Week of December 24, 2023

1) Mass Schedule for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Our Mass schedule for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is as follows:

Christmas Eve:

Sunday, December 24: 4 PM, 6 PM, and 10 PM (the choir will begin with prelude music at 9:30 PM)

Christmas Day:

Monday, December 25: 8 AM, 10 AM and 12 PM

2) Christmas Greetings

Dear Friends in Christ,

In my name and on behalf of Father Adam, Father Rich, Deacon Dom, Deacon Tom, and our entire staff, I wish to extend to you and your family my prayers and best wishes for a most blessed, joyous, and safe Christmas. 

It’s easy to get swept up in the hustle and bustle of this season and take our eyes (and hearts) off the real reason for the season – the event that changed everything: the Incarnation, when God entered the world as a tiny, humble and helpless babe.  

Planning, parties, presents and a barrage of messages and interruptions from every direction distract many of us despite our best intentions to keep focused on Christ. 

This year, we are gifting parishioners and guests at all the Masses with a small yet powerful book that reminds us to put our hope in the Lord. There are things in this world that make us happy for a short time – but the reality is that lasting and true happiness can only be found in our Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope you take some time to read and reflect on the truths shared in The Words Of Eternal Life by Jimmy Akin.

Yes, the Lord is born for us this day, and a light has shone upon us! We need to cherish this precious gift of God in every moment of every day. May we become beacons of light ourselves, illuminating the way for others to experience this wondrous gift of God, the Prince of Peace.

With best wishes and prayers for you and your family during this Christmas season and throughout the coming New Year. May you find the happiness and life that only Jesus can give. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Msgr. G. Michael Bugarin

gmb@sjascs.org

3) Christmas Giving to SJA

Parishes around the world rely on their parishioners' generosity ... especially at Christmas. The Christmas Collection is our biggest collection of the year.

As each of us prepares to provide people important in our lives with a gift or some token of our appreciation at Christmas, please remember to include our amazing parish in those plans too! Your generosity goes a long way and helps us continue our mission of bringing Christ to so many people.

The easiest way to give a Christmas gift to the parish is electronically. Click on the link below to make an electronic gift to the parish. You can do so as a guest or by setting up an account. It couldn't be any easier! Thanks for your extraordinary generosity!

4) Presence: The Mystery of the Eucharist - After Mass Beginning January 8

Although the Eucharist appears to be simple bread and wine, it is actually the "source and summit" of the Christian life. Presence: The Mystery of the Eucharist explores the truth and beauty of Christ's real presence in the Eucharist, from its origins in Sacred Scripture to its profound role in the life of the Church and her members. it is the crescendo of the entire story of salvation.

Learn about the truth and beauty of Christ's real presence in the Eucharist, from its origins in Sacred Scripture to its profound role in the life of the Church and her members.

We will show one episode of the series each week after all the masses in Church beginning January 6/7. Then, for those interested, there will be opportunities for casual discussion and fellowship following each presentation in the Emmaus Hall.

5) Hat and Mitten Tree Project

This year for our Hat and Mitten Tree Project, we are donating to St. Raymond's Soup Kitchen downtown. We are accepting hats and mittens for children and adults. Any hats or mittens you wish to donate can be placed in the red bins on either side of the Sr. Carol picture in the Gathering Place or simply dropped off at the Parish Center.

6) Walking with Purpose Women's Bible Studies

Join women of our parish in the Sr. Carol Center for a coffee and to learn about the fruits of these beautiful weekly Catholic Bible studies written especially for women. All women are welcome and invited to bring a friend. Each group is doing a different study. Feel free to drop in on the first session. There's always an open seat.

Beginning January 8th, the 7 pm evening group will start a 22-week program: Discovering our Dignity. Women of the Old and New Testaments were as flawed and broken as we can be, yet the power of God worked in their lives. Discovering Our Dignity will allow you to learn from their experiences and uncover ways to deal with unwanted circumstances and deferred hopes.

On January 22nd, the 10 am morning group is starting an 11-week look at Fearless and Free, a Bible study based on the book of Ephesians. This study is ideal for those who long for wholeness of heart and are in need of freedom from past wounds. So many of us are wrestling with the reality that life isn’t easy, even when we are doing the right thing.

No previous experience is needed.

7) Rescue Project Returns in late January

8) Worldwide Marriage Encounter

9) New Men's Fellowship Bible Study

10) 10 Great Christmas Movies You'll Want to Watch With Your Family This Holiday Season

From Church Pop:

Watching Christmas movies is a beautiful way to spend time with family.

However, finding Christmas movies with a plot discussing the season’s true meaning can be difficult.

Here’s a list of 10 of the best Christmas movies to watch with your family this year:

1) The Nativity Story: The Nativity Story presents a scripturally based story of Jesus’ birth. This 2006 Christmas movie details the biblical timeline. In all honesty, it's one of my favorite live-action films about the Birth of Jesus.

Fun fact: Oscar Isaac plays Saint Joseph in this movie. He also plays Poe Dameron in the new Star Wars trilogy.

2) A Christmas Carol: There are multiple retellings of this Christmas story based on the Charles Dickens classic. Ebenezer Scrooge meets the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. These ghosts show him his life, which ultimately ends in his conversion.

Read More ...

11) Upcoming Retrouvaille Weekend in January

What is Retrouvaille?

• The Retrouvaille Program is for Married Couples Facing Difficult Challenges in their Relationship

• A Marriage program that helps couples restore their marriage and rebuild a loving relationship.

• A Christian marriage program, Catholic in origin, where couples of all faiths or no faith background are encouraged to attend.

• Primarily a practical program to improve communication, build stronger marriages, and help couples reconnect.

• Presenters are not trained marriage counselors, but rather couples sharing their personal stories of marital struggles and the tools they used to rediscover their love.

12) Ascension's Bible and Catechism App

13) Holy Hour on Thursdays

14) This Sunday's Readings: December 24/25 2023 - Christmas

15) Sunday Reflections by Jeff Cavins

Jeff Cavins Reflection for the Nativity of Our Lord

In this week’s Encountering the Word video Jeff Cavins reflects on the Greatest Gift of God!

The readings

16) Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon

Bishop Barron's Reflection for Christmas Day



Merry Christmas friends! As you gather today with family and friends, it is likely that someone, at some point, will bring in a newborn. And everybody will want to see the baby. The whole room will stop whatever they are doing to see this child. There is something irresistibly charming about babies; they bring out the best in us and call forth love from us. Well, at the center of our Christmas celebration is a strange, astonishing fact: God became a baby. The all-powerful Creator of the universe, the reason why there is something rather than nothing, became a baby too weak even to raise his own head. This was a stroke of divine genius. Again and again the Hound of Heaven sought us out, and again and again we ran away. But who can finally resist the baby who is God?

17) Grow+Go

18) Giving to SJA:

I'm truly grateful for all of your support of SJA. 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.

19) This Week's Edition of TALLER Tales

Come and See what God has Done!

When my sisters and I were little, we had this wonderful Christmas Eve tradition where we would put on a Christmas play for our parents shortly after we got home from the Christmas Eve mass at St. Rene, our home parish. We would have a quick dinner (often enough, a Chinese carry-out dinner) and then gather in the family room for our play. I remember our Mom or Dad getting a fire ready in the fireplace and ensuring that all our Christmas decorations were turned on for the night. I don’t recall if we ever practiced our play that much, but that was immaterial because our play was often enough a retelling of the story of Christ’s birth.

The play didn’t require much thought or preparation because the story was ingrained in our souls. We were as confident in telling the story as Linus was in the infamous A Charlie Brown Christmas. While we were confident in retelling the story of Christ’s birth and knew HOW it happened, we were far from truly understanding WHY it happened. We would get the basics that he came to save us from sin and death, but the depth of God’s love for us was not something we truly understood or completely appreciated.

My experience as a priest has revealed that many do not truly understand or appreciate entirely all that is part of the incredible story of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Even though I’ve been a priest for 33 years, I continue to learn more and more about this great mystery each year. I could be listening to a presentation, a homily, or something online, and suddenly I’m thrown into an “uh-huh” moment where I wonder why I’ve never thought about this or that before.

One of my favorite Christian songs this time of year is Noel by Chris Tomlin. The version I enjoy listening to features Lauren Daigle. The lyrics are powerful. The song opens by acknowledging that the great mystery begins with love incarnate, love divine, and how stars and angels gave the sign. The Child is born, the savior of humanity. The song continues with the refrain, “Noel, Noel, Come and see what God has done. Noel, Noel. The story of amazing love! The light of the world, given for us. Noel.”

The song continues, “Son of God and Son of man. There before the world began. Born to suffer, born to save. Born to raise us from the grave. Christ the everlasting Lord. He shall reign forevermore. Noel. Noel …”

I know it’s obvious, but in that little Child lies so much hidden to the world. And it’s an amazing mystery to contemplate how that little Child was born to suffer, born to save, and born to raise us from the grave! What a gift. What a present to humanity!

As I talk to people before or after Mass, in the office, or confession, I am convinced we have to do more to spend time with the Lord to contemplate all that is involved in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. As we do so, we deepen our relationship with Him, and then our prayer life and experience in participating in the Church’s sacraments and life are greatly enhanced. There is so much to this incredible mystery.

As we embark on the beginning of a New Year, I encourage you to be more intentional about your prayer life and learning more about Christ and our great faith. Yes, we are extremely busy, and each day pours onto our calendars more than the human person can ever accomplish, but if we don’t spend time with Christ and learn more about him, we are missing the best part of the incredible gift given to us!

In early December, our parish began watching Presence, the Mystery of the Eucharist, produced by the Augustine Institute and available on Formed.org. I was awestruck by these exceptional videos and thought I needed to develop a plan for more people to watch this simple 3-part series. The videos were only 35-40 minutes long and beautifully produced. With our video system in Church, I’ve often wanted to show simple and short catechetical or educational videos immediately after Mass. I figured people could stay if they wanted to, but it was one more way to make it somewhat simple in our busy and chaotic world for people to grow in their faith and in their relationship with the Lord.

So, the plan is to show an episode from the Presence series after the Masses each weekend beginning January 6/7th and continuing for the following two weekends. We will conclude our recessional song and immediately start showing the video on those three weekends. We will then have corresponding study guides and discussion questions in the bulletin that can be discussed at home during the week.

May we set a plan as individuals and as a family to be very intentional about walking more in Christ’s presence in 2024. May we learn more about Him and the great mysteries of his life, death, and resurrection.

Yes, he was born to suffer, born to save, born to raise us from the grave. It is the story of amazing love! May we do all we can to “Come and see what God has done!

Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers! Merry Christmas!

In Christ,

20) Along the Way with Father Adam

Hope Starts with God!

We have all had a few tough years lately. We look around at the world around us, and if we aren’t careful, we can fall into despair or think that God isn’t present. But what we celebrate at Christmas is that Emmanuel, God is with us. This should give us great hope! As Christians, we are people of hope. This is what this season is all about, this is what Christmas is about, this is what we are to be about. In an interview with an Italian newspaper in 2013 Pope Francis said, “We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love.”

We cannot live without hope. Hope is not “I hope my team wins the Super Bowl” or “I hope I get a raise.” Biblical hope is not a hope-so but it is a know-so. Hope is more than just a feeling or an emotion. Rather, hope is the knowledge of facts. If someone says to you that “I hope you have a good day,” there is no guarantee that the day will go well. Christian hope is the desire for something that we are certain to receive, an assurance about the future. It’s not just a hope that things will turn out well in this life. It’s a confidence that if we cooperate with God everything will work out fine because we’ll be with Him forever.

Hope doesn’t really start with us; it starts with God. He is the one who promises to always love us, never leave us, be strong when we are weak, provide direction when we are lost and wisdom whenever we ask for it. Our hope has to be in Him, the author of hope. In this celebration of Christmas we are given hope anew. We are given hope because our Savior has arrived. Emmanuel, God-with-us, is now present to lead us, to love us, to save us.

This is the hope that the world needs today. This is the hope that each one of us needs today. Sacred Scripture reminds us, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer,” (Romans 12:12), and “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful,” (Hebrews 10:23). As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us (1817) “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.”

The terms ‘hope, hoped, hoping’ are used 161 times in the Bible. In a Christian sense “hope” means to wait for salvation with joy and full confidence. The entire Old Testament strains toward hope: God comes to restore his kingdom. God comes to re-establish the Covenant. God comes to establish a new people, to establish a New Jerusalem, to construct a new temple. God comes to recreate the world. This is what we celebrate on Christmas - our hope has arrived!

Pope Benedict XVI said, “A world without God is a world without hope” (Spe Salvi, 44). Let us, this Christmas, be reminded of the great hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Let us also take seriously our duty as Christians to spread that hope. My Christmas prayer for us all is that we may find new ways to bring hope to others, to share with them the great Christmas message, the message of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Hope!

Almighty and eternal God, the blessed Virgin Mary, glorious Mother of your Son, helps and defends all those who call upon her. By her intercession may we be strong in faith, steady in hope, and persevere in your love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Lady of Hope, pray for us.  

Christmas Blessings!

Fr. Adam

anowak@sjascs.org

21) Ascension Presents: Father Mike Schmitz

How to Celebrate Christmas When Life Is Hard

Have you ever heard the song “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”? Have you listened to the lyrics carefully? It’s not exactly the blissful naiveté of “Deck the Halls”. It’s much more real and raw than that.

Today, Fr. Mike is here to remind us that although “hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men,” the truth is that “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men.”

22) Words on the Word: December 24, 2023 - Guiding Light

Dec. 24, 2023 – Guiding Light  

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we can run aground.

Perhaps we hit a seemingly insurmountable obstacle at work, and we lose patience with those around us. Or we experience a health crisis that leaves us feeling hopeless. Or perhaps it’s a situation with our family or social circle that makes us wonder if we’ve forgotten how to effectively interact with others. Or maybe it’s a spiritual sandbar, in which we feel a sense of desolation.

Any of these can make it feel difficult to move forward.

This came to mind a few weeks ago when a Portuguese freighter filled with wheat and bound for Italy became stranded in the Detroit River. According to a story in The Detroit News, it took several tugboats more than a day to free the vessel.

The incident came in the same year another freighter was stranded just off Belle Isle. The News story said there didn’t appear to be any connection between the two incidents.

Sometimes, alas, we simply end up headed in the wrong direction.

The good news of Christmas, of course, is that Christ is here to right the ship and light the way.

“Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people,” we hear in one of today’s gospel options from St. Luke. “For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

“And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”

Christmas is here! Gloria in Excelsis Deo!

© 2023, Words on the Word

23) This WEEK on FORMED:

24) Hallow App:

25) Mass Intentions for the Week:

Monday, December 25, 2023, The Nativity of the Lord (White)

8:00 a.m., For the Intentions for St. Joan of Arc Parishioners

10:00 a.m. Stancel Mecha

12:00 p.m., The deceased members of the Allor & Petrella Families, Julian Ross, Joseph & Florence Semany, Charles Semany, Ron Lagodna, John L. & Marguerite Joseph, Roland & Gerry Doak, Mary T. Hobig, Kenneth Choike, Patricia Williams, Jose’ Medina, Rosario Medina, Jeffrey Hardy, Joan Hardy, Dini Hamm, Feliciana Punzalan, Daisy Marie Buenavesta, and special intentions for the Mallare Family, Pam Haisenleder, Alison Reslow, Lorraine Jonas, Linda Frank and for the Priests, Faculty and Staff of St. Joan of Arc

Tuesday, December 26, 2023, Saint Stephen, The First Martyr (Red)

7:00 a.m., Clara Champine

Wednesday, December 27, 2023, Saint John, Apostle, and Evangelist (Red)

7:00 a.m., Jesse F. Champine

6:00 p.m., Lawrence Hallman and a Special Intention for Alyce Hallman on the Anniversary of their Wedding

Thursday, December 28, 2023, Holy Innocents, Martyrs (Red)

7:00 a.m., Karen Jones and Hugo Calisi on the 30th Anniversary of his death

Friday, December 29, 2023, Fifth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord (White)

7:00 a.m., Lawrence VanOverbeke

Saturday, December 30, 2023, Vigil for The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (White)

4:00 p.m., Bonnie Batche, Blair Zernick, Michael DePetro and special intentions for the Thomas Family, the J. Champine Family, for Alison Reslow, Pam Haisenleder, Lorraine Jonas, and Linda Frank.

6:00 p.m., Donnie Hunsucker

Sunday, December 31, 2023, The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (White)

8:00 a.m., For the Intentions for St. Joan of Arc Parishioners

10:00 a.m., George Wietecha

12:00 p.m., Bernard J. Champine, Rita Snyder, Jose’ Medina, Rosario Medina, Jeffrey Hardy, Joan Hardy, Feliciana Punzalan, Dini Hamm, Daisy Marie Buenavesta, JoAnne, Helen and John Joseph Gleason, Berton Dygert, Fr. Leo Ramer, the deceased members of the Huvaere and Kerby Families and special intentions for David & Donna Lawrence, Alison Reslow, Lorraine Jonas, Pam Haisenleder and Linda Frank

Monday, January 1, 2024, The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord, Solemnity of Mary the Holy Mother of God (White)

7:00 a.m., George J. Bugarin

26) This Week on St. Joan of Arc LIVE:

This week's LIVE Stream

Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:

Monday (December 25)

8:00 AM - Mass

10:00 AM - Mass

12:00 PM - Mass

Tuesday (December 26):

7:00 AM - Mass

Wednesday (December 27):

7:00 AM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Thursday (December 28):

7:00 AM- Mass

7:00 PM - Holy Hour

Friday (December 29):

7:00 AM - Mass

10:00 AM - Funeral for Sharon Jelsone (Read Obituary HERE)

Saturday (December 30):

12:30 PM - Baptism of Hudson Villamil Trombley

4:00 PM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Sunday (December 31):

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 cannot 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.

27) SJA's Latest Parish Bulletin

Click on the image below

to download a copy of the bulletin

for December 24/25, 2023

28) Weekly Bulletin Mailing List

29) Detroit Catholic