I Won the Lottery!

As I write this bulletin article, I’m sitting on the shore of Lake Superior in my favorite place on earth—Lutsen. The temperature dropped nearly 30 degrees from when we left town, and my family is enjoying our annual trip to the North Shore.

On the drive up, after the essential vacation stops for Culver’s, gas, and a couple sugar-free Red Bulls, we decided to buy a few scratch-off tickets. I never expect much, and when I sat down in our little lakeside villa with my lucky nickel to scratch my Forest Fortune ticket, I was convinced it was a dud…until the second-to-last symbol appeared.

A ladybug.

Prize: $5.00.

That’s right—I won the exact cost of the ticket! Retirement, here I come.

Okay…I wasn’t exactly being truthful when I said I won the lottery.

The real fortune I have received is something infinitely greater: the privilege of serving as the pastor of St. Vincent de Paul.

I truly mean that. I honestly believe I have been entrusted with one of the greatest gifts a priest could receive—a vibrant parish, an incredible school, a remarkable staff, and a community of people I already know, love, and deeply admire. I couldn’t be more grateful.

But as Catholics, we don’t ultimately believe in luck. We believe in something far greater: divine providence. We believe that God is lovingly at work in every life, guiding us toward the particular mission for which He created us.

That truth isn’t just for priests. It’s for every one of us.

St. John Henry Newman once wrote, “God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.”

I’ve been praying with those words ever since Archbishop Hebda entrusted me with this new assignment. What does God desire to accomplish during these next six years? Whom does He want to reach? How does He want to deepen our faith? How does He want to renew our parish?

But perhaps an even more important question is this:

What does God want to accomplish in your life?

What unique service has He entrusted to you? Whose life is waiting to be touched by your kindness, your witness, your generosity, your invitation, your prayer? Where is He asking you to trust Him more deeply?

This weekend, as I am installed as your pastor, I ask for your prayers, your patience, and your trust. But even more than that, I ask you to join me in saying “yes” to whatever God is asking of us. My prayer is that together we become a parish where every person discovers the unique mission God has given them and has the courage to live it with joy.

I may have only won five dollars on a scratch ticket, but this weekend I truly do feel like the richest—and yes, perhaps even the luckiest—priest in the world.

Fr. Mike
Pastor

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Our Wednesday Mass time has changed from 8:00 AM to 5:15 PM, with confessions offered in the Adoration Chapel starting at 4:45 PM. 

We have been considering offering an evening Mass for some time and are excited to offer an opportunity for people to come to a daily Mass who currently cannot make the morning option work. This will also allow for opportunities for our Faith Formation participants to attend Mass before programs begin on Wednesday nights.

Mass at 8:00 AM will continue to be offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, with confessions offered in the Adoration Chapel at 7:30 AM.

Please know that we welcome new adorers to take open hours! Click here to sign-up as an adorer or substitute adorer.

Adoration Sign-up