Welcome to Good Shepherd Catholic Church
Welcome to Father Julian Druffner!
Meet Father Julian!
Hello Everyone! I am glad to be able to say that I am your new Associate Pastor for the four-parish community here in Medford, Stetsonville, Whittlesey, and Rib Lake. I was just recently ordained as a priest at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior this past May on the feast of Pentecost with my two brother priests Fr.’s Dan Tracy and Isaiah Schick. I am very happy to be here and I just want to thank all those who have welcomed me into this parish community. I am very excited to serve you as a newly ordained priest!
I grew up near the St. Croix River in Hudson, Wisconsin as the second oldest of seven children in a strong Catholic family. Our family attended St. Michael’s parish in Stillwater, Minnesota where my parents involved us in faith formation, youth retreats, frequent altar serving, mission trips, and other parish functions. I can clearly remember one night while I was praying before an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and I heard the Lord’s call asking me to be His priest. It was there that I answered this call from the Lord with my “yes,” and I willingly opened my heart to Him. This moment is still very clear to me and it marked the beginning of my journey with God. It is from this moment that I grew in my love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and decided to give my life to Him as a priest.
During my years as a teenager, I spent lots of time on the basketball court, in the woodshop, fishing on the St. Croix River, hunting with my brother, and cooking with my family. I still love to play sports and spend time in God’s creation, but my favorite place to be is in the adoration chapel. It is there that I find a deep connection to Jesus in prayer before the Holy Eucharist and it was there that I discovered Jesus’ true presence in the Sacrament.
As a young man, my parents were an incredible example to me and they continue to inspire me by their zeal to serve the Church through medical mission work in Tanzania. Like them, I wanted to serve the Church on an international level, which drew me to enter religious life for the Congregation of Holy Cross. I joined Holy Cross after my senior year of High School and went on to study and live at Moreau Seminary at the University of Notre Dame for eight years. This time allowed me to grow closer to Jesus through Eucharistic adoration, international mission work, direct service to the poor, brotherhood in community life, and the importance of education as essential for the growth of our faith. These were very formative years for me, and I still carry many of the lessons that I learned from religious life into my priesthood.
After eight years of discerning the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience with Holy Cross, I began to realize that the Lord was not calling me to be a religious overseas, but a priest in my home diocese of Superior. I willingly answered this call, applied to St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee, and was accepted by Bishop Powers to continue my studies until ordination in May of 2023. God has been so good to me throughout my journey in discernment, and I cannot thank Him enough for the gift of the priesthood. I am so happy to be able to be placed here in this community and to be staying at the rectory here in Medford. The Lord has blessed me with a great first assignment and I am excited to learn from you and to serve you as a priest of Jesus Christ. May God bless you and may the Lord draw you ever closer to His Sacred Heart!
Congratulations to our 2022 Parish Stewardship Award Winner . . .
Ted Eisner!
Ted Eisner could wear many badges for the good that he has done in our church, community and his family! He was raised in the Rib Lake area, and at a young age was drafted into the Army, serving in Viet Nam. He then returned to the area and married a local gal, Cheryl Olson who he knew from childhood. They have been married for 49 years and raised their children in this community. Family has always been important to Ted, and he has shown it over the years by helping with his parents, in-laws, children and grandchildren whenever help was needed.
Ted attends weekday Mass and Adoration quite often and has served on the Parish Council. He is an usher, a greeter, a Eucharistic Minister, and also serves on the Fall Festival committee. Come winter or summer, snow or rain, Ted changes the outdoor church sign along the highway. He has also been seen shoveling church sidewalks, setting up and grilling chicken at our Fall Festivals, and putting up Christmas trees and other decorations. He has been active with the local Knights of Columbus, helping often with the KC Bingo.
For more than 11 years, Ted has been delivering Meals on Wheels to residents of our community. He is an active member of the American Legion Post in Rib Lake and attends many military funerals to honor deceased veterans. He also helps organize many of the Legion events and is always there with his sleeves rolled up, at Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Ice Age Days and other Legion events. He also helps maintain the Memorial Park at the end of Main Street. Our outdoor American flag at the church was donated by him!
As busy as this person is, he will always take the time for a friendly visit with you. Please join us in congratulating and thanking TED EISNER for his demonstration of love for family, parish, and community, and for being our 2022 recipient of Good Shepherd’s Stewardship Award!
NOTE: We have been doing a parish Stewardship Award for several years. There are so very many people that are generous with their time and talents at this parish. Even if you have not been named, know that we value each of you for your generosity to this parish.
Previous Stewardship Award recipients include the following individuals:
Tom Gojmerac (2009) (Tom also won the 2009 Spirit of Stewardship Award in our Diocese)
Ruth Martin (2013)
Debbie (Mrs. Tom) Gojmerac (2014)
Judy Cihasky (2015)
Velma Mann (2016)
Pearl Kauer (2017)
Cheryl Eisner (2018)
Andy Dums (2019)
Mary B. Thums (2020)
Christine Wille (2021)
Watch Christmas Eve Mass on YouTube!
Christmas Eve Mass is available for viewing on You Tube! Thank you to Calvin Probst who video taped the 4:00pm Christmas Mass at Good Shepherd. What an awesome job! Please take time to view it. This video will also allow Father’s Kanna’s family in India to view the liturgy.
Message from Bishop Powers regarding gift card scams
If anyone contacts you through any form of communication (such as calls, texts or emails) claiming to be me, someone from the Diocese (Chancery Office personnel), a priest, parish employee or anyone else honestly affiliated with the Catholic Diocese of Superior asking you to send money or get gift cards of any kind, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT RESPOND TO THEIR REQUEST. IT IS A SCAM.
ANYONE OFFICIALLY CONNECTED TO OR ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE DIOCESE OR ANY OF THE PARISHES OR ANY OTHER DIOCESAN SPONSORED ORGANIZATION WILL NOT CONTACT YOU IN THIS MANNER, BECAUSE IF THEY DID, IT WOULD BE GROUNDS FOR THEIR IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL.
For some time now these types of SCAMS have become more prevalent and more sophisticated in their making the request look real. LET ME REPEAT AGAIN, NO ONE OFFICIALLY CONNECTED TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF SUPERIOR WILL EVER CONTACT YOU IN THIS MANNER TO EITHER ASK A FAVOR OR SOLICIT FUNDS.
NOTE: This does not say a parish can’t solicit gift cards to be used for raffle prizes etc. However, in this case the cards should be dropped off at the parish office.
About Good Shepherd
Good Shepherd Church, rectory and office complex is located five miles east of Highway 13, along Highway 102 as you enter into the village of Rib Lake. Come, and join us for Mass! If you are interested in joining the parish, call or stop in!
Our Mission . . .
The mission of Good Shepherd is to welcome all to spiritual growth through prayer, worship and ongoing formation. Together, formed in the image of Christ, the Good Shepherd, we will tend to the needs of the entire community.
Our parish is blessed to have a retired priest in residence, Father Dennis Meulemans. Father Den served at Holy Rosary in Medford, and then retired to the Rib Lake area. Father Den assists with Reconciliations at Christmas and Easter, with special events and even preaches every third week at the parish. We are so very blessed to have him with us!
A message from Father Den:
The Body of Christ and Seth Thomas
Just after I became pastor for the first time in 1973, I splurged on a grandfather clock—over the years it has provided me reliability, and comfort, like “old slippers”—not just a time piece, but almost a “family member” quality. It keeps really good time and requires hardly any maintenance. (I did use WD 40 once on it.)
Grandfather (and grandmother) clocks have been around since about 1700; most of them use Westminster Chime sound (old Big Ben in London). I’ve seen a lot more ornate clocks than mine; but I’d certainly miss the beautiful sound of my “friend” if it were no longer usable.
But, you say, what does all this have to do with Sunday’s readings? Well, today’s second reading is about the Body of Christ, one of Paul’s most famous texts, immediately before next week’s reading from Chapter 13 of Corinthians—on love—Paul’s best known writing.
Paul says the Body “has many parts.” If I take the time to check out the workings of my grandfather clock—the pendulum, the weights, the chimes, the incredible array of little gears, I can’t help appreciating how everything works together to keep me informed of the time, with the bonus of the beautiful chimes.
I feel that Paul is saying much the same thing: as Body of Christ we’re all important; we belong. We needn’t be envious of one another, or scornful of anyone, or boastful because of our importance. Like my Seth Thomas clock with all its individual parts keeping the clock running and making beautiful music, see yourself as important towards keeping the Church on track, making beautiful music for the enrichment of others.
Finally, recognize that we do belong comfortably to the Body of Christ, that there is a place for you, that we “fit in” with our gifts and talents that together help to make the Body of Christ “tick.”