Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are a few updates from our parish for the week of October 10, 2021.
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1) Respect Life Month Prayer to St. Joseph: |
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As we celebrate Respect Life Month, we look to St. Joseph, the defender of life, to pray for us and to help us achieve a greater respect for all human life in our world. |
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2) SJA's White Cross Project - A Note to Parents |
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Dear Parents,
This past weekend, a team of parishioners placed hundreds of small white crosses on the front lawn of the Church on Mack Avenue. The crosses will be up for two weeks.
You may recall, we displayed these crosses in past years with some of our neighboring churches. We are doing so again, this year with St. Isaac Jogues and the Shores Church on 10 Mile Road. We are grateful for the opportunity to witness with fellow Christians during Respect Life Month as we share this common ground: The desire to protect the most vulnerable among us.
The crosses displayed on the lawn at the front of the church along Greater Mack Avenue and are representative of the more than two thousand innocent lives lost each day in the US through abortion - more than 60 million since 1973.
This display is in no way a protest, but a witness of our commitment as Catholic Christians to uphold the sanctity and dignity of all human life from conception to natural death. It is also an opportunity to remember we are people of prayer and compassion, love, mercy, and hope - for the unborn and those afflicted by the pain of abortion.
You may or may not have spoken to your children about abortion. Perhaps this project will be an opportunity to teach your children about the need to respect life. It’s a good time to express to them the gift their life is and how God calls us to treasure every life and treat it with respect. Children are particularly receptive to the message of equality of all people. They have a keen sense of justice and fairness. Remember that the pro-life message will not harm your children, but the pervasive attitude that human life is disposable someday may. (See the video below for your reference.)
A good start may be to remind your children of the line from Horton Hears a Who, by Dr. Seuss: “A person is a person, no matter how small.” You can explain that God’s commandment to us is to value life. Thou shalt not kill—applies to all people – the unborn, elderly, sick, infirmed, and incarcerated.
Keep in mind that the younger the child, the simpler your explanation can be. You may explain to your child that when a woman decides to have an abortion she may not understand how special her baby is or she may not fully realize that the child is a separate unique person growing inside of her. Ground your conversation in mercy and the nature of God. The last thing we want to do is demonize women who have had an abortion. Children need to know that God is willing to forgive anyone, and He is an ocean of mercy.
This also may be an opportunity to let your children know they can do something to help the unborn and that – first and foremost – is to pray. They can pray for the conversion of hearts and minds of those in crisis, those who believe it is morally acceptable, and for those politicians who support laws promoting abortion. They can help support local pregnancy help centers such as Pregnancy Aid Detroit and Gianna House. Your children also can – through seeing witnesses like this one – learn to understand the importance of publicly affirming their faith and support for life.
It is my sincere hope this display increases the dialogue in your home about how precious life is.
Msgr. Mike
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3) School GALA: Saturday, 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!
- The event includes Silent and Live Auctions, Raffles, Open Bar, Strolling Dinner, and Dancing. Dinner tickets are NOW ON SALE!
CONTACTS:
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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. |
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Thanks for your support of Gala 2021!
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4) A Biblical Walk through the Mass - Begins October 26 |
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5) 5th Grade Teacher Needed |
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St. Joan of Arc School is looking for a full-time 5th Grade Teacher. This position involves teaching various subjects to a 5th Grade homeroom, including Religion.
All teachers in the Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Detroit shall be certified and/or approved for teaching by the Department of Education for the State of Michigan.
This candidate is required to have a valid Michigan teaching certificate.
The candidate must complete fingerprinting, background check, and the Protecting God’s Children virtual workshop.
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6) Coordinator OPENING - Center for Excdeptional Needs |
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The mission of the Center for Exceptional Needs at St. Joan of Arc is to enable persons with a variety of challenges to encounter Jesus Christ and develop a friendship with him in a supportive and caring environment. Through faith formation and Christian fellowship, students learn about the Word of God, our Catholic faith. They come together with loving cate to share faith, friendship, love for one another, and to appreciate all of God’s creation. This is a seasonal part-time position. (Oct-May.)
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7) 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 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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8) SJA's CSA Update as of October 10, 2021 |
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I am grateful to those who have already contributed to CSA 2021. As of today, we have $168,934 in pledges and gifts toward our $217,002 goal ($153,933 has already been paid thus far toward our total pledged amount). This amount represents gifts from 531 families (we have 3,273 families registered). We have thus achieved 78% of our goal!
Here is a breakdown by gift range:
$2,500+ (5)
$1,000+ (34)
$500+ (44)
$250+ (101)
$100+ (202)
$75+ (14)
$50+ (66)
$25+ (38)
$10+ (24)
$0+ (3)
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.
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9) This Sunday's Readings - October 10, 2021 |
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10) Jeff Cavins: Encountering the Word - Reflections on the Sunday Readings |
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In this week’s Encountering the Word video for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jeff Cavins explains that if we are looking for wisdom, all we have to do is ask God for it. |
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11) Grow+Go for the 28th 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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12) 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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13) This Week's Edition of TALLer Tales |
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Family Business: As I continue to help my mom wade through the mountain of stuff and changes that need to be accomplished since my dad died, we’ve started to use our Sunday family gatherings as an opportunity to exchange the mail and for me to get my mom to sign whatever needs to be signed. It’s funny how it’s become a new habit where I’m often bringing in a file folder to our Sunday dinners that contains things for mom to sign. The waitress at the restaurant where we usually go for dinner on Sundays must think we’re always doing some significant business transactions! I’m always huddling next to my mom, shuffling a bunch of papers in front of her.
This past Sunday was no different. I showed up with the usual file folder with something to sign, sat next to my mom, and had her sign away. I could have mailed back what she signed, but she volunteered to take care of it herself. So, I checked it off my “list” and somewhat forgot about it.
On Monday morning, I got somewhat of a panicky phone call from my mom. She couldn’t find the envelope with the stuff she signed. I tried to convince her that it was no big deal and that I would get another copy for her to sign. But she was frustrated she lost it and was concerned there was too much information on the sheets for them not to be found. She scoured the house but couldn’t find the envelope. Eventually, my nephew J.J., who heard grandma talking to me and who heard grandma rummaging through papers in the kitchen, decided to jump on the bandwagon and help grandma find the missing envelope. They eventually found it on the kitchen counter, but it was hidden from view from a recipe that was placed upon it. I reassured my mom that this was proof that God always provides. But she was still pretty frustrated that she misplaced it even for a brief moment. “You gave me ONE task,” she started to tell me, “and I almost blew it. If I were one of your employees, you’d probably fire me!” She then paused, started to laugh, and said, “But THANKFULLY, you can’t fire your mom!” I’m surprised she didn’t throw out the other line she’s been frequently saying since her birthday in August: “I’m 80 years old now … what do you expect?”
In God We Trust: A few days ago, I was behind a police car. Most police cars these days are black with black lettering. The lettering is such that you can barely see the words of the city and the word “police” until you’re almost on next to the vehicle. What caught my attention with this particular police car was that boldly labeled on the back of the car were the words “In God We Trust” in a bright yellow color. It stuck out! I was impressed to see that on the vehicle, especially in our world and current cultural climate where there is so little acknowledgment of God or any faith or belief. It certainly made a statement. Yes, those words are printed on many things in our country, but they are words often forgotten about today. It’s almost as if our country has become “numb” to the words. Did you know that it was only back in 1956 that these very words replaced “E pluribus unum” … which had been the de facto motto since the initial 1776 design of the Great Seal of the United States … as the official motto of the United States.
The experience of seeing those words planted on the police car reminded me of a brochure I once found in my shopping bag after leaving a family trip up to Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth. The flyer was entitled, “In God We Trust.” The reflection in the brochure was poignant, and I wanted to share it with you (from In God We Trust (ESV), copyright © 2012 by Good News Tracts. Used by permission. For more information, visit goodnewstracts.org):
“Printed boldly on the back of United States currency is the motto “In God We Trust.” We have seen it so often that it may have lost its meaning to us. But found in these words is the secret to national and personal greatness.
“Webster’s Dictionary defines the word trust as “a firm belief of confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability and justice of another person or thing.”
“When our founding fathers signed their names to the Declaration of Independence, they believed that God was the only sure foundation upon which to build a nation that would endure. These men knew that this unique experiment in freedom would only stand the test of time by God’s grace.
“Reliance upon God was deeply rooted in our country’s important documents and institutions from the beginning. But today confidence in God and his Word is no longer the foundation of society.
“In our schools the God of Creation has been replaced by the “god” of evolutionary chance. Truth has been replaced by relativism. Morality has been set aside in favor of “political correctness.”
“In our homes we nightly view things that were unimaginable on television and in movies only a decade ago. Violence, sexual perversion and obscene language spill off the screen.
“In government, God’s principles of truth and justice have often given way to personal profit, and compromise.
“As we have departed from God, life has been devalued. The lives of unborn children are snuffed out in abortion clinics and the number of robberies, rapes and murders increase daily.
“It is time that we return to the values of God’s Word in our public and private lives so that he will heal our people and our land. We must begin person by person on our knees, confessing our failure to trust God fully in our lives.
“Today you can affirm your trust in God if you will: 1) Acknowledge that you need salvation: The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). 2) Recognize God’s love for you: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 3) Receive Jesus and his forgiveness, the only basis for having a personal relationship with God. “But to all who did receive him [Jesus], who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
“God is calling you to put your trust in him today! Don’t ignore his call!”
Yes, In God We Trust!
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Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers!
In Christ,
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14) Tire Tracks in the d’Arc |
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Young people need people who are prepared to act as adults for them, who will tell them “no” when that should be the answer. They need adults who believe in them and affirm them, but who will also challenge them to grow in virtue and will correct them when they’re out of line. They want adults who will be sincere and “real” with them, who will tell them the truth. They want adults and peers to call them to a higher standard, rather than be accepting of mediocrity. We all need that. But just as importantly, young people need to be affirmed when we see them acting virtuously and going out of their way to be an example of the faith to others. These moments are happening all the time, but perhaps we don’t see them or we’re just not remembering to encourage them. Just the simplest of acts: an 8th grader caring for a younger student or sibling; a student helping adults to clear-up at the end of the school day; a young adult attending daily mass frequently; a teenager who makes use of the Sacrament of Confession regularly without to being “brought” by parents. The culture tells our youth that a higher standard is idealistic, and they probably won’t be able to do it. The culture looks at the moral teachings of the Church and often considers them unattainable. We need to challenge young people; we need to challenge each other and say, “I believe that you can do it!” We need to not be unrealistic and we should acknowledge that to be a disciple is not easy. To always make the right moral choices is challenging and left to our own resources, who can live this way? But by the grace of God, by continually placing ourselves in Jesus hands. The Christian life of discipleship was never promised to us to be easy. Jesus Himself recognizes this in our Gospel today: “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.’”
When I look back at the world I grew-up in, it’s almost unrecognizable today. And I know even more so with every generation we go back. But our faith, though perhaps under more pressure today, is the same and it always was and as effective and true as ever.
Encourage a young person in their faith today. Affirm them, recognize their virtue. The culture has already stolen too many vocations from our Church. Let’s not let it take any more.
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You are in my prayers this week.
Fr. Andrew
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15) Words on the Word: October 10, 2021 - In the Heart
When news stories are particularly sad, terrible, even tragic, it can sometimes seem like the backstory is self-evident.
Consider, for example, the incidents of a few weeks ago in Iosco County, near Tawas City. According to a story in The Detroit News, a three-year-old child was found dead, and the young mother was charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse.
The woman, however, pleaded not guilty, and, at the time of this writing, a probable cause conference had been scheduled for the following week.
Most of the other details of the story need not be recounted here, other than the fact that the woman, when she was found by police walking along some railroad tracks, declined to discuss the baby’s death.
Immediately, of course, most commentators assumed the woman is guilty, that no mercy should be shown from the justice system, and that this young mother is like others whose stories are often recounted on television and in the movies.
Speculation on the facts behind the case, the motives, the psychological states of everyone involved, and so forth, serve no real purpose. Presumably, law enforcement and the justice system will get to the heart of the matter.
It’s an important reminder though, that, in the end, God knows all these things, and he is the ultimate judge, not only of the facts, but of what is in our hearts.
“Indeed the word of God is living and effective,” St. Paul writes to the Hebrews in today’s second reading, “sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
“No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.”
© 2021, Words on the Word
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16) Baby Bottle Drive: Bottles Due Next Weekend |
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17) Ascension Presents with Father Mike Schmitz: |
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Why St. Thérèse and Her “Little Way” Will Change Your Life
How is it that a young French girl who entered the convent at 15 years old and died at only 24 years old would become a Doctor of the Church? How is it that on her deathbed her own sisters thought her life was so unremarkable that they struggled to write her obituary?
Today, Fr. Mike reflects on how the “Little Way” of St. Thérèse of Lisieux contains a secret to holiness for every modern Catholic.
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18) 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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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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20) This Week on St. Joan of Arc LIVE: |
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This week's LIVE Stream
Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:
Monday (October 11):
7:00 AM - Mass
Tuesday (October 12):
7:00 AM - Mass
Wednesday (October 13):
7:00 AM - Mass
Thursday (October 14):
7:00 AM - Mass
7:00 PM - Holy Hour (Praise and Worship Music)
Friday (October 15):
7:00 AM - Mass
Saturday (October 16):
12:30 PM - Baptism of Cassidy Rose Andary
1:30 PM - Baptism of Anthony D. Haskins
2:30 PM - Baptism of Crew Alexander Cataldo
4:00 PM - Mass
6:00 PM - Mass
Sunday (October 17):
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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21) SJA's Bulletin for October 10, 2021 |
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Click on the image below
to download a copy of our
Bulletin for October 10, 2021
The 28th 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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