A summary of the Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for Lent 2024 Dear brothers and sisters! When our God reveals himself, his message is always one of freedom: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Ex 20:2). These are the first words of the Decalogue given to Moses on Mount Sinai. In the desert, they received the “Ten Words” as a thoroughfare to freedom. We call them “commandments”, in order to emphasize the strength of the love by which God shapes his people. The call to freedom is a demanding one. It is not answered straightaway; it has to mature as part of a journey. Just as Israel in the desert still clung to Egypt – often longing for the past and grumbling against the Lord and Moses – today too, God’s people can cling to an oppressive bondage that it is called to leave behind. Lent is the season of grace in which the desert can become once more – in the words of the prophet Hosea – the place of our first love (cf. Hos 2:16-17). God shapes his people, he enables us to leave our slavery behind and experience a Passover from death to life. If our celebration of Lent is to be concrete, the first step is to desire to open our eyes to reality. When the Lord calls out to Moses from the burning bush, he immediately shows that he is a God who sees and, above all, hears: “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them…”(Ex 3:7-8). Today too, the cry of so many of our oppressed brothers and sisters rises to heaven. Let us ask ourselves: Do we hear that cry? Does it trouble us? Does it move us? Let us ask: Do I want a new world? Am I ready to leave behind my compromises with the old? The witness of many of my brother bishops and a great number of those who work for peace and justice has increasingly convinced me that we need to combat a deficit of hope that stifles dreams and the silent cry that reaches to heaven and moves the heart of God. Let us welcome Lent as the great season in which he reminds us: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Ex 20:2). Lent is a season of conversion, a time of freedom. It is time to act, and in Lent, to act also means to pause. To pause in prayer, in order to receive the word of God, to pause like the Samaritan in the presence of a wounded brother or sister. Love of God and love of neighbor are one love. Not to have other gods is to pause in the presence of God beside the flesh of our neighbor. For this reason, prayer, almsgiving and fasting are not three unrelated acts, but a single movement of openness and self-emptying, in which we cast out the idols that weigh us down, the attachments that imprison us. Then the atrophied and isolated heart will revive. Slow down, then, and pause! The contemplative dimension of life that Lent helps us to rediscover will release new energies.”
WOULD YOU LIKE TO REPRESENT CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD PARISH OR ST. JOHN PAUL II PARISH AT THE DIOCESAN CHRISM MASS? This beautiful Diocesan Liturgy will take place on Tuesday, March 26, 10:30 a.m., at the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption. At this Mass the Holy Oils used in all Parishes throughout the year are blessed and consecrated by Bishop Gruss. Parish Representatives receive the oils for their parish at the end of this Mass and bring them back to the Parish. Then, at the Holy Thursday Mass, the parish representatives present the oils to the parish at the beginning of the Mass. If you have never done this before, please consider doing so. It is a wonderful once-a-year Church event. If you are interested or willing to represent our parish, please contact Tori Little, (989) 798-2236, to submit your name by Friday, March 22.
“THE CHOSEN”, final episode of Season III, will take place in our parishes this week. This week will feature: Episode 8: Sustenance, Wednesday, March 20, 6: 30 – 8:00 p.m. And Thursday, March 21, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Each viewing takes place in a relaxed setting at St. John Paul II Parish Office Meeting Room, 469 Shattuck Road, Carrollton. Everyone is welcome to attend these adult faith formation sessions.
LENTEN STATIONS, SOUP, & SPEAKERis held every Wednesday at Noon through March 27. The Stations of the Cross will be prayed, followed by a soup lunch and speaker, in the Activity Hall, at St. John Paul II Parish. This year, the speakers are speaking on the Spiritual Works of Mercy. This week’s speaker: March 20, Maria Meier – Praying for the Living & Dead. This one hour of prayer and reflection is free of charge. Everyone is welcome to attend. IMPORTANT CORRECTION: The last Stations, Soup, & Speaker will be held on Wednesday, March 27 (not April 5 as misprinted in the flyer mailed out to people’s homes.)
EUCHARISTIC REFLECTION AND ADORTION will take place every Friday of Lent, February 16 – March 22, 1:00- 2:00 p.m. in the St. Helen Church, Christ the Good Shepherd Parish Eucharistic Chapel. First, a short video reflection followed by a half hour of private, quiet Eucharistic Adoration, concluding with Benediction. Everyone is welcome to attend.
NEXT SUNDAY, March 24, IS PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF OUR LORD. At the beginning of the weekend Masses, we will have the Blessing of Palm Branches and procession, as well as the reading of the Passion as we begin to commemorate the events of Holy Week.
THE THIRD AND FINAL COMMUNAL CELEBRATIONS of the SACRAMENT OF PENANCE will take place at the following location: Thursday, March 21, 7:00 p.m. at St. John Vianney Parish, Saginaw. Please take advantage of these times to prepare your life for Holy Week by going to Confession.
ST. JOHN PAUL II PARISH CHURCH RENOVATION COMMITTEE will meet on Wednesday, March 20, 6:30 p.m. in the Church building.
PRIVATE CELEBRATIONS of the SACRAMENT OF PENANCE (Confessions) are held every Saturday: St. John Paul II 3 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. & Christ the Good Shepherd 6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. An extra opportunity for Private Penance (Confession) will be held on Tuesday, March 26, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at both St. John Paul II and Christ the Good Shepherd Parishes. There will be no further scheduled times for the Sacrament of Penance after March 26 until Saturday, April 6.
✠HOLY HOURS WITH BISHOP GRUSS – Please mark your calendars now and plan to attend the next Holy Hour for Vocations. It will be held on Thursday, April 4, 7:00 p.m. at Christ the Good Shepherd Parish, Saginaw. Bishop Gruss will lead this hour of prayer and reflections. Please make it a point to attend so that we may have a good parish representation for this Holy Hour. You can find the 2024 Holy Hour for Vocations schedule on the diocesan website, https://saginaw.org/holy-hours-vocations.
ONE FINAL SYNODAL LISTENING SESSION: All the people of God are invited to join a Synodal Listening session to give additional input between the 1st and 2nd SESSIONS of the XIV General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. The Diocese of Saginaw held four sessions throughout the diocese with everyone invited to attend. The final Listening Session will take place on Tuesday March 19, 6:00 PM, St. Gabriel Parish, Auburn.
ENRICHMENT OF OUR LIFE IN CHRIST GATHERING FOR PASTORAL MINISTERS - All Befrienders, Grief Ministers, Jail & Prison Ministers, Walking with Moms, Deacons and Candidates, Lay Ministers and all who visit the sick and homebound are welcome to attend a morning of enrichment on Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. till noon at the Center for Ministry. The morning will begin with a catered buffet breakfast and social, followed by Fr. Bob Byrne as our keynote speaker. Fr. Bob will share the beauty and richness of the catechesis for the enrichment of the newness of our life in Christ from the Catechism of the Catholic Church which reveals to us in all clarity, the joy and the wonder of the way of Christ. Registration fee is $20 per person. For more information, contact Lori Becker at 989-797-6652 or lbecker@diosag.org.
CHRIST MISSION APPEAL 2023-2024 RESPONSE/COLLECTION UPDATE (3/5/24): Christ the Good Shepherd Parish has collected $55,102.58 in donations and pledges from 129 donors towards its goal of $51,893. (106% of its goal) St. John Paul II Parish has collected $37,575 in donations and pledges from 151 donors, towards its goal of $44,036. (85% of its goal with a balance of $6,461.) Make an act of Lenten charity by giving to Christ Mission Appeal. Your sacrificial offering will financially support the work of the Church in ministering in the name of Jesus. Thank you!
JOB OPENING AT THE DIOCESE OF SAGINAW: The Diocese of Saginaw is seeking a dynamic, mission-driven leader to serve as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This individual must be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church, who has achieved a minimum of five (5) years of proven experience as a leader in fiscal management. This position is posted on the Diocesan website, CatholicJobs.com and Indeed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Diocesan Office of Human Resources, (989) 797-6687