Archive for the ‘Funeral Homilies’ Category

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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 »

Fruits of Faithfulness — Funeral Homily for Beatrice “Bea” Seibel, 91

April 15, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Jesus begins his Sermon on the Mount by describing to his followers what makes a person truly happy or blessed. What do the blessings promised to those who follow Jesus look like? They are promised the Kingdom of heaven, the reign of God. When we allow the Lord to be our King we can be comforted with peace this world cannot give. Our hunger and thirst can be satisfied, because Jesus gives us our daily bread of meaning and hope. We can be shown mercy, mercy we all need because of our many sins, the divine mercy which is our doorway to go forth and sin no more. We see God whenever we open our eyes to Jesus. In Christ, we become children of God the Father. And when your Father is the king, you receive every good gift upon his earth with gratitude, and you will inherit everything he has as yours in the life to come. When yours is the Kingdom of heaven, you experience life in this imperfect world differently – with an assurance of goodness’s future victory and of goodness’s great reward hereafter. These fruits do not grow naturally, they come from faith in Christ.

Bea and her husband Robert had nine children; six girls, two boys, and one child they lost. Remarkably, her children have nothing negative to say about her (apart from a less than stellar singing voice). They did not grow up wealthy on their farm, they almost never vacationed and for awhile they had an outhouse and showered in the milk house, but they never felt deprived. Now her children look back and ask each other, “Can you imagine having just one brother or one sister?” “No,” they agree, “[That would be] boring!” Beatrice has been close to all her grandchildren and they respect her. They see how Bea loves and how her family loves her, causing one granddaughter to say, “After seeing all this, I want five kids.” It has been asked about Bea, “How can one little lady bring so much warmth?” The answer is the same as how St. Peter proclaims Christ after the Resurrection: “He went about doing good… for God was with him.”

Her children describe Bea as faith-driven. Our Catholic Faith formed her and sustained her. They saw her pray at her bedside, begin mornings with her prayer book, and pray before every meal. She led them to Mass every weekend, helped them receive Christ’s sacraments, and formed them all through St. Paul’s Catholic school. She never skipped encountering Christ at Holy Mass, and would watch on TV when she could not attend. She loved lighting vigil candles at church in response to the joys and trials of others. When she could not light these visible expressions of prayer herself she would ask that candles to be lit at church ‘for this, and this, and this.’ Near the end, she would say, “Light a candle for me.” When I visited to give Bea the Last Rites in her final days, she was no longer speaking much, but she knew what was happening and felt consoled by the sacrament and her loved ones, and we heard her join in the Litany of the Saints being invoked for her. A beautiful Christian life culminating in a beautiful death with hope in the life to come. I encourage you to pray for her, but more importantly, I urge you to emulate these Bea attitudes. Beautiful fruits like hers do not grow everywhere, they come from a living faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Labor, Toil, & Rest — Funeral Homily for Barbara “Barb” Hable, 68

March 25, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

Barb grew up across the street from here in the building now known as Baier’s Bar. Forty-seven years ago, she married her husband Larry in this St. Peter’s Church. Today, we are gathered here to mourn, and pray for her eternal blessed rest. Barb’s family speaks about her love as the rock-center of their home. They also tell of her strong-willed determination, her focused level-headedness, and her persistent hard work. Amidst the responsibilities of motherhood, she would work around the house and work around the yard. She volunteered at her St. Paul’s Catholic Parish, where she worshipped our God every Sunday, and maintained employment in the wider workforce. Educated in accounting, working at Chippewa Valley companies, she then transitioned into an information technology career and commuted for more than twenty years between Bloomer and the Twin Cities. When that ended with her retirement in 2019, she still kept busy; faithfully attending the activities of her five granddaughters and staying connected with family and friends from her high school and business days, from Tilden, Bloomer, and beyond. Her family tells me Barb “couldn’t sit still,” that she was always working on something. What are we to make of the reality of human work, to which we devote so much of our lives?

Did you know that human work existed even before the Fall? In the beginning, the Lord God took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it. Then God gave man a helpmate, to fruitfully love and work alongside. A finite universe, even if sinless, can be endlessly improved with new beauties and delights forever. But with sin came the introduction of human toil and death. God said, “In toil you shall eat [the ground’s] yield all the days of your life. …By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground from which you were taken, for you are dust and to dust you shall return.” This is why our labor is so often satisfying; we enjoy being co-creators with God and take pleasure in the fruits of creation. And this is why our labors are so often a burden; this world has been broken by sin and our lives are plagued by fatigue, pain, and death. If this life were all there is, one could reasonably ask with the Old Testament author of Ecclesiastes: “What profit have we from all the toil which we toil at under the sun? One generation departs and another generation comes… What profit comes to mortals from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which they toil under the sun?” But there is more to our story.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, enters into our world proclaiming: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Jesus declares, “I am the Good Shepherd,” He is the Lord about whom the psalmist said: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose. Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name sake.” Though the Twenty-Third Psalm is most commonly heard at funerals, as Jesus does offer eternal rest in the life to come, he also invites us to share in his peace now. Jesus says to us on earth: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” Because of the hope we have in him, because nothing good will be lost forever, we can be secure in the peace of Christ that our works of love and goodness are not done in vain.

We rightly pray for Barb’s soul today, that she may enter into perfect and unending rest. Yet this does not mean her labors will then be finished. St. Therese of Lisieux, seeing her own death approaching, wrote: “How unhappy I shall be in heaven if I cannot do little favors for those whom I love… I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth. I’m happy to die… because I shall be much more useful than I am now to the souls who are dear to me…” And since her passing in 1897, St. Therese has proven to be a wondrous intercessor. So pray for Barb, and ask for her prayers. I doubt she will be will sitting still. And look forward to our reunion, our resurrection into the New Creation, where free of toil we will partake in joyful work with God forever.

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The Lord’s Prayer — Funeral Homily for Jack Wolf, 87

February 9, 2024

By Fr. Victor Feltes

In Jack’s final months, I regularly encountered him in his room at Dove Nursing Home. I always found his wife, Mary, there at his side. Like our Blessed Mother Mary or St. Mary Magdalene at the Cross, she faithfully supported Jack through his Passion. He was grateful to receive Holy Anointing and Last Rites, grateful for the consolation of prayers and blessings, and most especially grateful for the precious gift of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist I brought him. Jack was peaceful, prayerful, and well-prepared to die, ready to commend his spirit to God.

His wife Mary tells me that on Jack’s final Friday before God took him to himself, they were praying the Rosary together. Jack was too weak by then to speak very much, but he would join in the first words of the Rosary’s greatest prayer: “Our Father… Our Father… Our Father.” The “Our Father” is known as “The Lord’s Prayer” because it is how our Lord Jesus Christ taught his disciples how to pray. Jesus’ prayer models what he wishes us to desire and to ask for.

One Friday afternoon outside Jerusalem, while darkness covered the whole land, Jesus hung dying on his Cross. Before breathing his last breath, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit!” He prays to God his Father, who is now our Father too. Jesus desires that God’s name would be hallowed; that is, known as holy and loved by all.

Though Jesus is both King of the Jews and the King of Kings, he serves and dies to help the reign of God’s Kingdom come. As Jesus sees and suffers the consequences of our sins, he longs that his Father’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. Christ offers his Body on the Cross as he did at the Last Supper. He once declared, “the Bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.” He gives this Bread to his Church daily at every Holy Mass.

Jesus sacrifices himself to forgive us our trespasses hoping and insisting that we would likewise forgive those who trespass against us. Jesus wants us reconciled vertically to God and horizontally to each other, uniting heaven and earth and East and West in the likeness of the Cross. Jesus faces temptation to save us from temptation. He endures this world’s evil deliver us from evil. So you see, the Our Father prayer Jesus urges us to pray, reflects the great blessings the Lord wills for us.

St. Paul proclaims that “we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.” And “if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.” It is right that we should offer prayers for Jack’s soul, that he may be perfectly pure to stand before our holy God with all the saints and angels in heaven. Yet we have a great and calm confidence for Jack, that he who was united to Jesus and devoted to our Father will share in Christ’s resurrection to glory. Amen.

Posted in Christian Perfection, Funeral Homilies, God the Father, Homily, Jesus Christ | Leave a Comment »

His Stations of the Cross — Funeral Homily for Roger “Andy” Anderson, 91

January 14, 2024

By Deacon Dick Kostner

The Trailer of the Story of Human Life: Producer God- Actors- Andy, Jesus and Us. We lost a great member of the Holy Family on the Feast of the Holy Family. He was a quiet person in Spirit but a wonderful mentor for us in teaching us how to live a full life of happiness living out and experiencing the Stations of the Cross, of Life. Andy loved attending Mass with his faith family and loved attending our Stations of the Cross during our Lenten Season. He understood the directive from the Father that the doors to heaven are only unlocked for those who experience in their lives the Passion and Death of Life in our lives. So I thought he would like me to share with you what I saw as his personal Stations of the Cross:

The First Station: He is condemned to Die. We all know that at some point we must experience death of our body. Andy knew this but he never complained to anyone I know that this should stop us from enjoying life with our family, friends and God. He enjoyed every day that he was allowed to care for his family, friends, gardens, and lawn and never willingly failed to give thanks on Saturday Evenings and First Friday Liturgy with his Parish family.

The Second Station: He accepts and carries the Cross. Earthy life requires us to bear our crosses. Andy experienced many crosses in life from divorce to replaced knees, to bladder cancer, to death of friends, and yes family with the death of his wife Carol, and son Michael just prior to his passing. One of the greatest crosses one has to carry in living a long life is having to bury ones friends and family. I remember Father Hugh telling me at his 90th birthday party, when he had just been told he was dying, that one of the hardest things he had to experience in living so long was the fact that he lived so long that he had to be there to comfort and bury all of his dying friends.

The Third Station: The First Fall. As we grow older our bodies begin to fall apart. Andy was not a person who would ask for help. It was not in his nature to expect anyone to come to his aid he would just do the best he could to get along even when things were hurting. Most of us, like Andy, do not want anyone to know we are having problems. That’s why God gifts us with family, friends, and spouse. These special people know better then we do what is best for us. I remember Carol sneaking over to ask if I would mow his lawn for him while he was recuperating from his cancer treatments as she was suffering herself with her rheumatism, this I gladly did without his knowledge.

The Fourth Station: Meeting His Mother. I remember when I would get hurt the first person I would run to for help was my mom. Andy was a person of faith and knowing he was a prayerful person I would guess that the first person he would pray too for help and support when he found out that he was dying was our heavenly mother Mary. I witnessed many times Andy praying the rosary with his parish friends before Mass began. Mom’s don’t want their children to experience pain and suffering even when they are not the cause of the suffering and pain.

The Fifth Station: Simon helps Carry the Cross. Andy did not want to ask for help but friends and neighbors don’t need to be asked. Many times when Andy was not able to complete tasks his friends and neighbors knew that this would bother him. I witnessed his neighbors removing snow, fixing railings and painting things that needed attention, as well as raking and removing leaves when he was unable to do the same. He might not of been blood family to us but he was still thought of as being family.

The Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Stations: He falls two more time, is comforted by “Veronica’s”, Speaks to the Women and his friends, and is Stripped of his Garments. Andy continues to get worse and is cared for by Paul and Michelle at their home. He receives the Sacrament of the Sick by his Pastor, Holy Communion weekly by the Deacons and Deacon wives, and prayed for by his Parish Family. The illness progresses and he is now in need of 24 /7 care requiring him to be moved to the nursing home.

The Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth Stations: The Cross and his Body become one for him, on the Feast of the Holy Family he Dies, and he is taken down from the Cross and Duried. His journey has ended and his Spirit is now able to meet in person Jesus, Mary and Joseph along with Carol, and other saints and friends he spent his life with and who he will spend eternity with.

Andy and Carol were not only our neighbors but our friends. Barb and I were able to witness their marriage on Christmas Eve in 1989. Both of them wished to have that special day as their wedding anniversary day. Last year Barb and I with the assistance of Fr. Chinnappan, had a Mass said for the two of them as our Christmas present to them. The good news is that This Faith Family will be able to continue to experience the Anderson’s presence in spirit as members of God’s Holy Family at every celebration of the Holy Mass at St. Paul’s Catholic Church. So, On behalf of this assembly of Holy Family and friends I would like to wish Andy and Carol a Happy Easter Sunday and Anniversary! We all hope to see you in heaven after we complete our own “Stations of the Cross”!

Posted in Funeral Homilies, Homily, Passion, Redemptive Suffering | Leave a Comment »

He is in the Hands of God — Funeral Homily for David Dachel, 81

November 25, 2023

By Fr. Chinnappan Pelavendran

On behalf of the parish community of St. Paul’s, I would like to extend our sincere condolences and sympathy to the members of David’s family. I would like to assure his children, grandchildren, and near and dear ones of my prayers.

We have heard in our first reading, “The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God.” (Wisdom 3:1) 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 you were small and your parents took you up in their arms? You felt safe in the arms of your parents. When we die, God takes us up in his hands. We are in the hands of God. We believe that God has taken David up into his hands. The reading ends beautifully, expressing the faith of someone who believes in God’s goodness and who therefore is not afraid to die.

“Those who trust in him will understand the truth,
  those who are faithful will live with him in love,
 for grace and mercy await those he has chosen.” (Wisdom 3:9)

David peacefully passed away, surrounded by his family on Tuesday, November 14th, 2023. He married JoAnne Fanetti on February 27th, 1965, here at St. Paul’s Catholic Church. He was a simple and humble man, and friendly with everyone. He served his country in the National Guard and worked for Catalytic Combustion in Bloomer. He enjoyed golfing, bowling, and cruising around town. He used to call his grandchildren “Doodlers.” He enjoyed the T.V. program “Judge Judy.” Above all he enjoyed driving around the city and saying hello to everyone he saw.

In the Gospel today Jesus invites us, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” Look at Jesus’ invitation; it is an open invitation to all of us, and no one is excluded. Life is full of struggles and hardships. It is easy to grow weary, it is normal to get discouraged. Jesus offers us rest. This is a free gift from Jesus, we do not have to earn it, but we need to respond to Jesus’ invitation.

Here is Jesus’ invitation for “rest.” It is not physical rest, nor mental rest; He is talking about a more important rest, a deeper rest. He is talking about spiritual rest – rest for our soul. Sometimes we are restless people. Our lives are often filled with hurts regrets, guilt, and so many distractions. For these moments, we try to turn on our music or television or various activities, but none of that cures the restlessness in our souls. None of that can make us whole again. St. Augustine says, “O Lord, you have formed us for yourself, and our souls are restless until they find their rest in you.” Now our brother David is resting in the hands of God.

When we die, God takes us up in his hands. Those who trust in God will understand the truth that people only appear to die; their leaving us seems like a disaster. But we can look forward to God’s love, grace, and mercy after death. Anything else is of our own making and we have time to repent and reform before our death. So we ask God to take our brother David up in his arms, to pour his love, grace, and mercy upon him.

Eternal rest, grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him
May he rest in peace! Amen.

Posted in Funeral Homilies, Homily | Leave a Comment »

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