September 13, 2026 Bulletin

Dear Parishioners,
   Recently, the diocese announced a collection for the Clergy Formation Program. This is an expansion beyond just the Seminarian Collection to include also the Diaconate Formation Program. The Permanent Diaconate was reestablished after the Second Vatican Council. This is separate from the Transitional Diaconate which all priests are members of for about the last nine months to a year before they are ordained priests. We are blessed to have a member of our congregation in the Permanent Diaconate Program, John Fisher, who should be ordained in about two years. Since we never seem to have enough priests nowadays Permanent Deacons are of great assistance to pastors. They can preach, celebrate baptisms, and weddings and funerals outside of Mass as well as being pastorally present in other ways. Even now John is of great assistance to me at the altar. Something that he started doing at the request of Fr. Parker.
   We are also blessed to have many servers at St. Mary/Holy Cross. Indeed, considering its smaller size I would say that proportionally I have far more servers than I have had at many of my former assignments. It’s great to see so many young people willing to serve. It’s a way to serve God in a close and intimate way, indeed it is a privilege. When a priest celebrates Holy Mass they should do all they can to make it a holy and reverent experience. The servers are an extension of that. Indeed, the new server’s cassock and surplice help in that regard. Thanks to the vision of Fr. Parker, John Fisher has been helpful with cultivating the server program. I will continue to collaborate with him to help the servers to grow in their appreciation of their special role in the celebration of Holy Mass.
   Saturday September 12 is the feast of the Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary. God the Father is glorified by the exalted role in salvation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thus, her name is a name of honor, a holy name, a maternal name, and a name responsive to the needs of the Church.
   Sunday September 13 is the feast of St. John Chrysostom (d. 407). This Doctor of the Church was known as a powerful preacher. “Chrysostom” means “golden mouthed.” He was elected Patriarch of Constantinople (modern day Istanbul) when it was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. He was exiled twice because his preaching aroused the hostility of the imperial court.
   Monday September 14 is the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This dates to the dedication in Jerusalem of two churches in 335. The Anastasis, built over the empty grave of Jesus, and the Calvarium over the site of the crucifixion. They were connected by a basilica, the Martyrium. They were destroyed by the Persians in 614. They were rebuilt and then destroyed by the Muslims in 1009. The current Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built by the Crusaders in 1149. Today also commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Empress St. Helena, mother of Constantine, the first Christian Emperor.
   Tuesday September 15 is the accompanying feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. By the 14th c. the sorrows of Mary numbered seven: the presentation of Jesus in the temples; the flight into Egypt, Jesus being lost in Jerusalem; the meeting of Mary and Jesus on the way to Calvary, the crucifixion; the taking down of Jesus’ body from the cross and his burial.
   Wednesday September 16 is the feast of St. Cornelius, Pope (d. 253) and St. Cyprian, Bishop (d. 258), martyrs. They both fought controversies of their time about bringing people back into the Church who apostatized during persecution. The later wrote On the Unity of the Catholic Church. The are both listed in the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I).
   Thursday September 17 is also the feast day for two saints. St. Robert Bellarmine was a bishop and Doctor of the Church (d. 1621). A Tuscan, he was a brilliant Jesuit scholar, preacher, writer and systematic apologist of the Counter Reformation. He was the Cardinal Archbishop of Capua. He is the patron of catechists and catechumens. He was involved in the Galileo affair.
Hildegard of Bingen (d. 1179) was a virgin and Doctor of the Church. Known as the Sybl of the Rhine she was a German Benedictine Abbess, writer, composer, philosopher, poet, Christian mystic, visionary and polymath. She is especially known as a composer of sacred monophony. She is a patron saint of musicians and writers.
   Lastly, Friday September 11 is the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. It’s hard to believe that it’s been so long and indeed that it even happened. I’m sure all of us remember what we were doing that day. I sure do. Let us pray for all the victims and their families that still feel the loss and pain.
Fr. Pisut
 

August 30, 2026 Bulletin

Dear Parishioners,

   I can hardly believe that it’s September already and that I have been here almost two months. Soon Fall will be upon us. I am one of those people for which Fall is indeed my favorite season. I look forward to seeing what Fall looks like here in the country around St. Mary/Holy Cross.

   Even since I first came here, I have been moved by the custom of silently reciting prayers after Mass for the next person who will die. While the intention of the act is laudable the power of silence also says much. While it is good to have silence in the church both before and after Mass it also has a key role to play in the Mass itself. In 2003, Pope John Paul II wrote, “We need silence ‘if we are to accept in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely to the Word of God and the public voice of the Church.’”

   In the liturgical tradition of the Church, the use of silence, or the recitation of texts very quietly, has an important purpose. First when the celebrant recites a text silently it can mean that the text is addressed not to the people but to God. These are called priestly prayers. There are prayers the priest says silently before he proclaims the Gospel. The Lavabo prayers (Latin for I shall wash) are the prayers said when the priest washes his fingers. The offertory prayers may be said silently as well, traditionally they always were. In many cases the proclamation of certain texts silently is a sign of their great level of importance.

  There is also silence as a moment of pause, a silent interval for the worshiper’s private prayers between the texts proclaimed aloud. Pope John Paul II sought to defend the silence of the congregation as he said, “Active Participation does not preclude the active passivity of silence, stillness and listening.” While the power of the spoken word and song has its place at Mass let us also cherish the reverent power of silence.

   This Saturday September 5th is the feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta (d. 1997). Like Pope John Paul II, she is a saint that many people today knew of during their lifetime. She was born in what is now Albania in 1910. At the age of eighteen she joined the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loreto Sister) in Ireland. She took the name Teresa after Theresa of Lisieux). In 1931 she was assigned to India. In 1946 she received the interior call to serve the poor and in 1950 she formed the Missionaries of Charity which quickly spread throughout the world. She had such an impact that at her death India provided a state funeral for her.

   Tuesday September 8 the Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast commemorates her birth. Besides her the only other saint who we celebrate their birthday is John the Baptist. This is due to the importance that both persons played in the Incarnation, Mary to bring our Lord into the world and John to “prepare the way of the Lord.” The feast also has special significance to me since my mother, Raymonda Jean Pisut (nee: Theodore) died on this day in 2022.

   Wednesday September 9 is the feast of St. Peter Claver (d. 1654). Born in Spain in 1580 he joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and was sent to Cartagena (modern Columbia). He dedicated himself to care for the enslaved Africans. While he tended to their physical needs, he also sought their salvation and the abolition of the slave trade. It is said that he brought over three hundred thousand souls into the Church.

Lastly, between sickness, prior plans and covering for Fr. Parker I have not been at St. Mary’s for Saturday evening Mass for a month. I thank Fr. Krettek for covering for me at the last minute and for your patience and understanding. I look forward to being back.       Fr. Pisut

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August 30, 2026 Pastor's Column

Dear Parishioners,

   In my brief time as pastor of St. Mary/Holy Cross I have been impressed with the welcoming nature of the community. To be welcoming comes in many forms. In the most obvious way, the lector does it when they make the announcements at the beginning of Mass to welcome any newcomers and guests. This is indeed a nice gesture. Welcoming is made manifest in authentic gestures and interaction between people: a smile, a handshake, a kind word and genuine care and concern for people. Welcoming is also done by our grounds and facilities when they are clean and well kept. Indeed, it is the first thing people see when they approach the parish and beckons people to come in. Most importantly, as a Catholic parish and part of the universal Church welcoming is done when we present the fullness of the Catholic Faith to people by fidelity to the Church’s liturgy and Her teaching.

   Speaking of welcoming please welcome Fr. Emmanuel Offiong. He is coming here as part of the Missionary Cooperative program of the diocese. The program seeks to partner parishes with Catholic entities such as other dioceses or religious orders that need assistance to fulfill their ministries. While this does provide financial assistance to these entities to help them in their good work it also helps us to better know the many faces of the universal Church.

   Friday August 28 is the feast day of St. Augustine (d. 430). He is one of the four great Latin Doctors of the Church. He was born to a Catholic mother, St. Monica, we spoke of her Last week, and a pagan father in North Africa. At this time North Africa was part of the Roman Empire. This was two to three centuries before it was conquered by Islam. St. Augustin roamed far from the Catholic Faith of his mother and enjoyed all the world had to offer. Eventually, he came back to the Faith by the prayers of his mother, the tutelage of St. Ambrose (also one of the four Latin Doctors of the Church) and the working of the Holy Spirit. He went onto to become Bishop of Hippo. My life mirrors St. Augustine in many ways and by God’s providence this day is my birthday as well.

   August 29 is the feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist. Of course, we all know the story of how King Herod beheaded him as a result of making a promise of anything “unto the half of his kingdom” to Salome for her to dance for him. John was of course the last prophet who would herald the coming of Jesus, “make straight the way of the Lord.” As he said, “as he must increase, I must decrease.”

   Thursday August 3 is the feast of Pope St. Gregory the Great (d. 604). Along with St. Augustin and St. Ambrose he is one of the four great Latin Doctors of the Church, the other one is St. Jerome. He was a strong reformer of the Church and helped fill the power vacuum in Rome after the fall of the Roman Empire and the barbarian invasions. He is considered the Father of the Medieval Papacy. The Church’s wonderful tradition of Gregorian Chant is named after him.

   On a related note to St. Augustine, I will be celebrating the feast of St. Augustine at my former parish this Saturday, it is a major celebration there. I’m doing this to help out Father Parker. He made plans to be away this weekend before he knew that he would be moving parishes. The other retired priest who helps out there also had plans to be gone this weekend. Since we have the missionary priest coming here and because of my long history with Saint Augustine it was deemed a good solution.     Fr. Pisut

 

August 23 & 30, 2026 Bulletin

Dear Parishioners,

    I’m sorry that I have not been able to celebrate Mass these past few days. I have had a bad summer cold hit me this past week. I think we all know how bad those can be. They sneak up on you, but you know they’re coming. Monday night I had a little tickle in the back of my throat. Tuesday my voice started to grow hoarse. Wednesday the runny nose came on and then it just hit me like a ton of bricks. It seems so ironic and unjust to get a cold in the summer.

    As I’ve been speaking about some of the items that are used for the celebration of Holy Mass, I forgot to mention the pall. Pall in general just refers to a covering. At funerals, the pall covers the casket. In English when we refer to a bad feeling coming over a situation we speak of a pall coming over us. In the context of Mass, it is the flat linen covered square of cardboard or plastic that covers the chalice(s) during Mass. While it is part of the ritual of Mass, that’s a whole other conversation, it also serves a very practical purpose. It protects the Blood from profanation, such as an insect or dust getting into the chalice. While it’s not always used it is supposed to be. Again, that is because since we believe that the bread and wine truly becomes the body and blood of Christ, we should do all we can to protect it.

    While the pall does protect the Precious Blood from profanation it also helps cultivate our devotion. The act of using it demonstrates respect for the Sacred Species and by our knowledge of this that enriches our belief. Likewise, I have started using a chalice veil over the ciborium that holds the Consecrated Hosts that are reserved in the tabernacle. This has its origins from the veil in the Jerusalem Temple for the Holy of Holies. Indeed, Fr. Parker’s moving of the tabernacle to the center of the church helps to demonstrate that it is the fundamental event that happens at Mass which highlights respect for the Sacred Species and cultivates our devotion as well.

    On Saturday August 22nd we celebrate the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It falls fittingly on the Octave (eighth day) of the Assumption. We have so many wonderful Marian feasts that begs the question, is St. Mary’s connected to any particular feast of our Blessed Mother?

Sunday August 23rd is the feast of St. Rose of Lima (d. 1617). She is the first canonized saint of the new world. Born of Spanish parents she was baptized as Isabel Flores y de Olivia but because of her radiant beauty was given the name of Rose. She was confirmed by St. Turibius and lived along three other saints: St. Martin de Porres, St. John Macias and St. Francis Solano. She refused to marry and became a Dominical Tertiary (third order), a lay order. She helped to found the first monastery of cloistered nuns in Lima. She was known for her life of prayer, austere penances, mystical experiences and charismatic gifts.

    Monday August 24 is the feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostles. He was also known as Nathaniel. Along with St. Thomas is said to have preached the Gospel in India, where from the earliest days they were knowns as the Christians of St. Thomas. He also preached the Gospel in Armenia, which would become the first Christian nation, where tradition says that he was flayed alive.

Tuesday, we celebrate two saints. King St. Louis of France (d. 1270) was a model ruler and father of eleven children. He was a Franciscan Tertiary who cared for lepers. He built St. Chapelle in Paris as a reliquary for the crown of thorns. He died of plague in Tunisia during the Second Crusade. He is the patron of masons and sculptors.

    Also, on Tuesday we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph Calasanz (d. 1648). Born in Aragon he founded the Clerics Regular of Religious Schools, also known as the Piarists. He was dedicated to helping poor children and faced many trials and calumnies for his work. He is patron of all Christian schools dedicated to the poor.

    Lastly, Thursday August 27 is the feast of St. Monica (d. 387). She was born in Tagaste in Northern Africa, which was then part of the Roman Empire. After Thirty years of prayer, she obtained the conversion of her dissolute pagan husband and her famous son, St. Augustin. She is patroness of mothers. My only mother, inspired by her example, prayed for me to return to the Faith, not knowing that my birthday is the feast of St. Augustin. More on that next week.

Fr. Pisut

 

August 9 & 16, 2026 Bulletin

Dear Parishioner’s,

   It has been just about a month since I’ve been here and I’m really starting to feel at home. That being said it, was only last week that I was able to start settling into the rectory since it was being cleaned and painted. I appreciate that the parish was willing to do those things to help me feel at home. Thank you for your generosity and hospitality.

   Ever since I first came here, I’ve been touched how everyone kneels after Mass and prays for the next person who will pass away. It is a lovely tradition. Kneeling is an important part of our Catholic prayer life, both in the liturgy and personally.  It has always been a part of our worship. It is mentioned in both the Old and the New Testament, fifty-nine times in the New Testament in fact. Some people have even returned to the long-standing custom of kneeling to receive Holy Communion.

   Recently, I moved the kneelers that were in the vestibule and placed them in front of the statues of Jesus and Mary. I invite parishioners to take the opportunity to kneel in prayer before these two great saints that God choose to be instrumental in his plan of salvation. Perhaps, you may have noticed that the altar has been moved back slightly. That was to allow space for people to comfortably kneel during the wedding ceremony as well, another long-standing Catholic tradition that is becoming popular again. Whether it’s in Mass, to receive Holy Communion, in front of a statue of our favorite saint or just by our bed at night kneeling is an essential aspect of our faith. As Benedict XVI stated, “The man who learns to believe learns also to kneel, and a faith or a liturgy no longer familiar with kneeling would be sick at the core. Where it has been lost, kneeling must be rediscovered, so that in our prayer, we remain in fellowship with the apostles and martyrs, in fellowship with the whole cosmos, indeed in union with Jesus Christ Himself.”

   As we transition from July to August it is good to remind ourselves that since the 16th century the Church has assigned special devotions to each month to help us grow closer to God, His Son and His Saints. July is dedicated to the Precious Blood. August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Wearing the Miraculous Medal, which has an image of Our Lady’s Heart on it, is a good way to celebrate this month.

   As I reflect on  Lady’s Immaculate Heart, I realize that this is the first time I’ve been at a Church named after Mary or the Holy Cross, which by the way is the devotion for September. As a seminarian I was at St. Theresa’s in Des Moines, as a deacon I was at St. Joan of Arc and St. Athanasius in Evanston, IL. My first assignment I was at St. Francis in West Des Moines, the largest parish in the diocese. While I studied Canon Law, I was at St. Joseph in Beltsville, MD. I was pastor for the first time at Sacred Heart, Chariton; St. Brendan Leon and St. Francis Corydon, the smallest parish in the diocese. They didn’t even have a church; they used a Methodist church on Saturday nights. Lastly, I was at St. Augustin. I’m proud to now have the beautiful arrows of St. Mary and Holy Cross in my quiver of church names.

     Fr. Pisut

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July  26 & August 2, 2026 Bulletin

Dear Parishioner's,

    I have been pastor of St. Mary/Holy Cross for a couple of weeks. I thank all of you for the kindness, generosity and welcoming you have shown me. It is always a big change for a parish when pastors move. Both the pastor and parishioners leave behind treasured relationships and have to invest in building new ones again. Please keep introducing yourself and forgive me if it takes a while for your names to sink in. I thank you for your patience and understanding as you get to know me and I get to know you.

    Of course, when of the most noticeable changes is the way a priest celebrates Mass. On the one hand all priests celebrate the Mass the same way since there are specific rubrics we are required to follow. Nevertheless, we know that priest’s personality shine through. To that end some people have already asked me a few questions so I thought I would share those here. First, people ask me about my hat I wear at Mass. It is called a biretta. Any priest can wear one. It is a symbol of the priestly office. A priest can wear it just as daily wear but in the context of Mass it is worn processing in, processing out and any time the priest is seated. When a priest is functioning in Mass, he does not wear it. You have actually seen it before, usually worn by bishops and cardinals, though it is a different color depending on one’s rank in the Church. For regular old priests like me it is merely black.

    Another practice someone noticed was how I keep my thumb and index finger together. This is done after the consecration until the purification of the sacred vessels at the end of Mass. This is done to safeguard any particles of the host that may have adhered to the priest’s fingers. Until recently it used to be required but is now optional. However, since we really believe Christ to be truly present in the Eucharist it is prudent to protect against the profanation of the Sacred Species.

    In addition, for most of the Mass I am not looking directly at the congregation. This reflects the nature of the Mass as a prayer directed towards God. If you listen to the dialogue at Mass, you’ll notice that most of it is the priest speaking to God and not the congregation. As such his gaze is directed towards God. When the priest does engage directly with the congregation, such as in the homily, then his gaze is directed toward them.

    Lastly, we are in the middle of summer and people are traveling and enjoying their summertime activities. I hope your summer is all you wish it to be. We know it goes by so fast. Still, it’s also important to make time for Sunday Mass and our daily prayers. After all, we wouldn’t have our lives to enjoy the beautiful summer if it wasn’t for God. Let’s show him our gratitude!     - Fr. Pisut

 

July  12 & 19, 2026 Bulletin

Dear New Parishioner's,

I’m so glad to be your new pastor. However, I’ll be staying with my younger sister for a few weeks while the rectory is being put in order. I also have an older brother. Don’t be surprised that you might see them at church from time to time. This is my fourth assignment in my 23 years as a priest. I was an associate pastor at St. Francis of Assisi in West Des Moines from 2003-2006. Next, I studied Canon Law at the Catholic University of America in Washingtom D.C. from 2006-2008. Following that I was pastor of Sacred Heart in Chariton, St. Francis in Corydon and St. Brendan in Leon from 2008-

2015. Lastly, of course I was pastor of St. Augustin from 2015 until just this past week. I have also been the Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Des Moines since 2009 and I will continue to have care for the Latin Mass Community at St. Augustin. I look forward to getting to know you. It will take me some time to learn names and faces so please be patient with me. The best thing you can do is just say your name every time you see me and hopefully that will help it sink in. For those of you who are not sure how to pronounce my name it’s pronounced pea-shoot, like a peashooter. However, don’t be afraid if you mispronounce it, it wouldn’t be the first time. While I understand you are sad to lose Fr. Parker I am happy that he is the new pastor at St. Augustin. He is a good man and they will no doubt do well by him. I look forward to serving the people of St. Mary/Holy Cross and thank you for so warmly welcoming me as your new pastor.    ~ Fr. Pisut