Dear Friends in Christ,
 
Here are a few updates from our parish for the week of September 19, 2021.
1) Our Crossroads Soup Kitchen Ministry Weekend Needs Your Financial Help:
For close to 20 years, our parish has helped serve meals at Crossroads. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, we will follow the same process we did in 2020.   Rather than ask for food donations, we will ask for cash donations so that all the food that is needed can be purchased. 
 
If you are interested in donating, please click on the button below. You can also make a donation at Parish Center or by dropping an envelope off in the Sunday collection box in the Gathering Place. Please make checks out to St Joan of Arc. If donating by cash or check, please make sure you indicate that the donation is for the Soup Kitchen. 
 
October 3rd is the date we will be cooking and serving the food at Crossroads. Our menu will consist of chili, hot dogs, condiments, cornbread, cookies, fruit, and beverages. If we have additional funds we would also like to purchase toiletries as we did last year for all the guests that we serve at Crossroads; they were very happy to each receive this gift from us.
 
Thank you so much for your generosity. May God bless you for your kindness.

2) Parking Lots
We're ALMOST done! AMEN! Next weekend should be the most complicated since we will be doing the big main lot and the smaller "Teachers' Lot" next to Father Andrew's house (everything in the purple section noted in the aerial view below). But we'll have plenty of parking with the other lots that are already done. Thanks for your understanding, patience, AND generosity.
3) Upcoming Protecting God's Children Workshops:
As we start a new school year and as we continue to get back to some "normalcy," there will be a need for people to complete a Protecting God's Children workshop. We have several upcoming workshops that are available:

  • Tuesday, October 12, 2021 from 6pm-9pm (online zoom)
  • Wednesday, October 13, 2021 from 6pm-9pm (@ SJA)
  • Monday, October 18, 2021 from 6pm-9pm (online zoom)

What is VIRTUS® Protecting God's Children training?

The Protecting God’s Children program is the VIRTUS program aimed at protecting children from child sexual abuse. Protecting God’s Children is a 3-hour awareness session for adults in the faith community who interact with minors.

Participants are taught to identify situations that could leave a child vulnerable, the signs that a child may have experienced abuse, the methods of sexual offenders, and critical steps to help prevent abuse. The program has trained more than 101,000 adults in Archdiocese of Detroit parishes, schools, and other ministries, creating a united faith community that is uniquely qualified to protect our children.

Who is required to attend Protecting God's Children workshops?

All clergy working in the Archdiocese of Detroit
All adult paid employees of Central Services, Parishes, and Catholic Schools
All adult volunteers who have regular and/or unsupervised contact with minors

To register for a workshop, click on the following button (Registration is required):
4) Family Formation at SJA
This year at St. Joan of Arc, we are moving into a new exciting family faith formation model. This is something we've been interested in pursuing, and with prayer, the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and a little help from Covid-19, we feel the Lord is directing us with great purpose to move in this direction. Watch the informational video below and follow the link for details, dates, and registration. Our program is for students in grades K-8. 

Important note - students entering 7th grade this year will also begin preparing for their Confirmation for 2023.
If you have a financial need or are unable to pay in full at this time - please contact Kristine Hass at khass@sjascs.org
 
Also - if you feel you are being called to be part of this program as a helper or a catechist - please email Mrs. Hass or call the Faith Formation office at 586-772-1282. We'd love to have you!
5) School GALA: Saturday, October 16, 2021
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!

  • The event includes Silent and Live Auctions, Raffles, Open Bar, Strolling Dinner, and Dancing. Dinner tickets are NOW ON SALE!

CONTACTS:

Pam Graskewicz (pgraskewicz@hotmail.com)
or
Matt Wyszczelski (hfd75@aol.com)
Maybe you want to help sponsor one of the larger gifts we hope to auction off at the Gala. Much like we do for the annual Sponsorship Appeal, we are looking for donations of any kind to go towards some bigger ticket items. If you are interested in helping to sponsor a bigger ticket item, follow the link below.

Thanks for your support of Gala 2021!
6) Catholic Services Appeal 2021
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 and at the Parish Center are general CSA brochures and envelopes that can be used to make a contribution to the CSA.
7) SJA's CSA Update as of September 18, 2021
I am grateful to those who have already contributed to CSA 2021. As of today, we have $162,859 in pledges and gifts toward our $217,002 goal ($146,970 has already been paid thus far toward our total pledged amount). This amount represents gifts from 472 families (we have 3,252 families registered). We have thus achieved 75% of our goal!
 
Here is a breakdown by gift range:
 
$2,500+ (5)
$1,000+ (34)
$500+ (44)
$250+ (94)
$100+ (178)
$75+ (13)
$50+ (59)
$25+ (27)
$10+ (16)
$0+ (2)
 
 
As stated above, the easiest way to give is electronically by clicking on the button above. If you wish to give by check, feel free to contact the Parish Center and we will mail out an envelope and related material.
8) This Sunday's Readings - September 19, 2021
9) Jeff Cavins: Encountering the Word - Reflections on the Sunday Readings
In this week’s Encountering the Word video, Jeff Cavins discusses what it means to be the greatest in Jesus' eyes. He talks about how social media causes us to worry about our "likes." Rather we should worry about being GREAT in the KINGDOM OF GOD by being a servant.
10) Grow+Go for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
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.
11) 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.
12) This Week's Edition of TALLer Tales
Complicating a Complicated Day: Sundays are a complicated day around here. They are complex primarily because of the amount of activity on a Sunday before, during, and after Mass. I then add to the day’s complexities by waiting until Sunday to create and edit the Sunday Update Email. I always have these grand ambitions of getting that task done earlier in the week, but it simply doesn’t happen. My pattern on Sundays is that I walk over to the office at 7 a.m., work on the email for about 45 minutes, go over for the 8 a.m. Mass, and then I continue working on the email for about a half-hour or so after the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Masses. I’ve got it down to a science. Because every second counts, I need every bit of time to get that email done so it can be sent at 1 p.m. on Sundays. As such, I don’t anticipate on any emergencies to interrupt my normal Sunday morning plan.

A couple of weekends ago, I was diligently sitting at my desk doing what I do with the Sunday email while listening to my K-Love radio station (a Christian radio station) on my Alexa device when I got a call from Deacon Dom. He usually doesn’t call me in between Masses, so I figured this was rather urgent and important. I answered the phone. After all the quick “niceties,” he says, “We’ve got a problem in Church.” That got my attention. “What’s up,” I asked. “We’ve got a squirrel in Church. Mary Garofalo and I were able to get him into the Cry Room, and that’s where he is now. We’ve locked the door.” “OH. GOOD. HEAVENS.” I thought to myself. “I don’t have time for a squirrel.” Dealing with a squirrel in Church is covered on page 8,778 of the Pastor Manual. It comes just before the section on dealing with a squirrel that comes into Church DURING Mass (which I’ve had happen too). “Doesn’t this squirrel know I have more important things to do right now?” UGH! After thinking about it for a few moments and realizing I still had miles to go with the Sunday Update Email, I did what most pastors do … call their Business Manager. So, I called Dina. After telling her what was up, she burst into laughter. She wanted to know more details, and I was like, “Listen, I’ve got to get this email thing done; I’m passing the squirrel off to you. I don’t have time for him right now.” She was still laughing as she hung up the phone.
I then started getting reports from the field like the DTE call center would when the power goes down. I was getting pictures and texts. The squirrel was now getting in my way. But the reports were that the squirrel was small and pretty scared. So I had a bit of sympathy for the little guy. Dina then did what most Business Managers do; she called one of our maintenance guys to the rescue. God bless Vern; he came over right away to help deal with the trapped squirrel. By this time, Mass was about to start. As I passed the Cry Room window, we didn’t see the squirrel. I did see an open window and later learned that Kevin Hendrick, who himself has dealt with a squirrel in the house, snuck in the Cry Room and opened the window with the hope the squirrel would eventually find its way out. Seeing no squirrel as I passed the room, I figured it already left.

Once Mass started, I kept an eye on the Cry Room. Eventually, I saw Vern arrive with a few tools and a net with the hopes of trying to net the little one so he could be safely brought back outside. Okay, I should have been focused on Mass, but I wanted to see what Vern would do. As the Gospel was being proclaimed, I saw Vern gingerly look around the room, and then he did the unthinkable … he closed the blinds! I couldn’t watch anymore (which was probably a good thing since I was the celebrant and about ready to give my homily). I wanted to see the action. Darn. Within maybe 5 minutes, Vern was opening the blinds, and he walked away. What? What happened? He obviously accomplished his task of getting the squirrel back outside. I couldn’t wait to hear the details.

Since Vern left right after the squirrel exited the Cry Room (you think the squirrel could have at least stayed for my homily), I waited until Monday morning to hear the details. Right after Mass on Monday, Vern told me that he decided to close the blinds so the squirrel couldn’t see all the action in Church and get even more scared. What a brilliant idea; I would have never thought about that! I’m sure this must be covered on page 5,997 of the Church Maintenance Staff Procedure Manual. He said he found the little squirrel underneath a chair; it was obvious the little guy was scared. Vern, who we now call our own local “squirrel whisperer,” got on the ground and slowly coaxed the little guy toward the window. Vern said the squirrel was responding, so he remained persistent and patient and was able to slowly get him toward the window so he could make the giant leap back outside to freedom. Great job, Vern! And, people think life in a parish on Sundays is a breeze. You never know what emergency lurks in the background.

FREE Money: You’ve often heard me talk about “Free Money.” One of the most significant ways our parish earns “Free Money” is through the Kroger Community Rewards Program. The program is simple and doesn’t cost us a penny. We earn money because you shop at Kroger and designate SJA School as the recipient of your Kroger Community Rewards program donation. 

When the program started, we regularly saw checks totaling $11,000 a year. YES, $11,000 a year. That’s some pretty significant FREE cash. Then it dipped to $6,500 a year. Now we only average maybe $5,000 per year.

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for you to make sure you are registered in the program. The simplest way to determine your enrollment is to check your Kroger receipts. If you are registered and have designated St. Joan of Arc School as your charity of choice for the Community Rewards Program, then SJA School will be listed as such on the last line of your receipt. It will say, “Kroger Community Rewards: At your request, Kroger is donating to St. Joan of Arc School.” If you don’t see that on your receipt, your Kroger purchases are NOT helping us earn free money! So, make sure you are enrolled in the program and have designated SJA as your charity of choice. You can enroll in the program at the Kroger website: www.krogercommunityrewards.com.

The need for pushing this program at SJA is a no-brainer! If we don’t push the program, then we are throwing away easy money. So, please encourage your family and friends to enroll or re-enroll in the Kroger Community Rewards Program and designate SJA School as your charity of choice. You shop … the school wins!
Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers!

In Christ,
Msgr Mike Simply Signature
13) Tire Tracks in the d’Arc
Earth, Wind and Fire: Earth—September is a funny month. I never hear anyone saying it’s their favorite month. I’m sure it’s someone’s favorite, but it’s not mine. My strategy is just to refuse to acknowledge it….
 
This strategy was met with disdain by a friend of mine whose birthday is in September and she wasn’t willing to sacrifice it to buy into my idea. Secondly, she said, Earth, Wind and Fire “wrote an awesome song about it,” in the 1970s, so then there’s that, apparently.
 
I thought I could just not look the month in the eye and it’d would seem like it wasn't there. Maybe it would seem like it was still August, still summer, still light, still hot. My strategy has not been going so well to this point. September is finding its ways to outwit me, daily. The sun is really not up yet when I get over to church in the morning. And it’s down again before I get dinner. Yes, there have been some nice days, but they’ve just lost that certain “umph” they have in July and August. It’s not really Fall yet either… kind of, maybe, but it’s not October, it’s not Fall colors and that Fall smell of leaves and apple cider. Of course, if you go in stores, it’s clearly October, but that’s part of my strategy too… stay out of stores!
 
Wind—As I sit writing this at 2:30pm, it looks like night outside, as another storm rattles and rolls through. We’ve had our fair share of storms this summer, as I’m sure many of you can attest to. Although I love a good summer storm, I acknowledge sensitively the distress they have caused many, both on the gulf coast and especially in our local area with all the flooding issues in July. Whether or not we have been directly affected by theses storms, we can all attest to the different storms that we must endure during our lives. Some of these can be more painful and stressful than even the most severe storms the weather can bring—storms of a health crisis, storms of financial burdens, storms in relationships, the storm of the loss of a job or a home, the storm of the loss of a loved one, the storm of a crisis of faith. This Thursday, September 23rd, we celebrate the Feast of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, known to many as simply Padre Pio. He was a man of exceptional holiness, who had the ability to read the souls of the many who came to him for confession. (There’s a sobering thought! He would sometimes call people out in the confessional for the sins he knew they had omitted from their confession.) Those who brought illnesses to him often received miraculous healings. He was also an extraordinary mystic with the gift of bilocation – appearing in more than one location at a time. 
 
Padre Pio was ordained to the priesthood in 1910 and within a month, he received the from God, the Stigmata, the 5 wounds of Christ, which he bore almost continually until his death, this day in 1968. You can often see images and photos of him wearing bandages wrapped around his hands. His many prophetic and prudent words seem so appropriate for the troubled times in which we live. On my ordination card last year, I chose particular words of his that I thought would endure as practical advice to many: “Stay in the boat in which our Lord has placed you. You will not perish. It appears to you that Jesus is sleeping, but his heart vigilantly watches over you. At the right time, he will awake and restore your calm.” There is only one boat that can safely carry us through the storms of life, and that is our vessel of our faith, the Church. The Church, founded by Christ upon fallen men, but guided for eternity by the Holy Spirit will weather all storms.
We are living in times of great confusion. People are unsure where to look for truth – truth about moral issues, issues of authority, medical issues, marriage issues, dignity of life issues and even issues over how to define personhood. In truth there is only one truth and that is the Truth, Jesus Christ. He is the one we are to look to. Look to Jesus; look to His Cross and find your refuge there in its shadow. As Cardinal Timothy Dolan puts it, sometimes we look around us and think, “Lord, this is no way to run a railroad.” But run it, He does, and if the world around us looks like it’s coming off the rails, perhaps it is. But it is only doing so under the watchful eyes of the Lord and guarded by the Holy Spirit. If the evil in the world today seems so tangible, let us see it as a sign of proof that the evil one is busy in the world. But let us never be deterred, never be put-off, never persuaded to join forces with him and buy into this destructive dismantling of good order and righteousness. Stay in the boat. Stay in the Church. Stay in the Truth. Take comfort in the scriptures:
 
"Do not be provoked by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong. Like grass they wither quickly; like green plants they wilt away. Trust in the Lord and do good that you may dwell in the land and live secure. Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart's desire."  (Psalm 37:1-4)
 
Fire—Our trusty and dutiful maintenance expert, Vern, announced to me a few months ago that he’d had a revelation. Vern would light the candles before Mass, but he was thinking that maybe he was lighting them too early and burning too much oil before mass. I said I didn’t mind lighting them a few minutes before mass. If you’ve been at certain masses lately, you may have noticed that I am apparently not as reliable as Vern! As my father’s son, I tend to take his approach and try to save a Dime—stewardship, right?! But I hang my head! In leaving the candles until a little later, they seem to often slip out of my mind. Five times in a week! Sometimes it’s been last minute; sometimes the first minute of mass! Vern recently moved from his regular seat for mass to now sitting in front of the ambo and just may have been deriving some pleasure in my forgetfulness. He grins at me from ear to ear. I now can no longer light the candles without studiously ensuring I don’t look in Vern’s direction. I have to hide behind the ambo as I light the candles!
 
And you think you’re distracted at mass?!: Not for the first time, a couple of Sundays ago, as I was at the altar, as I turned a page of the missal, a spider dropped out and onto the altar. It was one of those tiny, jumping spiders that are impossibly fast. I swatted at it a couple of times, but it eluded me and jumped to the front corner of the altar, where it remained until communion. I was surprise to see it show-up again at a funeral mass 3 days later. Apparently our altar is a desirable hang-out for a little spider. I looked all around the altar after the funeral and it was nowhere to be seen. Today, 8 days after it jumped out of my missal, there it was again, this time trying to crawl into the missal. While I appreciate its devotion to the mass, I can confirm that it will not be causing any more distractions for this priest during mass. R.I.P little friend.
You are in my prayers this week.

Fr. Andrew

14) Words on the Word: September 19, 2021 - One Such as This

It can seem a bit like an ongoing chess match, at times, but the stakes are infinitely higher.

In a nation torn by divisive issues, perhaps the single most divisive issue is abortion, with both sides locked in a seemingly intractable argument that never reaches resolution.

Instead, people on both sides of the issue look for ways to advance their cause, incrementally, with the hope of one day convincing opponents why they are right and reaching political and legal finality on the matter.

It’s all done, of course, in an environment of shouting and much media noise.

Which is why in many ways it’s like a chess match, with strategy always being plotted several steps ahead.

Headlines were made across the country a few weeks ago when the Supreme Court let stand a Texas law that outlawed abortions after 6 weeks, or essentially when a heartbeat can be detected.

“Texas will always defend the right to life,” the state’s governor has been quoted as saying.

It was a huge victory for the pro-life movement, to be sure. And yet, quite predictably, the protests started immediately, with opposition advocates and politicians weighing in on what they consider to be the gravity of the development and what it means.

And so it goes. The only sure thing, of course is that the matter overall is far from being resolved. The good news is that, if there were any doubt as to the profound importance of the right to a child’s life, Jesus is crystal clear in today’s gospel:

“Taking a child, (Jesus) placed it in their midst,” St. Mark writes, “and putting his arms around it, he said to them, ‘Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me, but the One who sent me.’”


© 2021, Words on the Word 
15) Ascension Presents with Father Mike Schmitz:
What's the Point of Religion?

What does God really want from us?

When you look at every religion, Christian or otherwise, you’ll find worship at the heart. No matter who or what our religion is calling us to, we are meant to worship. And even further, the heart of worship is sacrifice. In order to truly love and worship something or someone, we must give something up in return, whether that be time, attention, or material possessions.

Today, Fr. Mike explains what’s at the heart of religion, and how realizing this can strengthen our relationship with God.
16) FORMED Pick of the Week:
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:

  • 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.
17) Hallow App:
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.
18) This Week on St. Joan of Arc LIVE:
This week's LIVE Stream
Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:
 

Monday (September 20):
7:00 AM - Mass


Tuesday (September 21):
7:00 AM - Mass


Wednesday (September 22):
7:00 AM - Mass
10:00 AM - Funeral for Rosemary Monaghan (Read Obituary HERE)


Thursday (September 23):
7:00 AM - Mass
7:00 PM - Holy Hour (Praise and Worship Music)

Friday (September 24):
7:00 AM - Mass


Saturday (September 25):
10:30 AM - Baptism of Levi Pena and Maison Miller
11:30 AM - Baptism of Alessi Marie Powers
1:00 PM - Wedding of Morgan Marie Ellis and Iain William Decker
4:00 PM - Mass
6:00 PM - Mass


Sunday (September 26):
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.
19) SJA's Bulletin for September 19, 2021
Click on the image below
to download a copy of our
Bulletin for September 19, 2021
The 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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.

Read the latest from the DETROIT CATHOLIC
Click on the image below.