Events & Opportunities
50 Days of the Easter Season!
The resurrection of Jesus is such overwhelmingly Good News that a single day is not enough to celebrate it! The Lord’s resurrection is meant to be celebrated intensely for the whole week following Easter (Easter Octave), the entire liturgical Season of Easter (until Pentecost on June 8), and every Sunday thereafter, each as a mini-Easter.
Diocesan family friendly resources and activities to celebrate the Easter season can be found at www.dmdiocese.org/living-easter.
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Work Days
Our workday for Holy Cross is Saturday, May 17, 8:30am to Noon, with special attention to get ready for Memorial Day. St. Mary’s workday is Saturday, June 7, 9:00am to Noon. Please come help us keep our buildings and grounds in good shape. If you can’t come the entire time, stay as long as you can. Many hands make light work!!
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Food Pantry Collection
Please bring non-perishable food items to Mass next weekend; we will also take up a monetary collection. Thank you for your continued generosity in sharing with those in need. Your donation will assist The Blessing Box in Elkhart.
Pancakes at Holy Cross
The Knights of Columbus invite you to join them for pancakes, sausage, and eggs at Holy Cross after the 8:00am Mass next Sunday, May 18. Proceeds will benefit the Cemetery at Holy Cross. Idea: Bring a large plate and challenge the pancake cooks to cover it with a single pancake….
​Cemetery Help with Avenue of Flags for Memorial Day Weekend
Could you assist with installing the flags on Saturday, May 24 at 10:00am and/or retiring them Monday the 26th at 4:00pm? Each session takes about 30-35 minutes. For more information, please contact Lynn Schreurs, 515-577-8147.
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Memorial Day
Join us for 10am Mass at Holy Cross Church on Monday, May 26. The Maxwell Legion and McKinsey Guard Bagpipers will be present following Mass. Come see our Avenue of Flags and take a self-guided walking tour of the church and cemetery.
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Holy Cross Cemetery Collection
We have a second collection at our Memorial Day weekend and Memorial Day Masses for Holy Cross Cemetery. The funds will be used for maintenance of the grounds. If you are unable to attend Mass here that weekend or on Memorial Day, you are welcome to mail your donation to the Parish Office. If paying by check, please make it out to Holy Cross Cemetery. Thank you in advance for your support to assure Holy Cross Cemetery remains a beautiful resting place.
Blood Drive
Our Drive is Thursday, May 22, 3:00-7:00pm in the Social Hall. Walk-ins welcome! Cancer patients can use up to eight units of blood a month; join the fight against cancer and donate blood! It only takes about 30 - 45 minutes from check-in to check-out. Use this link to sign up: https://donor.lifeservebloodcenter.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/183180. Volunteers and treats are needed the day of the Drive. Please contact Larry Sauer at 515-710-2421 or sauerld@outlook.com.
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Help Feed the Hungry
Assist those who need a little help along the way by providing a meal at Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter in Des Moines on the second Sunday of July or December. One or more families/groups can volunteer to prepare and deliver a meal to the Shelter (number for the meal varies). For the cost of the meal, you can be reimbursed by the parish, pay for the meal or ask for a Gift-In-Kind receipt. Thanks for your consideration of this request. To volunteer or to find out more, please contact Stacey Rooney, rooneyslg17@gmail.com / 515-490-5034.
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Annual Diocesan Appeal
We are getting close in reaching our assessment of $47,320. Pledge cards are available at both Churches. Please mail your pledge card and gift (checks made out to Diocese of Des Moines) to 601 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309. Donate online at: https://www.dmdiocese.org/giving; and choose our parish from the dropdown. Thank you for your consideration of a gift and thank you to those who have already made a gift!
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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: 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!