This week in our continuing series on evangelization tips, we’ll be talking about how to evangelize your family. They say that the hardest people to share the Gospel with are members of your own family. For those of you who have tried, you likely know it’s all too true. Remember how Jesus’ own townsfolk treated him when He told them He was the son of God? They were the people that knew Him best, and they tried to throw Him off of a cliff! How do we approach this seemingly monumental task? Well-known Catholic apologist and pilgrimage guide Steve Ray has lots of experience with this topic. Over the years, he’s formulated seven rules to follow: 1. Don’t argue. Family members can get defensive very easily, and will only wind up putting up a wall. (If you do get into an argument or come across too strongly, make sure to apologize.) 2. Love them more than ever. As he puts it, “Love is an argument you can’t argue with.” When you love people, it disarms them. People will listen and engage with you because you love them. 3. Show the joy of the Lord. People are attracted to joyfulness. They often wonder “what do they have that I don’t have?” And that opens the door to sharing the faith. 4. Pray and make sacrifices. Nothing is more powerful than when we pray and fast. It will get God’s attention. When we pray with expectant faith, wonderful things will happen. 5. Study. Do your homework and be prepared for any objections that people may have to the Catholic faith. As scripture says, “Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have” (1 Pet. 3:15). 6. Patience. This can be a hard one for most of us. We must be patient and let God work. He is outside of time and works in the absolute best way possible, so we need to trust Him. 7. Ask God to Bring Someone Else into Their Life. This helps us admit that our family member(s) probably won’t listen to us. Use these common sense rules and God will help you, in one way or another, to bring your family back into the fold. This evangelization tip was brought to you by St. Paul Street Evangelization. Take our course on 7 Ways for Relating to Non-Catholic Family & Friends on evangelizationschool.com. © Copyright St. Paul Street Evangelization 2024

St. Mary's Home and School Association is sponsoring a Calendar Raffle for the month of January. Please contact the school office at 608-994-2435 if you are interested in purchasing a chance to win. All money must be turned in by December 20.

The annual "Christmas Club" where you can donate money for gifts for the staff has begun. Donations may be left at the parish office or school.

Hello St. Clement Families: As Christmas approaches, we are checking to see if there is interest in again forming a youth choir for Christmas Eve. Last years’ experience was beautiful. We are asking 4th-8th grade students to join us for three rehearsals: We would like you to make at least two of these (all three is better). Wednesday, Dec. 11 @ 5:45 - 6:45 PM Wednesday, Dec. 18 @ 5:45 - 6:45 PM Monday, Dec. 23rd @ 5:45 - 6:45 PM. We plan to have these students sing at the 4:00 PM Christmas Eve Mass. Please respond as soon as possible or by Saturday, Dec. 7, either by email: [email protected] or by calling or texting (608) 778-0709. Please respond either way (yes or no …or with questions). If there is enough interest, we will move forward with the rehearsals. If not, we will move forward with a different plan. Our goal is to prepare a prelude song or two and have the kids sing as Communion is being distributed. We look forward to making a joyful sound for Christmas. Sincerely, David Murphy and Patricia Leh Murphy [email protected] (608) 778-0709

The 9th-12th grade retreat that had been planned to take place at Camp Gray on December 6-8 has been cancelled.

This week in our continuing series on evangelization tips, we’re talking about how to share the Gospel message. To do so, you need to know and be able to verbalize the kerygma, which simply means “proclamation” in Greek. The kerygma can be divided into four-parts: God’s loving plan for our lives, the problem of sin, the saving work of Jesus, and the invitation to repent and embrace Jesus by faith. It can sound something like this: God created everything, but made humanity special. That’s because he gave us free will to choose whether or not we want to live in relationship with Him. Unfortunately, man fell because of the original sin of Adam and Eve, and now we try to live without God. Everything that separates us from God is what we call “sin.” The consequences of sin are death and ultimately eternal separation from God. But thankfully His love for us is so great that God sent His only Son Jesus. Jesus became a man, died as payment for our sins, and rose from the dead to give us eternal life. God invites us to repent of our sins, to believe in salvation through Jesus, and to reform our lives by obeying His commandments and living according to Jesus’s loving example instead of following our own selfish desires. We are invited to live in a loving and joyful relationship with God now and forever in heaven. The choice is ours. Which path will you choose? This is just one example. Make sure to put it in your own words, and be authentic. But the kerygma has power not because of our words, but because God puts His grace behind it and makes us His instruments for salvation. We share the kerygma to help save people from eternal death, for eternal life with God. Many who hear it will be “cut to the heart” because the kerygma speaks to the desires of the human heart, uncovers hidden guilt for sin, and gives hope for forgiveness and salvation. This message is brought to you by St. Paul Street Evangelization. Take our course on Intro to the Kerygma at evangelizationschool.com.

St. Clement Parish offers an opportunity to remember your deceased loved ones through Christmas memorial donations. The money we collect will go toward decorating our church during Advent and throughout the Christmas Season. Please put your donation in an envelope marked with your name and name(s) of those you wish to remember, and drop the envelope in the offertory basket, the wooden podium by the parish office entrance or at the Parish Office. All checks should be payable to St. Clement Parish and turned in by Dec. 16. Thank you!

St. Clement is once again taking part in the Grant County Holiday Project to assist families in need have a better Christmas. The “Giving Trees” are up and ready for you to grab a leaf. Please return all gifts to the church by Sunday, December 15, wrapping will begin right after Mass. Gift cards or cash should be placed in the wooden podium outside the parish office. Be sure to attach the tag to the gift! We have adopted 7 families who will be grateful for our care and compassion this Christmas. Thank you to Lynn Crooks, Ashleigh Hampton, Cheryl Raisbeck, and Emily and Sue Schildgen for organizing this work of mercy and love.

The start date is December 27 (start noon on Friday)- 29 (ends 3:30 on Sunday). TEC (Together Encountering Christ) is centered on the Paschal Mystery of Christ. Our Shepherd Bishop Donald Hying has also centered his 'Go Make Disciples' initiative on that same theme. TEC is especially designed to help us grow in our love for Christ and our Holy Catholic Church. It is an amazing experience for any age who are young at heart and at least 15 years of age. Regardless of your present walk in our Catholic Faith, you will be rejuvenated. This is also a 'shout out' to those of you who have already experienced a TEC retreat and would like to help out. Fr. Greg Ihm will be our Spiritual Director. Jeff Jackson is the lay Director and can be reached at 608.778.6027 Or [email protected] More information about TEC can be found at www.MadisonDiocese.org/TEC

This week in our continuing series on evangelization tips we're talking about the importance of praying out loud with others. While it may seem daunting at first, this practice can yield abundant fruit. Here's a basic "How To" on interceding for someone out loud: As Catholics we are used to saying "I will pray for you" or "I will offer this up for you." But it is usually better to offer to pray out loud for people instead. We can say, "Would it be okay if I said a prayer for you now?" Or "Do you need prayer for anything? ... Can I pray for you now?" That way, the person knows that you are going to pray out loud and they can simply receive the prayer in their heart. People are often more open to receiving prayer in the moment when they know they aren't expected to say anything. Before praying, guide them through the process, step by step. If you haven't already learned their first name, now would be a good time to ask. As Dale Carnegie said, "a person's name is the sweetest sound in any language," so using someone's name in prayer is powerful. If you feel led to put your hand on their arm or shoulder, ask for permission first. Human touch can be therapeutic. Then lead them in a basic prayer, mentioning their intentions. You can use something like "A.C.T.S." A.C.T.S. stands for Adora tion (giving God praise and glory), Contrition (asking for forgiveness for the things they -and we- have done wrong), Thanksgiving (giving God thanks for the good things in the person's life), and §.upplication (praying for their specific needs). For example, "Almighty God and Father, we praise you and glorify your holy name. We are sorry for the things we have done wrong and the ways we have failed you. Thank you for my new friend, Joe, for his family, for his friendship, and for the gifts he brings to his community. Lord Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, please help Joe find a new job so he can provide for his family and fulfill his duties in this life. Amen." Whether praying for a physical, emotional, or spiritual healing, at the end remind them that God loves them and has a good plan for their life! Encourage them to pray about the problem too, and emphasize that God wants all of His children to be healed. This evangelization tip was brought to you by St. Paul Street Evangelization. Take our course on Healing in Evangelization and prayer ministry at evangelizationschool.com.

Our next week to host families with children experiencing homelessness will be the week of December 1 – 7. Volunteer sign-up sheets are in the back of the church. Last Monday was the feast of St. Martin of Tours. One night, Martin, a Roman soldier, was entering a city during the winter. There at the gates he met a beggar freezing in the cold. Martin took his military cloak and cut it into 2 pieces, giving one to the beggar. That night, Jesus appeared to him in a dream, telling Martin that He, Jesus, was that beggar in disguise. That event changed his life. Like St. Martin, we put our faith into action by our care and concern for God’s children, especially those in need. Help us support families that are trying to make ends meet and to achieve independence by volunteering for our host week. Contact Bill Manthe at 723-4990 or Peg Jonas at 723-2051 if you have questions.

St. Clement CCW invites women of St. Joseph The Worker Pastorate to an Advent Celebration at the historic L. J. Arthur House, 210 N. Jefferson St, Lancaster, on Thursday, Dec. 12, 6:00-8:00 p.m. A light meal of appetizers, sweet treats and punch will be served. Fr. Mark Miller will give an Advent reflection. All women of our pastorate are members of CCW and welcome to attend. Please let us know by Dec. 9 that you plan to celebrate with us. Call or text Bernadette Schaefer at 608-732-7475, or Marcia Hampton at 608-732-8849.

This week in our continuing series on evangelization tips we’re talking about the method of Listen, Befriend, Proclaim, and Invite. Evangelization is an important responsibility of all Catholics. However, many of us Catholics can be a little intimidated by the idea that we might openly share the saving story of Jesus Christ with others. It’s not that we don’t find it important or desire the salvation of our brothers and sisters who don’t know Him. On the contrary. We simply get nervous when we have to share something as personal and demanding as the Gospel. We don’t know how people will react. But what if we had a template that we could use for sharing the Gospel? What if we had a predetermined method that removes a lot of our own stumbling and guesswork, so that there’s a defined beginning, middle, and end? SPSE has created a model called Listen, Befriend, Proclaim, and Invite. And it’s as easy as it sounds. First, you simply listen to a person to show them that you care about what they have to say. As they say, “nobody cares what you know, until they know that you care.” And that’s what listening accomplishes. Next, befriend by making conversation and finding a shared interest or common ground on a topic. After that, it’s your turn to talk. This is where you proclaim the Gospel. Briefly tell them about Jesus, what He’s done out of love for us (the kerygma), and what our response should be. (Don’t focus too much on the negative/sin aspect, as this may be their first encounter with Jesus in a long time or ever.) Finally, invite them to take a step towards Jesus, either by encouraging them to pray, or perhaps to do some reading based on recommendations you’ve given them about Jesus. Or who knows … maybe they’re ready for confession! As long as they are taking a step, no matter how small, in the direction of Our Lord, then it’s a successful mission. One final thing to remember—what they do with the information you’ve given is up to them. All we do is plant seeds — it is God’s job to make them grow. So your next step is to practice. Run through this method with a few friends or family members, and then ask God to put someone in your path who needs to hear it. Don’t be surprised when He does!

We are so excited to be back with you all at the Kalahari this February 7-9, 2025. Frassati Fest is a retreat weekend open to all high school students in the Diocese of Madison hosted at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells! It's a weekend of encountering the Lord, building friendships with teens from across the Diocese, and bonding as a pastorate community! Weekend highlights include: engaging speakers, Adoration and Confession, Mass with Bishop Hying, waterpark time, Saturday night dance party, and more! If your pastorate is bringing a group, then you will register directly with your parish leader. If your pastorate is not attending, go ahead and fill out the google form below. Caroline will send you paperwork to attend as a Lost Sheep individual! The cost for individuals (teens and adult chaperones) attending with a pastorate group is $260. (Pastorates are welcome and encouraged to arrange fundraisers to help bring down the cost.) If you are a Lost Sheep, the cost is $280 per person. The hard deadline will be Friday January 3rd. We will not be able to accept any registrations past that day, so please make sure to get in touch with your parish leader or submit your Lost Sheep registration before then!

Share the gift of life by donating blood. The Red Cross will be holding a blood drive at St. Mary School in Bloomington from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 25.

Share the gift of life by donating blood. The Red Cross will be holding a blood drive at St. Mary School in Bloomington on November 25 from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Please contact Leigh Boorn at 309-370-6036 or [email protected], if you would be able to make a pan of bars or donate cookies for the Family Faith Formations, Religious Ed., or High School Faith Formations.

Everyone is invited to attend this fun, family event and enjoy the yummy breakfast, craft show, raffle, delicious Christmas cookies & candy, and visit with Santa on Sunday, Dec. 1 at St. Mary's School in Bloomington. All St. Mary’s fabulous bakers are invited to donate cookies and candy for the Cookie Sale. Please drop your cookies or candy off at the school by 10 AM on Saturday, Nov. 30. Monetary donations would also be appreciated; call 994-2435 for more information.

Thank you to all for supporting our Ss. Andrew-Thomas Pumpkin Sale Fundraiser and special thank you to all that made it possible: Dan Pierce, Kevin Udelhoven, Jamie & Angie Pierce, Fred & Ginny Koeller, Larry & Betty Kalina.