Category: Special Celebrations

O Little Town of Bethlehem | Christmas 2025

On By AdminIn Christmas Season, Feasts, Special Celebrations

This reflection weaves the beloved hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem” into a quiet, hope-filled meditation on how God chooses small, hidden places to do His greatest work. From the stillness of Bethlehem to the silence of our own hearts, it invites listeners to notice how Christ meets the hopes and fears of every age—not from a distance, but by stepping directly into our lives.

The episode explores how Christmas can be easily missed amid busyness and distraction, even as heaven remains wide awake with wonder and love. It reminds us that God comes gently, waiting to be welcomed, asking only for openness rather than perfection.

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About Father David
Father David is the lead pastor of the Lac Courte Oreilles &  Hayward Area Catholic Churches in Hayward, Wisconsin, serving the faith communities of St. Ann in Cable, St. Francis Solanus Mission & School in Reserve, St. Ignatius in New Post, St. Joseph in Hayward, and St. Philip in Stone Lake. With a heart for pastoral care, preaching, and community life, Father David walks closely with parishioners through the joys and challenges of daily faith. His ministry is rooted in the sacraments, the teachings of the Church, and a deep commitment to welcoming Christ into the lives of individuals and families across the Northwoods.
Learn more about Father David and the Hayward Area Catholic Churches at www.haywardcatholic.org

See more podcasts at:  www.anchordinthelord.com

Great Things!

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Easter Season, Special Celebrations

Pentecost Sunday

God is doing great things here in our family of parishes!  More people are coming to Church; more young couples are attending Mass; more kids are being baptized; more families are joining the Church; more people are becoming Catholic — great things are happening here because of you and your witness!

God’s Spirit is being poured out in other places as well.   God is doing great things in vocations in our diocese.  God is doing great things at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee (where we send our graduate seminarians in final preparation for priesthood).

Prayerful Generosity

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time, Special Celebrations

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

It’s proven that certain practices make for a happier and healthier person – prayer and generosity being two of those practices.  Why is that?  God made us to live in relationship with Him, Jesus lived a life of intense moments of prayer and generosity, and the more we live that prayer and generosity the more we become like Jesus Christ and enter into the only relationship that can truly make us happier and healthier in all senses of those words!

This weekend is the kickoff for our annual diocesan Catholic Services Appeal (CSA).  The CSA provides incredible opportunities to spread the faith of Jesus Christ in northwestern Wisconsin – for our seminarians, for our youth, for our schools, for our parishes – opportunities that I witness and see the fruits of firsthand!  I’m challenging you this year to stretch yourself in prayerful generosity to all of your favorite organizations and non-profits.   I challenge you particularly this week to think what you might be able to sacrifice monetarily to support the CSA for your parish this coming year.

Discipleship Weekend

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time, Special Celebrations

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

This weekend I joined almost 60 high schoolers from around our diocese for the winter High School Discipleship Weekend.  These are young men and women serious about living out their Catholic faith: they want to continue growing in a deep and genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, they are learning to be active leaders in the faith, they are growing in intentional service to God and others, and they freely chose to give up their entire weekend in order to make these things a priority in their busy lives.  Although I had basically lost my voice by Sunday morning, here is my homily from this amazing weekend!

Themes: trust in God, giving what little we have, God compares us to our former selves (not to other people), knowing when spiritual growth really begins to happen (which is opposite of what we usually think) – all of which, by the way, lead to a freedom in life, a freedom of heart, a deeper peace that we all want but that can only be given by God!

Adoration Appeal

On By Fr. David NeuschwanderIn Ordinary Time, Special Celebrations

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus Christ is present, 100% Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist – that’s amazing!  And in adoration we get to spend time with this Jesus, one on one; we get to see this Jesus!  We all want God’s presence and God’s peace in the midst of our busy lives.  Adoration is that opportunity to give ourselves a break, to experience the peace and rest that only God can bring.  You’ve worked hard – experience peace for a moment, come to adoration.

My Homily from this weekend.