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Message from Msgr. Gorman and Fr. Hokamp

Until things can get back more to normal, the bulletin will be our main means of communication.  Unless something changes, both churches are open daily in the morning and remain open until 5:00 PM or so.  Feel free to drop in for private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament for as long as you want. If you do drop in, pick up a bulletin for yourself or a neighbor who may not be able to access it online.  You may also drop off your envelope. At St. Charles, drop it into the “Scrip Depository” slot in the narthex. At St. Peter, Deacon Rider has placed in the narthex a mailbox refashioned as a collection box.  The milk-can idea didn’t quite work out. You can always mail your envelope with the self-addressed envelopes in your packets or contribute online. We are still counting on your support.

Even though you may not be able to attend Mass in person during this time, there are ways to tune in for a Mass both daily and on Sundays.  A prerecorded Sunday Mass from our diocese is broadcast on WQOW Channel 18 at 9:30 every Sunday morning, or anytime on the diocesan YouTube channel or Facebook page.  You may watch Mass daily on EWTN at 7:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM. You may also listen to the Mass daily at 12:00 noon and 7:30 PM on Relevant Radio on station 1050 AM WDVM or at .  You may also watch Mass live from the Cathedral Monday through Saturday at 8:00 AM, and on Sunday with Bishop Callahan at 9:30 AM. This can be found at and may also be watched anytime there or on the Diocese of La Crosse’s YouTube channel.  Finally, if you just want to read the readings for each day’s Mass, go to and click the day on the calendar you see there. Here is a prayer for making a spiritual communion when you cannot receive holy communion itself:

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.  I love You above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul.  Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.  I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.  Amen.

You may also watch the liturgies of the Paschal Triduum, beginning with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday and concluding with the Mass of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday, celebrated at the Cathedral by Bishop Callahan on those same websites.  Each one celebrates a particular aspect of the paschal mystery—the mystery of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. These are the most beautiful liturgies of the church year. Unfortunately they will be celebrated this year in a private and somewhat modified form; but they will be celebrated, nonetheless.  Try to enter into the spirit of these days wherever you are.

Remember that Good Friday is a day of abstinence from eating meat for all Catholics who are 14 and older; and a day of fast for all Catholics who are 18, but not yet 59.  The law of fasting allows one full meal a day, but does not prohibit taking some food in the morning and evening. If possible, this paschal fast should continue until the Easter Vigil.

Remember that our parishes have a subscription to FORMED, which is an online treasury of Catholic programs, movies and books.  Go to the “Faith Formation” tab on our parish website , click on the tab for St. Charles/St. Peter, then click on “Formed” on the drop-down list.  Then either sign up, if it’s your first time; or sign in, if you are returning. It’s free, so take advantage of it.

Father Hokamp and I are also available for confession on request; and we are also willing to come to the home of anyone who asks for confession, anointing, holy communion and viaticum.  Deacon Rider will also bring communion to the home of anyone who requests it. Father Hokamp and I will each be at one of the churches on Holy Saturday morning from 10:30 until 12:00 noon for confessions.  Just observe social distancing if waiting in line, and there should not be more than ten people in the church at once.

2019-2020 Prayer

Holy and Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we thank you for Your gifts of time, talent, and treasures manifested in our daily lives.
We pray, Father, for the openness of heart; Jesus, we ask for the ability to recognize Your gifts in ourselves as well as in our brothers and sisters; Holy Spirit, we ask for Your guidance for us to live the life of stewardship for which we were created and called.
St. Joseph, we ask you as the Patron of our Diocese, intercede for us, be a model in our use of our time, talents, and treasures by living the command of Jesus, working together and sharing the Joy of the Gospel, for the building up of the Kingdom to Heaven here on earth.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, so gracious, our model of humility, help us and encourage us, strengthen us in our faith, so we may generously answer the Lord’s call with a resounding yes to a life of service for which the Father created us, Jesus calls us, and the Holy Spirit guides us.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord
Amen.