RAGBRAI Riders Visit Sacred Heart Church

written by Pat Thompson

Before and after RAGBRAI riders enjoyed the delicious meal provided for them in the parish center, several of them stopped to take a look at and pray in our church and a couple even sought Father Pisut so that they could go to confession. Some of those who stopped by were practicing Catholics, some were not, and some belonged to other churches.
Those who said that they were Catholic were offered the Sacred Heart holy cards and Sacred Heart badges that we provide on one of the tables in the vestibule.

One of these visitors said that she used to be Catholic…paused and looked around…and then said, “Well…I guess I still am!” She found the story of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and the Sacred Heart especially moving. Jesus told St. Margaret Mary that His Heart was so on fire with the love said, many give only ingratitude and rejection, and even contempt. Jesus for us that He even gave His life on the cross. In return for that love, He wanted St. Margaret Mary to tell people that Jesus in His great mercy longs for us to come back to Him and to love Him. He longs to forgive our sins and to be part of our lives. When our visitor heard this story, she began to cry. She asked for a holy card for herself and one for her mother, and then she walked over to the votive candles by St. Anthony’s statue and lit one and prayed.

One of the non-Catholics who came in was from a large non-denominational church in Tennessee. He said his people had always respected the Catholic Church for its leadership in the pro-life causes, but they were now wondering if Notre Dame’s decision to honor Barak Obama meant the Church was changing its position on life issues. He was reassured to hear that 80 some Bishops and thousands of Catholics had protested that event and that the Church was still firmly pro-life.

Two women from China also came in. One is currently living in DesMoines, and the other, her sister, is not able to speak any English but had come to visit her from China. When asked if they’d like and explanation of some of the things in the church, they eagerly agreed. They knew almost nothing about the Bible, but one recognized the name of Jesus (“Jeshua?” she said.) They both suddenly brightened when they heard “Adam and Eve,” names they also recognized. We talked about the statue of the Blessed Mother on the left front altar and noticed that Mary was standing on a serpent with an apple in his mouth. Then we discussed how Satan and “the woman” and between her seed and his. God said that though Satan would bruise her offspring’s heel, her offspring would crush his head. They learned that Jesus (Jeshua) was the fulfillment of that promise. The sister who spoke only Chinese was drawn to the depiction of the Last Supper on the front of the main altar, saying that she had heard that mentioned somewhere, and so we discussed what happened at the Last Supper and how it was then that Jesus first changed bread and wine into His Sacred Body and Blood. The red sanctuary light above the altar indicates that in the tabernacle He is with us always under the appearance of bread. Hearing this, they looked at each other in amazement, wondering how we could believe God would be there in that special way. They wanted, too, to hear about the Stations of the Cross and the “stained glass” windows. Although these two women probably left with many more questions, they did have and opportunity to be introduced to the Bible, to Our Savior Jesus Christ, and to the Catholic Church. Who knows what the Holy Spirit might do with the seed planted here?!

Perhaps we parishioners might remember—when we pray for our pastor and our fellow parishioners—to include the many visitors who chose to visit our little church the day when RAGBRAI came to Chariton.

RAGBRAI Lasagna Dinner a Success

written by Kathleen Chester

“It made me feel human again,” was just one of many comments of appreciation given by those who ate the lasagna dinner served during RAGBRAI’s overnight stay in Chariton on Wednesday, July 22.

In a period of just under two hours, volunteers from Sacred Heart Catholic Church served 676 lasagna dinners to hungry RAGBRAI riders and participants. Considering the goal was to serve 600 meals, the event was considered a tremendous success. It is impossible to credit any one individual or any one committee for the success of the dinner. Everyone who volunteered in some way contributed to the overall success of the day and appreciation goes to all who may have done any of the following:

Prayed;
Baked pies, cookies, and rolls;
Cut and served the pies and cookies;
Baked lasagna, and filled and monitored roasters and ovens;
Sold tickets;
Made, assembled, and installed signage to draw riders to our meal site;
Displayed information in parish center to call back our fallen away Catholics;
Spent time in the Church explaining our faith to those who entered;
Loaned roasters;
Donated to offset the cost of purchasing the lasagna;
Set up tables and chairs and helped put away tables and chairs;
Cleaned parish center and basement kitchen prior to dinner;
Served food and drinks;
Spoke words of encouragement;
Cleaned tables, trays, and emptied trash;
Monitored bathrooms for toilet paper and paper towels;
Washed dishes and helped clean up;
Made runs to the store for additional supplies; and
Fed lunch to volunteers in parish center the day of the dinner.

A few highlights of the day
We passed the Department of Health inspection.

We quickly recovered from the loss of electrical power due to the quick response of Chuck Donnelly.

A young man in his early 20’s ventured into the parish center at mid-day to say he was lost. The fact that he chose our door to enter for help was a blessing to us all. We were able to feed him, find him a charger for his phone, and he ultimately was re-united with his travel group.

Sacred Heart parishioners generously offered to launder the clothes of people they had never met because they saw a need, as well as provide a much needed place to shower.

And finally, we greatly appreciated the special Mass that Father Pisut provided for RAGBRAI riders and parishioners as well as his patient guidance throughout the day.

Click on this link for more pictures: RAGBRAI

Sacred Heart to serve lasagna dinner during RAGBRAI

written by Kathleen Chester

As most everyone knows by now, Chariton is one of the overnight stops on RAGBRAI – which is Wednesday, July 22.

There will be thousands of people in search of a good meal, so this presents a great opportunity for Sacred Heart – the opportunity to practice one of the seven corporal works of mercy – feed the hungry. As riders come from across the globe to ride RAGBRAI, most communities put the focus on showcasing their towns. We have the opportunity to showcase not just our church, but also our Catholic faith.

The plan is to serve 600 hungry RAGBRAI riders a lasagna dinner, complete with homemade rolls and homemade desserts between 3 - 8 PM or until we sell out.

In order for this event to be successful, we need many parishioners to volunteer.

To give you some idea on the numbers, during the fall festival we usually serve about 280 people – so the goal is to serve a little more than double for this. While we will – hopefully – make some money on this event, more importantly is the spiritual aspect of that day. We have the chance to reach many who may be searching for something more than physical food.

Below are some of the duties that have already been assigned and other jobs that still need to be filled.

Duties Filled

• Sacred Heart Youth will help clear tables, empty trash, and monitor restrooms for toilet paper and paper towels.
• Several ladies have volunteered to make homemade rolls.
• A committee has formed to provide "spiritual food" such as special signs and opportunities to tour the church.
• Knights of Columbus plan to help set up and tear down.
• Signs will be made and installed along the bike route, in town, and on the church grounds.

Sign up sheets are in the back of the church as we still need help with the following:

• Bake pies and cookies.
• Loan your roaster to keep lasagna hot.
• Help prepare and serve the meal.
• Donate $10 to cover the cost of one pan of lasagna.

Please pray for a successful event! Please also pray for the safety of the riders and participants of RAGBRAI. We have a great opportunity presented to us to serve our brothers and sisters.