News

Summer Construction Updates

Dear Parishioners,

We are pleased to share that, thanks to your continued generosity, the bathrooms located in the school cafeteria, near the Adoration Chapel, will undergo a full remodel beginning June 6 through Labor Day. 

These facilities have long been in need of a significant update, and we’re excited to improve them for the comfort and convenience of all who worship here.

As part of the renovation process, there will be demolition and safe asbestos removal during the initial phase of construction. For safety reasons, the inside Door 10 (Adoration Chapel doors) will be closed to all traffic from June 6 to June 22. During this time, we kindly ask everyone to use the main entrances at Doors 1 and 2 at the front of the church. The Adoration Chapel will be accessible during construction via the external door 10. We greatly appreciate your patience and support!   

- Parish Staff

Door 1 Closed, June 18-20     

We’re pleased to share that thanks to your continued generosity we will be replacing the concrete in front of Door 1 at the main entrance, weather permitting.

To allow for this work, please use Door 2 to enter the church on June 18, 19 and 20.

Thank you for your patience and support as we continue to care for our parish home!

Upcoming Events

Drop-In Small Groups 
Adults of HNOJ, feel free to join us any Monday from June 9 to July 28 for a drop-in small group. We will meet from 7-8:30 p.m. They will be stand-alone sessions led by Tim Lyngdal, so you can attend one or all. Each small group night will allow time for formation, prayer and fun! This will be a great option if your regular small group is taking a break for the summer. Pre-register if you can, but walk-ins are welcome. More information at hnoj.org/smallgroups

Men's Summer Bonfires
Men of HNOJ - It has been a long, cold winter and all of us are looking for some time around a good summer bonfire. Join other men of HNOJ at our Men’s Summer Bonfire Series. Each bonfire will be hosted at a different home. Those who register will be contacted with the address of the host site. Please register for each date; you may attend one or all of the bonfires. Feel free to bring a friend. If you didn’t register or if you want to bring a buddy who didn’t register, just show up. All is well.

Food and beverage will be “bring your own” style. Fire and good conversation will be provided. This will be a great opportunity to meet other guys in the parish and get together with old friends too. 

Bonfires are at 7 p.m. on the following days: June 17, July 17 and Aug. 14. More details and registration may be found at hnoj.org/mensbonfires

Women’s Summer Nights
Women of HNOJ - Wouldn’t it be nice to gather on a new or old friend’s deck and enjoy a beverage of your choice with a group of friends from church? Yeah, we thought so too. Again this summer HNOJ is hosting monthly women’s social nights. We are looking for a couple more women to host an evening at their home. If you are interested in hosting, please contact Chris Kostelc at the parish office.

The socials are from 7-9 p.m. on the following days: June 24, July 24 and Aug. 19. More details and registration may be found at hnoj.org/womenssummernights

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.