Events & Opportunities
It’s Still the Easter Season!
We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus for 50 days until Pentecost on May 19.
Diocesan family friendly resources and activities to celebrate the Easter season can be found at www.dmdiocese.org/living-easter.
Purchase a Flag for Holy Cross Cemetery
Honor your special someone with a flag to be flown on Memorial weekend, Fourth of July, Labor Day weekend and Veteran's Day in Holy Cross Cemetery along with our current 165 American flags. Price of $275 includes flag, pole, laser engraved identifying tag of the honoree and the donor, base installation, raising and lowering the flag and storage.
Click here for an order form or find form at church. Order and payment (payable to Lynn Schreurs) due by May 1. Contact Lynn with questions, 515-577-8147. A reminder that we only install new flags once a year prior to Memorial weekend.
Exciting News!
We will be offering opportunities for adult faith formation! Please join us Sunday, May 5 from 11:00am to 1:00pm, location to be determined.. Our session will focus on the Mass and the Eucharist. All are welcome to join us for great discussion and communion. Please contact Nicole Cory, ncory@saintmaryhc.org, with any questions you may have.
We hope you become involved in our Parish community.
Click here for our Parish Time and Talent Form to fill out
and return to the Parish Office. Thank you for becoming involved!
Blood Drive
Thursday, May 16, 3:00-7:00pm in the Social Hall. There is no substitution for the blood supply that is in so much of a demand. Only you can make the difference in helping to saving lives by making this special donation. Appointments are required; no walk-ins at this time. Please schedule your appointment at www.lifeservebloodcenter.org/. Volunteers and treats are needed; please contact Larry Sauer, sauerld@outlook.com / 515-710-2421, to help.
Catholic Youth Camp
CYC Sessions are filling up for this summer! Register today at stmcenter.com. Volunteer counselor applications are also available at stmcenter.com/counselors. Our parish pays $100 of each of our student’s fee to attend CYC. Please contact the office after registering your child for this camp.
An Opportunity To Meet Other Parishioners!
Hosting wine & cheese or coffee & donuts is a great way to meet and get to know other parishioners! If you have not hosted before, we can pair you up with someone who has. Please contact the parish office with questions or if willing to help. Host wine & cheese: First Saturday in May, June or August. Host coffee & donuts at Holy Cross: First Sunday in July or August. Host coffee & donuts at St. Mary: First Sunday in June, July or August. Thank you for considering this opportunity!
Annual Diocesan Appeal (ADA)
Every gift, regardless of the size, is vital to the success of reaching our assessment of $51,458. Please prayerfully consider how you can support our Diocese and in turn, our parish. Please mail your gift (checks made out to Diocese of Des Moines) to the Diocese or drop in the collection basket at Mass. You can also donate online at https://www.dmdiocese.org/giving; choose our parish from the “Designate” dropdown. Thank you to those who have already made a gift!
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Parish Goal Pledge Total Payments Amt, Due
$51,458 $29,445 $28,765 $22,693
Serve Homeless Children
Families of St. Mary – Holy Cross parish have been preparing a meal for homeless children and their families at the Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter on the second Sunday of each month for more than twenty years. Volunteers are needed in 2024 for August and December. One or more families or groups can volunteer to prepare and deliver a meal (about 10 families up to 34 people) to the shelter in Des Moines. Up to 3 people can now prepare the meal on-site. Volunteers can pay for the meal themselves, be reimbursed by the parish, or receive a Gift-In-Kind receipt that can be used for a tax deduction. This is the only homeless shelter in the Des Moines area that accepts complete families, both parents and children. To volunteer or to find out more, please contact Lisa or Tim Kautza at kautza@netins.net or 515.964.7687.
Looking For a Way to Become More Involved With Your Parish and Local Community?
Wine & Cheese and Coffee & Donuts: Hosting wine & cheese or coffee & donuts is a great way to meet and get to know other parishioners! If you have not hosted before, we can pair you up with someone who has. Please contact the parish office with questions or if willing to help.
Liturgical Ministers needed: 8:00am Mass at Holy Cross: lectors. 5:00pm Masss at St. Mary: Altar Servers; 10:00am Mass at St. Mary: lectors and Ministers of the Eucharist. Please let the office know if you are interested in helping with any of these.
The Blessing Box Food Pantry is seeking volunteers to help box items to distribute to families on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. Please contact Tammi McClain at 515-290-3904 if interested.
Calling All Musicians! We would love to have you join our music ministry to participate during Mass! We are happy to provide training and have you sing or play with mentors. Teenagers welcome! If interested and would like more information, please contact Sue Schmidt, sschmidt@saintmaryhc.org / 515-689-9949.
Thank you for considering these volunteer opportunities!
History of St. Mary - Holy Cross
Were you married at St. Mary or Holy Cross or had other family historical events related to our parish for which you have photos or documents? Larry Sauer is looking for mementos of these events that we could borrow to have reproduced for preservation and display in future St. Mary-Holy Cross history books. The plan is to find a display case for other historical artifacts that can be displayed too. If you would like to share your history with our parish, please contact Larry at 515-710-2421. Thank you!
Earth Day 2024: Planet vs. Plastics
This is an annual event to support environmental protection. Join us to honor and celebrate our remarkable planet on this extraordinary day. Earth Day is a reminder of the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability, encouraging us to come together and take action for a healthier planet and brighter future.
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EarthDay.org is unwavering in their commitment to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of ALL plastics by 2040. Their theme, Planet vs. Plastics, calls to advocate for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, urgent push for a strong United Nations Treaty on Plastic Pollution, and demand an end to fast fashion. Join us as we build a plastic-free planet for generations to come!