CONFIRMATION CLASSES St. Michael will begin Confirmation preparation classes on Sept. 16. Confirmation is scheduled for April, 2016. Interested St. Joseph parishioners should contact Michelle Puckett at 620.238.0428 or Pat Westhoff for details. !

ST. JOSEPH PARISH COUNCIL MEETING The next Parish Council meeting for St. Joseph is Tues., Sept. 15, following 5:30pm Mass. !

ALTAR SOCIETY MEETING St. Ann's Altar Society will resume monthly meetings beginning Wed., Sept. 16th.  Meetings begin at 6 pm and are held the 3rd Wednesday of every month. New members are welcome any time of the year.  Please plan to attend. If you have any questions call Judy Smerchek at 347-4646. !

KAPAUN’S MEN MEETING Kapaun’s Men will hold their first meeting of the season on Friday Aug. 28th at 6am in the St. Michael’s parish hall. All men 18 years and older are welcome. Joe Dellasaga from Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Pittsburg will be our speaker and will discuss upcoming events.   !

ST. MICHAEL PSR, GRADES 1-5 Starting this fall, PSR classes for children in grades 1-5 will be held on Sunday mornings in the parish hall prior to 10am Mass. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. PSR classes for youth grades 1-5 will begin on Sept 13 and Sept 16 for grades 6-12. Interested participants should contact Michelle Puckett at 620.238.0428. !

TEENS ENCOUNTER CHRIST (TEC) The next TEC Retreat will be held on Oct. 10-12, 2015 at the Spiritual Life Center in Wichita. For more information, visit  http://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/faith-tec/tec  or call Paula Sevart at 620.724.7585.  Parents, please encourage your youth to attend!

PRAYERS FOR THE SICK OF OUR PARISH  Please pray for parishioner Verna Versalona and Judy Smerchek who are ill.

BEING CATHOLIC ISN’T EASY! Many of us are what is known as ‘born Catholics’ because our parents were Catholic. Others are Catholic because we accepted the doctrines of the faith and were baptized and brought into the Church. In the course of our daily living, most of us attempt to do God’s will as we know it, yet may find ourselves doing things we never expected to do. We come to church on the weekend—something within our control, but other times we’re surprised at what we’re doing, maybe something we hadn’t arranged to do, such as taking a neighbor to the hospital or accompanying our daughter to traffic court! To be alive is to grow and change. Things never stay the same as you well know. Choosing a vocation can be so challenging that it may require much effort and study before making the final decision. The guy who asks a girl to enter into marriage with him because he fell hard for her on the first date isn’t putting in the necessary time to get to know this individual better. Many in our church would say that it’s hard to be a Catholic in this secular world because of the demands which are expected of us—our time, talent, treasure, and intellect. Not only physical reasons, but oftentimes, becoming a Catholic can bring division within a family. Division can also occur within an individual, as he ponders admittance to the Church, a battle between his heart and his head. That internal division causes quite a bit of distress to the person. The best advice is to take the problem to your priest either socially in his office or privately in the confessional. Following God’s plan isn’t easy, but we really don’t have any other option, for the alternative might lead to hell! It is up to each of us to try to discern God’s will as He attempts to lead us to Heaven. I’ve always felt that you don’t just ‘join the church’; you have to make a conversion, changing habits and cultural values in order to recognize the road you must take to save your soul, which is the primary objective of serious Catholics. Our faith is the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ that will ultimately show us the way to Heaven. - Marcel Normand

100 South 8th Street Arma, KS 66712 (620) 347-4525

Pastor: Fr. Max BiltzSt. Joseph Catholic Church

MASS SCHEDULE GIRARD ARMA Saturday 5:30 pm 4:00 pm Sunday 10:00 am 8:00 am

CONFESSION GIRARD ARMA Saturday 2:00-2:30 pm 3:15-3:45 pm Weekdays before Mass, anytime by appointment

STAFF Pastor: Fr. Max Biltz Secretary: Georganne Galichia Bookkeeper: Janel Scales Bulletin Editor: Nancy Bauer

PARISH WEBSITE: www.stjosepharma.com

UPCOMING EVENTS: Finance Council Parish Council TBA Tues., Sept. 15 6:00pm 6:00pm in rectory !St. Ann Altar Society Knights of Columbus Next meeting TBA 1st Tuesday of Month TBA 7:00pm, St. Michael hall

Collections

Last Week July 2015 to date

Contributions $1019.00 $8,750.80

Expenses $2,603.79

Over / (Under) $6,147.01

RECTORY HOURS & INFORMATION Wednesdays: 9:00 am - Noon Rectory: (620) 347-4525 Fr. Max’s cell: (316) 708-9473 Fr. Max’s email: thomas.becket.fan@gmail.com

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL OFFICERS: Pat Westhoff - Chair, Karen Pryer - Secretary, Debbie Amershek, Dustin Ashmore, Joe Broyles,, Debbie Shaub

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Thursdays from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm

WORSHIP COMMITTEE: Chair - Karen Pryer EMEs - Joann Black Ushers/Greeters - Bill Harman Altar Society - Judy Smerchek Lectors - Marcel Normand Music - Jan Harman

PARISH FINANCE COUNCIL: Fred Bogina - Chair, Members: Joe Polhlopek, Judy Wingebach, Linda Broyles

Saturday (8/29/15) Sunday (8/30/15) 4:00pm 8:00am !Altar Servers: Grant Waterman Tejay Cleland !EMHC: Sharon Giacometti Terry Cleland !Lector: Anna Meyer Carol Cole !Gift Bearers: Marcel & Helen Frank Grano & Normand Mary Jo Anderson !Usher/Greeter: Mike Ashbacher & Joe Broyles & Emil Pronier Bill Harman 206 N Weichert • Brazilton, KS

620-395-2141www.derailedcommodity.com

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From the Pastor

Altar Ministers for August 29 & 30

!Dear Parish Family, !     I would like to devote this column to our students of both Arma and Girard.  We are starting a new academic year. This is a good opportunity to reflect on the gifts of thought and reason which God has given to us and the gift of an education which millions of our ancestors did not have. Since knowledge is precious, and ignorance can be deadly, we must resolve to take full advantage of this gift of education. A good education squandered in youth is very difficult to make up for as an adult. And cramming all night before a major test usually produces dim results. Therefore let us decide now to be studious students, determined to study and learn. There of course is nothing wrong with fun and games, but only after our scholastic duties are done. We must remember that God wants us to be smart Catholics, well educated and equipped mentally to spread his kingdom. It does not please God if we keep ourselves ignorant either deliberately or through sloth. God gave us a mind; he wants us to strengthen it. So let us always put homework ahead of video games and

our favorite band. We will enjoy them more anyway if all of our academic duties are finished. Know that all of you students and your families will be in my prayers during this entire academic year.  ! God bless you, Fr. Max

Mass Schedule and Intentions for August 22 - 30Aug. 22 Saturday 4:00pm Louisa Serena Arma 5:30pm Jim Davied Girard 23 Sunday 8:00am Jim Davied Arma 10:00am Mary Masser Girard 24 Monday 7:00am Bud & Ellen Harris Girard 25 Tuesday 5:30pm No Intention Arma 26 Wednesday 6:30pm Richard Senecaut Girard 27 Thursday 8:00am No Intention Arma 8:30am-3:00pm Adoration Arma 28 Friday 7:00am Arlene Schulte Girard 8:00am-6:00pm Adoration Girard 29 Saturday 4:00pm Mary Ellen Galichia Arma 5:30pm Jerry Wals Girard 30 Sunday 8:00am Jim Davied Arma 10:00am For the People Girard