Week of November 10, 2024

1) SJA's Annual Memorial Mass Video

Every November, during our Annual Memorial Mass, we show a video with the names and pictures of those who went home to the Lord from our parish over the past year. The entire Memorial Mass is a very moving experience and is certainly a highlight of the entire liturgical year.

I often get comments that it would be nice to post the video for all to see. We often don't always know the names of those who have died, but we know them by sight. So, for those who would like to watch the video, please click on the link below.

The video starts with the names of our pastors, associate pastors, deacons, and religious staff who have died over the years. The video is about 20 minutes long and provides a great opportunity to pray for these souls who have gone home to the Lord, some or many of whom you might know.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace. Amen.

2) Jesus and Politics: A Presentation by Rusty Hills

Rusty Hills, an SJA Parishioner and lecturer in public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, has served in senior leadership roles in the Michigan Office of Governor and the Michigan Department of Attorney General for 23 years, including senior advisor to the Attorney General and director of public affairs for the Office of Governor. On October 28, Rusty gave a presentation on Jesus and Politics to the Men's Fellowship Group. During his presentation, Rusty emphasized the importance of prayer in decision-making, as exemplified by Jesus and historical political figures. He draws parallels between political strategies and Jesus' teachings, highlighting the significance of loyalty, strategy, focus, and humility.

Rusty recounts six lessons from a previous talk, comparing political and religious leadership, and introduces new lessons, including the importance of moral courage and the role of faith in overcoming challenges. He shares personal anecdotes and historical examples to illustrate his points, emphasizing the need for faith, family, and life values in society.

The presentation is 1 hour and 41 minutes.

3) Men's Fellowship

4) Annual Feather Party

5) High School Youth Group

6) Call for Helpers - Homebound Ministry

7) High School Information Night

8) 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.

9) Holy Hour on Thursdays

10) This Sunday's Readings: November 10, 2024 - the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

11) Sunday Reflections by Jeff Cavins

The Widow’s Generosity

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this week’s Encountering the Word video, Jeff Cavins reflects on the readings for the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

First Reading: 1 Kings 17:10-16

Responsorial Psalm: 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

Second Reading: Hebrews 9:24-28

Alleluia: Matthew 5:3

Gospel: Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44

12) Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon

Trusting God in Dire Straits

Friends, our first reading is that wonderful story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, which is a kind of hidden gem in the Old Testament. Like so many of the stories in the Bible, it is very understated, but chock full of spiritual meaning. And it has to do with how we respond—and the strange and surprising ways God might respond to us— when things are toughest.

13) 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.

14) 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.

15) TALLer Tales

Traveling with Ms. Daisy (Part 8): This is a continuation of my travelogue about my journey with “Ms. Daisy” (aka my mom) on our Eastern Seaboard Journey on board the Viking Mars.

Last week, I shared my mom’s and my experience in New York, visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Central Park. It was a very chaotic day in New York because of all the activities created by the world leaders who were present for the UN General Assembly Meeting that week. My Mom and I were pretty tired from all the day’s activity, battling all the traffic, security, and motorcades. As we approached Pier 90 of the Manhattan Terminal to return to the ship, there was more chaos because another cruise ship was loading passengers. There were people all over the place. Going through security in the terminal took some work because it was just as complicated as going through an airline security checkpoint. We had my mom’s rollator, the bags from the gifts we bought, and some of the snacks I purchased along the way (I know, I know. What would the Tall One do without his snacks). Once through security, and as we approached the ramp for our ship, we heard the sound of music and clapping. The ship’s crew and musicians were greeting those returning to the ship. Seeing the crew we got to know all lined up and greeting us one last time was pretty cool. After being serenaded by the crew, we went to our room, dumped our bags, and headed to World Café for dinner.

After a delightful dinner, my mom and I said goodbye to some of the fellow passengers we met. We also wanted to say goodbye to the Viking Staff we got to know during our cruise. We took a few pictures outside with views of lower Manhattan in the background. We then returned to our stateroom to finish packing, as our luggage had to be outside our door by 10:00 PM.

As we were packing, my mom thought one of the earrings she purchased on board the ship on one of our sea days was missing. She had one of the earrings, but the other one wasn’t anywhere to be found. She never opened the box after purchasing the set, so when she opened it and only found one there, she thought that maybe it hadn’t been packed right when she bought it a few days earlier. My mom called down to the store, and the ship’s store manager got involved, made a few phone calls, and took a report. They said it would be days before they could determine whether it was still in their inventory. We said our prayers to St. Anthony, tore apart the room a bit, and after crawling on the floor and shaking one of the bed sheets, the “missing” earring suddenly landed on the floor. Thank you, St. Anthony! We found the earring. My mom was happy.

We then packed our remaining things, got the luggage outside, and crawled into bed. We had a great trip, and it was hard to believe it was just about coming to a close. I was happy my mom enjoyed the trip as much as she did, and I was equally delighted she could check off a bunch of items on her ultimate bucket list of things to do. We still had the helicopter ride to look forward to as the final “big splash” of the entire cruise. My mom was excited it was scheduled, but given all the chaos of airspace being open and then airspace being closed, she wasn’t getting too excited because she was worried it might not happen. I had hope everything was going to work out.

At about 3:30 that morning, my mom woke up in an utter panic and was in tears! Minutes before we closed my dad’s casket on the day of his funeral in 2021, we took off his wedding ring and gave it to my mom. She put that ring on a finger on her right hand and it has remained there ever since. The ring was gone! This was one of the last big and most significant items of my dad’s that she has protected and cherished since his death. It was always on her hand, and it was missing. My heart sank for her. We immediately prayed to St. Anthony, and I started praying to St. Expeditus (or St. Expedite). Yes, there is a St. Expeditus. Father Tom Flynn got me hooked on him. He is the patron saint of urgent causes, emergencies, and expeditious solutions.

We then started tearing apart the room and our luggage. The hope was that the ring was someplace in the room or our luggage. St. Anthony helped a few hours earlier, and I desperately needed his help this time. My mom wondered if the ring fell down the sink when she washed her hands before she went to bed. But she wasn’t sure when she last felt it on her hand. I started looking through the pictures I had taken and determined it was on her hand at St. Patrick’s and possibly when we got back on the ship, but it was hard to tell. I tried to see if I could take the sink trap apart without tools, but I didn’t want to break anything and figured I would ask for help in the morning. We looked everywhere and couldn’t find it. I felt so bad for her. We left reports everywhere. Unfortunately, to this day, the ring hasn’t been found! We thought it may have landed in our luggage, but it wasn’t there either! UGH! It was a tough way to end our cruise. Please pray to St. Anthony and St. Expedite to help us find that ring!

A few hours later, we bid farewell to the Viking Mars and boarded our bus for lower Manhattan. We would spend 2 hours there before the bus took us to JFK for our return flight home. Given all that had happened that day, I was now bound and determined as ever to make this helicopter ride work no matter what!

Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers!

In Christ,

gmb@sjascs.org

16) Voiland's View

Do you want to be happy? Duh . . . sure you do! It’s safe to say that everyone is looking for happiness. Although we may each define happiness differently, we are driven by the desire to be happy. Yet, how happy are we . . . really?

Now, let’s not get bogged down in narrowly defining what it means to be happy. Happiness truly does vary between individuals. For some people, taking frequent vacations will bring a lot of gladness. For others, shopping is a real rush. For the right person, attending a Christmas Mass is glorious. For someone else, getting a Whopper Junior from Burger King will make her day – pure happiness! Everyone is different. Our souls light up for a multitude of reasons as we experience life in a unique combination of events. Happiness is out there to be had. The question is whether or not we can find it and hold onto it.

Actually, the inability to hold fast to what makes us happy is a huge source of persistent unhappiness. We won’t stay in the moment. We rush so quickly that we cannot enjoy the things we relish. We are at war with ourselves. Think about it. We may actually like doing the work we do, be it in the home, or out in the business world, but when the pace is too fast, everything we do becomes work, and we hate it. We are not happy. Our minds constantly race ahead to the next thing on the list. Then, the thing with which we are presently engaged becomes a burden. 

Regardless of our age, we create misery for ourselves. Even little kids at play are not happy with the toy currently in their hands. They become more consumed with what the other kids are doing, becoming competitive or jealous, and not enjoying what they can. We think about the carefree life of a child and wish for those innocent days, only to realize that the little ones have allowed themselves to be as miserable, or more miserable, than adults who think they are carrying the world on their shoulders. Beyond that, even adults with great responsibility can be childishly self-absorbed when compared to other people who may have even more of a workload and responsibility than they do. We simply won’t live in the present. 

The cute little 1988 Bobby McFerrin song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy, makes sense even though it seems naïvely simplistic. We do have control over the amount we worry. Worrying is something we allow to happen. We allow our worries to smother us rather than keeping them in perspective and not letting them get us down. Worrying accomplishes nothing. This is a Biblical concept. God knows all things and the outcome of everything. As scripture says, he feeds the sparrows who never worry about where their food will come from. He counts the hairs on our heads (or knows the number of square inches of empty space where there could be some). Our worry fixes nothing.

Even so, worry, distraction, greed, ego, guilt, sloth, and fear, barricade us from living in the present, vibrant life, right in front of us. This is a sad reality that steals away happiness which is free and available for the taking. The political election (which is in process on the day this article is being composed) will most likely produce far more sadness than happiness, regardless of who wins whatever race. The ‘losers’ will obviously be consumed with the impending “end of the world” as we know it. And the ‘winners’ will, more often than not, be absorbed in misery over what it will be like trying to move ahead with their agendas. Again, think on a personal level: how many people will be able to revel in their supposed victory – and for how long will they maintain that positive vibe? Generally speaking, the rush that comes from victory is short-lived. We pivot back into ‘negative mode’ pretty quickly.

When we lose sight of fundamental sources of happiness, we cannot pull ourselves into the light of a good life. Possessing the root essentials of life should make for an underlying happiness that is not easily displaced by worldly attractions. Having decent health, basic mobility, a roof that doesn’t leak over our heads, something to eat, and hopefully at least one person in our life with whom we can have an honest, sincere relationship are root sources of happiness. Gratitude for having the basics will fend off our tendency to be grumpy even though we are blessed. 

It is demoralizing to view every day that we get up as another experience of aches and pains and hardships. We whine about the roof over our head because the house is so puny. The food we eat isn’t organic and the variety is too limited. Waaaah! The people in our lives are too ordinary, too mundane, just plain boring. And we don’t even think about the reality that God is providing for all of our needs at every moment of every day. Without his attention, we would evaporate out of existence. God deserves our gratitude.

Slowing down and “smelling the roses” is essential to possessing happiness. Jesus says: “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil” (Matthew 6:34). Jesus also says in the preceding verse: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” The “things” our Lord is talking about are the essentials of life: food, clothing, shelter. These are automatic add-ons when we focus on living free lives in accord with the truth of the kingdom of God. The core of happiness resides in knowing that we are in meaningful relationship with God who created us. 

What that relationship consists of is getting to know Jesus better – a day at a time. All of the other worldly things that distract us and make us miserable when we lack them are happiness-killers. There is a lot of happiness to be had – right in front of us – if only we would allow ourselves to receive what God wants to give us.

In Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

Fr. Bob

rvoiland@sjascs.org

17) Ascension Presents: Father Mike Schmitz

What to Do About Intrusive Thoughts

Some people brush off intrusive thoughts. But others are haunted by them.

If you’re having serious issues with intrusive thoughts, first understand that this is normal and part of the human experience. That being said, if you need to combat them, you have options. Today, Fr. Mike gives you some solid advice and steps to take towards greater freedom from unwanted and unwelcome thoughts.

18) Words on the Word: November 10, 2024 - Winds of Charity

When natural disasters are at their worst, often that’s when people are at their best.

Those who have been on this earth for a while have seen repeatedly that when things are bad – earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, even terrorist attacks and human-created tragedies – people of goodwill come through.

This year’s hurricane season seems to be particularly devastating, and indeed has impacted even people hundreds and thousands of miles inland who normally are spared the destruction. Few can remember a situation like Hurricane Helene a few weeks ago, which created a path of destruction well into the mountains of North Carolina.

Local media, as it usually does, included coverage of charitable relief efforts. People across the area joined people across the country in making donations to the victims of this, and other, hurricanes and tragedies.

Over and over, people demonstrate their willingness to dig deep and help others.

It’s a sobering reminder, then, to hear Jesus’ admonition in today’s gospel passage that charity like this (and countless other situations) is part of our duty as Christians. He uses the example of the poor widow’s contribution to the treasury to illustrate that we’re called not only to give, but to give beyond what we think we can.

“Calling his disciples to himself, (Jesus) said to them, ‘Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury,” St. Mark writes. “For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

That’s a tall order, to be sure. But it’s a great reminder that charitable love is the only thing that, the more of it we give away, the more it comes back to us in larger measure.

© 2024 Words on the Word

19) 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.



20) 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!

Witness of Mercy

When her beloved newlywed husband, Nathan, was shockingly murdered while taking his morning walk, Jennifer confronted the greatest trial of her life. Her decision to embrace mercy and forgiveness in the face of unimaginable personal tragedy is a powerful display of trust in God’s Mercy.

21) 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.

22) Mass Intentions for the Week:

Monday, November 11, 2024, Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop (White) - Veteran’s Day 

7:00 am: Special intention for Joe Schotthoefer

Tuesday, November 12, 2024, Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr (Red)

7:00 am: The deceased veterans in the McQuillan, Zaranek, Walters and Gaidis Families

Wednesday, November 13, 2024, Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini, Virgin (White)

7:00 am: Monsignor Lentini

6:00 pm: Special Intention for the living and deceased members of the St. Vincent DePaul Society

Thursday, November 14, 2024, Weekday (Green) 

7:00 am: Jay Barker

Friday, November 15, 2024, Weekday; Saint Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Green/White)

7:00 am: Mario and Ann Catalanotte 

Saturday, November 16, 2024, Vigil for the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

4:00 pm: Fr. John C.Jordan, Bonnie Batche, Robert Bidigare, Martin Krall, Andrew, Rita and Gerald Kopacko, Edward, Helen and Henry Blind, Debbie Albreht, Joan Weber, Dr. Lori Karol, Dennis Lex, Marie Ann Easley, David Sperry, Thomas Benoit, and Special Intention for the J. Champine Family, the Thomas Family, and Ray Dinser

6:00 pm: Joseph and Rita Snyder

Sunday, November 17, 2024, Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

8:00 am: The Intentions of SJA Parishioners

10:00 am: Patricia Antonelli

12:00 pm: Joseph Paluzzi Jr., Steve Haamen, Daniel Bommarito, Asunta & Luigi Conte, Michael Ciach and a Special Intention for the Hilu Family

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

This week's LIVE Stream

Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:

Monday (November 11)

7:00 AM - Mass

Tuesday (November 12):

7:00 AM - Mass

Wednesday (November 13):

7:00 AM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Thursday (November 14):

7:00 AM- Mass

7:00 PM - Annual Memorial Mass



Friday (November 15):

7:00 AM - Mass

Saturday (November 16):

10:00 AM - Funeral for Martha Lou Brda

4:00 PM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Sunday (November 17):

8:00 AM - Mass

10:00 AM - Mass

12:00 PM - Mass

Please note that all of our masses and events can be accessed through the ARCHIVE section of our Live stream page if you 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.

24) SJA's Latest Parish Bulletin

Click on the image below

to download a copy of the bulletin

for November , 2024

25) Weekly Bulletin Mailing List

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.



26) Detroit Catholic