Week of September 17, 2023

1) The Funeral for Fr. Rich's Mom

Here are the details regarding the funeral for Fr. Rich's Mom, Sally Cabot:

Visitation will take place at Divine Mercy Parish (St. Joseph Church, 249 Sixth Street, Manistee, MI 49660) on Sunday, September 17, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a scripture service at 7:00 p.m. The ladies of the Rosary Society will pray the rosary at 6:30 p.m.

The Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Monday, September 18, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. (St. Joseph Church, 249 Sixth Street, Manistee, MI 49660). The visitation at the church will begin at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery.

The "plan" is for us to livestream the scripture service on Sunday at 7:00 p.m. and the Funeral Mass on Monday at 11:00 a.m. (through our parish's livestream channels at livestream.stjoan.church, our Roku Channel, and on our Facebook page). This is all dependent on whether all of my technology guardian angels and patron saints help make it happen.

On Monday, the "plan," if the streaming goes well on Sunday night with no hiccups, is that we will also stream the Mass in Church (so you can watch it at home/work or in Church). We will open the Church at 10:30 a.m. and then we will stream it on the Church's large screens. If there are hiccups, I will record it and then set it up for viewing on-demand later that day. I will send out an email either way once all the equipment is in place and tested.

You can find the obituary as posted on the Herbert Funeral Home's website HERE.

Please keep Father Rich, and his sister Mary Lou, in your prayers.

May Sally enjoy eternal rest in the loving arms of our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Eternal rest grant onto her O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her!

Below is a memorial video that has been created.

2) Scheduling Changes for Monday

Because of the funeral, we will have a Communion Service on Monday at 7:00 AM instead of our normal mass and then the Parish Center will be closed from 10:30 AM until 1:00 PM so that the staff can be at Church during the time of the funeral.

3) Crossroads Donations Needed

4) Faith Formation Registration

5) Walking with Purpose - Women's Bible Study

6) CSA Update as of September 10, 2023

I am grateful to those who have already contributed to CSA 2023. I am happy to report that we exceeded our goal. We currently have $213,449 in pledges and gifts toward our $208,946 goal ($171,263 has been paid thus far toward our total pledged amount).

This amount represents gifts from 573 families (we have 3,300 families registered, which gives us a 17% participation rate thus far). We have achieved 102% of our goal! THANK YOU!

Here is a breakdown by gift range:

$2,500+ (13)

$1,000+ (33)

$500+ (44)

$250+ (94)

$100+ (246)

$75+ (8)

$50+ (68)

$25+ (45)

$10+ (19)

$1+ (3)

As stated above, the easiest way to give is electronically by clicking on the button below. If you wish to give by check, feel free to contact the Parish Center, and we will mail out an envelope and related material. Generic pledge cards can also be found on the bookcase of the Gathering Space.

7) Interested in becoming Catholic? Do you need to complete your sacraments of initiation? Join the next OCIA class!

8) Wednesday Evening Confessions and Mass

9) Holy Hours on Thursdays

10) Ascension's Bible and Catechism App

11) This Sunday's Readings: September 17, 2023, 2023 - The Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

12) Sunday Reflections by Jeff Cavins

“Trapped in Unforgiveness” + Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this week’s Encountering the Word video for the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jeff Cavins discusses one of the most difficult things Christians are called to do. The readings are:

First Reading: Sirach 27:30—28:7

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

Second Reading: Romans 14:7-9

Alleluia: John 13:34

Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35

13) Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon

Enter the Adventure

Friends, today in our second reading, St. Paul says, “None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” In many ways, the whole Bible, the whole of revelation, is summed up in this statement. Yet everything in our culture militates against this: it’s all about your life, your choice, finding your voice, asserting your prerogatives. When we live in this little world, we remain stuck in a kind of permanent adolescence; when we live for the Lord, we enter into the adventure of being truly human.

14) Grow+Go

15) 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.

16) This Week's Edition of TALLER Tales

Cruisin’ with Mom (Part EIGHT): For the last several weeks, I have been sharing about my trip with my mom on board the Viking Octantis for a Great Lakes Cruise. Our journey began in Toronto, and from there, we traversed the Welland Canal Locks and made stops in Port Colborne, Point Pelee, Detroit, Alpena, Mackinac Island, and finally, Milwaukee.

In last week’s chronicles of “Cruisin with Mom,” I mentioned that after visiting with two of my sisters for a walk along the Detroit Riverwalk while we were at our Detroit stop, we boarded the ship, went up to Deck 5, took our “selfie” with my two sisters in the background on the shore, and then decided to have a late lunch with a clear view of the Detroit side. We were supposed to depart early that afternoon, but it was clear from all the activity happening below we were not going anywhere soon.

Because of my newfound interest in cruise ships, my mom has had me watching some of these behind-the-scenes cruise ship shows on Discovery Channel or whatever channel they are on. One of the shows I’ve watched occasionally is called Mighty Cruise Ships. With passengers exceeding 5,000, these huge ships would be too much for me! But I’ve enjoyed all the behind-the-scenes stuff they show. One area of these shows that has intrigued me and is somewhat of a preamble for today’s Cruisin’ with Mom story is what has to take place to get food on these ships. Vegetables by the semi-full. Tons of chicken and meat.

But these shows also highlight the often nerve-wracking moments when a semi is late or they decide to reject the food because a crate or two was spoiled. The choreography behind the scenes is mesmerizing! A lot has to happen in a port or when they turn a ship around for a new load of passengers!

As my mom and I were having lunch, we noticed some crew members walking over to a little driveway on the right side of the Ren Cen. This was where my sisters were hanging out when we took our little “selfie,” so the location was already in our field of view. It was clear it was some form of loading area. But it was clear they were having problems. There was a large rental truck they were trying to navigate around this tight corner. As more and more Viking Cruise staff started walking over to the location, it was clear the truck had something for our ship that had to be delivered. They were driving this truck in reverse, and navigating around this corner was becoming increasingly difficult. It was funny because the truck would appear, and then they would wave it back up the ramp because their attempts at navigating this corner kept failing. More staff from the ship started walking over to the area. Then I noted the food manager walking off the ship, and he started heading that way. Over and over again, they couldn’t navigate this truck around this tight corner, but now the number of staff from the ship congregating in this location to help was growing. At one point, even I wanted to get off the ship and try to help! As my mom and I were entertained watching all this commotion, I thought whatever this truck had must have been pretty important!

Eventually, they gave up and kept the truck in place rather than move it closer to the ship’s cargo bay. Then they opened the back of the truck, and I was expecting something really important, but it was nothing more than empty barrels! Then, the staff formed somewhat of a human chain to move all these empty barrels (more like huge empty storage drums) off the truck and over to the ship’s cargo area. My mom and I surmised these must have been the empty barrels from the ship’s garbage or possibly even the ship’s recyclable materials. At this point, I wanted the captain to blow the ship’s horn in celebration that this precious cargo of many huge empty drums finally made it on board. Once all the barrels were on board, the ship’s crew made it back to the ship, and they started to pull the anchor. It was now time to leave Detroit. We got to see my sisters. We walked around the Detroit Riverwalk. We had lunch. We were entertained with some behind-the-scenes cruise ship stuff. And, now, it was time to leave. As we started to move, I passed by the enormous cookie table in the World Café and grabbed a cookie. I was trying to be good because I was eating so much. When my mom saw me grab only one cookie, she questioned me in utter disbelief, “You’re only taking ONE?” I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed a few more! This cruise stuff was hard work!

Next stop: Alpena!

Protecting God’s Children Recertification: As many of you know, one of my other ministries in the Archdiocese of Detroit is to oversee the implementation of our Safe Environment policies and procedures in accord with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which was enacted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2002 and then updated in 2018. The “Dallas Charter,” as it is known because of the city in which it was adopted, established a set of uniform “zero tolerance” procedures for all (arch)dioceses in the United States regarding the handling of sex abuse allegations involving minors and vulnerable adults. The Dallas Charter also required that all U.S. dioceses implement practices, such as universal criminal background checks and mandatory safe environment training, that would prevent abuse from occurring in the first place. The Charter is reviewed at least every seven years to ensure its practices are of the highest and most current standards. The co-workers assisting me in this enormous effort all work out of the Parish Center.

The Archdiocese of Detroit recently revised its Safe Environment Policies such that ALL volunteers and employees, regardless of whether they work with children or vulnerable adults, must undergo a criminal background check, sign off on a code of conduct, and complete or take a recertification Protecting God’s Children workshop or online self-paced module. This means EVERYONE, whether a lector, choir member, volunteer at school, or activity volunteer, MUST comply with our new policies. The changes apply to everyone, even if you’ve previously taken a Protecting God’s Children workshop. To learn more about our new policies and what you must do to keep yourself up to date, please visit protect.aod.org or click the button below. 

Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers!

In Christ,

17) Along the Way with Father Adam

St. Matthew, Patron Saint of Accountants and Bankers

At the age of 29, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, completed what has become one of the most famous and recognizable works of art – the Calling of St. Matthew. I have had the pleasure of viewing this painting in person and it is stunning! It was commissioned for the Church of St. Louis of the French, in Rome, where it remains today. The painting is a favorite of Pope Francis, who used to visit the church as a boy. Referring to St. Matthew in the painting, Pope Francis has remarked, "This is me, a sinner on whom the Lord has turned his gaze." 

Though I doubt this small image in the bulletin will do it justice, the painting is a remarkable example of the use of light and shadows. You’ll notice that Jesus is pointing to St. Matthew. Jesus’ outstretched hand is meant to look like the hand of God as he awakens Adam in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.

We will celebrate the Feast Day of St. Matthew the Apostle on Thursday, September 21, so I thought I would offer a brief reflection on St. Matthew’s call to conversion. 

The Gospel reveals little about the Apostle that Jesus called in the midst of his work as a tax collector, except that as a collaborator with the Romans he was an outcast from Jewish religious practice (the Law), and as one who made his living by collecting taxes, he was generally despised by everyone except other tax collectors or law breakers. As a hereditary Jew within his own world, Matthew presumably would have been marginalized – alienated from communal relationships, and divided from his roots and family life by the work that he did in collaboration with a hated political oppressor. Even raised a Jew, such a person in the first century would have had little opportunity, or even desire, to know and ponder the intricacies of the Law of Moses and its implications for relationship with God. But in the context of his work and associations, Jesus calls him into a new kind of family – one that will be united in the Grace of God’s own Spirit – united in companionship with Jesus in service to the Father. A family that will need and honor his gifts, diverse though they may be.

In the Gospel that we will hear on Thursday (MT 9:9-13) the pharisees ask Jesus’ disciples: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus saw Matthew sitting at his customs table, He must have seen how the people despised this tax collector. Jesus must have sensed that this kind of resentment and rejection changed and hurt the tax collector. Had it made Matthew defensive and thick skinned? Had he become gruff and insensitive to others? Did he bark at and push others away? Jesus, I’m sure, immediately felt compassion for Matthew.

I imagine that the first thing Matthew noticed was how Jesus was looking at him. Could it have been that the first experience Matthew had of someone looking on him with love and compassion? When their eyes met, Matthew must have had a sense of that – no blame, no judgment – just love. 

As I picture the scene, Matthew immediately sensed that Jesus somehow understood the predicament he was in. He got himself into this and he'd not been an attractive character at all. He played the role people had put him in. But, Jesus didn't fix him in that role somehow. Before He uttered a word, Jesus' eyes must have said to Matthew, "I know this isn't really you. I understand how much playing this role is distorting you, souring you, hardening you." It was as though Jesus' face, and the sadness it revealed, reflected the sadness in Matthew's heart.

"Follow me." The words must have made their ways straight to Matthew's heart. Never had his heart been so opened by such understanding and acceptance. For a moment, he must have thought, "Me? I'm just a ... I can't change ... I'm stuck here ... And, what'll they say about ..." But those protests were surely replaced with something responding from deep inside that welcomed this call, this liberation, this vote of confidence. Without a word, with their eyes still locked in that communication of intimacy, Matthew's heart said, "Yes! Amen! I'm yours!" Nothing else had a hold on him. There were no excuses, doubts, or fears. Matthew had been healed as he had been called. His yes was his surrender to being loved.

Can we look up from our own custom table today and see Jesus gazing at us with compassion and love? He knows and understands whatever has us locked into roles, images, or patterns that aren't very attractive and that we don't really like about ourselves. Can we let ourselves experience and feel his love? On the other side of that loving acceptance there is a freedom to imagine Him calling us today, in our situation, and saying, "Follow me."

Prayer of St. Matthew

God of mercy, you chose a tax collector, Saint Matthew, to share the dignity of the Apostles. 

In doing so, you showed us that with you, all things are possible, and that though we are sinners, we too can answer your noble call to evangelize the world.

By St Matthew’s example and prayers help us to follow Christ and remain faithful in your service. 

18) Gala 2023: Save the Date - October 21, 2023

19) St. Vincent de Paul's 16th Annual Friends Walk

20) Ascension Presents: Father Mike Schmitz

The Christian Response to Grief

Grief is a human emotion and affects each of us at one time or another.

The Catholic Church in all her wisdom offers us this beautiful prayer in the rite of Christian burial:

“Indeed for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.”

Continuing on the theme of death and grief, today, Fr. Mike offers a word of hope and encouragement to anyone who is grieving. Our grief as Christians should look different. We are called to grieve not like the rest.

21) Words on the Word: September 17, 2023 - Watch Your Temper

For people of goodwill, it can be downright infuriating.

News headlines are almost always bad, it’s true, but some days can seem worse than others. On one recent day, for example, a sampling of local headlines included stories about a Troy man who was charged with a shooting at a Roseville liquor store earlier this summer, a Clinton Township man who was arraigned on charges of abusive behavior towards children with the use of a computer, and an arrest in Ann Arbor of a man believed to have been responsible for home invasions and assault.

The average person, doing their best to be attentive to the word of God and the laws of man, is dismayed by such things happening around us. Some people, to be sure, might be downright angry and harbor resentment towards the perpetrators of such evil.

And yet, we are reminded that in carrying around such feelings we are actually doing damage to ourselves. 

“Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight,” we hear in today’s first reading from the Book of Sirach. “The vengeful will suffer the Lord’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail.”

So what should we do about it?

“Forgive your neighbor’s injustice,” the reading continues, “then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.”

None of this is likely to be easy, especially when viewed against the yearning we all feel for a sense of justice here and now, in our communities and on our timetable. But, ultimately, that’s not the point.

“Remember your last days,” the reading concludes. “Set enmity aside; remember death and decay, and cease from sin! Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults.”

© 2023, Words on the Word

22) This WEEK on FORMED:

23) Hallow App:

24) Mass Intentions for the Week:

Monday, September 18, 2023, Weekday (Green) 

7:00 a.m., A Special Intention for Sue Zanoni

Tuesday, September 19, 2023, Weekday, Saint Januarius, Bishop and Martyr (Green/Red)

7:00 a.m., Suzanne Roland

Wednesday, September 20, 2023, Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Paul Chong Ha-sang and Companions, Martyrs (Red)

7:00 a.m., Richard C. Rich

6:00 p.m., George J. Bugarin

Thursday, September 21, 2023, Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist (Red)

7:00 a.m., Herbert Thelen

Friday, September 22, 2023, Weekday (Green)

7:00 a.m., The deceased members of the Calisi Family who died in the month of September

Saturday, September 23, 2023, Vigil of the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

4:00 p.m., Helmut Linden, Bonnie Batche, the deceased members of the Batche Family, Thomas Lucchese, Gerard Rogier, Michael DePetro, Grace & Sam Valenti, Joseph Gradowski, Robert Palonis, Leon & Dorothy Potwardski and Special Intentions for the J. Champine Family, the Thomas Family, for Alison Reslow, Pam Haisenleder, Lorraine Jonas, and Sally Cabot

6:00 p.m., Jaclyn Maul

Sunday, September 24, 2023, Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Green)

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

10:00 a.m., Felice DiBerardino

12:00 p.m., Michael Ciaramitaro, Mikie T. Artley, Joan Hardy, Feliciana King, Joseph Gradowski, William Boyke and Special Intentions for Alison Reslow, Pam Haisenleder, Lorraine Jonas and Sally Cabot

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

This week's LIVE Stream

Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:

Monday (September 18)

7:00 AM - Communion Service

11:00 AM - Funeral for Father Rich's Mom (Sally Cabot) (Read Obituary HERE)

Tuesday (September 19):

7:00 AM - Mass

8:30 AM - School Mass

10:00 AM - Funeral for Sylvia Gentile (Read Obituary HERE)

Wednesday (September 20):

7:00 AM - Mass

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

6:00 PM - Mass

Thursday (September 21):

7:00 AM- Mass

7:00 PM - Holy Hour

Friday (September 22):

7:00 AM - Mass

Saturday (September 23):

10:00 AM - Funeral for Dorothy Taylor (Read Obituary HERE)

4:00 PM - Mass

6:00 PM - Mass

Sunday (September 24):

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.

26) SJA's Latest Parish Bulletin

Click on the image below

to download a copy of the bulletin

for September 17, 2023

27) Weekly Bulletin Mailing List

28) Detroit Catholic