Events & Opportunities
Lent ​
There’s Still Time! If you haven’t done as well this Lent as you wished, now is a good time to make a fresh start!
Grow your personal faith and deepen your understanding of Jesus by participating in Stations of the Cross...Sacrament of Reconciliation…attending weekday Mass...quiet prayer time in church...use of reflection booklets...fasting...almsgiving.
Reflection booklets are available at each Church.
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​​Friday, March 27, 6:00pm, the Youth are presenting the Silhouette Stations of the Cross. This is a unique and powerful prayer experience. Come, sit back, pray and reflect as the Stations come alive right before your eyes.
ALL ARE WELCOME! We will have a meatless meal and fellowship in the Social Hall following these Stations.
​ Fasting & Abstaining From Meat
Everyone 14 years and older are bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent.
Everyone 18 years old and under 59 years old are bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
On these days, only one full meatless meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals together should not equal
a full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted,but liquids, including milk and fruit juice are allowed.
When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, this does not apply.
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Looking for Eight More Disciples to have their foot washed during our Holy Thursday Mass on April 2. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament follows this Mass until 10:00pm in the Social Hall. Sign up at Church or contact the Office to volunteer. Thanks!
Liturgical Ministers Greatly Needed!!!
You are invited to assist at our Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday Masses. A sign up is posted at St. Mary and Holy Cross or call the Parish Office to volunteer. Thank you for sharing your time and talents for our Liturgies!
Holy Week
The central days of our life as Catholic Christians are Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil/Easter. Why not make it a priority this year to attend all our services to commemorate the journey from Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, to the Cross and to the Resurrection accomplished by Jesus on our behalf. These are sacred days which give purpose and meaning to all we do as Catholics.
Easter Service Project
RE Students PreK-High School partnered with the Knights of Columbus to provide The Bethel Mission (homeless shelter for men located in Des Moines) with 150 Easter Baskets. We are asking for people to donate the following items: memo pads (small), ink pens, toothbrush & toothpaste, new socks, individually wrapped Easter chocolate or Easter candy, deck of cards.
--- Collection is now through March 29. Items can be dropped off at St. Mary’s during the week or before and after Mass. Please place items in the labeled bin in the vestibule. Thank you for your generosity for this project.
A Memorial Gift
We offer you the opportunity to remember a loved one by donating towards the flowers that will decorate St. Mary and Holy Cross Churches this Easter Season. A memorial list will be printed in a future bulletin. Donation envelopes are included in your tithe envelopes and are also available on the table at St. Mary and in the entryway at Holy Cross. Please return your donation by Monday, March 30. Thank you
Annual Diocesan Appeal
Please prayerfully consider how you can support our Diocese which supports our parish and Father Ross! Every gift, regardless of the size, is vital to the success of reaching our assessment of $47,270. Information has been mailed from Bishop Joensen. Please mail your pledge card and gift directly to the Diocese (check made out to Diocese of Des Moines). You can also donate online, https://www.dmdiocese.org/giving; you will need to choose our parish from the “Designate” dropdown. Thank you for your support!
Removal of Decorations at Cemetery
In preparation for Spring, please plan to have all gravesite decorations at Holy Cross Cemetery removed no later than Wednesday, April 1. Any remaining decorations after this date will be collected and disposed of by the Cemetery Committee. Thank you.
Pay It Forward!
Have you ever received a random act of kindness? Pay it forward by helping provide a meal at Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter in Des Moines on the second Sunday of June or July. One or more families/groups prepare and deliver a meal (about 10 families — up to 34 people) for the shelter in Des Moines. Volunteers can pay for the meal, be reimbursed by the parish, or receive a Gift-In-Kind receipt for a tax deduction. To volunteer or to find out more, contact Stacey Rooney, rooneyslg17@gmail.com or call 515-490-5034.
Grow in Your Catholic Faith through OCIA
All adults in our Parish are invited to join us on Monday evenings ( check the calendar for dates) at 6:15 in the Social Hall for OCIA. While OCIA is the pathway for those who are interested in becoming Catholic, it is also a wonderful opportunity for lifelong Catholics to deepen their understanding of the faith. Whether you are curious, returning to the Church, or simply looking to grow in your relationship with Christ, these sessions provide prayer, discussion, and learning in a supportive community. Come and journey with us as we explore the richness of our Catholic tradition together.
Work of Our Hands
Members of the Parish who are service providers, hobbyists, or willing to provide their services or goods for a fee or barter are welcomed to join Work Of Our Hands (WOOH). Participants offer their goods and services at a WOOH Festival in the Social Hall. If interested in a discussion about the possibilities for WOOH, please contact Monica Kennebeck-Doyle, kennebeckm@gmail.com / 515-238-4180, or Trish Morris, girardifan@hotmail.com / 515-278-4936.
Blessings Offered
If you would like a blessing for your fields, flocks, pets, house or another blessing, Fr. Parker is more than happy to come to your home for any of these. Please email him for more information at rparker@dmdiocese.org.
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!
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: 5:00pm Mass at St. Mary: Altar Servers; 8:00am Mass at Holy Cross: Lectors. 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!
