Week of November 26, 2023

1) Giving Tree Project

“Giving Tree” is a special charitable project designed to match the generosity of our parishioners with the needs of our community during the Christmas holidays. The project serves 100% local individuals who may otherwise not receive a gift at this special time of the year.

HOW IT WORKS:

1) PURCHASE GIFT CARD(S): Unlike past years when we accepted tangible gifts such as toys and clothing, the Giving Tree will accept only gift cards again this year. This decision is to make it safer and easier for our parishioners to participate. It will also make the program more flexible for our charity agencies.

Buy plastic* gift card(s) valued from $15-30 (per card). You may purchase more than one, but please make sure limits fall within per-card limits of $15-$30.

* tangible gift cards please, no electronic vouchers. Please make sure cards have been activated at the retailer that issued the card.

STORES ACCEPTED: Meijer, Kroger, Walmart, Target, and Amazon

WHERE TO BUY: At the named retailer, at most drug & and grocery stores, or online.

2) PLACE GIFT CARD(s) IN AN ENVELOPE: Place the gift card(s) in an envelope. The envelope may include a Christmas greeting card, but this is not required. Mark on the envelope (directly or with a pasted note) “GIVING TREE” along with the quantity, store name, and value of the gift card(s).

3) TAKE THE GIFT ENVELOPE(S) TO A DESIGNATED DROP SPOT: DEADLINE: Monday, December 4, 2023: Bring your marked envelope(s) to the Parish Center Office during office hours, or place it in the locked collection boxes in the Sr. Carol Center or the Parish Center Lobby.

OR

LET US PURCHASE THE GIFT CARDS FOR YOU: You may also donate this year via our online giving platform (by clicking the button below) and indicate the amount you would like to donate. We will take care of the rest.

2) New Men's Fellowship Bible Study

3) The Presence Series

This coming Tuesday at 7:00 PM in Emmaus Hall, we will watch and discuss the third video in the series "Presence: The Mystery of the Eucharist."

Presence: The Mystery of the Eucharist explores the truth and beauty of Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist, from its origins in Sacred Scripture to its profound role in the life of the Church and its members. It is the crescendo of the entire story of salvation.

These 30 to 40-minute videos about the Eucharist are worth watching, even if you are unable to attend the sessions. Below is the trailer for the series, and then I posted the links to the first two videos. We have a parish subscription to FORMED.ORG, so if you don't already have an account, please create one; it's our parish gift to you!

4) American Red Cross Blood Drive - THURSDAY

Our parish will be sponsoring an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Thursday, November 30th, from 12:00 noon until 6:00 pm in Emmaus Hall of the Sr. Carol Center.  

If you are a regular donor, we thank you and hope to see you there. If you've never given before, it takes a little over an hour to donate and can save many lives. 

The American Red Cross will not be taking walk-ins and you must have an appointment. 

To make an appointment, click on the button below or call John Staperfenne at 248-789-8274.

Please help save a life and become a Red Cross Blood Donor!

5) Ascension's Bible and Catechism App

6) Holy Hour on Thursdays

7) This Sunday's Readings: November 26, 2023, 2023 - The Solemnity of Christ the King

8) Sunday Reflections by Jeff Cavins

"Encounter the King" + The Solemnity of Christ the King

In this week's Encountering the Word video for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Jeff Cavins talks about the Christ that we meet in our everyday lives. 

First Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 23:1-2, 2-3, 5-6

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28

Alleluia: Mark 11:9, 10

Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46

9) Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon

Classic Sunday Sermon: The One True King



Friends, Christ is the King of all things. His rule is characterized not by totalitarianism or despotism, but rather by loving kindness and sacrifice. He constantly reaches out his hands to defend the weak and sick, going to the limits of godforsakenness to bring back those who have wandered. We can cooperate with our King by being his ministers of mercy to the world.

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) This Week's Edition of TALLER Tales

Thanks, Mom! As many know, I’m our family’s “Clark Griswold.” And, in the true Clark Griswold fashion, I love to decorate for Christmas. I like to go all out, both inside and outside. Unfortunately, and all too often, I find myself trying to wrestle with the outdoor Christmas lights at my mom’s condo right around Thanksgiving when it’s usually pretty cold. I always have this grandiose idea that I will accomplish this task on the warmer days of October or early November, but that rarely happens.

A few years ago, my family and I remember a most spectacularly warm October Sunday afternoon when we decided to park it outside and “test” all the light strands during our Sunday family gathering. We dutifully brought out all the Christmas light boxes, and untangled the sea of cords, and it was Dad’s job to test each light set. From there, we created two piles: those that worked and those that didn’t. Our dad enjoyed “certifying” each light set as we did some prep work for that year’s light display.

The outdoor Christmas light display at my parent’s condo has been the talk of the neighborhood for many years. We were the only ones with ANY light display on our half of the block for years. Even today, there might be only a couple of condos with outdoor lights. We light up all the front bushes and spend much time decorating this huge flowering pear tree in front of the house. Most of our lights are multi-functional, so they go from white to multi-color. We then have a bunch of lit wreaths and other ornaments that decorate the landscape. We even deck out the deck with lights and a large light tree that can be prominently seen inside the condo. It’s a beautiful Christmas display if I say so myself! My dad was always worried his electric bill would hit $1,000 during Christmas! I had to assure him that I was using mostly LED lights and that they didn’t use that much electricity. He was always somewhat skeptical! But I remember that first year being REALLY worried when the first DTE bill arrived after Christmas. I wasn’t sure how much his electric bill would skyrocket; I just had hoped it was never as much as Clark Griswold’s bill probably was! But as more and more neighbors thanked my parents for the Christmas display, we never heard any more concerns about the costs! People liked what the Griswolds were doing! And I’m sure they found it amusing to watch our family descend upon the condo every year (even one year with an electronic lift) to get it all done. It’s always a team effort.

This year, as we were planning the display and what would get added (I try to add something new each year), and more importantly, when all of the setup would take place, my mom blurted out that maybe we should hire someone to do our outdoor light display. I was the first to shout out, “WHAT? Why would we need to hire someone?” I’m sure my face did a series of contortions as I was trying to ponder why she would even suggest such a thing. I’m not sure about my siblings or the rest of my family, but I enjoy doing this every year! Yea, the rest of them are somewhat “volun-told” by “The General” (my dad’s nickname for me) to show up and help, but I’m “sure” they enjoy this annual ritual!

As my mom and I continued to talk, she reiterated, and was becoming somewhat emphatic, that maybe we should hire someone this year. I was flabbergasted! I wasn’t sure why she was saying this or where all of this was coming from all of a sudden. “Mom, why are you in this ‘We need to hire someone’ kick all of a sudden? We enjoy doing this! It’s one of our family traditions. And, the neighbors look forward to seeing our setup every year,” I said passionately. My mom paused and said, “You know … you ARE getting older. You’ll be 60 next year!” There was a slight pause, and after realizing what she had just said, she blurted out, “OH MY, I’ll have a kid who’ll be 60 next year! How’d that happen?” “THANKS Mom! We’re still doing the decorations; we’re not hiring anyone!”

The Solemnity of Christ the King: On this last Sunday of the liturgical year, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Jesus Christ as King of the Universe. It is a relatively new item on the Church’s calendar as it was only instituted in 1925.

When Pius XI was elected Pope in 1922, much of the world was in turmoil. While World War I had ended, there still wasn’t widespread peace in the world. Governments were in economic chaos, unemployment was rampant and many people throughout the world were starving because of a lack of food. There was also great hatred among nations. As a result of all the chaos, the time was ripe for the rise of tyrants. The philosophies of fascism, national socialism and communism brought about the likes of Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin. “In their distress, people clung to anyone who offered them hope, offered some kind of direction out of the chaos and promised to put food on their tables. They gravitated to the emerging dictators, and as they did they often sought to be self-sufficient to the exclusion of God from their everyday lives.

“Many considered the basics of morality and the teachings of the Church to be out of date, no longer relevant in 20th-century society. Modern thinking allowed that, at most, Christ might be king in the private life of the individual, but certainly not in the public world.

“Some political regimes advocated the banishment of Jesus altogether, not only from society, but from the family as well. As nations were reborn and governments restructured, their foundations, policies and laws were often being fashioned without regard to Christian principles. (The Solemnity of Christ the King, by D.D. Emmons, simplycatholic.com).”  

Pope Pius XI saw that people were denying Christ in favor of a lifestyle “dominated by securlarism, material advantage and false hope created by the tyrants.” The new pope decided to address the political and economic forces there were “crowding out” the kingship of Jesus. Pope Pius XI reminded the faithful, and the world, that we were called to acknowledge Jesus Christ as king of our WHOLE lives. “He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls….”

As we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, we proclaim to the world, and remind ourselves, that Jesus Christ is our King. His is a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace! And, only Jesus Christ can offer us that kind of Kingdom.

Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers!

In Christ,

13) Along the Way with Father Adam

Rome: Part ?

One of my favorite churches in Rome that I love showing people is Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem or Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. 

The (minor) basilica is located near the Basilica of St. John Lateran, that I wrote about last week. The Basilica of the Holy Cross is part of the route of the “Seven Churches” that ancient pilgrims used to visit on foot. 

The building containing the basilica was originally a palace for the Roman Emperors, but after Constantine moved the capital of the empire to Constantinople in 324, the residence remained property of his mother Helena and underwent many changes, the most important was the transformation of part of the residential complex into a chapel designed to contain the relics of the Cross found by the Empress on Mount Calvary. 

However, one of my favorite places there is the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. This church served as the original cathedral for the diocese, though now the cathedral is St. Rufino. This unassuming church holds the earthly remains of Blessed Carlo Acutis. 

Born in London and raised in Milan, Carlo’s wealthy parents were not particularly religious. Upon receiving his first communion at age seven, Carlo became a frequent communicant, making a point of praying before the tabernacle before or after every Mass. In addition to Francis of Assisi, Carlo took several of the younger saints as his models, including Bernadette Soubirous, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, and Dominic Savio.

At school Carlo tried to comfort friends whose parents were undergoing divorce, as well as stepping in to defend disabled students from bullies. After school hours he volunteered his time with the city’s homeless and destitute. Considered a computer geek by some, Carlo spent four years creating a website dedicated to cataloguing every reported Eucharistic miracle around the world. He also enjoyed films, comics, soccer, and playing popular video games.

Diagnosed with leukemia, Carlo offered his sufferings to God for the intentions of the sitting pope—Benedict XVI—and the entire Church. His longtime desire to visit as many sites of Eucharistic miracles as possible was cut short by his illness. Carlo died in 2006 and was beatified in 2020.

Among the thousands present for Carlo’s beatification at Assisi’s Basilica of St. Francis were many of his childhood friends. Presiding at the beatification service, Cardinal Agostino Vallini praised Carlo as an example of how young people can use technology to spread the Gospel “to reach as many people as possible and help them know the beauty of friendship with the Lord.” His liturgical feast is celebrated on October 12.

Blessed Carlo inspires me, as a fellow millennial. In fact, we were born just 52 days apart. He reminds all of us that sainthood is not out of reach. If we remain faithful and follow God, we too shall become the saints that God has created us to be. As Bl. Carlo said, “The Eucharist is the highway to heaven.” Through the Eucharist we shall one day meet Christ, our King!

Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis

Oh God, Our Father, thank you for giving us Carlo, a life example for the young and a message of love for everyone.

You made him become enamored with Your Son Jesus, Making of the Eucharist his “Highway to Heaven”. You gave him Mary, as a most loving Mother, and, with the Rosary, you made him a poet of her tenderness. Receive his prayer for us. Above all, gaze upon the poor, whom he loved and helped.

Grant for me too, by his intercession, the grace that I need

[here ask for what it is you need].

And make our joy fulfilled, placing Carlo among the Saints of your Church, so that his smile may shine again for us in the glory of your name.

Amen.

Blessings!

Fr. Adam

anowak@sjascs.org

14) Ascension Presents: Father Mike Schmitz

Sneaky Ways to Be Prideful (and How to Stop)

Great! If you examine your actions and intentions and you don't detect any obvious pride, that's a wonderful thing. But as each one of us grows deeper in relationship with Jesus, he will reveal ever more nuanced ways that pride can sneak its way into our lives, giving us opportunities to reveal those places to Jesus and letting him perfect us.

Today, Fr. Mike uncovers some of those sneaky areas of our life where pride can burrow itself and cause major problems.

15) Words on the Word: November 26, 2023 - These Little Ones ...

The wheels of progress keep turning. That’s a good thing. Sometimes innocent bystanders can get caught up on those wheels, and that’s not such a good thing.

The Detroit News provided an in-depth look a few weeks ago at an ongoing situation in Detroit’s Corktown, near the old Michigan Central Train Depot. As most area residents know, Ford Motor Company purchased the station a few years ago to transform it into a technology center. The automaker reportedly has spent millions since the purchase, transforming the building into a place suitable to do business.

The company also reportedly pledged almost a billion dollars to help transform the entire area into a hub for technology. That’s all great.

The issue reported on by The News, however, is that many of the area’s homeless people feel they are essentially being “pushed out” to other areas of the city to accommodate the area’s transformation.

It’s a delicate situation, to be sure. 

The homeless feel they are unfairly targeted and harassed. The city and developers, meanwhile, understandably need to make the area clean, safe, and attractive as a business, entertainment, and residential location.

As things continue to evolve in that area and others, people of goodwill can hope and pray that the rights of everyone – developers, residents and homeless alike – all are protected, including, to be sure, those with no voice and no power.

“Then they will … say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’” we hear in today’s Christ the King gospel passage from St. Matthew. “He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’”

© 2023, Words on the Word

16) This WEEK on FORMED:

17) Hallow App:

18) Mass Intentions for the Week:

Monday, November 27, 2023, Weekday (Green)

7:00 a.m., Clara M. Champine

Tuesday, November 28, 2023, Weekday (Green)

7:00 a.m., Hugo Calisi

Wednesday November 29, 2023, Weekday (Green)

7:00 a.m., Anthony Lombardi

6:00 p.m., Joseph & Angeline Calus

Thursday, November 30, 2023, Saint Andrew, Apostle (Red)

7:00 a.m., Leonard Cichoracki

Friday, December 1, 2023, Weekday (Green)

7:00 a.m., Steve Finn

Saturday, December 2, 2023, Vigil for the First Sunday in Advent (Purple)

4:00 p.m., Bonnie Batche, Richard Mooney, Irene Mack, Grace & Sam Valenti, Sally Cabot, Thaddeus J. Stolarski Sr., Richard Bottcher and special intentions for the Thomas Family, the J. Champine Family, for Angelina Hernandez, Guadalupe Sandoval, Alison Reslow, Pam Haisenleder, Lorraine Jonas, Ray DeFrates and Linda Frank; and Prayerful appreciation for the work of the Priests and Staff of St. Joan of Arc Parish

6:00 p.m., Lawrence VanOverbeke

Sunday, November 26, 2023, First Sunday in Advent (Purple)

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

10:00 a.m., Robert Boesiger

12:00 p.m., Dennis Venuto, Norma Fortunate, Ann Mularoni, Jose Medina, Rosario Medina, Jeffrey Hardy, Joan Hardy, Feliciana Punzalan, Dini Hamm, Daisy Marie Buena Vista, and special intentions for Pam Haisenleder, Alison Reslow, Lorraine Jonas, Ray Defrates and Linda Frank

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

This week's LIVE Stream

Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:

Monday (November 27)

7:00 AM - Mass

10:00 AM - Funeral for Paulette Russo (Read Obituary HERE)

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

Tuesday (November 28):

7:00 AM - Mass

7:00 PM - Presence Series

Wednesday (November 29):

7:00 AM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Thursday (November 30):

7:00 AM- Mass

9:00 AM - Mass

Friday (December 1):

7:00 AM - Mass

Saturday (December 2):

12:30 PM - Baptism of Bennett S. Eschenburg

1:30 PM - Baptism of Connor A. Kamysiak

4:00 PM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Sunday (December 3):

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.

20) SJA's Latest Parish Bulletin

Click on the image below

to download a copy of the bulletin

for November 26, 2023

21) Weekly Bulletin Mailing List

22) Detroit Catholic