2025–2026 DIOCESAN ANNUAL APPEAL, with this year’s powerful theme: Fueling Missions of Hope.

This theme reminds us that we are all part of something much greater than ourselves — the mission of the Church to bring the hope of Christ to a world in need. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Each of us, by our baptism, is sent. We are called to be missionaries of hope — in our families, our workplaces, and our communities. The Annual Appeal gives us a unique opportunity to respond to that call. Through our collective support, the Appeal helps:

• Prepare and educate future priests
• Feed the hungry and care for the poor
• Support Catholic schools and religious education
• Strengthening family life and youth ministry
• Serve the sick, the elderly, and the most vulnerable
• And so much more throughout our Diocese

I invite each of you to prayerfully consider how you can participate. No gift is too small, and every offering makes a difference. Together, we can fuel the good work God is doing in our Church. May God bless you for your faithfulness and generosity.

ACTION ALERT ON BEHALF OF OUR INTERNATIONAL PRIESTS: Urge Congress to Support Foreign-Born Religious Men and Women and the Communities They Serve

An increasing number of priests, religious sisters and brothers and others serving the Church throughout the United States will be forced to abandon their ministries if policymakers do not act soon. Unfortunately, many parishes, schools and other Catholic institutions have already had to part with men and women who served them for years because of challenges with the Religious Worker Visa Program.

To learn more, and to make your voice heard in favor of the bipartisan Religious Workforce Protection Act, visit https://votervoice.net/USCCB/home. The Diocese of La Crosse is grateful for the ministry of nearly 30 international priests.

Calix: A Catholic Substance Abuse Recovery Support Group

Calix is an association of Catholics wanting to live free of addiction to alcohol or drugs, and it is also for affected family members. It is not a substitute for AA or Al-Anon, but provides a Catholic perspective to complement these 12-step programs. “Calix,” Latin for “chalice,” was founded in Minneapolis in 1947 by a group of ve men, all recovering alcoholics, who saw their Catholic faith as a sure path to serenity without alcohol.

If you are interested in learning about the Calix group that meets every other Tuesday by Zoom in the Diocese of La Crosse, email Christine at healthandharmonywi@gmail.com. To learn more about Calix, visit their website calixsociety.org.

Calling all couples who are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2025 or 2026

Every year we are honored to do something special for couples who are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Each couple receives a packet and certificate, as well as an invitation to attend one of three celebrations that include Mass with the Bishop followed by a dinner. We use the information provided by your parish’s records to know where to send the packets and invitations.

We are preparing for the anniversaries happening in 2025 and would like to get a head start on the 2026 anniversaries as well.

Please contact your parish office to ensure your wedding date is listed in the parish’s records.

Eucharistic Adoration

Every week all three parishes will have Eucharistic Adoration.

St. Boniface—Tue, 4:30-5:30pm
St. Lawrence—Thu, 7:00-8:00am
Immaculate Conception—Fri, 7:00-8:00am.

Help Those Afflicted by the Tragic Flooding in Texas

Catholic Charities is rushing assistance to those devastated by the recent catastrophic flooding in Texas, as the death toll continues to climb and whole communities are displaced. Please consider donating – visit www.cclse.org and click on the “Texas Flooding” link. And please hold in your prayers the souls of those who lost their lives, their grieving families and loved ones, and all who are suffering as a result of this tragic disaster.

Jubilee 2025 "Pilgrims of Hope"

A meaningful way to participate in the Jubilee Year of Hope is by making a pilgrimage, which is different from a vacation. A pilgrimage is to a sacred place and involves stepping out of the normal routine with the goal of coming closer to God. Making a pilgrimage reminds us that in our everyday lives we are pilgrims on a journey to heaven, and therefore, our desire is to grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ with whom we hope to spend eternity.

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Pope Leo XlV Resources

The Vatican and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have begun releasing materials about our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, including official statements, photographs, and video content.

The faithful can visit diolc.org/pope-leo to access a central collection of these materials.

Rectory Restoration Raffle

Please pick up your rectory raffle ticket for the "4th Annual Three Parish Rectory Improvement Raffle". This is the only rectory we have among the parishes and all 3 churches are responsible for the maintenance on this rectory. Immaculate Conception and St. Lawrence can pick their tickets up after mass. St. Boniface can pick up their envelope in the church vestibule. Connie in the office has tickets also. Please take any of your family member's or neighbor's tickets and drop them off to them!

You can turn yours tickets back in either by any of the collection baskets or the office. Please write checks to Immaculate Conception since all the money & bills go through that church.

Seeking Full and Part-Time Nursing Faculty

Saint Mary’s University is actively recruiting full-time and part-time faculty for its new BSN pre-licensure program in Winona, MN. The program focuses on the Art & Science of Nursing, Holistic View of the Human Person, and Lasallian Catholic Transformative Educational Experiences. Prospective students find our direct-entry cohort model appealing because they begin nursing courses in the first year of study. Find full job descriptions and apply here: faculty-saintmarysuniversity.icims.com/ jobs/1601/nursing-faculty/job? mode=view.

For more information, please contact Carlyn Wardwell at cwardwel@smumn.edu.