Help wanted: Because of the corona virus, many of my pastoral duties have been taken from

me, due to concern for the health and well-being of others: nursing home visits; visits to shut-

ins; prison ministry; etc. I pray that God will take this virus from us, so that we can return to

the routines of life we once enjoyed, including the pastoral life of a parish priest.

Until then, I have taken on some extra duties, including mowing the lawns around Saint

Mary’s Parish. As summer can get busy, with the parish yardwork as well, I still need assistance with one large task I

cannot fit into my schedule: mowing the Saint Mary’s Cemetery. This is a paid position, but I have not been able to

find someone to fill it. I and some volunteers will do what we can with the cemetery upkeep, but as we all have busy

schedules, we will give priority to our family graves, the graves of those who have no family in our community, and

the graves of those whose family may be too elderly to tend to these graves. For all others, who have able-bodied

family members in the community, we ask that you provide the upkeep for your family members’ graves. Thank you

for showing your respect and honor for the faithful departed of your own kin.

SAINT MARY’S & SAINT ELIZABETH’S CATHOLIC CHURCHES

Phone: 701-579-4312 Address: PO Box 369, New England, ND 58647

FATHER GARY BENZ-PASTOR

frgarybenz@yahoo.com; Cell Phone 701-509-9504; Rectory 701-579-4874

VICTOR DVORAK –DEACON

Visit us at: www.stmaryschurchnewengland.com

Sixth Sunday of Easter — May 17, 2020

“Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.’” An old legend

speaks of a holy friar walking down the street, carrying a torch in one hand and a bucket of wa-

ter in the other hand. When asked what he was going to do with them, the friar replied, “With

the torch, I’m going to burn down the mansions of heaven and with the pail of water, I’m going

to put out the fires of hell. Then we shall see who really loves God.” While a bit peculiar, he wanted to convey an im-

portant point: why do we keep the commandments of God? Is it for hope of reward in heaven or for fear of eternal

punishment in hell? What should motivate our fidelity to the commandments? It is the love of God. We love Him

and obey Him for who He is, rather than merely for what He can offer us in this life and in the life to come. The de-

sire of the human heart is to receive love, and only God can fulfill this infinite need.

Familiaris Consortio (cont.)

24. Besides, many forms of degrading discrimination still persist today in a great part of our society that affect and

seriously harm particular categories of women, as for example childless wives, widows, separated or divorced wom-

en, and unmarried mothers. The Synod Fathers deplored these and other forms of discrimination as strongly as pos-

sible. I therefore ask that vigorous and incisive pastoral action be taken by all to overcome them definitively so that

the image of God that shines in all human beings without exception may be fully respected.

God bless our graduates: Next Saturday, May 23rd, the 5:00 p.m. vigil Mass at Saint Mary’s

will be our Baccalaureate Mass for the 2020 graduates of NEPS who are part of our Saint

Mary’s Parish family. We will offer them a special prayer at the Holy Mass and a sacred gift as

well. Sadly, because of social distancing, we won’t have a fellowship afterwards and there will

be no congratulatory line after Mass. Shout your congratulations to them outside of the

church, but more importantly, offer prayers on their behalf. May God bless them in their future endeavors and may

He bless them with a deep and abiding faith that will be their light and guide throughout the entirety of their lives.

These Baccalaureate Masses always take me back to my own graduation and all the memories, like trying to push my

thick black hair under my mortar board . . . and no comments please!

A point to ponder: The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.

MASS & ADORATION SCHEDULE Monday, May 18th 7:30 AM SM—Communion Service Tuesday, May 19th 7:30 PM SM—+Kenneth Stagl by Cary & Cheryl Ridl 6:00 PM SE—Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 7:00 PM SE—+Ed Pechtl by Debbie Herold Wednesday, May 20th 7:00 PM SM—Rosary, Mother of Perpetual Help Devotions +Duane Dobitz by Marc & Anne Wolf Family Thursday, May 21st 7:30 AM SM—+George Koffler by Richard Stagl Friday, May 22nd 7:30 AM SM—+Tina Rixen by Richard Stagl 8:00 AM—9:00 AM SM—Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Saturday, May 23rd 8:30 AM SM—+Benedict Benz by Herold Schneider 5:00PM SM—Baccalaureate Mass—2020 Seniors

Sunday, May 24th 8:30 AM SE—+Keith Herold by Brian & Kim Herold 10:30 AM SM—Pro Populo

Please Keep in Your Prayers: Gene Wert, Theresa Tarpo, Todd Leach, JoAnn Urlacher, Zane Sabo, Richard Jambor, Brad Novak, Josie Steier, Katie Stolz, Hazel Jacobs, Amber Urlacher, Bonnie Benz, Anise Masterson, Nate Hernandez, Andy Prokop, Henley Johnson, Duane Grundhauser, Pete Schaefer, Marilyn Jacobs, Leo Heck, Arlene Rohr, Brenda Barton, Elven Kaufman, Suzette Printz, Linda Reisenauer, Cindy Martin, Howard Schiwal, Theresa Decker, Yvonne Fettig, Kim Kuhn, Don Miller, Bonnie (Krebs) Dick, Dorothy Kohl, Colleen Churchill

Assisted Living and Nursing Home Residents: Marvin Wert, Marilyn Wert,

Gilbert & Ruth Buzalsky, Mary Hanson, Joe & Aggie Wandler, Charlotte

Krebs, Harvey Herberholz, Archie Jalbert, Sylvia Koppinger, Leona Gordon,

Donnella Koppinger, Marilyn Jeske, Willie Emmil, Frances Heick

Our Deceased Loved Ones: +Chuck Brusich, +Joan Binstock, +Kevin Ja-

cobs, +Betty Biel, +Wenzel Roller, +Shawn Flaherty, +Duane Dobitz, +Dan

Frank, +Cecelia Jung, +Benedict Benz, +Kenneth Stagl, +Florentine Bohl-

man, +Josie Heidt, +Dale Schoeder, +Ed Pechtl, +Magdalen Schorsch,

+Dale Reindel, +Adam Schulz, +George Koffler, +Edwin Lefor, +Louise

Krebs, +Regina Gentz, +Tina Rixen, +Rose Krebs (SE), +Herbert Emmil,

+Joan Madler, +Eugenia Stagl, +Mike Urlacher, +Keith Herold

Collection Report St. Elizabeth’s May 10th, 2020

Adult Youth

$ 1030.00 Envelopes $ 10.00

$ 58.00 Loose Plate $

$ 1098.00 Total

$ 1508.00 Monthly Total

Collection Report St. Mary’s May 10th, 2020

Adult Youth

$ 3335.00 Envelopes $ 100.00

$ 70.00 Loose Plate

$ 3505.00 Total Holy Land—$150.00

$ 4860.33 Monthly Total Rice Bowl—$68.63

St. Mary’s Liturgical Ministers May 23rd & 24th

MINISTRY Saturday 5:00 PM Sunday 10:30AM

Lector Diane B. John E.

Mass Servers

Eucharistic Ministers

Gifts

Rosary Leader Martina S. Maureen G.

Greeters

Homebound Minister

Saint Elizabeth’s Liturgical Ministers May 24th

Sunday 8:30 AM

Lector

Mass Server

Eucharistic Ministers

Gifts

Greeters

Ushers

Need some religious gift ideas? The reli-

gious goods store at St. Mary’s has a great

selection of religious gifts for graduations,

First Holy Communion, Father’s Day, etc.

Come check them out and save yourself a

trip to Dickinson!

Marriage: Contact Pastor at least nine months prior to your antici-

pated wedding date.

Baptism: Pre-Baptism preparation session required.

Anointing of the Sick: By request.

Reconciliation (Penance): Before Mass in both Parishes

Saint Elizabeth Church Cleaners for the month of May are: Trish Kaufman, Tina Lefor , and Marsha Krance.

On the lighter side: A Polish immigrant went to apply for

a driver’s license. First of course, he had to take an eye

test. The optician showed him the card with the letters: C

Z W I N O S T A C Z. “Can you read this?”, asked the opti-

cian. “Read it?”, the Polish man replied, “I know the guy.”

The ABC’s of our Catholic Faith

Gregorian chant: Also called plainchant or monophony, it is a vocal form of music in the Catholic Church where all

sing the same melody, preferably unaccompanied by musical instruments. It has its roots in the chants sung in the

Jewish Temple, but a distinct style rooted in the Latin language developed over the centuries in western and central

Europe. Tradition contends that it was codified by Pope Gregory the Great (+604), but the renaissance in Gregorian

chant, the synthesis of Roman chant and Gallican (central European) chant, came centuries later during the Carolin-

gian dynasty (8th-9th centuries).

Gregorian chant was often heard only in monasteries and convents, but in time, it became the normative form of

sacred music for the Roman Rite (Roman Catholic) and its liturgies. Sadly, it has fallen out of usage in most Catholic

parishes, with the claim that the Second Vatican Council decreed this. But this is not the case. From the document

on the liturgical life of the Catholic Church, Sacrosanctum Concilium, of the Second Vatican Council, we read, “The

Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as being especially suited to the Roman liturgy; therefore, other things being

equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services” (116). In our parishes, we do incorporate some Gregori-

an chant into our Masses (e.g. the Latin ordinary of the Mass; Latin Marian hymns; Eucharistic hymns; etc.), but it

would be a great blessing to have a stable Gregorian chant schola or choir. Let me know if you would like to be part

of this effort to bring back the sacred music of Gregorian chant to the Holy Mass, where it truly belongs. I know

some people have a condition called “Latin convulsions”, which manifests itself when they hear Latin Gregorian

chant. But just pray and allow the music to lift your soul upwards, for the beauty of this sacred music draws us to

God who is perfect beauty. I assume (or hope) that the angels and saints in heaven sing Latin Gregorian chant as

they give glory and honor to the Blessed Trinity. We might as well start practicing now so that we can join in that

unending hymn of praise.

Hagiography: Writings and documents about the saints and saintly people. This body of works began with the mar-

tyrs, including the dates and manner of their deaths. Later it was extended to the lives and dates of all the saints.

Hagiographical works are not mere biographies, but are spiritual works meant to inspire Christians to embrace the

virtues of the saints and to live one’s life by their holy example.

May is Mary’s month: the history of the Rosary

The word Rosary comes from Latin and means a “garland of roses”, the rose being one of the

flowers used to symbolize the Blessed Virgin Mary. The beauty and fragrance of the rose sig-

nify her divine maternity and her purity while the thorns signify her seven sorrows.

Pious tradition asserts that the Blessed Mother appeared to Saint Dominic in the 12th century

and gave him the Holy Rosary. He was told to spread devotion to the Holy Rosary and if he did, his new religious or-

der, the Order of Preachers, would flourish.

Originally, the Rosary had 150 beads, the same number of Psalms in the Bible. In the 12th century, religious orders

prayerfully chanted or recited the Psalms as part of the Divine Office. These were done over the course of days or

weeks. Lay people could listen to the Divine Office from their pews in the nave of the chapel or church, but as most

of them at that time were illiterate, they could not join in the chanting or recitation of the Psalms. So, they would

follow along instead by praying on a string, with 150 knots or beads, as a parallel to praying the Psalms. It was a way

for them to remember the Lord and His Blessed Mother while the monks and nuns were praying the Divine Office.

This may have been the origin of the Holy Rosary, inspired by God, and then the Blessed Mother asked Saint Dominic

to make it known throughout the Church for the spiritual well-being of God’s people.

[To be continued]

Marc & Anne Wolf

11175 64th St SW

New England, ND 568647

701-579-4221

www.21angus.com

New England Mott

579-4887 824-3149

525 Main St 120 Brown Ave

DAN’S

BODY SHOP

701-227-8688

DICKINSON, ND

Specializing in

Collision Repair

Located In the

St. Mary’s

Parish Center

701.579.5437

Kari Wandler-Co-Director

Callie Streeter—Co-Director

Located in the Lower

Level of the St. Mary’s

Parish Center

Hours 10:00-4:00 For more information con-

tact Vivian 206-0129

BRAD GREFF

308 Brown Ave

Mott, ND 54656

701-824-3318 brad.greff@fumic.com

CARSON’S

REPAIR

Auto & Ag Equipment

Repair

Regent, ND

701.563.4412

631 26th Ave East

Dickinson, ND Mon-Fri: 7:30 AM—5:30 PM

Empower. Strengthen.

Celebrate. 401 W Villard St., Dickinson, ND

Jason Dorner

701-290-8102

Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC

New England, ND*701-579-4891

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