Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are a few updates from our parish for the week of August 22, 2021.
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1) heART of our Faith Children's Workshop |
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Children who have recently completed grades 1-6 (ages 7-12) are invited to spend a morning discovering how different kinds of art can speak to our hearts when telling the stories of our Catholic Christian faith. Through a fun hands-on project, music, and a little bit of no-pressure drama, we'll be explorers and artists trying out what it means to create as a way to tell others about Jesus. There is no cost for the workshop, however, free-will offerings on the day of are accepted and appreciated.
Maximum 40 students at each.
See our parish website for information and to register. There are no walk-ins. Call/Email Mrs. Hass if you have any questions (586-777-1282 or khass@sjascs.org).
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2) School GALA: October 16, 2021 |
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THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT
THE GALA THIS YEAR:
- The event is on Saturday, October 16, 2021. We’re returning to LOCHMOOR CLUB in GPW! And we’ve shifted this year’s event to the Fall.
- The Gala is our largest fundraiser to benefit the school.
- Attend or buy raffle tickets to support this event.
- We need your donations. Contact the School or Parish Center to learn how to donate Silent and Live Auction items.
- There’s a spot for you. Join the Gala Planning Committee or volunteer to help the night of the Gala.
- We ENCOURAGE everyone to dress in their favorite Bavarian attire for this year’s Gala. There will even be a BEST OUTFIT CONTEST!
CONTACT US:
or
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3) Catholic Services Appeal 2021 |
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Dear Friends in Christ,
In St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians, he urges them, "Whatever you do, do from the heart (Col. 3:23)." These words are particularly meaningful since he wrote them from prison, facing persecution and hardship. The faith community at Colossae was facing its own hardships as they strove to live the life Christ called them to whatever the circumstances. Being rooted in the Lord would serve them well as they continued to grow as a faith community, and as the Church continued to grow throughout the world.
The theme of the 2021 CSA is FUEL THE MISSION. The mission is simple, to make Christ's kingdom present in our day to the many people of Southeast Michigan. That mission cannot be fully accomplished unless it is fueled with human and materially resources.
Our CSA goal this year is just slightly more than $217,000. Anything raised above the goal will return to the parish, while any shortfalls must be covered by the parish. Thus, your support is greatly needed and appreciated.
Your gift helps support men who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood. It impacts youth, family, and young adult ministries to help people at all stages of life grow in faith. It helps Catholic schools continue to form the next generation of leaders and disciples. It helps our food pantries and soup kitchens feed and clothe the poor. Your gift brings Jesus to Southeast Michigan in a very real and tangible way.
You may have already received a mailing from the Archdiocese of Detroit. If you did so, please make a contribution to the CSA as indicated in that mailing. You can also easily give by visiting: csa.stjoan.church or by clicking on the button below.
Also available at the Church exists, in the bins outside the Sr. Carol Center, and at the Parish Center are general CSA brochures and envelopes that can be used to make a contribution to the CSA.
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4) This Sunday's Readings - August 22, 2021 |
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5) Grow+Go for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time |
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Grow+Go, content is designed to help you understand what it means to be an evangelizing disciple of Christ. Using the Sunday Scriptures as the basis for reflection, Grow+Go offers insight into how we can all more fully GROW as disciples and then GO evangelize, fulfilling Christ's Great Commission to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) The concept behind the weekly series is to make discipleship and evangelization simple, concrete, and relatable.
Click on the button or image below to download a PDF copy of this Sunday's Grow+Go.
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6) Giving to SJA: I'm truly grateful for all of your support of SJA during this pandemic. Your support means so much. The increase in electronic giving has been tremendous. Giving electronically, whether on a one-time or recurring basis is pretty simple. For more information on online giving, please click on the following button.
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7) This Week's Edition of TALLer Tales |
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Father Tech’s Technology: Recently, I was on the phone with Father Bob Spezia, our Vicar for Clergy, who I work with daily as part of my “downtown job.” I was trying to establish a conference call on my cell phone with a few of us, and of course, I was having issues. For whatever reason, more often than not, when I try to establish a conference call on my cell phone, the conversation turns out garbled. I’ve worked with Verizon and a few others more than you can imagine because I live on Zoom and conference calls during the day and I need my technology to work! Of course, no one has this issue but me; so I’m often told! I call it the “SJA FACTOR.” Those who know me well know that I often blame Sr. Sarge … a.k.a., Sr. Marie Gregory (God rest her soul) for these technological glitches at SJA! I’m not sure why I singled her out for this distinctive “honor,” but I figure I needed someone to blame. And believe me, I know I will pay dearly in Heaven for all the times I’ve “invoked” her name! Hopefully, I’ll be able to divert her attention from me by finding a TV and watching some Washington football game (her favorite team); it will be sheer penance for me and a joy for her!
Back to my issues … at least this one. Well, the Verizon folks have tried resetting my phone, turning off my HD calling feature, and a few other things, but nothing seems to correct the problem. So, as a result, I try to establish most conference calls on my office phone. But there are times when that’s not possible, and I have to say a prayer and try the connection on my cell phone. You also have to understand that I have this reputation not only in the parish but also throughout the AOD as being “Father Technology.” So I try to live up to people’s expectations. But when Father Tech has issues (which is often), his problems are enormous, unusual, and unlike any other documented tech issue!
As I mentioned, this one particular call failed MISERABLY. Of course, it was an important call, and I had to drop it because all we heard was undecipherable digital gibberish a few minutes into the call. I’m sure I mumbled a few words, and then I got Father Spezia back on the phone. He burst into laughter as soon as I got him on the line. I finally asked him why he was laughing because I was frustrated beyond belief and not amused at all. Once his laughter started to wane, he finally said, “I’ve never known someone so technologically advanced as you who at the same time has SO MANY technology issues even with the simplest of things like a conference call! It’s pretty funny!” “HAHA,” I thought to myself while rolling my eyes. Yes, technology issues tend to humble Father Technology pretty quick … AND send him to the confessional more often than you can imagine!
School News: As I write this (Tuesday, August 17), I looked at the calendar and realized school starts in TWO WEEKS! YIKES. What happened to summer? I ask that every year. I’m amazed by how fast summer flies!
With the start of this school year, we have some changes in administration. While I made an announcement by email mid-summer about the news of our new principal and assistant principal, I realized I didn’t print this information in the bulletin. Although I try to make sure I use both print and electronic media at all times, I slip from time to time (remember, I’m getting old).
Earlier this year, Mrs. Kathy Kalich, our former principal, announced her retirement. We immediately formed a search committee and posted the job opening. A total of 11 people applied for the position. Working with the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Department for Catholic Schools, the candidate pool was narrowed to 3 individuals. We interviewed two of those candidates. The candidates participated in two rigorous interviews. I’m grateful to those who accepted my invitation to serve on our search committee. Besides myself, the following were part of the Principal Search Committee: Fr. Andrew Dawson; Laura Knaus - Associate Superintendent AOD Department of Catholic Schools; Dina Ciaffone - SJA Business Manager; Paula Crippen - SJA School Parent; Barb Hendrick - SJA Leadership Team and Retired Preschool Aide; Kevin Hendrick - SJA Leadership Team; Karen Lazar - SJA Teacher; and Linda Lietaert - SJA Teacher.
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After several rounds of interviews, Mrs. Amy Pattie was selected and appointed as our new principal. Mrs. Pattie is no stranger to St. Joan of Arc School. She was hired in 2009 as a Junior High Teacher, where she taught Math and English primarily. Mrs. Pattie and her husband Roger, and their two children, Ryan and Jacob, have been members of and actively involved at our parish since she began her teaching career here in 2009.
Mrs. Pattie holds a Masters in Educational Leadership from Madonna University (2020), a Masters in Math Education from Wayne State University (2013), and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Wayne State University (2006). She currently holds a School Administrator Certification, a Professional Teaching Certification (EX: Mathematics and RX: Social Studies), a Standard Teaching Certification, and a Catechetical Certification.
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At the same time, with the official retirement of Ms. Mary Pat Brennan as our assistant principal, I appointed Mr. Charles Kaiser as our new assistant principal. Like Mrs. Pattie, Mr. Kaiser is no stranger to SJA; he and his wife Kristina and children Michael, Vivian, and Charles are also actively involved at SJA! Mr. Kaiser will work alongside Mrs. Pattie in the administration of the school, handling primarily many of the day-to-day “Dean of Students” type of tasks.
Both Mrs. Pattie and Mr. Kaiser will work closely with me, our Leadership Team and other Pastoral Staff members as we continue to implement Archbishop Vigneron’s vision laid out in his pastoral letter entitled, Unleash the Gospel, so that St. Joan of Arc Parish and School become true centers of evangelization and discipleship. At the same time, we will continue to implement our parish’s core values of being faith-filled to the core; joyful on the journey and being charitable in all that we do.
Please join me in congratulating Mrs. Pattie and Mr. Kaiser as they begin this vital work and ministry for Christ and for us.
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Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers!
In Christ,
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8) Tire Tracks in the d’Arc |
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Drawing a Line in the Sand: Looking at today’s readings, the idiom that comes to mind is “drawing a line in the sand.” According to the source of all knowledge, Wikipedia, the phrase has two meanings:
“The first meaning is of a point (physical, decisional, etc.) beyond which one will proceed no further.”
“The second meaning is that of a point beyond which, once the decision to go beyond it is made, the decision and its resulting consequences are permanently decided and irreversible.”
In 1836, William Travis, while commanding the US defenders of the Alamo and contemplating a demand for surrender, etched a line in the sand and asked those willing to remain and defend the Alamo to their deaths to step across the line.
Today we hear Joshua do the same. He’s asking for commitment from the Israelites. Like Moses, Joshua's last official leadership act was to call "all the tribes of Israel to Shechem" to, once again, call on the people to renew their faithfulness to God and His covenant. Beginning with Abraham, Joshua recounted the history of God's faithfulness to Israel up to that very moment.
Joshua did something then that Moses never did—a step of vulnerability and risk that isolated him and could have separated him from his millions of fellow Israelites. After exhorting them to cast aside the gods of Mesopotamia and Egypt and fear Yahweh only, the God of their Fathers, he said, ". . . decide today whom you will serve, . . . But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Drawing a line in the sand—"Decide today whom you will serve"—is a risky decision. But leaders who rule by principle rather than polls are not afraid to take that stand, to risk isolation. Joshua had already decided whom he and his family would serve and fear regardless of what anyone else decided.
We are frequently asked to commit, to decide which side of the line we stand on, but do we make that decision and see it as a solemn vow? How often does our yes mean yes and our no mean no?
When the people responded, "We will serve the Lord!" Joshua ups the stakes, and challenges them, “Now therefore, put away the strange gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” The people wanted all the blessings of God’s covenant, but also wanted to keep their options open. Joshua has to tell them that that won’t work. The commitment they make must be more than words. It must be a commitment that defines how they live. If they won’t throw out the idols, they shouldn't deceive themselves thinking God will forgive them.
The line in the sand Joshua is drawing is the second Wikipedia definition—it’s a decision that cannot be undone. It’s the kind of commitment we are asked to make in determining to follow a vocation to the priesthood or religious life; it’s the yes made in marriage or on behalf of your infant at baptism—that no matter the challenges, no matter how it isolates us from others, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
I remember in my first year in seminary my spiritual director saying “never draw a line in the sand.” This wasn't the kind of line he was referring to. He told me that when he had been a seminarian, he had a friend he put on a pedestal in terms of having it all together. His friend seemed so holy, disciplined, smart and just a sure-fire thing, he was definitely going to be a priest in my director’s mind. Then that friend left the seminary and my director was left asking himself, “if HE left, where does that leave me? If HE seemed so clearly destined to be a priest yet discerned out, how can I be called?” This was the first Wikipedia definition of the line in the sand—I can do this only up to this point– he draw the line at his friend, beyond whom he could not possibly be called to be a priest. And that was a crisis for him, until he could discern that we are not all the same and we must avoid that kind of comparison and standard marking.
This definition of drawing the line in the sand is what is going on in the Gospel today. The Jews have heard Jesus tell them that unless they eat His flesh and drink His blood they have no life within them. To this point, they have been following Jesus, listening to what He has to say and enjoying that He’s been feeding them, literally. Jesus is the new show in town and the people like all of this. But now, this new teaching….wait a minute, now He’s crossed a line beyond which the Jews will not go. This teaching, the way they understand it, is contrary to the Mosaic law and on this point, they will not compromise. Hats off to them for their commitment, the trouble is that they are committed to the wrong teachings. Their faith will not allow them to be stretched to see that Jesus is giving them the truth. Not being willing to compromise and step over the line in the sand when you are in the wrong is not helpful to us. We are used to seeing politicians and leaders today who hold firm to the line they have drawn, even when they have clearly been proven wrong. That’s not authentic commitment, but rather pridefulness that prevents them admitting when they are wrong. Jesus wants our commitment, but He wants us to commit and stand-up for what is right, even if it challenges us, even if others will ridicule us— “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Jesus, Himself, has drawn a line in the sand at this teaching on the Eucharist. He does not back down when the people are shocked at his words. He does not soften their impact. He does not tell them they have misunderstood. He does not tell them He was speaking figuratively. This is the line in the sand; “the words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew some people would not be able to cross that line and believe Him. But He does not compromise on His words and in His teachings. He’s prepared to accept that some will be lost: “Do you also want to leave?” Jesus asks the Apostles. He make them free to decide this for themselves—are you with me or are you not? It’s a decision we all have to make—when the words and teachings of Jesus, given to us through the Church, are tough and challenge us, when they don’t mesh with what we think, Jesus asks us, “Are you with me, or are you not?” It’s not always easy to answer yes, but when we do and we stand with Him, we never really have to risk isolation.
It’s always better to let Jesus be the one to draw the line in the sand, not us. And then make sure you stand on the same side of that line as Jesus.
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You are in my prayers this week.
Fr. Andrew
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9) Words on the Word: August 22, 2021 - To Whom Shall We Go?
Technology can, without a doubt, make our lives better. The convenience, connectivity, and information availability we take for granted thanks to the Internet, cell phones, apps, and so forth, can be great blessings.
As we sometimes see, though, like anything else, they can create problems, too.
Media across the country reported a few weeks ago on the issues that were created when a prominent member of the national clergy was discovered to have been using an inappropriate cell phone app.
That situation gave rise to several journalistic ethics questions, and technology tracking/privacy questions, as well. Even The Wall Street Journal did an investigative piece exploring those issues.
But, perhaps even more disheartening, the situation gave rise to the usual clergy morality questions that pop up in circumstances such as this. We’ve seen it all too often; a variation of the argument that, because particular individuals are alleged (or actually did) make wrong choices, the Church overall should not carry the moral and religious authority that it does.
In the final analysis, that’s a flawed argument, of course. We know that the earthen vessels entrusted with our faith are fragile, but the tenets of the faith, itself, are solid and true.
We also know that, even in the face of difficulty and scandal, our ultimate salvation comes to us, via the Church, through the Eucharist. This is where we belong. That’s a reality that is directly addressed in today’s gospel passage from St. John.
“’Master, to whom shall we go?’” Simon Peter says to Jesus after “many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.”
“’You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.’”
© 2021, Words on the Word
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10) Ascension Presents with Father Mike Schmitz:
Why It’s Important to Have Good Friendships
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At a glance, you may look at friendship and say it’s not necessary for day-to-day life. It’s just “nice to have.” And the truth is... it’s not necessary. We could certainly live, breathe, and survive without friendship, just like we could live without music or art. But even though we can live without these things, would we want to? Can you picture a life without these things? What if friendships aren’t the meaning of life, but instead give meaning to life?
Today, Fr. Mike explains why friendship is not only important, but it’s vital in living our relationship with Christ.
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11) FORMED Pick of the Week: |
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Our parish has a subscription to FORMED, a premier online platform filled with over 4,000 Catholic studies, movies, audio dramas, talks, e-books, and even cartoons for our children. FORMED has content from over 60 apostolates, including Augustine Institute, Ignatius Press, and the Knights of Columbus, with material that is professionally produced, engaging, and solid in its catechism. Best of all, this material is free to you because of our parish subscription.
You have easy access to all of the material on FORMED to support your own faith journey and that of your family members.
You can enjoy FORMED on your computer or on your television with an inexpensive Roku device or Apple TV. You can even listen on your phone as you commute to work or do chores.
To gain access to all of FORMED’s content, follow these simple steps:
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Go to https://signup.formed.org/
- Enter our parish’s zip code 48080 or enter St. Joan of Arc
- Enter your name and your email address
That’s it! You’re in. Now you can get the free FORMED app for your phone by searching FORMED Catholic in your app store.
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12) Assumption Mini-fest: Sunday (August 22) is the LAST DAY! |
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Are you looking for a one-stop app for prayer and meditation? Look no further than Hallow. Hallow is an awesome prayer app. Hallow is a Catholic prayer and meditation app that helps users deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided contemplative prayer sessions. The app launched 2 years ago and is already the #1 Catholic app in the world.
We have a number of parishioners who are already using the app and loving it (my mom being one of them and she is on the app most of the day). Great for praying alone or together with your spouse/family, Hallow truly has something for everyone, no matter what you are going through (see below for their different content categories).
Hallow is free to download and has tons of permanently free content, as well as a premium subscription, Hallow Plus.
To get started, simply click the button above/below to activate your free account on the Hallow website. Make sure to select “Sign Up with Email” when registering. For step-by-step instructions, you can visit this process guide. Enter the code stjoanofarcmi to obtain a discount on individual pro plans.
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14) This Week on St. Joan of Arc LIVE: |
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This week's LIVE Stream
Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:
Monday (August 23):
7:00 AM - Mass
Tuesday (August 24):
7:00 AM - Mass
Wednesday (August 25):
7:00 AM - Mass
Thursday (August 26):
7:00 AM - Mass
7:00 PM - Holy Hour (Silent)
Friday (August 27):
7:00 AM - Mass
5:00 PM - Baptism of Amelia L. Economou
Saturday (August 28):
1:30 PM - Baptism of June H. Brennan
2:30 PM - Baptism of Eleanor M. Mattis
4:00 PM - Mass
6:00 PM - Mass
Sunday (August 22):
8:00 AM - Mass
10:00 AM - Mass
12:00 PM - Mass
Please note that all of our masses and events can be accessed through the ARCHIVE section of our Live stream page if you are not able to watch it live!
We also have our own ROKU Channel. Search for "CATHOLIC" in the ROKU channel store, and you will find SJA's channel. A Fire TV Channel is also available.
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15) SJA's Bulletin for August 22, 2021 |
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Click on the image below
to download a copy of our
Bulletin for August 22, 2021
The 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Weekly bulletin: Sending the bulletin has been greatly received by so many people. IF you are getting the bulletin online and would prefer that it not be mailed to your home, please click on the button below to be removed from the mailing list.
At the same time, if you are NOT getting the bulletin and would prefer to get it, click on the same button and ask to be ADDED to the list.
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Read the latest from the DETROIT CATHOLIC
Click on the image below.
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