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Lenten and Easter Collections 2026

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:52:56 GMT

The Human Concerns Committee's Lenten and Easter collections were a great success, thanks to the generosity of our faith community.

Through the Lenten collections we helped 5 organizations: The HOPE Center , Community Smiles Dental , Kathy's House , The Women’s Center and Street Angels . In addition to the items sent directly to the organizations through their Amazon wish lists, we donated 30-45 packed boxes/bags each week. The organizations themselves also thank you, with comments including the following:

“Thank you for coordinating this effort! We are so thankful for everything. It will definitely be put to good use in the house,” (Kathy’s House).

“We want to say how grateful (and still surprised) we are! So many children and families will benefit from this. It truly is an amazing thing your congregation does to help the community,” (Community Smiles Dental).

Through the Easter Food Collection, we were able to provide a wonderful Easter meal and other necessities to 19 families. We are over-joyed to share that an anonymous parishioner also assembled and donated Easter baskets for all of the children in each family that benefitted from Easter Food Collection.

Our elementary Christian Formation students who participated in an enrichment program on "The Plight Of the Working Poor" donated food items for and assembled shelf-stable meal kits to add to the Easter food being donated. The meal kits included a handmade card and recipe instructions for the meals. The assembled recipes were taco soup, chicken parmesan and an Italian spaghetti dinner.

Thank you, parishioners, for your incredible generosity! Thank you to the Human Concerns Committee for coordinating these efforts to help us live our mission and carry out the Lenten pillar of almsgiving.

Luck Of the Auction Results

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:41:23 GMT

On behalf of the Auction Committee, thank you so much for your generosity and support for this year’s auction fundraiser, Luck of the Auction. Due to your support, we have raised more than we ever have before! We have raised over $58,000 for Home & School and the Church to use for our school students to improve their educational experience as well as purchase much-needed playground equipment! This amount is a 25% increase over our proceeds from last year’s auction! We also had our highest auction attendance in recent years with 196 attendees!

This fundraiser could not be successful without the support of our school staff, church staff, parishioners, and community supporters! Thank you for your donations, support, and hard work! Make sure you are on the lookout for “The Good, the Bad, and the Lucky,” our Wild West/Country themed auction for 2027!

Mission Trip Witness Story

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:15:01 GMT

A youth participant shares their story.

Hello, my name is Noah V. I am a freshman this year at Muskego High School. I was asked to speak again with all of you about the mission trip to the Catholic Heart Work Camp that took place in Britt Iowa this past July.

When I signed up for the mission trip last spring I knew that I was not going to know anyone. I was an 8th grader at the time and went here at St Leonards. Most of the kids already signed up for the trip were high schoolers, and that made me nervous about going. However, I didn’t want to miss out on what might have been a great experience so I signed up anyway.

Once I got to the camp, right away, I was invited to play cards with the other boys. I was able to become great friends with 5 boys from my youth group.

Not only did I make new friends, but I also had such a great time at the work camp.

The work camp was hosted by a local high school but run by the Catholic Heart Work Camp group which consisted of mostly college students. We slept in classrooms and ate in the cafeteria. Each day we would wake up and go to Mass, after Mass we would go to breakfast and then get assigned to a work area somewhere in the millions of corn fields of Iowa. My group consisted of 8 people. I got to know them very well throughout the week. Each day we prayed together, had fun and worked very hard.

Our first few days we were assigned to help a 93 year old woman with restaining a deck that her husband had built before he passed a few years prior. After we completed her deck we also helped her weed her garden and dugout stairs that had been covered with dirt over the past decade. We worked very hard and she was very grateful for all that was accomplished.

On a rainy day, my group was sent to the local YMCA to repaint the gym walls, the front lobby, the bathrooms and hallways. The painting was a nice change from working outside and we were happy to make the most of a rainy day.

In the evenings when we returned from our work sites, we would have dinner, and we got some free time to just hang out, take a nap, or play poker with fruit snacks as chips. Each night we had an evening program, a discussion, or games. One of the nights we had the opportunity to go to adoration and confession.

Throughout this experience I was able to bond deeply with God. I feel that this experience has personally changed me by making me more aware of the world and how people need help everywhere. We can all make a difference, whether it’s a whole group, or just one person.

If you were to ask me if I would go again, I would definitely say YES!

I hope that some of you would please consider supporting us in prayer and financially for our trip to Knoxville, Tennessee this June. It was a life changing experience for me and I know it can be for a lot of other people.

Thank you.

___

After Mass this weekend, March 21 and 22, stop by the promotional table to purchase a "Saintly Services" stock certificate to make you part of the trip. Proceeds benefit the ability for our youth to travel and participate in the mission trip.

Sentiments for Seminarians 2025

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 20:16:17 GMT

Knights of Columbus Council #6448 and St. Leonard's Christian Formation program are pleased to announce that they donated $4,525 in gift cards and 95 gift bags to St. Francis de Sales Seminary through their collection in November 2025. This beats the previous record value of $3,344 in 2024. We express our heart-filled gratitude to our entire faith community, as this collection was made possible by the generosity of St. Leonard parishioners and all other individuals who donated.

The annual Sentiments for Seminarians Collection seeks to help local seminarians supplement some of their basic needs with gift cards. Knights of Columbus Council #6448 explains, "Since seminarians don’t get paid, have no jobs or vacations, it’s often hard for them to obtain many simple, needed items and travel when and where they need to," ( read more on the Knights of Columbus webpage ).

Our Christian Formation students in grades 1-6 contributed to this initiative by assembling and donating the gift bags. First-year students decorated the bags, adding bright colors and cheerful holiday designs. Second-year students created thoughtful postcards with uplifting messages and prayers. Grades three, four and five crafted ornaments and Christmas magnets to bring warmth and joy to the recipients’ rooms and offices. Grade six designed inspirational bookmarks to accompany spiritual reading during the Advent and Christmas seasons. Additional snacks, treats, and the gift cards collected through the Sentiments for Seminarians collection were added to each bag. "It was a joyful Advent outreach project," said Lisa Jachimiec, Director of Child Formation and Safeguarding Coordinator.

On December 4 parishioners Dave and Barb Pronchinske delivered the gift cards and gift bags. They were greeted by Dcn. Nathan Budde (whom St. Leonard was an official teaching parish for) and Debbie, an employee of the seminary. "There was a great big smile from all," said Dave, "and lots of 'thank you’s.' They appreciate [St. Leonard] so much. It was a truly special and blessed day."

Please continue to pray for our seminarians and all discerning their vocation.

Celebrating the Month of the Rosary

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 16:50:25 GMT

October is the month dedicated to the rosary in the Catholic Church. It is a meditative prayer that helps us engage with the mysteries of Christ ( The Catechism of the Catholic Church #2708). The Church’s devotion to Mary does not replace or compete with adoration of God, rather, leads us to Christ through her inspiration and intercession ( CCC #971).

Our school gathered for an outdoor rosary led by the sixth grade class, Fr. Pat, and parishioner Mary Dibb. Did you know that our older students pair up with younger class “buddies” for Mass and other prayers? What a great way to integrate faith, cooperation and leadership!

Our St. Leonard Council of Catholic Women also lead us in a special “living rosary” each October. Did you know that they also lead us in the rosary before the 9 a.m. Mass every first Sunday of the month? The next one will be Sunday, Nov. 2- please arrive by 8:25 a.m.

If you’ve never prayed the rosary before, or it’s been a while, you are encouraged to try it to see how it could enhance your prayer life. If you need a guide, consider this resource from the Unites States Conference of Catholic Bishops that includes written steps and an audio guide.

Parish Picnic 2025 Photo Gallery

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:37:55 GMT

We had a great time at our annual parish picnic! Thank you to the Pastoral Council for hosting the event. Thank you also to parishioner Wes Niemcek and another anonymous parishioner for the photos. We can't wait to celebrate our faith community again next year!

Click the arrows to the left and right of the picture below to see our photo gallery.

Church remains dry thanks to 2018 repairs and improvements

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 18:04:50 GMT

We are pleased to report that our church building was not impacted by the flooding the weekend of August 9 and 10, 2025. We continue to pray for all those who were affected by the storms.

In 2018 our church building flooded on Mother's Day. The Building & Grounds committee worked with an engineer to design and install mechanisms to prevent future flooding, including a gutter system to divert roof water to a retention pond on the Northeast corner of our property, a waterproof membrane along the West foundation wall and two new exterior sump pump crocks. We also excavated along the West wall to place gravel for a drainage trench.

These improvements along with other repairs were made possible by many generous parishioners, including Pat Bartz, the Building & Grounds Committee– with special thanks to Bobby Schaefer, Len Roecker, Ray Jachimiec, Werner Holentunder, Bernie Cleppe, Phil Dibb and Charlie DuPont– and parishioners who contributed to the “Avoid The Ark” special collection.

Summer Projects Construction Updates: July 24

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 21:05:09 GMT

We are pleased to report on the progress on our Summer construction projects.

The new elementary library is complete:

The new K4 room getting ready for new carpeting:

The gym floor has been installed and is being painted:

The bathroom tiles are being installed:

The front office is painted and the entryway is being prepped for the new secure doors:

See our previous progress report.

Mission Appeal 2025

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:50:40 GMT

Fr. Augustine Shwe is the Mission Coordinator representing the Diocese of Mawlamyine, Myanmar

The Catholic Church in Myanmar (also known as Burma) is part of the worldwide Catholic Church under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. In 2020, there were approximately 700,000 Catholics in Burma- approximately 1.29% of the total population. The country is divided into sixteen dioceses including three archdioceses. Each of the archdioceses is also a metropolitan. There are over 1,000 priests and 2,000 nuns serving across 460 parishes.

The Mawlamyin Diocese, established in 1993, covers the entire Taninthayi Region and southern Mon State, Myanmar with Bishop Raymond Saw Po Ray becoming its first residential bishop. Geographically, the diocese covers an area of 40,964 square kilometers and is home to a diverse population, including Burmese, Karen, Mon, Mawkin, Indians, Chinese, Siamese and Malays, practicing various religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and traditional beliefs.

Between 1996 and 1998, military operations targeting insurgent groups affected much of the region, displacing many residents. This operation disrupted two-thirds of the villages, and resettlement efforts were slow, with some displaced people unable to return until 2011. After the diocese’s formation, several parishes were established and in 2008, the first diocesan synod was held during which the vision, mission, and planning for the future of the diocese were outlined. The synod focused on three main sectors: God, Social and Personal, emphasizing the importance of the three elements (3W)- the Word, Worship and Witness.

The goal of our specific mission is re-strengthening the lives of our young people by providing integral education to promising students in the diocese. Since the military coup, Myanmar has been walking through darkness. So many lives have been broken, people have lost their homes, their work, their schools, their peace. Many now live as internally displaced persons (IDPs), without the security of a home or the comfort of stability. In this time of great pain, the Church is standing with the people not only praying for them but walking with them. One of the most urgent cries we hear is “Our children want to learn. But they have no way.” Many of our brightest and most gifted students can no longer study as their schools are closed and their families scattered. Their future, once full of promise, is now uncertain.

It is heartbreaking to watch this happen. But we refuse to give up. That is why we are launching this important program. We want to bring education back into their hands and hope back into their hearts. We believe with all our hearts that youth are the hope of tomorrow. And we believe even more deeply that intelligent youth are the key to change. With the right education and formation, these young people can become leaders full of wisdom, courage and compassion, bringing peace where there is conflict, healing where there is pain, and faith where there is fear. They are the future of the Church, and they are the seeds of a new Myanmar. It is both a response to the urgent crisis and a strategic long-term plan to build a generation of strong, faithful and compassionate leaders.

The goal of our program is to bring hope to displaced and conflict-affected youth by providing integral education and leadership formation, so they can rebuild their lives, serve their communities, and become the future leaders of the Church and nation.

Our objectives

To support the formal education of bright students affected by poverty, war, and displacement.
To offer leadership and peacebuilding training to help them grow into responsible, wise, and confident leaders.
To provide personal and spiritual formation, strengthening their values, faith, and compassion.
To mentor and guide students with the help of Church leaders, teachers, and community members.
To empower these youth as agents of change for peace, justice, and development in their own communities.

Our main components of the program

Educational Support: Tuition, school supplies, food, and basic needs for bright and struggling students.
Leadership and Peacebuilding Formation: Training in leadership, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and community organizing.
Spiritual and Moral Growth: Retreats, formation days, and value-building sessions to nurture their faith and integrity.
Mentoring and Community Engagement: Personal guidance from Church mentors and chances to serve their communities.

Our expected impacts

Displaced and poor students will have the chance to continue their education.
A new generation of leaders with strong values will rise.
These youth will become beacons of peace and development in broken communities.
The Church will have faithful and capable leaders to serve with love and wisdom.
Hope will return to the hearts of families and communities that now live in fear and loss.

The current situation limits Diocesan pastoral works as the country remains in a state of political turmoil following a military coup in February, 2021, which ousted the democratically elected government. In the academic year 2024-2025, the diocese launched the “Good Shepherd” pre-Minor Seminary at the Diocesan Center, aiming to foster the development of local priests for the future of the church. The military regime continues to face widespread resistance from pro-democracy forces known as ethnic armed organizations (EAOs). Violent clashes persist across the country, with the military accused of severe human rights abuses, including mass killings and airstrikes on civilians. The economy is in crisis, and the humanitarian situation has worsened, with millions being displaced. Prospects for a peaceful transition to democracy remain bleak as the conflict escalates. We have great hope in these young people but know they cannot do this alone. This program is not only a response to today’s pain, but a vision for a better tomorrow.

To support Fr. Augustine and his mission, envelopes are available in the kiosk in the Gathering Space or through their Giving Fuel website.

Summer Projects Construction Updates: July 3

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 21:30:13 GMT

We are pleased to share another update on the construction projects taking place on campus this Summer.

Room Switch: K4 & Library

To better support our students, we are swapping the K4 classroom and the library. This change gives our youngest learners a larger, more age-appropriate space, while transforming the former K4 room into a brand-new elementary library and small group learning area. Our middle school book collection has been moved into the ELA classroom, giving students in grades 5–8 daily access to a wider variety of books right in the heart of their learning space. We are incredibly grateful to our parish and to the many parish volunteers, who have dedicated hours of their time helping with these upgrades. St. Leonard Parish is investing over $17,000 to make these improvements possible. Their support includes new ceilings, energy-efficient LED lighting and brand-new carpeting.

The front office space renovations continue. There is no longer a hallway door to the copy room.

The drywall in the boys' bathroom has been installed. More progress is being made on the girls' bathroom.

The new gym flooring is beginning to arrive.

See the next progress report.

Introducing Our New Pastor!

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:22:08 GMT

I was born in Milwaukee and raised in New Berlin. My two brothers and one sister live in the area and have six children among them. Those so inclined come to my house on Sunday nights to play ping pong in the garage. Thanks to a propane heater we play all Winter.

I graduated from Thomas More High School and spent the next ten years in college and graduate school in Cincinnati, Madison, and Chicago. I entered the seminary in 1994. During my studies I served a parish internship at St. Paul Parish in Genesee Depot and did Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at St. Luke Hospital in Milwaukee. I was the only priest ordained for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1999.

When I served at St. Leonard 18 years ago I lived at Holy Assumption Parish in West Allis. Since 2015 I have lived in the house I grew up in. I got used to the 44-mile round trip between my house and St. Matthew Parish in Oak Creek, but I don’t mind that my new commute to St. Leonard is only 10 miles.

I served as pastor of St. Matthew from 2008-2025 and as pastor of St. Mary by the Lake Parish, Racine from 2016-2024. Being responsible for two parishes kept me fairly busy. For five years I had a Saturday night and Sunday morning Mass at each parish every week. I usually got to the second parish with about 15 minutes to spare.

I learned that I was coming to St. Leonard when I got a phone call in O’Hare Airport on my way home from Ireland. In the three months since then I have done a lot of packing and said hundreds of goodbyes. I’m getting too old for both.

My main hobbies are reading and listening to Irish music. I play my guitars when I get the chance and speak as little as I can get away with.

Those are the basics. Let me know if there is more you want to know!

Building For the Future, Enrolling Now!

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:34:45 GMT

We are excited to update our faith community on projects that will take place at our school this Summer. Construction will take place from June 2, 2025-August 29, 2025. We are grateful to have the sources of funding to make these important projects possible. Thank you to our parishioners who have contributed to our offertory and Love One Another campaign. We are also grateful to have received a Non-Profit Security Grant.

As announced in the bulletin on February 16, 2025, St. Leonard was awarded a FEMA Non-Profit Security Grant in the amount of $150,000 for security enhancements at our school. After consultation and planning with Symphony Consultants, Catholic Mutual Group and Local Safety Professionals from within the Muskego Police Department, the following projects will be completed this Summer to upgrade the safety features of our school:

Building of a secure, locking vestibule for guest screening
Installation of additional surveillance cameras around the school building
Utilizing security consulting services to update our Emergency Operating Procedures and related policies
Installation of protective window coating/lamination

Through parishioner donation and volunteer efforts, we installed a fence along the South property lot line to improve security.

We will be completing a full renovation of the school bathrooms courtesy of Love One Another campaign funding and parishioner support. As stated in our Love One Another campaign case, the bathroom fixtures (except for the stall dividers and sinks) are over 60 years old and need complete replacement in order to be 100% ADA compliant. The bathrooms still use the original 1957 plumbing and cause many recurring problems.

Also, after a major water leak and temporary repair, we are ready to do a full replacement of the maple wood gym floor .

While these projects are underway, we are still here to serve your school needs, including enrollment and virtual tours! You can contact our Principal, Laura Bisher at 262-679-0451 ext. 29, and our school’s Administrative Assistant, Brianne Van Acker at 262-679-0451 ext. 28. Click here to contact us online . They will be working in the Parish Office throughout the Summer until construction is complete and are happy to help you with any questions you may have.

July 7, 2025: See progress updates here

St. Leonard Catholic Church Celebrates First Communions Spring 2025

lisa.jachimiec@stleonards.org (Lisa Jachimiec) — Wed, 14 May 2025 16:45:59 GMT

Three weekends in May, St. Leonard Catholic Church joyfully celebrates First Holy Communion with 44 young parishioners receiving the Blessed Sacrament for the first time. This marks a significant milestone in the lives of these children and their families, as they take an important step forward in their faith journeys. Months of preparation through school and religious education classes, retreats and family activities have helped the children understand the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and the sacredness of this sacrament.

The First Communion Masses are filled with reverence, beauty and joy. Family members, friends, catechists and parishioners gather to witness this holy moment. Communicants all have a role in the Masses and Father John Cella helps the children understand receiving the Eucharist is not just a one-time event but a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. His words serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of nurturing faith at home and in the broader parish community.

Behind the scenes, much effort and dedication has gone into preparing for this special day. School teachers, catechists and volunteers worked diligently with the children, helping them grow in understanding and love for the Eucharist. Parents have played a vital role as the primary teachers of the faith, supporting their children through prayer, discussion and example. The entire parish community has contributed through prayer and support, making this event a true celebration of faith and unity.

Our St. Leonard community rejoices with these young disciples and their families. These celebrations serve as a reminder of the central role of the Eucharist in Catholic life and the importance of ongoing faith formation. As these 44 children continue their spiritual journeys, the parish remains committed to nurturing their love for Christ and encouraging full participation in the sacramental life of the Church.

Congratulations to all of our First Communicants this year!

A Letter From St. Leonard Parish To Fr. Dan

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 14:01:26 GMT

Dear Fr. Dan,

On behalf of the entire St. Leonard parish community, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your 13 years of faithful, joyful, and inspiring leadership as our pastor.

Your strong and steady presence, combined with your warm personality and deep faith, has truly transformed our parish. Under your guidance, St. Leonard has become not only a more vibrant and welcoming faith community, but one that is stronger in every way- physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

Physically, just look around- St. Leonard looks like a church now! The remodeled worship area, beautiful new gathering space, completely new chapel, and peaceful meditation garden have brought new life to our parish grounds. Add to that the numerous updates throughout the school, the new columbarium, and the additional major projects that are already in progress- and fully paid for- and it’s clear we are thriving. These changes reflect the health and vitality of our community under your leadership. Financially, we are strong and on our way to tithing as a parish, truly living out our mission to give generously and faithfully.

Spiritually, we’ve grown in incredible ways. St. Leonard is drawing new families, and young parents feel welcome bringing their children into a nurturing, active faith community. More and more parishioners are engaging with Bible studies, the men’s group, community outreach, and opportunities to deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith.

Since you arrived, daily Mass attendance has risen, Eucharistic Adoration is now held twice weekly, and Holy Hours have become a regular and meaningful part of our parish life. You’ve helped us embrace the grace of the sacrament of Reconciliation with deeper understanding, and above all, you've reminded us that the Holy Spirit is alive and working in Muskego.

Fr. Dan, you have been a true conduit of that Spirit- bringing the message of Christ’s love, mercy, and joy to our parish. Your leadership has changed lives. Our lives are better because of you.

With our deepest gratitude and many prayers for the journey ahead,

The St. Leonard Catholic Church Community
Muskego, WI

Death of a Pope: Next Steps

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:42:24 GMT

Pope Francis' death on Easter Monday (April 21, 2025) sets in motion a weeks-long series of events, from a period of mourning to the process of selecting his successor. The Vatican has an intricate set of rules governing the papal transition, a process the world does not get to watch unfold very often. Several Vatican officials’ step into designated roles to certify the pope’s death, organize a public viewing and a funeral, and to initiate the process for selecting a successor.

Immediately after a pope’s death is confirmed by the head of the Vatican’s health department and the body dressed in a white cassock and brought to the pope’s private chapel, the cardinal chamberlain (camerlengo) becomes the Vatican’s de facto administrator for day-to-day affairs. The prefect of the papal household tells the camerlengo who must verify the pope's death in the presence of the papal master of ceremonies, the cleric prelates of the Apostolic Camera and the secretary of the Apostolic Camera, who draws up a death certificate. Then the camerlengo and prefect of the papal household pass the news to various officials in the Vatican, who relay it to the people of Rome and the heads of nations.

The camerlengo locks and seals the pope's apartment. While looting was a concern in the past, modern popes are more concerned that their private papers stay out of the wrong hands. The camerlengo destroys the pope's fisherman's ring and seal- traditionally with a special hammer, to symbolize the end of his reign and prevent misuse, like forging documents.

The pope’s passing marks the beginning of nine days of mourning called the novemdiales. The College of Cardinals decides on the day and hour that the pope’s body will be brought to St. Peter’s Basilica in a procession led by the camerlengo. His body is dressed in papal vestments and placed in state for public viewing where hundreds of thousands of people line up to pay their respects. The date for the funeral and burial is set by the College of Cardinals, but the apostolic constitution states it is to "take place, except for special reasons, between the fourth and sixth day after death."

Previous popes have been buried in three coffins, cypress, lead and elm, placed one inside the other. However, Francis asked to be buried in one coffin made of wood and zinc. Popes are traditionally buried in the Vatican Grottoes on the lower level of Saint Peter’s Basilica. However, Francis requested that he be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino. Only seven popes have been buried there, the last one being Clement IX in 1669.

The camerlengo is the acting head of the Vatican until the next pope is chosen and he organizes the election process, which is called the conclave. After the death of a pope, the Vatican enters a transitional period called the sede vacante or interregnum, where power is handed over to the College of Cardinals, but no major decisions are made until the papacy is filled. About 15-20 days after the pope’s death, cardinals under the age of 80 convene at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, which is sealed off, to elect the new pontiff through a secret ballot. Multiple rounds of voting over several days takes place until a candidate wins two-thirds of the vote. If there is no decision after 33 rounds of voting, the top two candidates face off in a run-off vote. Ballots are burned– the public can watch the chimney for progress of the vote. Black smoke means the cardinals will need to vote again; white smoke means a new pope has been chosen.

After the vote, the winning candidate is asked two questions: Do they accept their election, and what name will they chose? Then official documents are filled out, the new pope is fitted with papal attire. There are typically three sets of garments at the ready. Then the news is announced to the public. The senior cardinal deacon appears on the balcony over St. Peter's Square and announces " Habemus Papam! " "We have a pope!" ▪

St. Leonard School Receives Tuition and General Support Grants

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 16:07:05 GMT

We are pleased to announce that St. Leonard School has been the recipient of two grants gifted within The Catholic Community Foundation: A general grant in the amount of $17,000 for tuition assistance, and a grant from the Robert T. and Randi L. Bautch Fund in the amount of $12,591 for general support. We are grateful for the thoughtful and generous investments helping us continue to provide an excellent Catholic education. The Catholic Community Foundation helps donors with estate planning and other philanthropic initiatives that benefit causes that further the mission of the Church. Learn more at legaciesoffaith.org ▪

St. Leonard 2024 Turkey Trot Impact

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:09:47 GMT

Each year we pick a charity to receive all the profits from our annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K run & walk. The charity that we chose this year is Family Promise of Waukesha County , which helps low-income families and families experiencing homelessness to achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.

I’m happy to announce that we raised a grand total of $23,421.56 from the net profits of the event. This will all benefit the great work of Family Promise of Waukesha County.

This year our Turkey Trot had a grand total of 1,872 runners and walkers, the largest turnout in the 13 years that we’ve been hosting this event!

We had 900 male participants and 972 females. There were 1,032 runners and 840 walkers. The largest age group was 18 and under with 418 participants. Interestingly, the second largest age group was 50-64 with 385 participants.

Teams are popular as 942 participants were on teams, while 930 signed up as individuals. At least 980 have participated in past St. Leonard Turkey Trots. We had 10 different states represented: Wisconsin, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas each had one participant listed.

After the run/walk, we served 450 pints of chocolate milk, over 800 cookies, 150 apples, and 2 cases of bananas!

Our participants were generous as an additional $3,095.72 was given on the optional donation page for Family Promise of Waukesha County.

We owe a big THANK YOU to our Turkey Trot race director Allen Jorn and our roughly 100 volunteers who helped make the event a wonderful success. Thank you to all the people who worked so hard to coordinate the countless details of such a huge event! Thank you to all the bakers who made dozens and dozens of cookies for our walkers and runners!

Thank you to our corporate sponsors whose names are on the back of the Turkey Trot t-shirts. Thank you to the Muskego Police Department and the Tess Corners Fire Department for ensuring that we had a safe racecourse!

I’ve already started training for the 2025 Turkey Trot and look forward to another great event! ▪

St. Vincent dePaul Updates

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 22:07:07 GMT

Our conference of St. Vincent dePaul has been very involved in improving the lives of our neighbors and we send a sincere and grateful thank you to you, our fellow parishioners. It is because of your constant support through prayers, reflection, monetary and item donations that allow us to reach those in our community who are struggling to pay rent, utilities, etc. and to have enough food and necessities. Between October 2024 and December 2024 we have paid $7275.70 toward rent, energy, car repair for a homeless neighbor and other necessities. During this time we also provided $950 in gift cards to assist those in need. We are also thankful for all the donations in the blue bin by the Youth Center. We are feeding the hungry, housing the poor and working to help our neighbors achieve independence in their daily living. We look forward to your continued support of those in most need in our community.

"Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God," (Proverbs 14:31)

Cultivating Discipleship: Integrative Formation

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 19:45:27 GMT

One might think of the word catechesis as interchangeable with religious education, but knowledge is just one of the tasks of catechesis. These six tasks are prayer, knowledge, liturgical formation, community, morality and mission ( General Directory for Catechesis, ##85-86).

Our Christian Formation programs keep this in the forefront, making sure our children and youth are formed not only in knowledge of our faith, but also in the practice of it so that- in partnership with their families- they can be prepared to live a life of discipleship.

For example, this past week our fourth and seventh grade Christian Formation students, along with our Vine and Branches Special Ed. group, decorated and assembled hygiene bags. Students teamed up in multi-age pairings and decorated canvas bags with cheery, upbeat drawings and then filled a zipper bag with various self-care items. The bags were assembled and the recipients were prayed for. The intent is for these sets to be donated to Street Angels Mobile Outreach Program and distributed to some of their youngest clients, especially during this cold winter.

Hands-on experiences like these help our children be more engaged with the content of a lesson and demonstrate how what we learn is applicable to our lives. Other activity-based lessons, such as games, crafts, multi-modal presentations and discussions help our children learn more effectively and reach different kinds of learners.

We appreciate your continued support of our Christian Formation program and the efforts of some of our youngest parishioners in supporting those in need.

To learn more about our Christian Formation programs, please call our Christian Formation Office at 262-679-0880 or visit our webpage . ▪

St. Leonard Donates $10,000 for Hurricane Relief

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 19:18:00 GMT

The St. Leonard Pastoral Council recently approved a $10,000 parish donation to Catholic Charities USA for hurricane relief. Catholic Charities USA is distributing funding to local Catholic Charities agencies on the ground providing life-sustaining assistance to people impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

The donation comes from a parish tithe that is a percentage of St. Leonard’s annual operating budget. The purpose of our parish tithe is to increase our outreach and live stewardship as a parish, in recognition that all we have is a gift from God and meant to be shared with others.

Thanks for your generous support of St. Leonard that makes this outreach possible!

To make a direct personal gift for hurricane relief or find out how people in need following the hurricanes are being assisted, visit catholiccharitiesusa.org .

Gym Roof and HVAC Project Underway, Prioritizes Sustainability

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 21:10:56 GMT

One of the four projects being funded by the Love One Another campaign at St. Leonard is the replacement of the gym roof and HVAC system. This project began July 16, 2024. Projects are being completed in the order of urgency of repairs needed.

The environmental sustainability measures taken in this project demonstrates three of the areas of concentration defined by the US Green Building Council’s LEED rating system: Energy and atmosphere, indoor air quality, and materials and resources.

We chose a stone ballasted roof instead of a chemically adhered roof, because we want to avoid a product that gives off a large amount of Volatile Organic Compound (gasses emitted from certain solids or liquids that can decrease air quality).

The new HVAC system is a Single Zone Variable Air Volume (SZVAV) system. With an SZVAV system, the cooling capacity can closely match the capacity of the space being regulated. This matching avoids wide temperature swings, allowing adequate run time for humidity control. In comparison, the existing HVAC system provided air at a constant temperature and varied airflow, which created larger temperature swings and poor humidity control. SZVAV systems have the ability to decrease fan speed, resulting in less energy consumption compared to the existing system. We also purchased a CO2 ventilation system, which will improve indoor air quality.

We would like to thank everyone who has supported the Love One Another campaign and the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Without your commitment we wouldn’t be able to complete much needed projects around campus.

Teenager Saint Of the Eucharist

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 21:08:00 GMT

With the church in the midst of a “Eucharistic Revival,” there are many saints who can be looked to as models of love for Jesus who is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. A new hero of mine is a modern-day teenager named Carlo Acutis. Carlo is an Italian boy who died from leukemia at the age of 15 in the year 2006. He offered his sufferings for the Church, saying “I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church.”

Growing up in Italy, Carlo was a normal boy who enjoyed video games and soccer. Even though his parents were not particularly religious, Carlo developed a deep love for Jesus in the Eucharist. While in many families it is the parents who drag their teenagers to church, in the Acutis family it was the opposite! Carlo was the one who wanted to receive Communion every day and kept dragging his parents to church with him! He would make a holy hour of silent prayer before or after Mass, he went to Confession every week, and prayed the rosary daily.

At school, Carlo was known for defending other kids who were picked on, especially disabled children.

Carlo had a talent for website design, and he used his talents to create a website documenting Eucharistic Miracles– instances when the bread and wine at Mass visibly turned into physical heart tissue and human blood. Carlo said, "the more often we receive the Eucharist, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on this earth we will have a foretaste of heaven."

Carlo was declared by the church to be “venerable” in 2018 (the first step to sainthood), and then in 2020, Pope Francis beatified him in the final stage before sainthood. He is now known as Blessed Carlo Acutis. His official website is: https://carloacutis-en.org/

Communion With Jesus and the Liturgy Of the Hours

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 21:01:11 GMT

The Christian life is about communion with Jesus. I am reminded of this truth each day at the seminary in which our lives as seminarians are scheduled around liturgical and personal prayer. This is why the Church requires us to attend Mass every Sunday and encourages us to receive communion as often as possible (at least once during the Easter Season). At Mass we offer praise and thanksgiving to God for his goodness and the blessings he has given us. We also offer petitions for our own needs and the needs of the Church Universal. Most importantly, we offer our hearts during the Eucharistic prayer, joining our own intentions and offerings to the sacrificial offering of Jesus on the Cross and receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ who gives us divine life, and healing which conform our hearts and lives to look more like his. The source and summit of the Christian life, indeed, is the Eucharist.

However, the Church’s liturgy does not end with Mass.

However, the Church’s liturgy does not end with Mass. The memorial of the Paschal Mystery, our communion with Jesus, and our offerings of praise, thanksgiving, and petition to the Father are extended throughout the day in the Liturgy of the Hours. This prayer is offered by the Church so that we are joined to Christ in prayer at all times and to sanctify the entirety of every day “from the rising of the sun to its setting” (Psalm 113:3).

Near the end of his public ministry on earth, Jesus instructed his disciple that “You must pray at all times and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1). In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that from the Church’s beginning, the apostles took Jesus’ command to “pray always” to heart by praying at fixed times throughout the day: the apostles were praying together on Pentecost during “the third hour of the day” (Acts 2:1-15); Peter “went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour” (Acts 10:9); “Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour” (3:1); “about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” (16:25). Following the example of the Apostles, the Church gradually formalized this “hourly” personal prayer of the Early Christians into liturgical prayer which is called the Liturgy of the Hours or the Divine Office. Through the Liturgy of the Hours, the Church draws all of its members to “offer to God an unceasing sacrifice of praise” (Heb 15:15).

For those who pray the Office regularly, the Psalms begin to become part of the rhythm of life and a source of dialogue with God, both praying the psalms to the Father and also listening to how the word speaks to one’s own heart.

The Liturgy of the Hours is made up of seven specified times of prayer (called “Hours”). The two most important hours, called the “hinge” hours, are Morning Prayer (prayed around sunrise or 6 am) and Evening Prayer (prayed around sunset or 6 pm). At the seminary, we pray both of these hours in community on most weekdays. The other hours are Office of Readings, the three Daytime Hours (Midmorning, Midday, and Midafternoon), and Night Prayer. Sanctifying specific times of the day, each Hour reflects a spiritual theme that correlates to the physical time of day. During the morning, for example, the prayers focus on resurrection and new life in Christ. During the evening, the prayers focus on thanksgiving for the day's blessings and preparation for the day ahead. For those who pray the Office regularly, the psalms begin to become part of the rhythm of life and a source of dialogue with God, both praying the Psalms to the Father and also listening to how the word speaks to one’s own heart.

At their ordination, priests and deacons promise “to celebrate faithfully the Liturgy of the Hours”(1) for the glorification of God and sanctification of his people. While not required of the laity, the Second Vatican Council encouraged the entire Church, including the laity, to incorporate the Liturgy of the Hours into the liturgical life of parishes and individual Christians.

The Liturgy of the Hours has been a significant part of my prayer life for several years. In the year or two before I entered seminary, I began to make Morning Prayer and Night Prayer a regular part of my prayer life. Since I did not have as much time to pray as I do now in seminary life, I found that committing to praying one or two Hours daily gave my prayer life stability. Being almost entirely scriptural, it helped me to become acquainted with Psalms and Scripture passages that I would not have otherwise prayed with or read at that time. Finally, it gave me a better sense of living a liturgical life, especially during the seasons of Lent, Easter, Advent, and Christmas.

If you are struggling to enter into a routine of prayer in your family life, if you would like to live more liturgically, or if you would like to pray more with Scripture, I encourage you to try incorporating one or more of the Hours into your daily prayer routine. A very simple start is to end the day with Night Prayer, which is simple to learn. While you can purchase a volume of Night Prayer or Christian Prayer (which contains Morning, Evening, and Night Prayer), there are many apps for iPhone and Android that prepare all of the prayers for you (no need to worry about ribbons or purchase an expensive book). Two very easy to use apps are the Divine Office and IBreviary apps. I encourage you to make a plan to pray one or two hours regularly by yourself or with your family. If we do not make plans for prayer, it will never seem like there is time for it. Making a commitment to pray Morning Prayer to sanctify the day as it begins or Night Prayer as a prayerful reflection on how the day went before going to bed is a great step toward prioritizing your prayer life and remaining in communion and conversation with Jesus each and every day.

Please consider joining us at St. Leonard every fourth Saturday of the month after the 5 p.m. Mass for Evening Prayer in the Divine Mercy Chapel, beginning January 27.

(1) Ordination of Deacons – Promise of the Elect

A Taste of Heaven: A Reflection On Eucharistic Adoration

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 20:53:50 GMT

Every Wednesday in Church we offer the opportunity for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, otherwise called Eucharistic Adoration. Recently, Pope Francis encouraged a recovery of this form of prayer stating, “we need to regain the sense of adoring in silence, adoration. It is a prayer we have lost; few people know what this is.” (1) To run with the Holy Father’s prompt, what exactly is this practice and why do we do it? Reflecting on my own experience of adoration I can identify a number of different ways in which I have thought about it, beginning with adoration as an opportunity to rest with the Lord in the midst of a busy, chaotic time.

Adoration is Rest

Eucharistic adoration only makes sense on the basis of a recognition that the Eucharist is substantially God-with-us, that is, the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ made present under the appearance of bread and wine. Once we get into our heads that the Eucharist is Jesus, then we can begin to hear the words of Jesus echo in a eucharistic context: “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). All of us live busy and at times fragmented lives. Eucharistic adoration can be an oasis in the midst of this busyness that reminds us that we are not defined by what we do, how busy, successful, or unsuccessful we are; what defines us is the love of the Father.

For myself, there is nothing quite so restful as sitting in an adoration chapel, and simply looking up at the monstrance. I have no particular set of prayers I say, although sometimes these are helpful. It is simply a time to rest, and a time to be with the Lord. Though the phrase is cliché, it is true, we are human beings, not human doings.

Adoration is Sacrifice

To be honest, it is difficult to get to adoration. Not only are the opportunities somewhat limited, but I find that whenever I make up my mind to pray, I can suddenly think of about eight or nine things which I either really need to do or would be more enjoyable in the moment than praying.

To adore is a sacrifice. It has been characteristic of every religion ever, throughout the history of the whole world, to offer sacrifices as part of their religion. What is unique about Christianity is that instead of sacrificing something else (or worse, someone else), Christianity is a religion of self-sacrifice. Not only does Jesus offer himself to the Father on the cross, but we also in following Jesus must “deny ourselves” to be his disciples (cf., Matt 10:37).

Anything worth doing requires sacrifice. St. Paul made the comparison that athletes train hundreds and hundreds of hours for a temporary reward, the sacrifices entailed in the Christian life are for an everlasting reward (cf., 1 Cor 9:25). I find that describing adoration as a sacrifice is helpful because, to be perfectly honest, it is not always the near-mystical experience that we – I – sometimes hope that it will be. Don’t get me wrong, some of the most beautiful moments of my life have occurred in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Nevertheless, the daily experience of prayer is rather ordinary. But then again, isn’t your average trip to the gym also rather ordinary? You get the point, just because something is mundane at times doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing.

Adoration is Worship

Pope Benedict once described eucharistic adoration as prolonging and intensifying everything that takes place in the liturgical celebration (Mass). (2) Adoration is not an add-on to Mass, but flows from it, and leads us back to it. In fact, just as the Church has a “script” for Mass (called the Roman Missal), the Church also has a “script” of sorts for eucharistic adoration – a set of directives which govern how, when, and in what manner adoration may take place. Why is this significant? It underscores the point that adoration is not just another devotion in which some people may choose to participate and others not, rather, adoration is a part of the prayer of the whole Church.

At Mass, the priest holds up Jesus in the consecrated host and tells us, “behold the lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.” For how long do you typically behold that lamb? I’d guess it’s about eight seconds. Eucharistic adoration prolongs and deepens this moment. Not only do you get the chance in adoration to say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,” but it is also the opportunity to speak heart to heart with Jesus- or, perhaps more accurately, face to face- since the word “adoration” derives from the Latin words ad ore meaning “to the face” or “to the mouth.”

Adoration is a Taste of Heaven

The themes of adoration as rest, as sacrifice, and as worship together make up foretaste of what heaven will be. The Book of Revelation describes the multitude of the redeemed in the following manner:

“They are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night within his temple; and he who sits upon the throne will shelter them with his presence… For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” (Rev 7:15,17).

When we come to eucharistic adoration, the throne of God we see is not the heavenly throne yet, but the monstrance which is a real throne. That’s why it is typically covered in gold, or at least very ornate. In the center of that throne is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, how blest are we who come before this throne! Scott Hahn has put it this way, “you don’t have to die to go to heaven, you just have to go to Mass.” I would hazard to say that if eucharistic adoration deepens and prolongs all that takes place within the Mass, the same can be said of eucharistic adoration.

(1) Wooden, Cindy. 2023. “Adore Jesus’ real presence” Catholic News Service. https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/adore-jesus-real-presence-eucharist-pope-tells-us-catholics

(2) Pope Benedict XVI. Sacramentum Caritatis, 66.

Eucharistic Adoration: A Type of Prayer

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 20:53:50 GMT

Eucharistic Adoration is a practice in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and some Lutheran traditions in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed and venerated by the faithful. Adoration is a sign of devotion to and worship of Christ, who we as Catholics believe is present in Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity under the appearance of the consecrated host. Meditation performed in the presence of the Eucharist outside of Mass is called Eucharistic meditation. As a devotion, Eucharistic adoration, prayer, and meditation are more than merely looking at the Blessed Host but are believed to be a continuation of what was celebrated in the Eucharist. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (#1377) states that: "The Eucharistic presence of Christ begins at the moment of the consecration and endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist." From a theological perspective, the adoration is a form of latria (Latin for internal adoration) based on the belief of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Host promoted in the 11th century by Pope Gregory VII.

The Franciscan archives credit Saint Francis of Assisi (who died in 1226) for starting Eucharistic Adoration in Italy. This process then spread from the region of Umbria to other parts of Italy by the Franciscans. Francis had a deep devotion to the Eucharist and Saint Bonaventure commented that Francis would be swept in ecstasy after receiving Communion. For Francis, the adoration of the Eucharist amounted to "seeing Christ". This type of devotion has been practiced by saints such as Peter Julian Eymard, John Vianney and Thérèse of Lisieux. When the exposure and adoration of the Eucharist is constant (twenty-four hours a day), it is called Perpetual Adoration. Holy hours are the Roman Catholic devotional tradition of spending an hour in Eucharistic Adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

Official Catholic teachings consider the exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament an important practice which "stimulates the faithful to an awareness of the marvelous presence of Christ and is an invitation to spiritual communion with Him." This importance is further emphasized by the fact that the Church has a ritual that regulates it: the Rite of Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction. This is an extension of the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which occurs in every Mass: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb." Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and the rest of the Church. While psalms, readings and devotional music may be performed during Eucharistic adoration, in many Roman Catholic churches this is not always done, and silent contemplation and reflection is the focus of adoration. Some important prayers that are used during this rite include the Anima Christi and the Tantum Ergo. Pope John Paul II would spend many hours in silent Eucharistic adoration and stated that the practice provides contact with the "very wellspring of grace."

Eucharistic Adoration is available here at St. Leonard’s in the Divine Mercy Chapel on Mondays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and Wednesdays from 12:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. All are welcome.