will read submissions every night and spend time in prayer–offering up these intentions with a nightly Rosary.
2. Provide a financial contribution. You can make a gift online or contribute through our Envelope Fundraiser. Simply take an envelope from the bulletin board in the church with the amount you’d like to donate and return the envelope during the collection at Mass.

Thank you for your support! If you have any questions about the mission trip, reach out to Jake Burmis at 320-484-4864 or [email protected]

There are many opportunities for growth in your faith this Lenten season. Consider joining us for Stations of the Cross, a social gathering or an educational course. Some of the opportunities include:

• Stations of the Cross followed by “Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues”: Weekly on Wednesdays after 5 pm Mass at St. Anastasia and on Fridays after 7 pm Mass at St. Boniface
• Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl: During Lent, we are invited to deepen our relationship and unite our hearts more fully with God and with one another. We can do this in an intentional way through the Catholic tradition of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
• FORMED.org: Explore curated content and resources, including daily reflections, on FORMED.org
• Bible studies and group opportunities: Find specific details in the weekly bulletin. (Bible studies, ALPHA, The Chosen, Exodus 90, That Man Is You)

In addition, a number of gatherings are planned monthly for greater fellowship. For the most up-to-date schedule, please see the recent weekly bulletin. If you have questions, please contact Fr. Paul Wolf via email or at 320-484-4867.

May we grow in our relationship with our God this Lent and throughout the year.