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Born to Die & Rise — Funeral Homily for Matthew “Matt” Jaworski, 63

December 23, 2025

By Fr. Victor Feltes

In one sense, no date on the calendar is a good time for a funeral. Any day for a loved one’s funeral rites will feel off, discordant. But today, on this eve of Christmas Eve, it feels like an especially strange time to have Matt’s funeral. We will soon be marking the glorious birth of Baby Jesus — how God becomes man and lives among us. We rightly celebrate that as one of the most joyous feasts of the year. But the life and joy of Christmas seems to be stark contrast with the loss and sadness of today. And yet it may be said that Jesus Christ “was born to die.” If Jesus Christ, the God-Man, had lived without ever becoming our redeeming sacrifice, we would still remain hostages to Satan, sin, death, and suffering forever. Instead, God the Father “did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all.”

The signs of Christ’s salvific mission were there from the beginning. The very name “Jesus” (or “Yeshua”) means “God Saves.” He was born in the hometown of David the shepherd-king, at Bethlehem, from where lambs to be sacrificed at the temple came. Jesus would go on to be sacrificed as our Good Shepherd-King, at Jerusalem, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. On Christmas night, his Mother Mary wrapped his body in cloth and laid him down inside a borrowed cave. Years later on Good Friday, she would wrap his body in cloth again and lay his body down inside another borrowed cave. Jesus’ Christmas birth and Easter resurrection, these sources for our hope, did not come without difficult trials.

The first Christmas was not easy but the Holy Family was always in God’s care. Imagine being poor, being far from home, and having your first child in a place for animals. Yet Mary and Joseph carried faith and peace within them, from the words and miracles from heaven recorded in salvation history and experienced in their own lives. Jesus Christ’s young and unexpected death stunned those who knew and loved him; however, even that awful day was foreseen in heaven’s providence. God’s Beloved One was remembered and soon would rise again. Blessed were those who mourned for him and prayed for him, for they were soon comforted. Matt’s unexpected passing saddens and a day like this is always painful. But we carry faith and hope from God, for Matt—for whom we pray—and for every one of us. Though God’s beloved one must pass through Good Friday, Christmas leads us to Easter joy.

Posted in Funeral Homilies, Homily, Jesus Christ, Nativity, Passion, Resurrection, Typology | Leave a Comment »

Imitate What They Contain — Funeral Homily for Mary Jo Meuli, 83

October 14, 2025

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Mary Jo lived with a special devotion to our spiritual mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and she looked forward to journeying beyond death to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Besides coming to Holy Mass and helping bring Christ in Holy Communion to others, Mary Jo prayed the Holy Rosary daily, sometimes several times a day, growing her in her Christian likeness to Jesus and Mary. When a person picks up the practice of the Rosary for the first time, much of one’s attention is focused on tracking the beads and remembering the prayers. But with more experience, the words and the beads can drift to the background, clearing a place for meditation on its Holy Mysteries.

These twenty mysteries of the Rosary help us reflect upon joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious episodes from salvation history. Mary is a firsthand witness to about three-fourths of these events. So for instance, we can contemplate Jesus with Mary at the Nativity and hold the Baby Jesus in our arms. We can consider how much Jesus loves us to become incarnate as one like us, and be moved to love him in return. We can stand with Mary at the Crucifixion, at the foot of Jesus’ Cross, and share in her compassion for her Beloved Son. We can behold Jesus’ heroic virtues in his sufferings for us, refusing to spare himself, and resolve to do hard things for him in return.

Prayerfully meditating upon the Rosary helps us to become more like Jesus and Mary. The same is true with the Beatitudes. Who is poor in spirit, relying completely on God? Who mourns and meekly, non-violently, hungers and thirsts for what is right? Who is merciful and clean of heart? Who promotes peace, yet is persecuted for the sake of righteousness? Jesus and Mary and the saints are like this, and we are called to be like them. As St. Paul our patron says, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” so that we may “conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.” And God will help us do so, if we give him our “Yes.”

In her final season of living with illness, Mary Jo told every new doctor she met: “I’m ready.” And thirteen years to the day after her husband Allan’s death, she passed on as well. Pray for Mary Jo’s soul, in case any impurity remains within her gold, so that as a perfect offering God may take her to himself. And learn from her example, for blessed are those who grow in the likeness of Jesus and Mary and the saints, ‘for their reward will be great in Heaven.’

Posted in Blessed Virgin Mary, Christian Perfection, Funeral Homilies, Homily, Jesus Christ, Rosary, Saintly People | Leave a Comment »

Heavenly Feasts — Funeral Homily for Angeline “Angie” Rihn, 98

July 1, 2025

By Fr. Victor Feltes

One theme in Angie’s earthly life, from the stories her family shares about her, is meals: the meals she prepared and the meals she shared. The meals on the farm with Herman and their children always began with a prayer, thanking the Lord and asking for his blessings. And her spouse would always praise her cooking with compliments, like calling it “A meal fit for a king!” On the farm, with the animals they raised and the produce they grew and often canned, there was never a need to buy any food. For holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, Angie would cook for days. Three rooms of their farmhouse a couple miles out of town would be filled with tables and chairs for guests. Angie would always have guests over for a meal. For example, her beloved grandkids could show up anytime to enjoy sharing a meal with her. As a leader in the parish Altar-Rosary Society, she headed the organizing of funeral luncheons. And with unfaltering faith, she never skipped our Lord’s feast of the Holy Mass.

Scripture often speaks of our God preparing feasts. The Prophet Isaiah foretells that the Lord God on his holy mountain will “provide a feast for all peoples of rich food and choice wines, of juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.” King David pens the 23rd Psalm saying of the Lord, “You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Jesus declares to his apostles, “I confer a Kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom….” And Jesus announces “many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven….” During the heavenly visions of the Book of Revelation, an angel tells St. John “Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb,” adding, “These words are true; they come from God.”

Are these prophesies about eating and drinking in the Kingdom of Heaven literally true? Jesus says in his Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied,” but that is metaphorical language. And how could we eat foods or drink drinks after death separates our souls from our bodies? But we must remember that our well-founded Christian hope is not only for an eternal afterlife for our souls but also a physical resurrection of our bodies one day. Recall how St. Luke reports that the Resurrected Jesus in the Upper Room on Easter Sunday asked, “‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.” Why does Jesus eat with his resurrected body? It was not because of hunger, for his glorified body has no need of such nourishment. He ate as a demonstration for the apostles and us that he is not a ghost or mirage but truly risen again. But then why does Jesus eat again later, as recorded by St. John, when he had breakfast with seven disciples along the Sea of Galilee? Since the fact of his resurrection was already firmly established, it appears it simply pleased him to share a meal with them. So ‘feasting in God’s Kingdom’ appears to be more than merely a metaphor.

After the Resurrection of the dead, once our souls reunite with our bodies, many will come from east and west and recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for the Lord’s promised feast. A supper not of necessity but of joy, with delights not merely from fine food and drink but from sharing the fond table fellowship of God and his friends. Angie’s delight in preparing meals reflected our Lord’s delight in preparing meals for us: at every Mass and in the world to come. Angie rejoiced to have family and friends flock to her feast like our Lord longs for us to join him for his feast, too. So pray for Angie’s soul, that she may be perfectly purified, and let us live our lives faithfully so as to be well-prepared to one day take our places at the banquet in the Kingdom of God.

Posted in Funeral Homilies, Heaven, Homily, Resurrection | Leave a Comment »

Fly High — Funeral Homily for Elle Jo Kramschuster, 24

June 5, 2025

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Elle’s loved ones will remember many beautiful things about her. In her, seemingly contradictory personality traits are joined. Young but old-souled. A center of attention not looking for attention. Initially the quietest person in a room but who, once comfortable, becomes its biggest presence. Never an early-riser, except to see the sunrise. A world-traveler who loves being back home with family and friends the most. Elle took some twenty-two jet flights, mostly in the last five years, to places like Colorado, Texas, Dubai, or Sri Lanka. She would say, “Happiness is a flight away.” But her favorite thing was being home, having everyone together. For instance, at the annual family rendezvous in Hayward her favorite thing was waking up and everyone being there. Today, we are all gathered here to mourn Elle’s passing and pray for her soul.

Last week, Christ’s Church around the world celebrated the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. Many places marked this event last Thursday, while others transferred the celebration to Sunday. It is a bittersweet feast day. After spending forty days with Jesus after his Easter Resurrection, his disciples watch him fly into the sky until a cloud takes him from their sight, symbolizing his entry into Heaven. Jesus tells his disciples it is better that he goes. They are given assurances that he will visibly return again someday. And Jesus promises them, “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Yet this time of visible separation is still a sad thing.

Jesus understands this. He knows our human loves, joys, and sorrows, for he is not only truly God but truly man. As Pope Francis wrote, “The eternal Son of God, in his utter transcendence, chose to love each of us with a human heart.” Jesus possesses “genuine human emotions and feelings like ourselves, albeit fully transformed by his divine love. … Entering into the heart of Christ, we feel loved by a human heart filled with affections and emotions like our own.” As much as you love Elle, realize that our Good Lord Jesus Christ loves her even more.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled,” he says. ‘Have faith in God; have faith in me.’ Christ is our Good Shepherd. Sweet Elle’s passing from this world is not the end of her story, any more than Jesus’ bodily Ascension was the end of his. Though she has a beautiful soul, earnestly pray for Elle, that the Lord may purify whatever remains imperfect in her so that she may ascend to glory, too. One day, the friends of God will awaken to a new and endless day, rising again in joy at having all of us together. Elle, you are loved, both on earth and in Heaven, where God’s family gathers. Happiness is a flight away. Fly high, Elle.

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A Christian Philosopher–Engineer — Funeral Homily for William “Bill” Hable, 87

June 5, 2025

By Fr. Aro (Arockiaraj Paristham)

“There is a time for everything. A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.” This is the time to celebrate the death of our beloved William, who is known as Bill. A man who lived a full life, pleasing God and people.

Dear brothers and sisters, we have gathered together today to say goodbye to our brother Bill, whose life has touched us all in profound ways. It is said that he was an engineer who rooted in science but he saw himself as a philosopher first. If you asked him what the time is, he would tell you how a clock worked. As we reflect on his journey, it is comforting to turn to the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, particularly the Beatitudes in the gospel. These words offer hope in times of sorrow, pointing us toward the deep truths of God’s love and the promise of eternal life. Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) In this moment of loss, we are mourning the passing of Bill, someone who meant so much to all of us especially the family members. Bill cherished spending time with his loved ones and instilled a strong sense of self-reliance in his family. Mourning is a natural response to love, when we lose someone dear, we feel the deep void their absence creates. But Jesus promises us comfort. He assures us that in our grief, God is close to us, offering His presence, His peace, and His comfort. As we mourn, we can hold on to the promise that God sees our tears and walks with us in our sorrow.

Jesus also says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) This verse reminds us that humility and dependence on God bring us closer to His Kingdom. Bill in his lifetime was simple and humble person. He always admitted his mistakes. One of his favorite quotes was “show me a person who has not made a mistake and I’ll show you a person who has not done much.” Bill may have shown us what it means to be poor in spirit, whether through acts of kindness, quiet strength, or a deep faith in God. When we are humble, we recognize our need for God, and He promises to meet us with His grace. Today, we remember that Bill now rests in the presence of God, in the Kingdom of heaven, where there is no more pain or suffering.

Jesus also says, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.’ (Matthew 5:8) Purity of heart is a quality of those who seek God with sincerity, love others selflessly, and live with integrity. As we reflect on Bill’s life, we may see the ways in which he lived with a pure heart, perhaps through his love for family. Bill was known for his quiet sensitivity and steadfast loyalty, always offering support to those around him. He was a loving husband to his wife, Judy, for many joyful years. Because of his pure heart and compassion for others, and unwavering faith, now, Bill has seen God face-to-face, and he dwells in the fullness of God’s glory.

Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Peacemaking is more than the absence of conflict; it is the active pursuit of reconciliation, love, and unity. Bill was a problem solver and he wanted his children to be problem solvers like himself. If Bill was someone who brought people together, mended relationships, or simply offered a calming presence in times of difficulty, we honor that legacy today. In the Kingdom of God, they are now embraced as a beloved child of God, resting in perfect peace. Bill will be remembered for his unwavering love and dedication to family and friends.

Let us be grateful to God for him in our lives as family or relative or a friend. Let us try to follow one of the good values that we learned from our beloved Bill which touched our lives and carry it over. Let us continue our prayer for his soul rest in peace and for the family to have comfort and hope and faith.

Posted in Funeral Homilies, Homily, Sermon on the Mount | Leave a Comment »

A Brave Soul — Funeral Homily for Ellen Zwiefelhofer, 102

April 29, 2025

By Fr. Aro (Arockiaraj Paristham)

On behalf of the two parishes of St. Paul’s and St. John’s, I would like to extend our sincere sympathy to the family members and the friends of Ellen. It is true that it is always difficult to lose someone that we dearly love. She will be remembered in our thoughts, prayers, and Masses. Whenever we gather together as a community of faith to celebrate the Eucharist, we always remember our faithfully departed.

Believing in Jesus’ resurrection is the core of Christian belief. It is the basis of our Christian faith. There would not be Gospels without the resurrection. There would be no Christianity, Church, priesthood, or sacraments without the resurrection. There would be no hope without the resurrection.

We would not have the resurrection without the death of Jesus Christ. We do not have flowers, fruits, or trees unless the seed is sown. The seed has to die in order to start a new plant. Therefore, St. Paul preached not only the resurrection but also the crucifixion of Christ.

St. Paul reminds us that death is not the end; it is only the beginning. Life is not over; it is only changed. In the Gospel of St. John, Jesus told us that He is preparing a place for us in heaven. Death is a doorway to a new life with God. Jesus accepted death and has given us the rewards of eternal life.

Our first reading today talks about the souls of the virtuous. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord…, let them find rest from their labors.” This reading calms any fears about death for those who trust in God. What better place could we go after death than into the hands of God? What a beautiful way to describe God’s care for us. Do you remember when we were little, our parents held us in their arms? When we die, God will take us in His arms. We believe that God has taken Ellen into His arms. In today’s Gospel, Jesus comforts Ellen by telling her, “Come to me, you who are labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” We believe that Ellen is taking an eternal rest in the Lord.

Ellen’s family will remember her as a prayerful, quiet, and gentle woman. She was faithful and a regular to the Mass. Ellen was strong in her faith, a devoted Catholic, a very generous person, happy to give and help people who were in need. It is highly appreciated because, as St Paul says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” And “God loves the cheerful giver.”

I admired hearing about her ability and hard work which she put into running her ceramics shop for about 25 years. She was fiercely independent, full of love, and would defend her loved ones. She was a lover of nature and always be found in the garden whenever she was free. She always engaged herself in reading thousands of books over the years. She loved to spend time with her family and her house was always alive with laughter and visits. We must be thankful to her, for her service to this country, as a brave veteran in World War II, a special Truck Driver Light 345 from July 10, 1944 until November 18, 1945. Our nation is proud of her selfless military service.

We thank God for Ellen. We are grateful that she was Catholic. Let us place her in the hands of our Blessed Mother. She understands our pain and suffering. May our God grant Ellen eternal rest in His heavenly kingdom. May her soul rest in peace. Amen.

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A Happy Death — Wake Homily for Lois Petska, 75

February 17, 2025

By Deacon Dick Kostner

I recently posted on Facebook an article from Dr. Pamela Prince Pyle, “a board-certified doctor of internal medicine, chair of the board of Africa New Life Ministries in Rwanda, Museum of the Bible Woman of Legacy, speaker, and author of the book Anticipating Heaven: Spiritual Comfort and Practical Wisdom for Life’s Final Chapters, which released on January 7th, 2025. She indicated that her vocation centered around comforting people who were on their death bed. She tells the story about an elderly lady who she visited with as she lay on her death bed barely able to speak and how she was questioned by this lady on the condition of her health. She broke down telling her that her death was near. The lady grabbed her hand, smiled and said, ‘Don’t worry I am going to have a happy death, please talk to and prepare my family for it.’ It caught her by surprise because she had never heard anyone refer to death as a ‘Happy event.’ She said the lady had been preparing for and looking forward to seeing Jesus and all of her deceased family and friends again. Upon reflection the doctor came to the conclusion that happiness and death are not in opposition with each other to people who are grounded in their faith.”

Tonight, we are celebrating the life of a gal who was full of faith in God and family and left us suddenly without warning. Barb and I grew up with and were friends with this special person and I believe her quick exit from this life could be interpreted as God bestowing upon Lois the gift of a quick entry to God’s world. A place where she can celebrate her faith with her family and friends who also were people of great faith. People who always had their eyes focused on heaven and their Creator knowing that death was but the key to the door of heaven for those who called Jesus their brother while living out their vocation of love of God and neighbor while here on earth.

Barb and I were close friends with Fr. Hugh and many a nights he would swing by and enjoy a drink with us and just talk. I remember one night when he said he was ready to “move on.” He had told us that he was dying and that he was tired of living so long and having to be the one to bury all of his friends and family. It was time to join his friends and family and leave behind earthly pain and suffering.

Our Gospel this evening tells his disciples and us to not spend all of our efforts accomplishing only earthly treasures. If we want the reward of heaven it requires us to live out our lives in love of God and neighbor. A few years ago the deacons had a young priest tell us to be prepared. When we are young we don’t think about death. We feel bullet proof. He said you talk yourself into putting off things of heaven thinking just maybe you will be the first to get a pass from experiencing death. That ain’t going to happen! As Jesus tells us tonight, “You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

I think this was what Lois would have said if she had known she was being called home. And like the dying lady told Dr. Pyle, I believe she is telling us: “Don’t worry, I have had a happy death, please, prepare my family and friends for it.”

Posted in Funeral Homilies, Homily, Last Things | Leave a Comment »

Doing The Lord’s Work — Funeral Homily for Sylvan Rothbauer, 87

January 6, 2025

By Fr. Victor Feltes

There is much more to life than work, but human work goes back to the beginning. Even before the Fall of Man, “the Lord God then took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.” Adam toiled tending plants and animals with Eve. Sylvan worked very hard farming his whole life alongside Leona.

He began with a herd on a dairy farm, but later purchased another farm in Tilden on which he grew crops and raised animals. His daughter tells me he taught his three children everything they know about farming. He gave them chores to do growing up, and “some of them were not so fun,” but they were helpful.

He and his wife of sixty-four years did everything together. They went to Mass here at St. John’s together, vacationed with the children to a cabin up north, and would gather the whole family together, especially for Christmas Eve. And when Leona eventually fell ill, Sylvan became her full-time caretaker, humbly cooking and cleaning and laundering for her for the first time.

St. Paul describes Jesus Christ as the New Adam, the “second” or “last Adam.” He writes that, “The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. …. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.”

Jesus the Good Shepherd began with one flock, but then purchased more fields and creatures through his blood, sweat, and tears. We are his people, the sheep of his flock, the children of the Father. He teaches us everything we must know to produce good fruit. The chores that he gives us are not always fun, but they support the work that he is doing and help us mature into saints like him. He humbly serves his beloved bride, feeding, cleansing, and clothing her, and he delights to be with her; on earth around this altar, in the joyful house above and away from here, together with his whole family.

The stories of our lives find their greatness in Jesus Christ’s story. Pray for Sylvan, so that his likeness to Christ may reach its full completion. And with faith in our Lord Jesus, do the holy work which will lead to your glory.

Posted in Christian Perfection, Funeral Homilies, Homily, Jesus Christ, Work | Leave a Comment »

Prepared For Heaven — Funeral Homily for Verna Klemish, 105

November 26, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Verna was born in 1919 and grew up during the Great Depression. Like many who survived that national trauma, Verna had a tendency to keep and value everything. Always frugal and never borrowing, when she would go along on local bank-sponsored trips to the casino, she would return home with her free, unopened roll of quarters. What do we value in this life and how do we let go?

Verna fell in love and married Vernon in 1943, and their love was fruitful in their children. They were married some 40 years, and then Verna live as a widow some 40 years more. Verna taught in many rural schools, beginning in the days when stove fires had to be tended and water had to be carried in to teach eight grades together in one room. Going into the 1970s, just when Verna thought she had retired, a carload of nuns came to her house begging her to teach at St. Paul’s School. For love of God and neighbor, Verna changed her plans and taught for a couple years more.

Verna has lived her Catholic faith. She was one of St. Jude’s founding members, having worshiped at Mass in a New Auburn garage until the church was built in 1965. Almost 40 years later, when St. Jude’s Parish was suppressed Verna merged into St. Paul’s Parish as well. She was always faithful to Sunday Mass, to adoring our Lord in his Eucharist. And when she could no longer attend Mass in person she would watch Christ’s sacrifice on television – and her family learned not to call her during the service.

Verna drove a car into her 90s. Eventually, she made the decision to quit driving on her own, because of low visibility. The problem wasn’t her eyesight, her eyesight was fine — it was that she could no longer see over the steering wheel. In old age, her heart began to fail. When she became in need of a pacemaker at age 99, she had a decision to make. Her doctor asked her, “Do you want to see 100?” She considered and discerned and answered, “Yeah, let’s do it. I want to see 100.” Verna would live on this earth to age 105. She passed away one week ago, about half an hour after receiving the Last Rites. She was finally ready to let go.

St. Paul writes, “The One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus… Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…” Sometimes older people, perhaps fatigued by their burdens, have said to me, “I don’t know why I’m still here. Why doesn’t God just take me?” I tell them, “If you are still living here on this earth, it is because God is doing things in you, or through you, or both.”

Jesus tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. …I am going to prepare a place for you… [and] I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” St. Paul adds, “We know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in Heaven.”

Jesus Christ is not only preparing a place for us above, he is preparing you and me for that place while we are still down here. Through our labors, our sufferings, and our sacrifices, he is growing us in virtue, devotion, and love for God and one another. Remember that God values each of us and he is loath to give up any of us. So pray for Verna, but be happy and consoled, that today she is headed home for Thanksgiving.

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A Proud Member of this Holy Family — Funeral Homily for Jesse LaGesse, 85

October 11, 2024

By Deacon Dick Kostner

When Father sent out the readings for today I was bewildered about the Gospel Sharon had chosen for the Mass today. Funeral homilies are supposed to direct our thoughts not to this world but to our heavenly home and the hereafter. I sent Father a text about the choices picked directed to the Holy Family saying I could not see what the readings had to do with our next life. He gave me a call and told me about the worry Mary and Joseph had about not knowing where he was and that it took “three days” before they finally found him. I have read and recited this Gospel many times in my life but I never picked up on “three days” until his call. This was to be a preview of what was to happen in the future for Mary to prepare for the death of Jesus. It is a preview of all of us to prepare ourselves to the fact that our family members will someday experience death and that we will be separated from them in body at least until our bodies are resurrected at the end of time. But the good news is that because of Jesus we are all invited to rejoin and be a part of the Holy Family for all eternity without ever being required to experience again, the loss felt when someone we love dies. Now I have given you Fr. Feltes’ interpretation of the Gospel now I will give you mine.

This story about Jesus expresses to me that Jesus was, in fact, human. He was centered on his mission of helping others learn more about scriptures and its meaning and perhaps forgot that his parents would worry about what happened to him. Lesson to be learned, we need to acquire the necessity to think and teach our loved ones about how their actions may affect those they love. If Jesus could drop the ball we too should be patient when we try to educate our young people of how their actions can and will affect those they love, and share with them your thoughts and opinions as to how this will affect lives.

The bad news is that during our earthly life we still are required to carry crosses in life as did Jesus, and Jesse, knowing that we will be separated in body from our earthly blood family and from the family of Jesus which the Church refers to as the Holy Family of God because of a one time death.

This December, I will be celebrating my 25th year of being a Permanent Deacon. It will also be my 30th year of offering to this parish the Stations of the Cross on Tuesday evenings during the Lenten season. One of the Fathers of this Parish gathering for prayer was none other than Jesse, who was the first to offer his help in carrying that cross over there as this Holy Family reflected upon the Passion and death of Jesus the Lamb of God, who was willing to suffer and die so that we could find everlasting life with Him as a member of the Holy Family of God.

I have always invited members of the parish to help by carrying the cross during our Stations when it was first introduced to us by our Father Tom, but many were too bashful to accept the invitation, but not Jess. When he and Sharon would show up he would always ask if I needed someone to carry the cross. It was his personal desire to be a partner with Jesus in accepting whatever crosses he was asked to bear to make the life of his blood family and his spiritual church families crosses easier to bear. He did this for over 25 years until his own health would not allow him to carry that cross shown over there, as he had other heavier crosses to carry before his life would end. Now he has moved up to receive his reward for all the gifts of service that he gave, not only his family but the city of Bloomer and his church, as a proud member of this Holy Family.

Long ago, I had told my wife that the cross Jess carried for years for us would be present at his funeral. If it wasn’t so big it should have been buried with him but I think maybe we who have been left, need it here, at St. Paul’s, to honor and thank him for his living with and being a active member of the Holy Family of St. Paul’s Catholic Church and the people of Bloomer. Jesus tells us the two greatest commandments to obey is love of God and love of our neighbor. Thanks Jess for living out your life in service to God, your family, and your Bloomer faith family. We will always be together with you in spirit, and please pray for us as we try to bear our crosses of life.

Posted in Finding in the Temple, Funeral Homilies, Homily | Leave a Comment »

Just Two Doors Down — Funeral Homily for Robert “Bob” Nosal, 76

October 8, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

You may know him as fun “Cousin Bob.” Or maybe you worked with “Big City Bob.” Or perhaps you heard him play guitar as one of “The Noblemen.” But if you know Bob, then you should know how important his family is to him. For instance, Christmas was Bob’s favorite holiday because everyone got to celebrate it together. And his family can testify to Bob’s faithful religious devotion. Bob grew up Catholic and raised his children Catholic, emphasizing the importance of our Faith in practice. He was adamant about attending Jesus Christ’s Holy Mass. Even when his family would go out camping, finding a local parish and Sunday Mass time was a priority. He and Mary Kay would frequently pray St. Mary’s Rosary together whenever they drove somewhere. Bob believed our family and friends are not limited solely to this world. We also have close and holy ones in heaven who know us and love us profoundly.

Last March, on the Wednesday of Holy Week, on the day before the beginning of our annual remembrance of our Lord’s Passion, Bob suffered his first stroke. In the following months, Bob was in and out of the hospital, and when he was hospitalized Mary Kay would faithfully visit and stay with him throughout the day. The visiting hours at Bloomer Hospital were from eight in the morning to six in the evening, so eventually it would come time for her to leave. Bob didn’t like being stuck there alone in the hospital overnight. Who would? He wished that he could go home, or else that Mary Kay could stay there with him. ‘It’s easier for you,’ he said. “You get to sleep in your own bed.” The Nosal house is situated very close to the hospital, so to encourage him, Mary Kay would reply that she would not be far. She would be “just two doors down.” And she would see him again in the morning.

You and I do not like being separated from our loved ones by death. Who would? We wish that we could go home with them, or else that they could stay here with us. But those who die as friends of Christ are not far from us. They still know and love us, and we can always talk to them. Yet it’s easier for them, for they happily go to their rest. Perhaps they dwell in purgatory where their souls are being purified to inevitably enter God’s all-holy presence. Or else, having been completely personally prepared by Christ, they already dwell in our Father’s house. Bob is now either behind the door of purgatory, where our prayers and offerings to God can aid his holy growth, or else he has passed through the door of heaven, where he now enjoys perfect peace and joy. But either way, be comforted remembering that Bob is no more than “just two doors down,” and we will see him again soon.

Posted in Funeral Homilies, Heaven, Homily, Last Things, Purgatory | Leave a Comment »

Journeying With Jesus — Funeral Homily for James “Jim” Eder, 73

August 26, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Of all the Old Testament Psalms, the most famous is Psalm 23 by King David. King David writes, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and describes himself as a cared-for sheep in God’s flock. King David’s greatest descendant, Jesus Christ our Lord, goes on to declare, “I am the good shepherd.” However, St. John the Baptist proclaims on more than one occasion that Jesus is “the Lamb of God.” The presiding priest proclaims the same at every Mass. So Jesus Christ is both a sheep and our shepherd.

Amongst the New Testament Gospels, the most famous section may be Jesus teaching his Sermon on the Mount. And the most famous portion of the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ opening: the Beatitudes. “Blessed are the poor in spirit… those who mourn… [and] the meek… those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… the merciful… the clean of heart… the peacemakers… those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.” In these blessed statements, Jesus presents a portrait of people in this world who are well-aligned with the Kingdom of God. Christ’s Beatitudes describe his Christian saints, but they also describe Jesus Christ himself.

Jesus Christ is not only our teacher and Lord; he is also our Christian role-model. And Jesus is not only our shepherd, but also a lamb who understands us. So even as we walk through sad valleys in the shadow of death, like this passing of our brother Jim, we are not afraid. Jesus is at our side, guiding us and giving us courage; he has walked this path before us.

Jesus has become one of us; was born and lived among us. St. Paul notes “it is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who is also at the right hand of God and [now] indeed intercedes for us.” Jesus is that much on our side; so much in our favor. Such is his goodness and kindness. Such is “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

He spreads a table before us. He anoints our heads with oil. His blessing cup overflows all the days of our lives. He invites us to dwell in this his house for years to come – until the day he calls each of us by name, just as he has called Jim before us. Let us pray for Jim and one another, that following our Lord we may be led to the place where we will journey no more and restful peace never ends.

Posted in Christian Perfection, Funeral Homilies, Homily, Jesus Christ, Salvation History | Leave a Comment »

A Beautiful Death — Funeral Homily for Linda Dachel, 73

July 25, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

The Book of Wisdom declares, “God did not make death… For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world…” With an overflowing love, God created us for immortality with him. Satan, jealous of our glorious calling, misled us to misuse our freedom and suffer sin and death. Human death is unnatural. If it were natural for us it would feel normal to us; like eating, or sleeping, or bonding in pairs. Instead, we perceive death as unsettling, uncanny and dreadful. But, thanks be to God, Jesus Christ came to our aid with his divinity to achieve a remedy for us through mortality itself, so our downfall could become the means of our salvation. Jesus tells us to “be not afraid,” to pick up our cross and follow him, through our Passion to his Resurrection.

Linda faced her final trial when more than one doctor told her she had only six weeks to live. Her form of brain cancer was identified as the fasted growing kind. That was a year ago. She had fifteen radiation treatments in Eau Claire and one course of chemotherapy, yet every hospital visit brought more bad news. Each of us have our own personal strengths and weaknesses. Linda was married to Eugene for 50 years and he says she “never got angry, but worried about everything.” In years gone by she used to tell him, “When we retire, we’re not going to have money to buy bird food!” Yet Linda’s prognosis never bothered her. She wished to never go into to a nursing home, and providential opportunities and finances allowed her to have great care at home. God, who even feeds the sparrows, ensured she was provided for. She never lost weight and ate well until her final month. And amazingly, she never suffered. When people would ask, “Do you have any pain?” her response was always, “No.” Many people die suddenly, with no chance to say goodbye. Linda’s prolonged illness allowed her many friends and relatives to visit her and express their love, and for her to see and smile at them. She passed away on an early Sunday morning. Linda knew and trusted in Christ’s promises. She read the entire Bible twice and faithfully communed with Jesus in the Eucharist.

Death remains a sad and ugly thing, but Linda was blessed with a beautiful death. We pray for her soul, but the details of her passing point to the joyful fulfillment of her hopes and ours. She lived far longer than experts predicted and has embarked into life unending. She endured her illness without pain and in heaven there is no pain now. She faced her death without anxiety and in heaven there is perfect peace. She was lovingly cared for at her home and is going to the home of divine love. As her dear ones on earth said goodbye, the saints in heaven waited to greet her. And Linda’s Sunday morning passing is now joined to Our Lord’s Easter rising. So let us be “courageous,” as St. Paul writes, and let us all “aspire to please him, whether we are at home or away.”

Posted in Courage, Funeral Homilies, Homily, Jesus Christ | Leave a Comment »

Prayers for Us in Heaven — Funeral Homily for Donna Mae Peterson, 88

June 26, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Jesus teaches that “there are many dwelling places” in his Father’s house. He says “I am going to prepare a place for you… [And] I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” The eternal dwelling place of our Father is heaven, and Jesus prepares a place for us and desires to take us there. But when can we arrive?

The Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in versions of “soul sleep” and think deceased Christian souls are not yet conscious in heaven; they both hold that experiencing heaven begins after the resurrection of the body. I have heard other Christians question whether we will still recognize or remember our loved ones in heaven. Some have wondered if we will be so overwhelmed experiencing God’s glory that we won’t think or care about anyone else. So are there saints in heaven now who are thinking about and caring about and praying about us?

In the Book of Revelation, St. John beholds visions of heaven where human souls are aware and active there even before Christ’s Second Coming, the General Resurrection, and the Last Judgment. In his sixth chapter, John recalls, “I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God. They cried out in a loud voice, ‘How long will it be, holy and true master, before you sit in judgment and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?’ Each of them was given a white robe and they were told to be patient a little while longer until the number was filled of their fellow servants and brothers who were going to be killed as they had been.” In the previous chapter, John saw people offering prayers in heaven: “Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones.” So saints are now conscious and praying in heaven, but do they still remember and love those of us on earth?

How could a closer union with the All-Knowing One in heaven make us more ignorant? How could a closer relationship with the God who is Love make our love for all people colder? In one of Jesus’ parables, even a condemned rich man suffering in the netherworld remembered his five living brothers and prayed (or asked) for a messenger to be sent to warn them. The fact that miracles have followed from praying to saints in heaven asking for their intercession before God shows us that the holy dead continue to be aware of us, care about us, and pray for us.

Donna’s two sons, Tim and Ron, have shared a number of beautiful stories about her. They both mention her prayerful devotion and loving concern. Tim says the two core things in his parents’ lives were their devotion to Jesus and their dedication to family. Ron notes she was “always praying… always interested.” When Ron was experiencing hard times at chiropractic college far away in Iowa, his mom called every night to help him through it. Donna also spent hours on the phone with other relatives and friends, eventually becoming a texter and learning how to FaceTime on an iPod in order to stay in touch. She could always patiently listen and provide good counsel to help others with struggles but she would discern her advice with prayer and support those people with her prayers.

Pray for Donna’s soul, for “as gold in the furnace” God tries and purifies us in this world or in purgatory as needed, so “that we might no longer be in slavery to sin” and he may take us to himself in heaven as perfect offerings. But also remember that Donna does not forget you, she will continue to love you and continue to pray for you. Follow and cooperate with Jesus Christ, so her prayers for you shall not be in vain.

Posted in Funeral Homilies, Heaven, Homily, Intercession, Saintly People | Leave a Comment »

The Dying Seed Bears Fruit — Funeral Homily for Marianna Greenlee, 88

May 21, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Jesus told his disciples: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” In what sense does a scattered or planted seed die? The seed is burst open by the plant’s first sprout and roots. The nutrient-rich meat of the seed is consumed by the plant’s growth and its shell of the seed dries out and decays. The seed sprouts and grows; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear, bearing much fruit. The seed becomes the plant, but that original seed dies, in a sense, by offering up all that it is and all that it has.

In one of his parables, Jesus remarks how a man who scatters seed on the earth “would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.” Gradually, quietly, and mysteriously, the seed and plant interact with the soil and sun, the moisture and air to produce a fruitful yield. These parables are reflected in the life of Marianna.

88-year-old Marianna is one of the most impressive ladies I have ever celebrated a funeral Mass for. After graduating as a Regis High School valedictorian, she went to UW-Eau Claire to earn her bachelors in education. There she would meet Tom Greenlee, her husband of 57 years, with whom she raised their six children. She taught many kindergarten, elementary, and high school students through the years, but that’s not all. She and Tom worked together in extended-stay volunteer programs around the country, with the Christian Appalachian Project in Kentucky, with the Gullah Geechee Nation in South Carolina, and for Focus on the Family in Colorado. They served in the Diocese of La Crosse’s Prison Ministry program, volunteered at the Chippewa Valley Historical Museum, and hosted Catholic Cursillo retreat gatherings.

What is the dynamic which produces amazing fruits like these? This little story contains a big clue: In 1998, when Tom and Marianna were celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary, they pranked their family at the party by announcing they would be seeking an annulment of their marriage so Marianna could join a nunnery and Tom could join a monastery. And their children were not sure at first whether they were joking! This goes to show seriously this couple kept our Catholic faith.

A plant’s fruitful yield grows gradually, quietly, and mysteriously, through interactions with heaven and earth. Just as the plant depends upon air and water, soil and light, to live and grow, so we need Jesus Christ and his grace, his sacraments and daily prayer, his love for us and a love for him, to grow and produce good fruits on earth. But everything starts with the dying of the seed.

“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” We die, in a sense, by offering up all that we are and all that we have to God, saying, “Not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus teaches, “Whoever loves his life (always doing what they prefer) will lose (their life), and whoever hates his life in this world (choosing God and goodness over ease) will preserve (their life) for eternal life.” Pray for Marianna and learn from her, so that your life may be truly fruitful too. Remember what Jesus teaches and promises: “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

Posted in Christian Perfection, Funeral Homilies, Homily, Parables | 1 Comment »

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