Ask Fr. Jerry

Fr. Jerry Herda

Fr. Jerry Herda, Pastor - St. Monica's Parish, Whitefish Bay

Embrace what your Catholic Church offers

The second installment of a 3 part question and answer article previously published in the Catholic Herald.

Q: I recently graduated from college and live far from my home church. How should I go about choosing a new parish?

A: This is a great question. Many people frequently move to a new city and have no idea how to find a new parish. They keep putting it off and end up missing Mass. Let me make several suggestions. First, you are probably computer savvy, so an easy place to begin is by surfing the net. Most parishes have Web pages on which you can get a little background information. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has created the ability to search for any parish on its Web page, <www.archmil.org>. Click on the link under Parishes that says “Locate a Parish” or, even better, click on the link under Parishes that says “Find a Mass.” This will provide you with the Mass schedule and information about any parish in the archdiocese. It can be helpful when you travel or are on vacation.

Next, ask people you know. Find others in your neighborhood or people at the gym who are Catholic and find out where they go to church, if they go to church. If they don’t go, you can always invite them to explore with you. As Catholics, we are often too reluctant to ask. We should be proud to be Catholic and not be embarrassed to let others know.

Finally, simply show up. Go to some of the Catholic churches in your area, look around, explore the church, and go to Mass. Take a moment after Mass and introduce yourself to the priest and tell him you are new to the parish. Put him and the parish to the test and see how welcoming they are. Ideally, you will be able to find a place that you can call home.

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Ask Fr. Jerry Herda part I

Fr. Jerry Herda, pastor of St. Monica's Parish, Whitefish Bay, answers pressing questions on Catholicism. Today's question - I have a friend who is encouraging me to attend a Bible-focused evangelical church. She says the services are very entertaining with lots of video and music. It sounds exciting. If I go does that fulfill my Sunday obligation?

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Advent, as we know, is full of anticipation as we await the birth of the Christ Child at Christmas. Milwaukee Auxiliary Bishop William P. Callahan shares his thoughts about the Blessed Mother. Milwaukee Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba, talks about Isaiah and Isaiah’s dream for peace and harmony among all creation in a podcast.

Simbang Gabi

Learn about the spiritual Filipino Christmas tradition of Simbang Gabi and find out which parishes in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will be hosting the nine evenings of celebration.

Ask Fr. Jerry Herda part II

Fr. Jerry Herda, pastor of St. Monica's Parish, Whitefish Bay, answers pressing questions on Catholicism. Today's question - How Do I Find a New Parish?

St. Blaise

St. Blaise is the Catholic patron saint of throat illnesses, iron combs and wild animals. His Feast Day is celebrated on February 3. On this day, priests perform throat blessings with blessed, crossed candles to prevent throat illnesses.

St. Valentine

Long before candy hearts, roses and romantic dinners in fancy restaurants, February 14 was designated as the feast day of St. Valentine.

Lent - an examination of our lives (with Bishops Sklba & Callahan)

Lent, is a time of contemplation and self-examination. Milwaukee Auxiliary Bishop William P. Callahan offers a reflection specifically centered on Lenten themes. Milwaukee Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba, shares his perspective on the cyclical nature of the earth, faith and the great Christian celebrations.

St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland

St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, dedicated his life to spreading God's word; however, today in the United States, his Feast Day has become a bacchanal event tied to legends. Read the real story of St. Patrick.

Ask Fr. Jerry Herda part III

Fr. Jerry Herda, pastor of St. Monica's Parish, Whitefish Bay, answers pressing questions on Catholicism. Today's question - We heard that you celebrate Mass for some of Brewer players before games at Miller Park. What have you observed about their spirituality that could be lessons for the rest of us?

Ask Fr. Jerry Herda part IV

Fr. Jerry Herda, pastor of St. Monica's Parish, Whitefish Bay, answers pressing questions on Catholicism. Today's question - What does God actually think about premarital sex? Are you going to hell if you do before marriage?

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John Huebscher talks about how changes in the economy will drive the demand for health care reform.

Christmas Podcasts - Messages from the Auxiliary Bishops of Milwaukee

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What are Your Favorite Easter Traditions?

Seminarians from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee share their Easter traditions.

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