Church: Willard - Holy Family Catholic (Renewal Mission - 11 Mar 1973)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Mertens, DeGroot

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 3/01/1973

Holy Family Catholic Church (Renewal Mission - 1973)

The people of Holy Family Catholic Church are being offered the opportunity to participate in a week long Christian renewal mission. The program will begin on March 11, the first Sunday of Lent, and will conclude on Sunday, March 18.

Father Michael Mertens, pastor of the parish, has arranged for Father Ambrose DeGroot, O.F.M. Capuchin, from St. Francis friary, Milwaukee, to conduct the mission. He will begin the mission by preaching at the masses on March 11; will give short talks following his daily masses and conduct special services each evening. ”If anyone wonders if they need to attend this mission, they should ask themselves the following question,” Father Mertens said. “If I were on trial in a courtroom today for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me? Unless people can answer with a loud and definite yes, they should make plans to attend the mission to find out where their living of their Christianity fails to meet what Christ demands of them. The purpose of having Father DeGroot conduct this mission is to help people understand what effect their commitment as Christians should have on their daily lives and to give them a game plan, so to speak, to work toward Christian perfection.”

Father DeGroot said that most people are so caught up in the materialism of today’s (rest of article cut off.)