This video from the Church of the Resurrection in Lansing was too good to pass up on sharing with you.

A man decides to kick one of the anti-Proposal 3 "Fight Like Heaven" lawn signs outside of the parish school. The sign was sitting in front of the school's statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Watch what happens next! Ave Maria!

This video created by Grace Lutheran Church in Coopersville, Michigan is an awesome video that educates people on what Michigan would be like if Proposal 3 were to pass.

Please encourage others to watch it as well. We've created a simple link to the video. Just tell people to watch 3.stjoan.church

From Detroit Catholic: DETROIT — In a letter mailed to all registered parishioners in the Archdiocese of Detroit, Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron again pleaded with Catholics in the six-county archdiocese to reject an extreme ballot proposal on abortion slated for Michigan’s Nov. 8 election.

The nearly unprecedented letter — sent via U.S. mail to hundreds of thousands of Catholic households in southeast Michigan — began arriving in mailboxes the week of Oct. 24.

Proposal 3, also known as the “Reproductive Freedom for All” constitutional amendment, would have “vast and extreme” consequences for Michigan if it passes, the archbishop said, turning the state into “ground zero” for abortion extremism in the United States.

Polls show the measure tightening, with support near 50% as the election nears.

“We are quickly approaching the November 8 election, during which voters in Michigan will decide on Proposal 3, an amendment to the state constitution that would allow unregulated abortion on-demand through all nine months of pregnancy,” the archbishop wrote. “It is the most extreme proposal concerning abortion this state or country has ever seen.”

The danger of Proposal 3, the archbishop and others have said, is that its intentionally vague language would invalidate virtually all other laws in the state intended to regulate abortion, turning the gruesome procedure into a sort of “super right” in the state’s constitution.

The Fall 2022 issue of FOCUS was included in all bulletins this weekend and was mailed to all families who receive a bulletin in the mail. This issue has a wealth of information to help you understand the extreme measures that would be put into place if Proposal 3 were approved.

Please click on the image below to download a PDF copy of this issue of FOCUS.

Click on any of the images below to download these PDFs to help you be fully informed about the radical nature of Proposal 3. Consider passing these PDFs along to family and friends.

Our CSA goal this year is $211,447. Anything raised above the goal will return to the parish, while any shortfalls must be covered by the parish. Thus, your support is greatly needed and appreciated.

You can also easily give by visiting: sja.aodcsa.org or by clicking on the button below.

I am grateful to those who have already contributed to CSA 2022. As of today, we have $188,295 in pledges and gifts toward our $211,447 goal ($182,592 has been paid thus far toward our total pledged amount). This amount represents gifts from 592 families (we have 3,336 families registered). We have thus achieved 89% of our goal!

“He is not God of the dead, but of the living,

for to him all are alive” (Luke 20:38)

In this week’s Encountering the Word video for the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jeff Cavins encourages us to believe in the resurrection of the dead and live with the hope of heaven.

The Sunday Readings are:

First Reading: 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14

Responsorial Psalm: 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15

Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5

Alleluia: Revelation 1:5A, 6B

Gospel: Luke 20:27-38

Friends, our first reading and our Gospel for this weekend have a special resonance for our time because they both speak clearly about life after death. Our dominant secularist or materialist ideology says that matter in motion is all there is; the world came into being, and eventually, it will pass out of being. On the other hand, an awful lot of Christians hold to something more Platonic than biblical, thinking of the afterlife as the soul escaping from the body to a purely spiritual place called heaven. But the biblical hope is for the resurrection of the body.

Plumbing Isn’t His Thing Round TWO: After writing about last week’s plumbing issue and how plumbing isn’t always my thing in the Do-It-Yourself world, I thought of two other plumbing “events” that quickly added to my “Way to Go Clark … Club Points.”

It was a Saturday morning. Ninety-five percent of the time, Saturdays are choked full of activities. It, by far, tends to be the busiest day of the week because we can go from an early funeral to confessions, to a wedding, to baptisms, to the two evening masses. But this Saturday was different. All we had were confessions at 11 AM and then the two evening masses. It was a dream bonus day. And what did I decide to do? I decided to tackle some much-needed cleaning around my house.

It started off to be a very productive day. I started by clearing out the refrigerator. I rummaged through all the salad dressings and other condiments that were old. I then cleaned out some of the leftovers that were stacking up. I had vegetables, some leftover chicken dish, and just a bunch of things that needed to get tossed. My garbage disposal was getting quite the workout. That garbage disposal ground it all away, and I thought that was the last I would see of those things. Was I wrong!

While I was in the kitchen, I loaded the dishwasher and got that going too. I then ran upstairs, grabbed my laundry, and headed to the basement. At this point, I was starting to fear I would get interrupted. I usually don’t get too far into these bonus days without someone, something, or some issue needing my immediate attention. But, so far, all was quiet. Once I got downstairs, I loaded my washing machine with white t-shirts. I set the machine on the “bright white” cycle, poured in a bunch of bleach, added some soap, hit the start button, and off that machine went to complete its cleaning tasks.

I went back upstairs to start working on the bathrooms. At one point, I returned to the basement to grab my bucket and mop for the bathroom floors. I immediately saw water and “stuff” on the floor but didn’t know what was happening yet. I then looked at my laundry tub and saw both sides filled to the brim … and now flowing over onto the floor as the dishwasher and washing machine decided to drain simultaneously. I saw things floating on top, which were then cascading down to the basement floor like a waterfall. Suddenly I realized all the stuff I fed my garbage disposal was floating on top of the overflowing tubs or finding its way onto the basement floor. There were chicken and vegetable pieces all over the place. I shoved my hand into the tub, thinking something was clogging the drain. As my arm descended into the recesses of the tub, I realized all that bleach I poured into my washing machine was now all over my arm. I grabbed the plunger and tried to clear the clog, which only sent more water and bleach and chicken and vegetable pieces onto the floor. I WAS NOT going to win. My dream day was turning into a Clark-ish nightmare. In the end, I just gave up and decided to wait until Monday when the pros arrived (Greg and Vern from our Maintenance Team). It was a good thing I did. The sewer drain lines beneath my basement floor had collapsed and had to be rebuilt. There was no way a YouTube video would ever have helped me accomplish such a monumental endeavor as rebuilding some sewer lines. But the thought of using a jackhammer to tear up my basement floor sounded intriguing.

Remembering the Dead during November: This past Wednesday, the Church celebrated the Feast of All Souls. On that day, we turned our attention to the souls of the dead who await the day they will join the company of the saints in Heaven. It was a day to remember … and a day to reflect on our own mortality, our relationship with Christ, and the hope of the Resurrection!

In his message for All Souls’ Day a few years ago, Pope Francis reminded the world that the Solemnity of All Saints and the Feast of All Souls are intimately linked: “Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints, and today the liturgy invites us to commemorate the faithful departed. These two recurrences are intimately linked to each other, just as joy and tears find a synthesis in Jesus Christ, who is the foundation of our faith and our hope. On the one hand, in fact, the Church, a pilgrim in history, rejoices through the intercession of the Saints and the Blessed who support her in the mission of proclaiming the Gospel; on the other, she, like Jesus, shares the tears of those who suffer separation from loved ones, and like Him and through Him echoes the thanksgiving to the Father who has delivered us from the dominion of sin and death.

“Church Tradition has always urged prayer for the deceased, in particular by offering the Eucharistic Celebration for them: it is the best spiritual help that we can give to their souls, particularly to those who are the most forsaken. The foundation of prayer in suffrage lies in the communion of the Mystical Body.

“Remembering the dead, caring for their graves and prayers of suffrage, are the testimony of confident hope, rooted in the certainty that death does not have the last word on human existence, for man is destined to a life without limits, which has its roots and its fulfillment in God…. With this faith in man’s supreme destiny, we now turn to Our Lady, who suffered the tragedy of Christ’s death beneath the Cross and took part in the joy of his Resurrection. May She, the Gate of Heaven, help us understand more and more the value of prayer in suffrage for the souls of the dead. They are close to us! May She support us on our daily pilgrimage on earth and help us to never lose sight of life’s ultimate goal, which is Heaven. And may we go forth with this hope that never disappoints!”

As a people of hope and a people of the Resurrection, visiting the graves of family and friends would be a noble thing to do during November, which is a month dedicated to remembering our dearly departed. You might consider taking the time to pray for deceased family and friends by name at your family meals. You might think about creating an art project with your children where you remember your deceased relatives and friends by name by creating holy cards for each of them and then placing those cards in a special basket that could be highlighted at your family meals or family gatherings during November.

May our family and friends who have already gone before us enjoy eternal rest in the loving hands of Christ the Lord.

Talking Turkey: I mentioned last weekend that I was away, leading a retreat at the Maryville Felician Retreat Center in Holly for the seminarians. It was a very enjoyable weekend and hopefully fruitful for the seminarians. Unlike when I first attended this “Days of Recollection” retreat as a seminarian in 2011, this group didn’t have the stress of being removed from their last minute cramming for mid-term exams beginning that Monday; their exams had ended the Friday they came on retreat. So it was a good moment to spend time together and be refreshed before diving back into the semester.

For the final weekend in October, the weather could not have been more perfect—blue skies and sun, all the way. Saturday began with an eerie fog settled across the grounds and with the fall trees silhouetted against the sun, it formed a stunningly beautiful setting in which to appreciate the splendor of God’s creation.

The weekend was a combination of conferences, mass, shared meals that the seminarians were responsible for planning and preparing, some quiet-time and some time for recreation. I took some time to walk the grounds. I haven't been back since 2012 and actually had very little memory of the property other than the lake with the peninsula that we had accidentally found while trying to circle the lake. The only other things I really remembered from my last visit were the chapel which has pews that face the altar with a wall of windows behind the altar, which, from the pews can be very distracting when the deer show-up. Now as the priest celebrating the mass, I wouldn’t have to worry about that, but the seminarians told me I missed the turkeys! And the last thing I recall was that we did something wrong and upset Sister! I conveniently don’t remember what it was, but it was on my mind that now I was “the adult in charge” and hopefully this group of seminarians would be holier than my class, so that I didn’t have to apologize for anything, and then answer to the seminary for it!

We prayed daytime prayer together and I gave the first conference on Friday afternoon and then there was some time for recreation before dinner. So I settled into my little hermitage on Friday afternoon, which was very comfortable, and then headed out to walk one of the trails. I thought I would find the lake and I eventually did… right before I noticed the hermitage was just behind me… I had walked in a loop—if I had set off on the trail to my left, instead of the one to the right, I would have found the lake after about 50 yards, instead of a mile! Oh, well it was a beautiful day for walk.

After mass, breakfast and a conference on Saturday, there was an opportunity for some quiet reflection and again, the weather was warm and sunny so I explored another trail, ending-up at the front of the property, which opened-up into a large field. Along the edge of the tree-line, the sun was catching the canopy of the trees in a brilliant golden orange. Ever looking-out for a good photo op I went over to take a closer look. I recently found the photos I took from my Days of Recollection a decade ago—fall colors, but no sun, and an old digital camera, not my simple iPhone. It’s amazing how technology has advanced so much in that time that my phone now takes better photos that an actual camera.

I took some pictures, and it was then that I ran into the gaggle of turkeys on the edge of the woods. I approached slowly, and they allowed me, to a point, but eventually they got nervous and disappeared into the tree-line. But not far enough for me to lose them! So I kept tracking them, the gaggle in the woods and me on the edge of the field. I think they lost sight of me, and then saw me again, too close for comfort, because suddenly there was a flapping sound and they all came charging out of the trees, some running, some flying. The sudden movement and noise spooked a couple of squirrels, who scrambled up a tree and squawked at me, since I was clearly the culprit here. But their hollering disturbed 3 herons (or “ugly peacocks” as one of the seminarians had earlier referred to them!). The herons immediately took off over the lake, and as I stood watching them, I heard the sound of air moving and a gaggle of geese appeared over the tree-line and headed out across the lake.

As I turned around to head back to the cabins, I then saw a distant figure walking toward me with two other people, walking a dog. There is a lot of open space but they were clearing heading purposefully in my direction. Then I realized it was Sister. “Oh no… I’m in trouble for disturbing the balance of nature,” I thought! Sister must have seen all this going on and had come to correct this mischievous priest who had annoyed her turkeys and thrown-off the entire equilibrium of the natural world! It wasn't the seminarians who were causing trouble—it was me! Thankfully, no. Sister was walking to talk to me, but only because I was not wearing clerics on Saturday so she had not recognized who was walking across her field!

I think I will remember this Days of Recollection better than I remember my own! Please continue to pray for our seminarians. They are a good group of faithful men who are giving themselves to discerning God’s will for their lives, with a great desire to serve Him and you.

adawson@sjascs.org 

You’ve probably heard the phrase “cancel culture”—the phenomenon where public figures get “cancelled” for something they say or do in an effort to silence them. Well, today, Fr. Mike proposes the existence of a new and rising cancel culture—a culture where we cancel everything.

Let’s face it, for almost everybody, the sources of stress in the world are almost endless.

One could argue that’s something acutely felt by parents, who must be ever-alert to potential threats or disruptions in their children’s lives in school and in the community at large.

It was interesting, then, to read a story reported on an internet portal a few weeks ago about how sitting down at a table and sharing a meal is one of the best things families can do to manage stress in their lives.

“Researchers with the American Heart Association have found that 91 percent of parents notice their families are less stressed when they share meals together,” the story reported, going on to say that doing so can thus help decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke.

It was ironic, then, that The Detroit News a few days later ran a story indicating that some restaurants have begun to find it necessary to ban children. Included as part of the justification, alas, is that other diners sometimes find kids to be a distraction.

“We specialize in experiential dining and our goal is to create an unforgettable experience for our customers,” one restaurant spokesperson said.

Translation: no kids.

To be sure, not all places are appropriate for children. Bars come immediately to mind.

But parents might take heart in knowing that, when eating together at home won’t work, finding a place where the family can eat together comfortably is worth the effort. 

Surely God would have it so.

“But the Lord is faithful,” we hear in today’s second reading from St. Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. “He will strengthen you from the evil one. We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you, you are doing and will continue to do.”

That’s it! You’re in. Now you can get the free FORMED app for your phone by searching FORMED Catholic in your app store.

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7:00 a.m., Joseph Allemon

7:00 a.m., Fr. Richard Gorecki, SPC and George J. Bugarin

7:00 a.m., Daniel Grady and Casey & Juliette Zaranek

7:00 a.m., Joseph Gielniak

7:00 a.m., Lewis McQuillan, Casey Zaranek and Pierre Zaranek

4:00 p.m., Salvatore & Antonietta Urso, Bonnie Batche, Alfred Blind, Melvin Dries, Julius Bauer, Pat Ireland, Leonard Kaliszewski, Gertrude Shaw, Anthony & Ann Zyneal, Joel VanDenbussche, Rose Ferreri, and Special Intentions for the Allor and Petrella Families, for the J. Champine Family, for the Thomas Family, for Adrienne Weidenbach, and for the VanDenbussche Family.

6:00 p.m., Harriet Armaly

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

10:00 a.m., Phil D’Agostino

12:00 p.m., Steve Haamen, Amal Aranki, Emael L. Sarmieto, Jose R. Medina, Rosario O. Medina, Jeffrey A. Hardy, Daisy Marie Buenavista, Joseph Paluzzi Jr.

10:00 AM - Funeral for Kevin F. O'Connor (Read Obituary HERE)

6:00 PM - Baptism of Declan A. Sapiano

Wednesday (November 9):

Thursday (November 10):

Friday (November 11):

Saturday (November 12):

Sunday (November 13):