The North Star

Greetings!

As we conclude the month of July, the Church celebrates St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, or the "Jesuits," as many know them. The Jesuits have a long history in our nation. John Carroll, Archbishop of Baltimore and the first bishop in the United States, was a Jesuit. Closer to home, in Milwaukee, we have Marquette University (which was actually founded by Archbishop John Henni), named after the 17th-century missionary Fr. Jacques Marquette, SJ.

St. Ignatius also left the Church a rich spiritual tool called the Discernment of Spirits. I personally used it as a means of discerning my own vocation, and I now use it daily to discern the will of God in much smaller matters.

In short, Ignatius discovered that when he reflected on worldly thoughts, he experienced intense pleasure at first but was left weary, dry, and depressed afterward. When he contemplated higher spiritual things and the lives of the saints, however, he was left with lasting vigor, peace, and joy. One kind of thought left him sad, while the other filled him with joy. Ignatius came to understand that the Lord uses our minds, thoughts, and emotions to guide us toward holiness. God uses these interior movements to speak to our hearts and help us understand His holy will. I encourage you to become familiar with the Spiritual Exercises and the Discernment of Spirits as a means of discovering God's will for each of us.

Vivat Jesus!

Reverend William Arnold, Pastor

St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

St. Columbkille, Elba

St. John the Baptist, Clyman

Annunciation, Fox Lake

St. Joseph, Waupun

Holy Family, Reeseville

Saturday, August 1, 2026

4:00 PM Mass at Annunciation in Fox Lake - Fr. Thomas Naidu

4:30 PM Mass at St. Katharine Drexel in Beaver Dam - Fr. Nick Dhein

Sunday, August 2, 2026

7:30 AM Mass at St. Columbkille in Elba - Fr. William Arnold

8:00 AM Mass at St. Katharine Drexel in Beaver Dam - Fr. Nick Dhein

8:30 AM Mass at Annunciation in Fox Lake - Fr. Thomas Naidu

9:30 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist in Clyman - Fr. William Arnold

10:00 AM Mass at St. Katharine Drexel in Beaver Dam - Fr. Nick Dhein

10:30 AM Mass at St. Joseph in Waupun - Fr. Thomas Naidu

12:00 PM (Spanish) Mass at St. Katharine Drexel in Beaver Dam - Fr. Nick Dhein

Dear St. Katharine Drexel Parish Families,

We, Madeline and Clark Crombie, are excited to introduce ourselves as the K-7 Faith Formation Directors at St. Katharine Drexel Parish. We are a married couple; we both teach at St. Katharine Drexel School, and we recently welcomed our daughter into our family. As lifelong members of this parish, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve the community that has shaped our own faith. We look forward to introducing ourselves more fully at Orientation Night, but for now, we simply want to say how honored we are to walk alongside you and your children this year. We are looking forward to a wonderful year of Faith Formation. Here is what you need to know for 2026–2027.

Class Schedule

• Grades K-7: Wednesday nights, 6:15–7:30 PM, meeting in the church and school

• Grades 8-10: Wednesday nights, 6:15–7:30 PM, meeting at the Parish Center

• Confirmation: Sundays following the 10:00 AM Mass, concluding around 12:00 PM

Grades 8-10 and Confirmation are directed by Peter Laning, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (Grades 8–Confirmation). He can be reached at 920-887-2082, ext. 311, or laningp@stkds.com.

Orientation Night — Wednesday, September 9

Orientation Night is Wednesday, September 9, at 6:15 PM in the church. This evening marks the start of our Faith Formation year and is also the deadline to complete registration and payment. We ask that at least one parent attend. Please mark your calendars now.

How to Register

This year, we are using a new online registration system through Jotform. To register your child(ren), please use the link below:

Faith Formation Registration Form

Once you submit your registration through Jotform, you will automatically be directed to the Saint Katharine Drexel Congregation Payment Site to pay online [directions for online payment below].

Prefer to pay in person? You may still submit your registration online and pay later by check. Simply bring a check made payable to "St. Katharine Drexel Parish" to the Parish Center or to Orientation Night.

How to Pay Online

On the payment site, you will see several giving options. The ones relevant to Faith Formation are:

1. Faith Formation Registration — for students in Kindergarten–1st Grade and 3rd–10th Grade

2. Faith Formation – Confirmation — for students enrolled in Confirmation classes

3. Sacramental Registration — for children receiving First Reconciliation or First Eucharist

To pay, click the "Pay Now" button under the option that applies to your family, then click "Add to Basket." If you have children in more than one of the three groups listed above, start with any one of them, then add the others by clicking "See All" under the "Explore More Ways to Give" section. Once all of your children have been added, click "Continue to Payment" and enter your payment information.

Tuition & Fees 2026–2027

Grades K-10 Registration:

• $40.00 — one student

• $80.00 — two students

• $120.00 — three or more students

• Sacramental fee (First Reconciliation and First Eucharist families): add $30.00

Confirmation: $100.00 per student (covers the retreat and supplies for sacramental preparation)

If you are or would like to be a catechist, your registration fee will be waived. Please contact Madeline and Clark Crombie at faithformation@stkds.com. Furthermore, flexible payment options are available by contacting the parish office at 920-887-2082.

Questions?

Please don't hesitate to reach out:

• St. Katharine Drexel Parish Center: 920-887-2082

• Madeline & Clark Crombie: faithformation@stkds.com

• Peter Laning: 920-887-2082 ext. 311, or laningp@stkds.com.

You can also find information on our parish website (www.stkatharinedrexelbd.org), in the bulletin, and through messages from the faithformation@stkds.com email account.

We are looking forward to getting to know your families, supporting your children as they grow in their relationship with Christ, and walking alongside you in faith. We are excited for all that God has planned for our parish community this year.

In Christ,

Madeline & Clark Crombie
K-7 Faith Formation Directors
St. Katharine Drexel Parish

Let Fr. Will know what special intentions you would like him to add to his personal prayer list.

Reverend William Arnold, Pastor

(920)887-2082 Extension 302 | arnoldw@stkds.com

-Monday-

8:20 AM at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

-Tuesday-

5:30 PM at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

-Wednesday-

8:00 AM at St. Joseph, Waupun

8:20 AM at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

5:30 PM at Holy Family, Reeseville

-Thursday-

8:20 AM at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

7:00 PM at St. Columbkille, Elba

-Friday-

8:00 AM at Annunciation, Fox Lake

8:20 AM at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

-Saturday-

9:00 AM at St. John the Baptist, Clyman

-Saturday-

4:00 PM Vigil Mass at Annunciation, Fox Lake

4:30 PM Vigil Mass at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

-Sunday-

7:30 AM at Tri Parishes (See Tri Parish Mass Schedule)

8:00 AM at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

8:30 AM at Annunciation, Fox Lake

9:30 AM at Tri Parishes (See Tri Parish Mass Schedule)

10:00 AM at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

10:30 AM at St. Joseph, Waupun

12:00 PM (Spanish) at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

2026-2027 Tri Parish Mass Schedule

-Wednesday-

8:30-9:00 AM every third Wednesday at St. Joseph, Waupun

-Friday-

8:30-9:00 AM every fourth Friday at Annunciation, Fox Lake

9:00 AM at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

(concludes with Benediction at 6:50 PM)

-Saturday-

9:30-10:30 AM at St. John the Baptist, Clyman

Wednesday: 8:30 AM at St. Joseph, Waupun

Thursday: 6:00-6:45 PM at St. Columbkille, Elba

Friday: 8:30 AM at Annunciation, Fox Lake

Friday: 12:00-1:00 PM & 5:30-6:30 PM at St. Katharine Drexel, Beaver Dam

Saturday: 9:30-10:20 AM at St. John the Baptist, Clyman

Saturday: 3:00-3:45 PM at Annunciation, Fox Lake

Fr. Will Arnold: (920)887-2082 x302

arnoldw@stkds.com

Fr. Nick Dhein: (920)887-2082 x305

dheinn@stkds.com

Fr. Thomas Naidu: (920)887-2082 x309

naidut@stkds.com