Dear Friends in Christ,
Here are a few updates from our parish for the week of August 8, 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.
Both workshops are the same, so please register for one class. 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) Information about Retrouvaille - A lifeline for Married Couples: |
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3) Math Teacher Needed for SJA School |
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St. Joan of Arc Catholic School is looking for a full-time Middle School Teacher. This position involves teaching Mathematics for the 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades. The candidate would also be required to teach Religion to their homeroom.
The teacher candidate should be able to:
- Promote the mission and vision of St. Joan of Arc School.
- Be committed and passionate about Catholic education.
- Create a consistently high level of student engagement and learning.
- Be capable of teaching a range of mathematics, from 6thGrade through Algebra 1, inability-grouped classes.
- Be able to share their faith with their students.
- Differentiate instruction within the classroom to meet the needs of all students.
- Establish positive relationships with students.
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Maintain a consistent disciplinary approach that promotes self-direction and confidence by setting high standards for student behavior and manages inappropriate behavior effectively.
- Communicate regularly with students, families, and colleagues.
- Cooperate with school administration to complete additional operational, and professional responsibilities and duties, as needed.
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 (Elementary or Secondary Education) with a Math Endorsement (EX).
The candidate must complete fingerprinting, background check, and the Protecting God’s Children virtual workshop prior to working with students.
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4) You Can Be a Saint. Here’s How. |
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The Church is filled with wonderful examples of holiness and sainthood, and they can act as guides for us on our way to Heaven. But a lot of the time, we look at these great saints and think, “I could never be like them,” when in fact, sanctity is more accessible to us right now than we could ever even imagine. We know we should be striving to be saints, but what does that look like for people like you and me?
Today, Fr. Mike shares how we can work towards sainthood every day, without feeling like we’re chasing an impossible dream.
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5) 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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6) SJA's CSA Update as of July 25, 2021 |
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I am grateful to those who have already contributed to CSA 2021. As of today, we have $121,311 in pledges and gifts toward our $217,002 goal. This amount represents gifts from 384 families (we have 3,236 families registered). We have thus achieved 56% of our goal!
Here is a breakdown by gift range:
$2,500+ (3)
$1,000+ (27)
$500+ (38)
$250+ (69)
$100+ (138)
$75+ (12)
$50+ (53)
$25+ (23)
$0+ (21)
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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7) This Sunday's Readings - August 8, 2021 |
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8) Grow+Go for the 19th 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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9) Sunday Reflection by Jeff Cavins |
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This week’s Encountering the Word video for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time focuses on the Bread of Life discourse found in John 6. What if Jesus’ words and the Church teaching on the Eucharist are true? What if that really is God? Jeff Cavins encourages us to reflect on the simplicity of Christ’s words in this week’s Gospel. |
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10) 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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11) This Week's Edition of TALLer Tales |
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Driving Mrs. Daisies: As I mentioned in last week’s edition of TALLer Tales, I spent a good part of a week recently traveling with my mom and my sister Jackie to the western side of Michigan. We visited Sutton’s Bay, Leland, Glen Arbor, Manistee, and Holland.
Since there were only three of us traveling, I suggested to my travelers that the two of them should sit in the back together. That way, they could yap with each other a bit more freely without having to talk loudly between the front and back of the car. Plus, whenever we went on such trips with Jackie, our dad always occupied the front seat with me, and they were in the back. So, it was somewhat typical for the two of them to sit in “coach” class (as my dad often called it). Whenever I traveled with just my mom and dad, my dad always got relegated to “coach” while mom enjoyed “first-class;” my dad always enjoyed being in “first-class” whenever the opportunity presented itself.
Soon after our journey began, my travelers decided I was their “Uber driver” and that I was driving Mrs. Daisies (since there were two of them). For years when I drove Cardinal Maida to various events and meetings as his secretary, I did my best to be the “perfect” driver. I would come to a stop at a traffic light or a stop sign with such great care so as not to jostle my esteemed passenger in any way. Well, sad to say, it appears I’ve lost the fine driving skills I once had. My Mrs. Daisies made a note of this several times and wanted to file a complaint. They often joked they were waiting for me to provide a “comment card.” Yikes.
If they were concerned about my driving after the first couple of days of our journey, they certainly got the ultimate experience in Manistee! Yes, quaint and small-town Manistee became the focal point of an airborne adventure.
As we entered the Manistee city limits, we placed a call to Fr. Rich to let him know we were driving through his hometown. Unfortunately, he was in a meeting, so we weren’t able to get the scoop on the whereabouts of all the “Fr. Rich” markers so we could take a selfie with them. As we traveled south on US-31 through Manistee, we suddenly hit a traffic jam just past Meijer’s. Traffic came to a complete standstill; no traffic was even coming down the opposite side. We sat there for about 10 minutes before I got out of my car to look ahead to see if I could determine what was going on. As I was peering down the road, I saw a few police cars coming toward me. At first, it looked like the police cars were the lead vehicles in a motorcade. As the cars slowly approached, I realized it WAS a motorcade. Several police vehicles were stopping traffic in all directions in thriving downtown Manistee, while two others were the lead of what ended up being a convoy of semis hauling four MASSIVE freeway overpass beams. Given the size of these beams and with these semis trying to navigate the twists and turns of US-31 in downtown Manistee, it was no wonder they needed a police motorcade. So we sat for about 20-30 minutes while many “Manistee-ans” came out of homes and businesses to watch the big show.
Once the convoy passed, traffic started to lighten up. My GPS (because of the traffic service I have with my package) routed me through some residential area to avoid the traffic and a detour that was up ahead. So, I dutifully followed my GPS’s guidance, and we landed on some residential street.
You need to know that not only was I transporting the Mrs. Daisies, but we also had in the cargo area of my Acadia a large 4 foot by 4-foot heavy ceramic work of art we purchased at the Glen Arbor Art Fair. This peace is BEAUTIFUL. My mom, sister, and I bought it as an item for the School’s Gala coming up in the fall (hint, hint if you are out traveling, consider buying something for the Gala). This item could serve as a wall item or as a tabletop. Five strategically placed tiles with the infamous mitten image of the State of Michigan are surrounded by brownish tiles with leaves and other iconic Michigan nature scenes. I carefully crated this item in my cargo area after getting some scrap lumber at a Do-It-Center in downtown Beulah, Michigan (near Crystal Lake). The crating of the piece was necessary so that we could place some soft and light luggage on top of it. So, back to the story.
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We were carefully going down this residential street (at 25 miles an hour, I might add; my Mrs. Daisies will verify I wasn’t traveling fast) when we came across a set of railroad tracks. I didn’t change my speed, but we were going up a small hill as we crossed these tracks. Unbeknownst to me, the hill suddenly “disappeared,” and my car went airborne and landed hard on the street. I took a flying leap, and even more so did my passengers in “Coach Class.” My mom let out a scream. I thought she hit her head hard on the ceiling, which caused my heart rate to skyrocket. I pulled the car over to regroup and figure out what happened. Thankfully, neither Mrs. Daisies were injured. But now, our attention turned to the beautiful piece of art sitting in my cargo area. If my passengers took a flying leap, we were certain so did the four-by-four foot work of art. Knowing none of us could continue the journey without checking on our precious cargo, we decided to get out of the car, unpack it, and uncrate the crated piece of art. I kept reassuring my mom I packed this thing SO CAREFULLY there was no chance it broke. Yet, I was thinking the outcome wasn’t going to be pretty because at the top of this artwork was a solid hook to hang the item; when flat, it created an inch variance between both ends of this piece. I had nothing underneath to protect it, so if it came down hard on that hook, it seemed almost inevitable it would crack.
As we unpacked everything in the middle of this residential street, I worried crowds of people would come out of their homes to see what was going on. Instead, people were still busy with the instant parade on US-31. THANKFULLY, the massive piece of art didn’t crack or break. But, boy, was I sweating bullets up to this point.
We got everything packed up again, and off we continued on our journey down to Holland. Once we got back into the car, my dear sister quickly piped up, “Hello. Sir. Excuse me. Mr. Uber Driver. If you thought you were escaping a comment card or complaint about your driving on this trip … FORGET IT! You’re definitely getting one after that escapade. Wait ‘till people hear we went airborne!” So much for my fine driving skills! I better stick to my day job!
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Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers!
In Christ,
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12) Tire Tracks in the d’Arc |
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Trust Issues: I have recounted here previously my lack of trust in my Jeep’s (Bobbi Jo Jr.—a car must have a name!) ability to give me the directions I’m looing for, without leading me astray, or sending me on some inexplicable detour. Simply from my house to the end of the street at the Mack intersection is not something the Jeep considers a good idea. For some reason (I assume she has an allergy to stop-lights), she tells me to leave my driveway and head down Overlake, take a right on Goethe, then another right on 8 Mile, a right on Edmunton and then arrive at Mack, on the other side of the Mack parking lot. It seems an unnecessary complication to me. I ignore her. But recently, she decided two can play this game. Since my last decision to ignore her instructions found me on I-275 (intentionally) rather than I-94, I also found myself in construction and one-lane of traffic, which she apparently knew about and I had forgotten about. So now… she no longer trusts me either.
A few days after the July flooding, I was heading to Monroe to work on my tractor. I think of my friends’ house, where the tractor is stored, as being in Maybee (MI) but it’s technically about 200ft from the township line and the mailing address is Monroe. I knew the route I wanted was impossible because of the freeway closures but I didn’t know how far the closures went, so I asked Siri for directions to a generic “Monroe, MI.” I figured I could get past the closures and re-route from there to Maybee.
The directions took me along Fort Street downtown for a few miles, then onto I-75, heading for Monroe. At this point, everything seemed open, so I said, “Siri, give me directions for Maybee, MI.”
Siri responded, “Okay, here are directions for Lansing, MI.” Puzzled look on my face, I’m sure. “Siri, give me directions for Maybee, MI.” Same result—Lansing, MI.
Then I realized why we were playing this silly game. Siri seems to have totally lost confidence in me knowing my own mind. So many times have I asked for directions and not followed them, that she no longer believes that I want what I ask for. Because I asked for “Maybee, MI,” she thinks I’m doubting that’s where I actually want to go…. “Maybe Michigan, maybe not!” Absent of any kind of certainty, she does the best she can and she thinks I perhaps want at least somewhere in Michigan, so she gives me the capital! That’s generic enough. Apparently, Maybee Michigan is the only place in Michigan that cannot be found.
I have a feeling that Bobbi Jo Jr. and I are headed toward mediation soon…
(Cue Shameless and Awkward Segue...) Food for the Journey: There is, of course someone we can always trust to steer the best course for us in our lives. Maybe we have lost a sense of direction and purpose in our lives. Rest assured that the Lord has not. Be confident that He has always known where He is taking you. It doesn't mean that you’ll never find yourself slowed down by an imperfect road and that there won’t be obstacles along your way. But even if you feel lost, know that you are not lost to God. He knows exactly where you are and is always waiting for you to just trust the path He has you on, if it’s travelled with Him, will lead you to the destination He has in mind.
I always find driving through construction zones, especially in busy summer traffic, perhaps heading up north, to be far from relaxing. I’m more likely in those zones to feel the pull of the rest-stop to just give myself a break from the stress of it. That seems to be Elijah’s disposition today. Only Elijah is not just looking for a break for a few minutes; he’s had enough—he wants God to end it all for him. He’s certainly not the only prophet of God to express that sentiment. The Israelites’ grumblings in the desert had Moses imploring God to do the same for him, to save him from the distress and burden of leading God’s people out of exile.
Elijah’s journey of escape from those seeking to take his life, leads him to fleeing right into God’s hands. He lies down under the broom tree, defeated and dejected, pleading for death, only to be awakened by God’s angel and directed on exactly where he needs to go to find renewal.
The angel instructs Elijah to eat and drink what God had provided for his strength, enough for him to go on. And as he continues on his journey to Mt. Horeb, a place in scripture of an encounter with God, it’s there that God makes Himself known to Elijah. He’s first physically strengthened by the food, but the objective is really only to give him the strength to continue a journey that will strengthen his spirit. The real goal is that Elijah be able to continue to do the work God has called him to, while enduring the struggles along the way.
The Church calls us weekly to return, together, to this place of nourishment and refreshment at mass. We are not only fed by God’s Word in the scriptures, but strengthened by the grace of Jesus as we receive Him in the Eucharist. And we encounter God in a uniquely intimate way. He is, of course always present to us, but at Mass we come as close to Him as His disciples were as they sat and listened to Him teach them and lead them.
Do you trust Him yet? Do you trust that Jesus is leading you and holding us close, no matter the challenges? Do you take Him at His word? If not, that should not cause you to despair, as long as you are honest with Him and are praying for an increase in faith: “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” Jesus will take the little we have to offer and multiple it if we put it at His disposal. As long as we are doing our best to hear His call and doing our best to carry out the mission put before us, God will pursue us and wake us from the darkest of nights—from the darkest of moments—those times when we just want to lie down and give-up. He will strengthen us to continue and lead us to a place when He can once again be found.
Hopefully there is nobody pursuing your life like they were for Elijah, but there may be challenges that you feel are eating away at the life within you. Maybe it’s one of the dispositions St. Paul mentions in his letter to the Ephesians today. Maybe it’s bitterness, fury or anger at someone or at the world. St. Paul is reminding us that we have been sealed into the life of God by our baptism and freed from the need to harbor these resentments. Christ has freed us and forgiven us of our sinfulness. Only a lacking in love in some area of our life can imprison us once more. Therefore, be “kind… forgiving... imitators of God… and “live in love, as Christ loved us.” That alone is plenty of food for our prayer as we receive Jesus in the Eucharist today.
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You are in my prayers this week.
Fr. Andrew
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13) Words on the Word: August 8, 2021 - State of Discontent
One wonders how they come up with this stuff. A “news” aggregation website recently included a series of maps that purported to show “35 little-known facts about America.”
Among the things illustrated graphically were which states preferred cats over dogs (Michigan was one of them), which term is used generically for sweetened carbonated drinks (pop in Michigan), the most popular Halloween candy in each state (Skittles, believe it or not, in Michigan). And on it goes.
But the list used as clickbait from the aggregation website to the story itself was every state’s least favorite nearby state.
Michigan and Ohio were mutual adversaries; Washington, Oregon, Colorado and a host of others dislike California, while California and a couple others hate Texas; and Texas, in turn, hates Oklahoma, and on it goes.
While all of the lists held a bit of interest, there’s something about the one rooted in animosity that gains the most attention. And that, alas, is reflective of the world in which we live, in which conflict, malice, hatred, differences of opinion and friction tend to generate the most interest. After all, what’s more interesting in media website comment boxes and on talk radio? A series of comments or calls in which everyone is in agreement with each other (does that even happen?), or successive comments or calls in which everyone disagrees with – and makes angry remarks about – everyone else?
Conflict sells, unfortunately.
But the good news is that Jesus has a better way, as St. Paul articulates in today’s second reading. An approach that creates a better, healthier atmosphere for us and others.
“All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice,” St. Paul writes to the Ephesians. “And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.”
© 2021, Words on the Word
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14) Wine Bottles Available: |
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We have about 20 cases of good (and empty I should add) wine bottles available for the taking. The wine bottles are remnants from the days when we made our own wine for our annual fall wine event. Rather than toss them, I thought I would put something out to see if anyone wanted them. Please contact the Parish Center (586-777-3670 or info@sjascs.org) if you are interested in some or all of them.
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15) St. Basil the Great Annual Rummage Sale |
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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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17) Teresa and Deacon Dom's Roman Holiday Marriage Retreat
Click on the image below to learn more about this Roman Holiday Marriage Retreat.
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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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19) 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 9):
7:00 AM - Mass
Tuesday (August 10):
7:00 AM - Mass
Wednesday (August 11):
7:00 AM - Mass
Thursday (August 12):
7:00 AM - Mass
7:00 PM - Holy Hour (Praise and Worship Music)
Friday (August 13):
7:00 AM - Mass
Saturday (August 14):
10:00 AM - Funeral of Mary Evelyn Hindle
12:30 PM - Baptism of Maxwell Campernel
4:00 PM - Mass
6:00 PM - Mass
Sunday (August 15):
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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20) SJA's Bulletin for August 8, 2021 |
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Click on the image below
to download a copy of our
Bulletin for August 8, 2021
The 18th 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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