News

The Feast Day of Holy Name of Jesus, Jan. 3

On Friday, Jan. 3, we celebrate the special Feast for which our church was named, the Holy Name of Jesus. Anytime we are able to celebrate a church's namesake, it is a great reminder that we have someone, in our case Jesus, looking over us in a special way. 

We will start the morning with First Friday Rosary at 7:30 a.m., with Mass at 8 a.m., and then First Friday Social in the Good Samaritan Center. Stop by for a portion or all of this celebration on Jan. 3.  

December Happenings 2024

Advent Night of Reflection, Dec. 12

Take a break this December and fully enter into the Advent Season with HNOJ's Advent Night of Reflection. Sr. Marie Caeli, a religious sister from the Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus, will present on "The Incarnation and the Eucharist." We will also have Eucharistic Adoration holy hour with silence and Advent hymns. Come and pray, rest and be renewed with a meaningful Advent message!

Basic Info:
When: Thursday, Dec. 12, from 6:30-8 p.m.
Where: Main Church at Holy Name of Jesus
Talk: Sr. Marie Caeli of The Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus will speak on "The Incarnation and the Eucharist." With Eucharistic Adoration with Advent hymns to follow
Cost: Free!
Registration: No RSVP necessary. 

Parish Advent Reconciliation Service,  Dec. 18

Why go to Confession? Jesus gave us the Sacrament of Confession (or Reconciliation) when He breathed on the Apostles saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:22-23). This authority to forgive sins has been passed on from the apostles to the priests of our own time through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Confession is the only ordinary means of forgiveness for mortal sins committed after Baptism. Though other extraordinary means are possible, they are never guaranteed and shouldn’t be presumed upon. As all sacraments do, it also bestows an increase of grace. 

If it’s been a few weeks or a few years since your last Confession, you are invited to experience Christ’s healing power of forgiveness and mercy! Please join us for our Parish Advent Reconciliation Service on Wednesday, Dec. 18. We will have several priests available from 5:45-8 p.m. in the church.

Don’t worry if you don’t remember the prayers. We will have examination of conscience available and the priest can walk you through the process. 

Blessing of Our Holy Family Statue,  Dec. 29

This fall, we installed a new statue of the Holy Family at the east entrance of the parking lot. In honor of the Feast of the Holy Family, we will do a special blessing of the statue after the 8:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Dec. 29.

We invite all parishioners to join in this blessing of the statue at 9:45 a.m. Space will be blocked off and all are welcome to participate in this blessing.  

Christmas Schedule at HNOJ

Christmas Eve – Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024
Join us as we prepare for Mass with Congregational Carols and Anthems prior to each Mass
4 p.m. Mass in the Church – School Choir with Handbell Choir
4 p.m. Mass in the GSC – Sunday Evening Band (guitars, keyboard and drums) 
6 p.m. Mass in the Church – Sunday Evening Band (guitars, keyboard and drums) 
10 p.m. Mass in the Church  – HNOJ Choir (string quartet and organ)

Christmas Day - Wednesday, Dec. 25 
9:30 a.m. Mass in the Church (organ, piano and cymbells)
Join us for a 15-minute prelude before Mass 
(no nursery)

Solemnity of the Holy Mother of God
Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 1, at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.   

Incense will be used at the 10 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass. There will be no incense at the 4 or 6 p.m. Christmas Eve Masses, nor the 9:30 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day.

Why Is the Door Locked?

In recent weeks, you may have noticed some changes around Holy Name of Jesus aimed at enhancing our security measures. Some of these measures are invisible to most parishioners and maybe even staff. Others beg the question – Why?

Despite being located in a relatively safe neighborhood, Holy Name of Jesus faced a security incident several years ago when an attempted break-in occurred at our offices. In response, we installed cameras and upgraded certain locks, leading to fewer security incidents since then. However, with reports of crime in nearby areas, our leadership has taken proactive measures to further enhance the security of our facilities for the safety of our large parish family, especially during school hours and on Faith Formation nights when children are present.

Investing in Our Safety:

Controlled Access: Card readers have been installed at various entrances, allowing us to monitor and regulate who enters our facilities.
Automated Door Schedules: By implementing automated door schedules, a consistent level of security is maintained, even when personnel may not be readily available.
Video Intercom System: The newly installed video intercom system at the main entrance serves as an added security feature, enabling individuals to be verified before having access to our facilities. Should you find yourself arriving early on weekends to for a setup or running late to pick up your child during Faith Formation nights, we kindly ask that you utilize the intercom system located at Door 1. Rest assured; someone will be available to respond to your call until 9 p.m. Your safety and peace of mind are our top priorities. 

These investments are just the beginning of HNOJ’s efforts to prioritize safety within the parish. As we continue to explore ways to enhance security, reduce risks and insurance premiums, we appreciate your help in maintaining a secure environment for all.

We understand that these changes may feel different from how things have always been done in the past. We value your feedback and encourage you to reach out to Janna Webskowski, Parish Administrator, or Jeff Ruchti, Facilities and Maintenance Manager, with any questions or concerns regarding our security measures. Together, we can work towards creating a safer and more secure environment for our entire parish community.

Communion Outreach

The Eucharist is at the core of our celebration each Mass. The sacramental signs become the Body and Blood of Jesus we receive.  At the Last Supper, sharing His Body and Blood with the disciples, Jesus said, "Do this in memory of Me" and so we do, through Holy Communion. The Eucharist not only brings us into communion with God, but with others as well.

For many, the bond of the Eucharist is felt and celebrated at Mass. But some members of the HNOJ community are not able to physically attend Mass. For this reason, HNOJ’s Communion Outreach team has dedicated volunteers who go out into the community to visit and bring the Eucharist to those who cannot get to Church due to their circumstances.

At Holy Name of Jesus it is our joy and honor to be able to provide this ministry through our Communion Outreach Team. If you or someone you know is homebound in our parish area and would like Communion brought to them, please contact the parish office at 763-745-3492.  This ministry will be led by Steve Hayes and Maureen Laird-Hayes.

Do you take photos while you're at HNOJ that ought to be shared? Send them to us!

We love seeing photos and video taken by parishioners. It gives us a unique perspective on what you experience. It's especially helpful to have more photos and videos to use in our marketing materials such as social media, publications, our website and more.

In particular, the Stewardship Commission would like images or short videos that show your ministry!

Please make sure that all submitted photos and videos that depict people have the person(s) permission to share with HNOJ, and that they understand that HNOJ may publish these photos and videos in upcoming marketing materials, on our website, social media channels or any other medium.

Email photos and videos to [email protected].  Please call Sarah Reid at 763-746-8194 with questions.

A few parishioners have received text or email messages from people pretending to be our pastor. These messages state pretty generically that he would like your help.  When a person responds, they receive a reply requesting donations in the form of gift cards. Please know that text messages are fake and should not be responded to. Fr. Wratkowski will never text or email you for gift cards.

In all cases, we have found that the contact information was "skimmed" from our website. This is a very common practice among spammers and is seen in businesses of all types. To help reduce the possibility of emails being copied from the website, icons with links to the email are used instead. This is not effective with phone numbers as a desktop would not be able to call out.

HNOJ takes security and the confidentiality of your data very seriously.  We have multiple systems in place to help keep us all as safe as possible. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Michelle Hudlow, Director of IT at [email protected] or 763-233-0250.