Week of February 16, 2025

1) A New Shepherd for the Archdiocese of Detroit

On Feb. 11, Pope Francis gave the Archdiocese of Detroit a new chief shepherd, appointing Tucson, Arizona's Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger as the sixth archbishop of Detroit.

Archbishop-elect Weisenburger will be installed on March 18, 2025.

2) High School Youth Group

3) Heart Afire Prayer Ministry

4) Tips for Staying Focused in Prayer

The best tips for staying focused in prayer involve the basic who and what questions, Fr. Josh Johnson says.

St. Theresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church, said that whenever we pray, if it is to be authentic, we need to know who we are talking to and what we are talking about.

This is why the Church gives us traditional vocal prayers, to help us focus on the who and what of our prayer so that it’s not all in our heads. Prayer in silence can be more difficult, because it’s easier for your mind to drift when your prayers are not vocal.

However, praying out loud can also be distracting to others, so be considerate if you are praying out loud and there are others around you trying to pray.

In such situations, keep in mind that prayer can also be written down. Bring a prayer journal with you to prayer. By writing it down, we can see the words addressing who we are talking to and what we are talking about. 

5) Operation REACH OUT

6) Want to become Catholic? Want to be baptized? Do you need to be Confirmed? Learn More about the Catholic Church

7) Ascension's Bible and Catechism App

It's Here: The Bible & Catechism App!

The word of God and the complete teachings of the Catholic Church. Answers and commentary by Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, and other experts. Video, audio, and textual commentary. Right on your phone.

8) Holy Hour on Thursdays

9) This Sunday's Readings: February 16, 2025 - The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

10) Sunday Reflections by Jeff Cavins

The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jeff Cavins reflects on the readings for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time:

First Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-8

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm: 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

Second Reading: Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

Gospel: Luke 6:17, 20-26

11) Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon

Place Your Heart in God

Friends, on this Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we have the first reading from the prophet Jeremiah in tandem with the Gospel from Luke’s Sermon on the Plain. And both readings draw out a basic feature of biblical spirituality—namely, the ordering of the heart, that deepest organizing principle of one’s entire life, to the Lord. 

12) Grow+Go

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 the button or image below to download a PDF copy of this Sunday's Grow+Go.

13) Giving to SJA:

I'm truly grateful for 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.

14) TALLer Tales

Cutting the Umbilical Cord: Well, this week, I officially started fending for myself … well, sort of. My saintly mom and my just-as-saintly sister Jackie have “stepped back” from their 24/7 roles as my recovery dream team and full-time Florence Nightingales. My mom and Jackie formed an incredible care team. God bless them both!

I’m learning that healing is a slow process (can someone hit fast-forward, please?), but I’m getting there. Many people have warned me that I have to let it happen, and if I can be patient and slow down, the body can do incredible things with its healing powers. It truly is amazing and awesome how God created the human body!

First of all, a HUGE shoutout to my mom, who moved into my house several days before my January 17 surgery. She wanted to be with me during the most challenging part of the recovery process. My mom left her cozy and spacious condo to come live in my three tiny upstairs rooms … by choice! We did talk about me recovering at the condo where there’s a walk-in shower, loads of space, and all the stuff you’d want when you can barely move. But logistics won out, and I stayed at my house. My rationale was that Jackie worked next door, and I would have more people nearby if something happened or I came up with some genius plan that backfired. And, to be honest, it was more about my command center and tech cave. Plus (for my tech friends), I didn’t want to deal with VPNs and lag time when controlling our streaming equipment. Priorities, people!

Since I have been practicing with my iWalk and have started to feel confident using it up and down the stairs while still using a knee scooter elsewhere, I felt confident I could start doing things myself. With a Keurig machine upstairs for coffee and stuff to make my newfound love of hot oatmeal within reach, we figured it was time to cut the cord and see if I could handle all of this myself. Plus, I knew that Jackie and others would be around during the day.

I’m not going to lie … I got spoiled. Mom would have coffee ready every morning, and then we’d watch the 7 AM Mass together. Jackie would pop over to handle the laundry and other details. I’m still not sure how anyone survives a recovery process like this without a live-in team. Lunch and dinner all just appeared like magic. Five-star service all the way. 

Given that I have another 8–12 weeks of this non-weight-bearing “fun” (I’m considering this my Lenten “thing”), I decided to create a duplicate “command center” downstairs, complete with another set of wedges, pillows, chair platform, computer, phone, and all I need at my fingertips as if I were upstairs. This way, I could simply eat downstairs, stay downstairs, and have all I needed at my disposal. Thus, I can now choose between Upstairs Me and Downstairs Me without missing a beat. Jackie will still be around to help, Mom will swing by on the weekends, and Father Bob will continue to swing by with communion and the daily pep talk and prayer to be patient.

Monday was the big day. Mom packed up and left for the condo. Jackie made sure I had dinner, and everything else squared away. “Are you sure you can do this?” she nervously asked, probably imagining the worst. I nodded slightly too confidently and said I would be fine.

Then came bedtime. The true test. I scooted over to my bed on my knee scooter and started my new nightly routine. Normally, my mom would be there arranging the fortress of my wedge and pillows, ensuring my foot was properly propped up, tucking me in like royalty … you get the picture. This time, it was just me, so I decided to record the whole circus on my phone because if you didn’t laugh at this stuff, you’d go crazy and cry.

I tossed my wedge and pillows around like bricks, trying to untangle the rogue sheets without falling off the bed and jokingly calling out, “Mom? Mom? Are you there?” Of course, she wasn’t. She was now back at her comfy condo. After what felt like an eternity, I finally got myself settled. The umbilical cord was cut. I made it. I was victorious.

But then, I realized I had forgotten the golden rule, Robyn, my pre-surgery OT guru, taught me. She was insistent that EVERY move required MUCH thought. “Think twice, move once” was to be the mantra. What would I need, and more importantly, she was emphatic you had to pre-plan the bathroom breaks. Here I was, all tucked in and cozy, only to realize I was now worried I had to make a bathroom stop. Absolute failure!

Recovery is giving me a crash course in slowing down—literally. It turns out that when your brain ignores the memo to take it easy, pain steps in like a drill sergeant yelling in your face, “SLOW DOWN!” Our bodies have their God-created way of saying, “So, you don’t want to listen … fine, here’s a “sharp” reminder.” Okay, God, I’m learning … slowly!

Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger Appointed as the New Archbishop of Detroit: This week, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger of Tucson as the sixth Archbishop of Detroit, following the resignation of Archbishop Allen Vigneron, who reached the retirement age of 75. Archbishop-elect Weisenburger’s installation will take place on March 18 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Born in 1960 in Oklahoma City, Archbishop-elect Weisenburger was ordained a priest in 1987 for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. He served in various pastoral and administrative roles, focusing on care for underserved communities and strengthening church operations. Later, as Bishop of Salina, Kansas (2012-2016), he worked to fortify rural parishes and address agricultural community needs. He then led the Diocese of Tucson, Arizona, where he engaged with border issues and ministered to the growing Hispanic Catholic population.

Known for his approachable leadership and focus on evangelization and community building, Archbishop-elect Weisenburger brings a wealth of experience to Detroit. He has asked the faithful of Detroit to support him during this transition by prayer and by praying a daily rosary—a simple yet powerful way to assist him as he prepares to assume his new apostolic mission.

More details about Archbishop-elect Weisenburger’s background and vision can be found elsewhere in the bulletin.

Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers!

In Christ,

gmb@sjascs.org

15) Voiland's View

“So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

These powerful words come at the end of chapter 13 of St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. This chapter, as you might recall, is cherished for its use at wedding ceremonies. In this letter, Paul speaks at length about the beautiful qualities of love, the way true love is expressed, and the effects love has in our world. Paul explains that, “love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

To someone who tends to be a little cynical – or maybe just practical – Paul’s poetic description of love can seem rather . . . well, mushy. Explaining what love is in the terms Paul uses in his Corinthians letter is not incorrect, but it is truly idealized. His description fits really well with an infatuated, young, engaged couple overcome by starry-eyed visions of perfect marital bliss. In such overflowing love, they can plan their wedding day while floating ten feet off the ground under perfect, sunny skies. The sound of angels singing sweetly in their ears. But most of us who have been around for a while know better. Life is not all roses and sweetness. Life is tough. So, where does love come into the picture?

The things that Paul says to the Corinthians about love are all true. But they are true when they come with the understanding that Christian love – charity – is not the least bit mushy. True love, underneath it all, is hard as nails. Love is basically a rational decision. It is a decision to act for the good of oneself and others. Deep down, the nature of love is not emotional. Love comes from the inner recesses of our soul, from our basic human identity.

We can say that love comes from the heart, too. Heart and soul work in concert to allow us to love. Human hearts, though, are not colored candy Valentine’s Day hearts. Our hearts are human engines that run hot with passionate emotions – or cold with selfish hatred. Our hearts are fueled with intellectual knowledge and spiritual inspiration. Our hearts do indeed burn in order to motivate us. Yet, how we end up moving may or may not be loving.

The heart-shaped-candy-type of love that drives teenagers to yearn for each other barely deserves to be called love at all. It certainly is not an expression of charity. It is natural . . . instinctive . . . but that’s pretty much it. Simple eroticism attracts men and women together, as it should, but what comes after simple physical attraction can be anything but love. Not much of who we are as persons is engaged in hit-and-run relationships. Such encounters are all surface, with no real personal investment. Superficial “love” leaves out the intricacy of our mind. We don’t even genuinely engage our heart when we simply see someone else as a purely physical body. There is no love involved.

Serious, meaningful love has a sharp edge to it. Love has built-in limits, beyond which it becomes unloving. For example, patience and tolerance are common expressions of love. If someone is struggling in life, a loving person will cut him or her as much slack as possible to allow for learning and growth. But tolerance of intentional bad behavior is not loving at all. Putting up with bad behavior in people we truly care about is harmful to them. We enable them to remain trapped on a life path that leads to their ultimate demise. There is no fruitful love in letting someone self-destruct. By the same token, it is not loving to allow others to abuse us or disrespect us for the sake of “keeping the peace,” or not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings. There is no love to be found there - either for ourselves or for the abusers. Sometimes love hurts. Truth hurts. Love is not meant to hurt, but sometimes it unavoidably does.

Love, according to Scripture, will endure into eternity. When times ends and heaven begins, there will be no more need for faith or hope. In heaven, all truth will be abundantly clear and we will possess everything we hoped for . . . and more. Yet, love will remain. Such a thought should tell us more about what love should be for us now. It seems we might think of love as living more deeply in the truth as each moment passes. Considering that the Truth is Jesus Christ, it makes perfect sense that love would be endless. The infinite goodness of God in the Trinity is inexhaustible. We will plunge deeper and deeper into God’s being forever. God is perfect beauty, unity, power, happiness, and peace. Together, we will know God better each day. What a lovely thought!

In Love,

Fr. Bob

rvoiland@sjascs.org

16) Ascension Presents: Father Mike Schmitz

Are you afraid to approach God? 

Jesus says, "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them... But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you." Matthew 6:5-6

Fr. Mike reminds us that God sees us, notices us, and cares for us. Don't be afraid to approach the throne of grace. 

17) Words on the Word: February 16, 2025 - Arguments Rage On

It doesn’t take much these days to set off a debate.

Even what are seemingly the most simple, innocuous issues can and usually do turn into contentious shouting matches in the media and, especially, on social media, where people seemingly have forgotten how to agree to disagree; to engage in respectful debate.

So, when it comes to the really divisive stuff … well, it’s Katie Bar the Door.

Two of the most polarizing issues of our times have been in the news even more than usual lately due to a host of events and circumstances.

Abortion always has been near the top of that list, and the annual March for Life a few weeks ago gave rise to increased conversation.

And immigration, illegal or otherwise, which has been debated for much or our nation’s history, also has become more of a hot-button issue over the last few years, as well.

In both cases, as people of goodwill have expressed thoughtful and well-reasoned opinions on the topics, they come under immediate virtual attack.

And when it’s church leadership that speaks, or really anyone speaking from a religious point of view, the verbal assaults are often even more heated and personal.

The good news is, Jesus knows the environment we face, as he faced the rage, hostility, hatred, jealousy, anger, lying, violence, and betrayal of the world in the most pointed way possible … to the death.

And he assures us, as we try to stand for what is right, that he’s got our back.

“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man,” he says in today’s gospel passage from St. Luke. “Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold your reward will be great in heaven.”

© 2024 Words on the Word

18) This WEEK on FORMED:

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.



19) 52 Stories: Good News from Spirit Juice Studios

Prepare to be Inspired

Spirit Juice Studios is blessed to work with countless Catholic organizations, dioceses, parishes, and schools. We get to help them tell their powerful stories about all the good stuff that is happening within the Church. Sign up for 52 Stories so we can share them with you! You’ll meet the unsung heroes of the Catholic Church, discover the stories of holy women and men around the world, and witness miraculous moments of God’s grace in everyday life.

In a world full of bad news, these stories will give you 52 reasons to believe that God is working through the Catholic faith to transform lives through His love and mercy. Sign up today!

The Flying Fathers

This video tells the story of the Flying Fathers, a Canadian hockey team comprised entirely of Catholic priests. Through interviews with members and the team manager and archival footage of the team's history, this exciting video expresses how evangelization and grace can be found in athletics and sports.

20) 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.

21) Mass Intentions for the Week:

Monday, February 17, 2025, Weekday; Seven Holy Members of the Servite Order (Green/White)

7:00 am: Special Intentions for the Members of St. Vincent DePaul Society

Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Weekday (Green)

7:00 am: Special Intention for Christine Bugarin

Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Weekday (Green) 

7:00 am: Donald Kowalewski

6:00 pm: Tina Calisi

Thursday, February 20, 2025, Weekday (Green) 

7:00 am: Concetta (Tina) Calisi

Friday, February 21, 2025, Weekday; Saint Peter Damian, Bishop & Doctor of the Church (Green/White)

7:00 am: Hugo Calisi

Saturday, February 22, 2025, Vigil for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

4:00 pm: Michael Pore, Bonnie Batche, George Rupinski, Tracy Kowalewski, George J. Bugarin, Doreen Saur, Terri Smigels, Paula Nagel, Michael Forrester, Melvin Liedel, David Damm, Marguerite Lippincott, a Special Intentions for the living and deceased members of the J. Champine Family, for the Thomas Family and Joan Kowalewski

6:00 pm: Concetta (Tina) Calisi

Sunday, February 23, 2025, Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

8:00 am: The Intentions of SJA Parishioners

10:00 am: Joseph Paluzzi Jr.

12:00 pm: Deceased members of the Benedis Family, Jerry LePouttre, Arthur Brooks, Paula Nagel, Mr. & Mrs. Ruda, Marie Szykowski Beattie, and a Special Intention for Gary Charrette

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

This week's LIVE Stream

Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:

Monday (February 17)

7:00 AM - Mass

Tuesday (February 18):

7:00 AM - Mass

Wednesday (February 19):

7:00 AM - Mass

10:00 AM - Funeral for Eleanor A. Bohlinger (Read Obituary HERE)

6:00 PM - Mass

Thursday (February 20):

7:00 AM - Mass

7:00 PM - Holy Hour



Friday (February 21):

7:00 AM - Mass

Saturday (February 22):

10:00 AM - Funeral for Margaret Ouellette (Read Obituary HERE)

12:30 PM - Baptism of Cecilia G. Tiney

1:30 PM - Baptism of Jackson K. Just

4:00 PM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Sunday (February 23):

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.

23) SJA's Latest Parish Bulletin

Click on the image below

to download a copy of the bulletin

for February 1, 2025

24) Weekly Bulletin Mailing List

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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.



25) Detroit Catholic