Week of June 2, 2024

1) Annual Raffle Drawing and Kickoff to Summer Information

Our Kickoff to Summer event will occur on Sunday, June 9, 2024, from 1 until 5 PM. It will include family-friendly activities, food trucks, and the annual raffle.

I hope and pray you will consider buying or selling $100 worth of tickets! Your generosity will go a long way to help our amazing Parish to continue doing everything it does. PLUS, you might be lucky enough to win one of the raffle prizes!

Last year, we netted $93,830 from the raffle and proceeds from the food trucks. I am grateful for your extraordinary generosity in what you did to make last year’s event a fantastic success!

Here are the details you need to know about the 100% Drawings:

If you are under 65, for every $100 worth of tickets you return, you earn ONE chance at the Annual Raffle 100% Drawing. If you are 65 or older, you earn ONE chance for every $50 worth of tickets you return. Thus, if you are under 65 and return $100 worth of raffle tickets, you can turn in 1 - 100% tickets. If you are 65 or older, turning in $100 worth of raffle tickets allows you to turn in 2 – 100% tickets. The 100% tickets are PRE-PRINTED on the YELLOW sheet mailed to you. If you need more 100% tickets, please contact the Parish Center.

You can continue to turn in your raffle and applicable 100% tickets until the drawing on June 9, 2024. At that time, we will draw five (5) of the 100% tickets from the entire pool of tickets, and each will win $500.

Raffle tickets can be dropped off at the Parish Center (through the mail slot in the door) or in the Sunday collection boxes.

Please know of my gratitude for your generosity! Let’s make our Kickoff to Summer Event and Annual Raffle a great success.

2) Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist - In Select Theaters June 4 - 6

Deep within each human soul, there exists an intense craving for connection, purpose, and love — a thirst that only God can satisfy. Yet, the question remains: How does one fulfill this yearning? The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is the most profound means by which God shares Himself with humanity. However, a 2019 Pew Research Study unveiled a concerning reality: only one-third of practicing U.S. Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

In Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist, we embark on a global journey to rediscover and revive the transformative power of the Eucharist. Engaging in dialogue with notable Catholic figures, the film explores the biblical origins of the Eucharist and shares personal stories of individuals whose lives have been transformed by the Blessed Sacrament. This exploration makes it unmistakably clear that the Eucharist is not merely a symbol, but is indeed Jesus Christ Himself — fervently desiring to quench our spiritual thirst with His boundless love.

Jesus Thirsts is a compelling cinematic teaching about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. It offers catechetical teaching which then is reinforced by Eucharistic witness of people and events. After watching, a viewer cannot walk away without believing in the true presence.”

-Fr. Edward Looney, STL, pastor, author and podcaster

3) How to Pray the Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena, Saint Padre Pio's Miraculous Daily Prayer

From Church Pop: Saint Padre Pio prayed the Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus every day for the intentions of those who requested his prayers.

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, the saint most well-known for spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, wrote this prayer.

The faithful pray this novena nine days before the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Catholic Church also dedicates the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

However, the novena may be prayed at any time throughout the year.

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (name your request)

Our Father…

Hail Mary…

Glory Be to the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you!

II. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of… (name your request)

Our Father…

Hail Mary…

Glory Be To the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you!

III. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of… (name your request)

Our Father…

Hail Mary…

Glory Be to the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you!

O Sacred Heart of Jesus,

for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted,

have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you,

through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary,

your tender Mother and ours.

Hail, Holy Queen…

St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you! ❤️‍🔥

4) Why Series: Why Register as a Parishioner?

Belonging to a parish is about much more than finding a place to attend Mass each Sunday. It’s about finding community, a place to plant spiritual roots, and to commit ourselves to being involved. Learn why belonging to your parish is so important in our current culture and choose to commit to your parish today!

5) Ascension's Bible and Catechism App

6) Holy Hour on Thursdays

7) This Sunday's Readings: June 2, 2024 - Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

8) Sunday Reflections by Jeff Cavins

Corpus Christi Sunday

In this week’s Encountering the Word video for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Jeff Cavins shows how the Sunday Readings in the Old and New Testaments recount the blood covenants God entered with Israel, through Moses, and then with humanity through Christ.

First Reading: Exodus 24:3-8

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18

Second Reading: Hebrews 9:11-15

Alleluia: John 6:51

Gospel: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

9) Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon

The Power of Eucharistic Adoration



Friends, we come to the great Feast of Corpus Christi—the Body and Blood of Christ. This year, as the Church in the US is going through a lengthy Eucharistic Revival, it’s good for us once again to turn to this greatest of sacraments. What I want to do today is to talk about a spiritual practice that has become very dear to me in the course of my life—and that is Eucharistic Adoration.

10) Grow+Go

11) 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.

12) TALLer Tales

Can You Just Disappear? I’ve always enjoyed watching professionals do their work. Whether it’s drywalling, putting up tile, electrical work, or doing something with networking, I tend to hang around and watch what they’re doing. I’ve never thought about asking if they even “want” me watching; I just do it. Why watch “This Old House” or any of my other DIY / home improvement shows when you can watch some of this in person? After all, you can learn a trick or two, or even better, see what other tools I should add to my repertoire of tools. For the most part, I’ve never been told to “go away.” I stay out of the way and only watch for a few minutes. But I’m sure it’s nerve-wracking to have someone like me hover as they do their work. I can only wonder WHAT they’re thinking and WHAT they wish they could tell me! I’m sure the collar helps them keep it to themselves!

Lately, I’ve gotten a new perspective on this sort of stuff because I don’t often like having others watch me accomplish my DIY projects. I’m far from a “pro.” I’m a novice who learns stuff while watching shows or YouTube videos! I don’t particularly appreciate having others watch me only because I make too many mistakes and need time to fix my errors. As one of my sisters is fond of saying, “The final product is pretty good; it just takes some excess holes to get there!” But at least I patch my work up!

My mom wanted this mirror installed in one of the bedrooms in her condo. The mirror was special to my mom because it was from a bedroom furniture set that used to sit in her parent’s bedroom. The mirror was initially attached to a chest of drawers ensemble. My mom didn’t want the mirror attached to that anymore but wanted it on the wall. I thought it was going to be an easy project. But as EVERYONE knows, no project I ever undertake is easy.

Well, this project had a few issues. The first was that the mirror weighed 48 pounds! It was an old mirror with a massive wood frame. Because of its size and weight, I had to be careful with what I would use on the wall to hang it. I also had to make sure whatever I used lined up with a few studs so that my hanging method could withstand the weight. Plus, I was conscious that my mom didn’t want any “excess markings” on her wall. I’m famous for messing up a paint job after I try “erasing” my pencil/pen marks or the marks left behind by my three-foot level or other tools I might be using. I also had to be strategic in getting this thing on the wall because I was doing it alone (why ask for help when others are over). My goal was to move the mirror on top of the chest of drawers and then use a sturdy crate to prop it up on one side and then hang the other side while it was partially propped up.

My “go-to” trick of the trade for hanging hefty objects is a two-piece French Cleat. It’s an aluminum “Z” Bar with screws where the two aluminum bars interlock with each other. Some of the more extensive French Cleat systems (30-inch and longer) can handle up to 120 pounds. I bought a longer set that fit the entire width of the mirror to leverage two studs for extra support. The only problem with the French Cleats is that because they are aluminum, they LOVE to leave markings on the wall.

After measuring, re-measuring, and getting everything in order, I secured one bar on the back of the mirror and the other to the wall. Because I couldn’t tell where the mirror finished in the wood frame, I was closing one eye and cringing as I tightened the first screw on the frame; the last thing I wanted to do was break the mirror. When all went well with the first screw, I opened both eyes and continued down the row and secured all 15 or so screws to the frame.

Now that both brackets were secured, it was time to figure out how I would “hoist” the mirror into position. At this point, my mom entered the room and sat in the chair. I was already stressed out because of the markings I made on the wall, and the last thing I wanted her to see was those markings and the NEW ones I would inevitably create trying to hoist this thing into position. I got a little lecture because I didn’t do this when my nephew was over and could have quickly helped, but I tried to explain that I need time for my projects to reach “perfection;” I need to work at my own pace for my DIY projects. As I said above, I had a system figured out. The mirror was heavy and awkward. So, with the help of this sturdy box, I was going to prop one end on the box and then slide the other end onto the bracket. BUT, this would create some hefty marks behind the mirror; no one would know about them except me and God … AND my Mom if she continued to watch. “Mom, isn’t there something on TV you can watch? I’ve got this,” I said. I was trying to be subtle. “No, I want to help. It’s obvious you’re struggling to lift this mirror.” I paused briefly and then pleaded, “Mom, let me figure this out. It’s going to take some time.” “WHY? Do I make you nervous?” “YES! Can you just go someplace else,” I said with some laughter. She then quietly left and sat in another room.

I finished the project, created my magic solution for erasing all my marks (just very soapy water on a paper towel), and went to work erasing all my marks. I did the best I could. In the end, the mirror was perfectly hung (and even level … which was also a miracle). And, even better, she liked it! But this whole project had me thinking that I should think twice about “hovering” when the pros show up to do a project for me. I wonder how many of them REALLY wanted ME to “go away” or just disappear.

CSA 2024: With Eyes Fixed on Jesus: This weekend marks the beginning of our parish’s annual Catholic Services Appeal. Each year, the Catholic Services Appeal provides us an opportunity to celebrate the many ways our Church in Detroit responds to the material and spiritual needs of individuals and families throughout southeast Michigan. One parish alone could not meet these many needs. It is through the sharing of our gifts and our service that we, together, can be the Church Christ wants us to be.

Our goal for CSA 2024 is $203,487. So far, 95 families have responded to the AOD mailing in May. We already have $24,061 in pledges. I hope you take the time to consider prayerfully what you can give to this year’s CSA. While one-time gifts are rather popular, I encourage you to consider a ten-month pledge to the CSA.

Emails will go out this weekend encouraging you to give to this year’s CSA. The easiest way to give is online at sja.aodcsa.org. If you need a generic pledge card and material, don’t hesitate to contact the Parish Center, we’d be happy to mail the material to you or set it aside for you to pick up. We also have material readily available in the bookcase of the Gathering Space.

Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers!

gmb@sjascs.org

13) Along the Way with Father Adam

“It Doesn’t Make an iota of Difference.” 

Today’s article is going to be a little technical. So, put on your theologian hat, sit down with your coffee, and maybe read this twice!

Many of us have heard, or perhaps even used the expression, “It doesn’t make an iota of difference.” It is used to indicate how small or inconsequential something might be, its meaning derived from ‘iota’ the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet. Actually, an example is found in the Gospels. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus ad- dressed the crowds saying, “For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.” So even the smallest, seemingly inconsequential part of the law will remain intact. Jesus had not come to abolish even the smallest part of the law, but to fulfill it – all of it.” 

Fast forward to the Council of Nicaea which was convened in A.D. 325 by the Roman Emperor Constantine. The council was held in the town of Nicaea (in modern day Turkey) and was attended by nearly 2,000 distinguished Church leaders from every corner of the Roman Empire, including delegates from Europe, Asia, and Africa. Over 300 bishops were in attendance, ac- companied by priests and deacons. 

It has been said that a Church council is not a Boy Scouts meeting, and that was especially true of Nicaea. The central matter of the council was the raging clash over the Arian controversy – the widespread heretical teaching of Arius, a priest from Alexandria. Arius and his followers opposed the apostolic teaching of the full divinity of Christ. He claimed the Word [Jesus] had a beginning, and that prior to that he did not exist. His followers were known by the saying, “There was a time when He (Jesus) was not.” 

The champion of the orthodox side was Athanasius – also from Alexandria, who maintained the doc- trine of the full divinity of Christ. Known as the Father of Orthodoxy, he defended this position, and consequently suffered persecution through- out much of the rest of his life. After being appointed Bishop of Alexandria, he was exiled several times – all this even after being vindicated by the council’s formulation of the Nicene Creed. 

The struggle at the council ended in what was arguably the most significant doctrinal definition in all of Church history. As it turns out, the council’s watershed definition between orthodoxy and heresy came down to a mere ‘iota’ of difference as reflected in the following two Greek words: Homo-ousios and Homoi-ousios. Homo-ousios means “of the same substance or essence” (orthodoxy), and Homoi-ousios means “of a similar substance or essence (heresy).” Hilaire Belloc, the great Catholic historian, wrote, “Had this movement [Arianism]...gained the victory, all our civilization would have been other than what it has been from that day to this.” 

Consequently, without a fully divine Christ, God has not saved us, and we certainly could not be saved by man, a ‘creature’.

Only the divine Son of the Living God, the Lamb of God is worthy and able to rescue us from our fallen state, save us and raise us up on the last day. 

Today we bow in awe to honor and worship the Most Holy Trinity, recognizing that without a Divine Son, the definition – not the reality – of the Blessed Trinity collapses. Rather, in truth we see that God is a ‘community of Persons.’ God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, one God in three Persons – a communion of perfect, eternal love. And as St. Faustina journaled, may we be “drawn into the glowing center of love...immersed in the Divine Trinity...united with God.” 

It was a mere iota, or rather, the absence of an iota that has made all the difference – a world of difference to the Catholic faith. 

God bless,

Fr. Adam

anowak@sjascs.org

14) Ascension Presents: Father Mike Schmitz

I Love Being Catholic. Here’s Why.

If you’re truly open-minded, you can find some truth in most religions. You can find plenty of goodness and beauty as well. But where is the whole truth of God—the “fullness of truth”?

Fr. Mike makes the case for Catholic Christianity, and why you should settle for nothing less.

15) Words on the Word: June 2, 2024 - God's Plan

Reality keeps getting closer to the stuff of science fiction.

There was considerable media attention a few weeks ago when the first “public” recipient of a very futuristic-sounding brain implant was identified. The implant is intended to enable its user to control computers simply by using his brain.

Where this new frontier ultimately leads, of course, will be determined over the next several years. And whether the capabilities of the technology are ultimately beneficial for humankind, likewise, is still to be determined.

For now, what is known, based on the media coverage, is that the recipient believes the circumstances leading to his breakthrough procedure are all part of God’s plan, starting with an unusual swimming accident that left him paralyzed, and continuing with post-accident developments and choices that ultimately led to receiving the implant.

“I wasn’t worried at all,” the recipient was quoted as saying in a Bloomberg News profile. “I saw so many dots connecting for me that were fitting into this. My accident was such a freak accident, and I’d wondered why it had happened to me and what God had in store for me. When I started doing all the (implant) stuff, I was like, ‘OK, well, this is it.’”

Again, whether this is an accurate assessment is between the recipient and God. What is certain, though, is that we all have a role to play in the ongoing story, and it’s God who provides the guidance.

“Taking the book of the covenant, (Moses) read it aloud to the people, who answered, ‘All the Lord has said, we will heed and do,’” we hear in today’s first reading from Exodus. “Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.’”

© 2024 Words on the Word

16) 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.



17) 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 Veil Removed

In this highly cinematic and stylized short film, the “veil” of the Catholic Mass is removed to reveal the profound spiritual reality of what happens at every Mass. Through the witness of saints, mystics, sacred scripture, and the catechism, the coming together of heaven and earth at the Mass is depicted in a visually stunning way that has already impacted thousands worldwide.

18) Hallow App:

19) Mass Intentions for the Week:

Monday, June 3, 2024, Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs (Red) 

7:00 am, Thomas Roach

Tuesday, June 4, 2024, Weekday (Green)

7:00 am, Robert Swalec

Wednesday, June 5, 2024, Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr (Red)

7:00 am, Special Intention for the Family of Tina Calisi

6:00 pm, Margaret Segodnia

Thursday, June 6, 2024, Weekday, Saint Norbert, Bishop (Green/White) 

7:00 am, Rick Pine

Friday, June 7, 2024, The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (White)

7:00 am, Dennis Fleming

Saturday, June 8, 2024, Vigil for the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

4:00 pm, Thomas Lucchese, the deceased members of the Sloan Family, Bonnie Batche, Mary Lou Racine and Special Intentions for the J. Champine Family, the Thomas Family, Alison Reslow, Lorraine Jonas, Pam Haisenleder, Linda Frank 

6:00 pm, Michael and James Forrester 

Sunday, June 9, 2024, Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

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

10:00 am, Special Intention for Bob & Pam Haisenleder on their 45th Wedding Anniversary

12:00, , Mickey Artley, Angelina Calbone, Antoinette Calbone, Peter Divito, the living and deceased members of the Rogier & Dettloff Families and Special Intentions for Alison Reslow, Pam Haisenleder, Lorraine Jonas, and Linda Frank

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

This week's LIVE Stream

Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:

Monday (June 3)

7:00 AM - Mass

Tuesday (June 4):

7:00 AM - Mass

Wednesday (June 5):

7:00 AM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Thursday (June 6):

7:00 AM- Mass

7:00 PM - Holy Hour

Friday (June 7):

7:00 AM - Mass

8:30 AM - School Mass

Saturday (June 8):

10:00 AM - Funeral for Kenneth Gutow (Read Obituary HERE)

12:00 PM - Funeral for Timothy McMillan (Read Obituary HERE)

2:00 PM - The Wedding of Kim Coughlin and Matthew Walton

4:00 PM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Sunday (June 9):

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.

21) SJA's Latest Parish Bulletin

Click on the image below

to download a copy of the bulletin

for June 2, 2024

22) Weekly Bulletin Mailing List

23) Detroit Catholic