January 16, 2005 Bulletin

SS. John & Paul

January 16, 2005

A community of believers united and growing in Christ to serve as generous and loving stewards of God's love.

Pastor’s Perspective

*Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

When I was in Atlanta last spring for the National Federation of Priests Convention I visited the M.L. King, Jr. National Memorial. It is a relatively simple but elegant museum and grounds, near the Baptist Church in which his father and he had been a pastor. The memorial takes you through Martin Luther King’s life, with photos and a lot of video of key events and speeches.

I continue to be in awe of his vision: grounded in the gospel of Jesus, dedicated to nonviolent but effective changing of structures, willing to face the wrath of the worried establishment, not limiting his vision to civil rights alone, calling us to be the people God has made us to be. Without a doubt, we have come a long way since the late 1950s and early 1960s, but also without a doubt we still have not figured out how to embrace a racially diverse, socio-economically stratified but truly equal society. The Detroit metro area continues to suffer from the racism built into the economic and social structures and the enormous problems of the core city.

We do not lack the ability to overcome or at least greatly better such things. But we do seem to lack the political and moral will to do so. As a Church we still struggle to be present and energizing within African-American communities. On Sundays most Catholic churches are pretty segregated and do not witness to the rich, racially and ethnically diverse reality that the Church truly is.

I can still listen to a number of Martin Luther King’s speeches and be stirred by their cadence, by their images, by their hope and their passion. He calls us to an America that is admirable and right. May we never lose touch with that vision.

*Parish Goal-Setting

The next phase of parish goal setting takes place this Wednesday at 7 p.m.. The parish council and all the commissions and committees come together to prioritize possible goals. Some major themes and focus areas have already emerged and a number of goals suggested under each focus area. On Wednesday we will divide into small groups and then be asked to divide all the goals in a given area into one of three priorities—high, medium high, and normal priority—and then rank the given goals top to bottom within each of these categories.

The parish council is anticipating that it will then be able to draw up a rough draft of the short, medium and long range goals that it sees the parish committing itself to. This rough draft will then be the basis for a parish-wide consultation in the spring, which in turn will lead to refinements and some kind of final plan.

*Contribution Statements for 2004

We will be mailing out contribution statements this week. We will begin with those who have donated $250 or more during 2004, since those are the ones who usually ask us for a record of contributions which they can use in preparing their tax filing. We would be very happy to provide a record for anyone, however, no matter how much they have contributed. Just call the office and ask that it be sent.

Adult Formation Opportunity

Sr. Ginny Silvestri will be with us on Thursday, January 20, to cover two catechist formation topics: (1) “What Is the Bible?” and (2) “How to Read the Bible”. Even though it is geared toward catechists, anyone interested in those two topics is welcome to attend and will find it rewarding. Please call the office to let us know.

*Worship Meeting on Monday January 17th

Our Worship Commission meets this Monday. The focus will be the 25th anniversary Mass on February 27th at 11:30 a.m. Even though we will be in Lent, we want it to be a joyful, lively celebration. The parish was officially founded, after more than two years of preparing and gathering people in the area, on February 29, 1980. Our parish is a leap year baby! We will mark the anniversary on the last Sunday of February, which in turn will kick off a year long celebration. We especially want to invite anyone who has been part of the parish in the past to be with us. If you know of some, invite them or call the parish office and we will invite them.

*New Communion Set-Up

We are still trying to work out the minor logistics in the new communion procedures. I want to thank everyone for being patient with the new set-up. It allows for many more chairs to be added to the main body of the Church. The trade-off is that communion lines are a little more constricted. So that we are all on the same page, when ushers come to your row for communion, please note the following.

(1) All will come down the main aisle for communion, starting with the center area front to back, then the back area, then the side areas back to front (see diagram below).

(2) It helps if people are standing and beginning to move to the center aisle a row or two ahead of time. With two communion ministers on each side, the lines flow very quickly. If people are not ready to move, it creates gap, which then causes people to try to walk quickly. If people are moving toward the center earlier, then the gaps seem to be less.

(3) But please do not rush. The new procedures add maybe one minute to the entire communion time, at crowded Masses. We still need to focus on the exchange of faith—the communion minister says “The body/blood of Christ” and we respond “Amen”. That is the most important ritual preparation for receiving the sacrament. In addition, the Church now invites you to make a slight bow of the head prior to stepping forward to receiving communion. But, again, please do not rush.

(4) It helps if people go to the second communion minister if the line ahead has a couple of people already waiting. The second communion minister is positioned to the side (see diagram). In other words, don’t stand back and wait till one or the other opens. Get into the line that seems shortest.

(5) At most Masses, the side areas have sufficient people sitting there that we ask those who are there to be the last to receive. Instead of crossing over chairs (and sometimes people sitting in the chairs!), please wait and then go to the back and then up the main aisle.

(6) We now have four cups at the 9:30 a.m. Mass. Please see the diagram for how they are to be positioned so that people can go to the cup or continue to move past and back to their seats. I would love to do the same at 5 p.m. and 11:30 a.m., if more of you from those Masses came forward to be communion ministers. You will be trained and scheduled only about once every 3-4 weeks. Think about it. Thank you for your patience.

*FAITH Magazine

I hope everyone has been receiving their subscription to FAITH magazine. We have committed to a year’s subscription for everyone in the parish. After that we will have to evaluate whether it is worth the cost of continuing. It will be helpful to the parish council to know if you are reading it, what parts you like, and any comments on it. Ideally we would like everyone in the household to read it, to see if it is able to be of value in some way to young and old alike. The next edition comes out at the end of February. Use it as part of your Lenten reflection and spirituality. I will then put a little survey in the paper to see your comments on how worthwhile this adult/family faith formation tool is.

*Lent

Speaking of Lent—I know it seems unreasonable, since Christmas is barely gone by—we have an early Lent this year, with Ash Wednesday on February 9th. I will be sending each house a Lenten mailing, detailing what is happening in the parish for the Lenten season. But prior to that, we need to get your blessed palm branches back for burning for new ashes on Ash Wednesday.

There will be a box at each entrance beginning next weekend at all Masses. Just drop the blessed palms into one of them and we will recycle them for ashes. The “glory” of the triumph of entry into Jerusalem is always connected to the willingness to offer our lives in service of others. The ashes that start the season remind us that the journey with the Lord to share his glory is one of sacrifice and repentance.

May the winter season fill us with child-like delight even as we shovel adult-like snow!

Fr. Buersmeyer

Here’s what’s
happening!!

Monday, January 17:

*Mass at 7:00 p.m.

*Senior cards 11:30 a.m.

*Worship meeting after 7:00 mass

Tuesday, January 18:

*Mass at 9:00 a.m.

*Children’s choir 5:15-6:30 p.m.

*RE Gr. 1-6 — 4:45-6:00 p.m.

& 6:30-7:45 p.m.

Wednesday, January 19:

*Mass at 9:00 a.m.

*Parish Council & All

Commissions meeting 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 20:

*Choir 7:00 p.m.

*Catechist formation 6:30 p.m.

Friday, January 21:

*Pot Luck/Game night 6:30 p.m.

***************************

Parish office hours

Sun.— 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Mon.-Wed.—9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Thurs.—9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Friday — 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Saturday—12:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Meijer rewards update

We received a check from the Meijers Community Rewards Program for $358.54 for purchases made in December. Since April 2004, we’ve earned over $1,430.00! So far 91 parishioners have enrolled in this fundraising program, with all proceeds earmarked for the purchase of a new sign on 28 Mile Road.

If you would like to enroll online in this free program, go to: Meijer.com/rewards, click on “join”, then “Meijer Guest Card; OR you can pick up an application at the parish office. Our organization number is 617883. Thank you for remembering the parish when you shop.

2004 contribution statements

We are mailing 2004 contribution statements to all those parishioners who have contributed $250 or more during 2004. If you have not contributed $250 or more but would like a statement of contributions, please call the parish office (586) 781-9010 and we will be happy to send you one.

Music notes

In light of this week’s scripture lessons of answering our baptismal call, I think now would be a good time to invite the musically inclined in the parish to join one of our ensembles:

¨ We have a little room for singers in the Adult Choir, which meets on Thursdays at 7 p.m. and sings at the 9:30 Mass. There’s always room for instrumentalists, including percussionists.

¨ The Contemporary Ensemble has plenty of room for singers, especially those of high school-college age. Please consider joining. We rehearse after the 11:30 mass.

¨ The children’s choir will continue to meet on Tuesdays, alternating between Choir one week and handbells the next. Children of elementary school age are welcome.

¨ The Adult bell choir is full, but we are considering adding more bells this year: the fourth octave will add more bells to the bottom and the top, giving us 12 more bells, so if you would like to sponsor a bell, look for next week’s article.

¨ The resurrection choir only sings for funerals. Add your name to our roster by calling me. You will be notified when there is a funeral.

¨ The Cantor ministry can use more voices to help with the rotation. Cantor tapes are made for you to practice at home. Call me if you are interested in ministering.

Right now we will be preparing for the 25th Anniversary Mass, Lent, and Holy Week. Additionally, we are learning how to read music notation. Come, learn, rejoice and sing with your fellow parishioners.

CCarl Reyes

Your offertory envelopes

Here are a few friendly reminders about your offertory envelopes. The support of the parish depends on the collection taken each weekend during the masses. The collections are counted by volunteer parishioners who would find their job much easier if the following guidelines were observed:

· Use your envelope. You cannot be given credit for loose bills, of course, and we might miss giving you credit for loose checks.

· Mark your envelope. If you don’t mark how much is in the envelope, we have to mark it for you which takes extra time and risks your not receiving proper credit.

· Use only one envelope. If you’ve been away and want to make up for the collections you’ve missed, turn in just one envelope with the total amount covering what you’ve missed.

· Treat your envelope gently. After sealing it, don’t tape, staple or glue the envelope flap. That little tongue that curls up at you is supposed to do that so we can grab it to open the envelope quickly. Please don’t fold or wad up bills in the envelope.

2004-2005

Religious Formation

Program

Early Childhood — Sunday

(ages 3-4-5 years)

During 9:30 a.m. Mass

Sessions: Jan. 23

No Session: Jan. 30

Sessions: Feb. 6, 13

Grades 1-6 — Tuesday

4:45-6:00 p.m. & 6:30-7:45 p.m.

Sessions: Jan. 18

No Session: Jan. 25

Sessions: Feb. 1

Lenten Family Evening: Feb. 8

Grades 7-8 — Sunday

6:30-8:30 p.m.

Sessions: Jan. 9, 23, 30

No Session: Jan. 16

Presentation of First

Eucharist Candidates

Sunday, January 30 at the

9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Masses

All children preparing for their first Eucharist will be presented to the community by their parents for recognition, support and prayers.

Lesson planning Tuesday, January 25 at 6:30 p.m.

for ALL catechists

and assistants

Mark you calendars! Your presence is very important to all of us.

Our sins taken away

Jn. 1: 29-34

The great truth about Jesus’ mission would be to bring sinners back to God. His coming was foretold by Isaiah, his mission was announced by John the Baptist... ‘There is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.’

In the Old Testament times, on the day of atonement the Jews would choose a goat. The priest made a list of the sins of the people, while at the same time calling on them to repent. Then he placed his hands on the goat’s head and pressed down, placing the sins upon the goat. The goat was then sent into the desert.

Jesus takes away our sins in the sense that through him we have forgiveness for our sins and so are able to put them behind us. Then we are forgiven, a very real load, a great burden, is lifted from us and we are able to go forward freely and joyfully.

We have to accept responsibility for our sins. Even after we are forgiven, our weaknesses, habits and compulsions are still with us. We still have to struggle.

Sin is a condition is which we live, from which we need to be redeemed. Jesus came to redeem us from that condition, and to enable us to live a new life. Jesus got sinners to change their way of life by befriending them. He put them in touch with that core of goodness which exists in everyone. Through his own goodness he called out the goodness in them.

Jesus befriends us and calls out the goodness in us, too. If we wish to overcome sin then we must focus on the goodness. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a place where we can experience the love of Jesus for us in our sins. It is a loving encounter with Jesus who calls us away from sin to goodness of life.

Victory over sin is a lifelong struggle. When we see ourselves what seems like making little progress, we must not become depressed over it. The struggle for goodness is important. The purpose of a good life is not to win the battle, but to carry on unceasingly.

Besides personal sins and personal redemption, there is social sin and social redemption. The whole human family is damaged because of sin. Jesus came to bring us back into relationship with God and with one another.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All of us are wounded by sin. The part of us which is most deeply damaged by sin is the heart. The heart is so beautiful, so innocent, but it can be betrayed, scorned, and broken. Darkness of heart is the blackest night of all. Emptiness of heart is the greatest poverty of all. A heavy heart is the most wearisome burden of all. A broken heart is the most painful wound of all. Only love can heal the wounds of the heart.

Lord, send your Holy Spirit to us, to heal the wounds of our hearts so that we may produce the fruits of love.

Health notes

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the world. It is a disease that increases the intraocular pressure which damages the optic nerve and can lead to loss of vision and even blindness. There are no symptoms early in the course of the disease, so it can only be diagnosed by regular eye examinations. In order to preserve vision, glaucoma must be diagnosed early.

The two main types of glaucoma are open angle glaucoma, which is a long duration (chronic) condition, and closed angle glaucoma, which is a sudden (acute) condition. Damage to the optic nerve and impairment of vision from glaucoma are irreversible.

Glaucoma is usually treated with eye drops, although lasers and surgery can also be used. Most cases can be controlled well with these treatments, thereby preventing further loss of vision. Patients with glaucoma need to be aware that it is a lifelong disease. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to preserving sight in people with glaucoma.

Holiday depression and stress

The holiday season is a time of joy, cheer, parties, and family gatherings. However, for many people, it is a time of self evaluation, loneliness, reflection of past failures, and anxiety about an uncertain future. Even more people experience post-holiday let down after January 1. This can result from disappointments during the preceding months compounded with the excess fatigue and stress.

Coping:

1. Keep expectations manageable.

2. The holiday season does not banish reasons for feeling sad.

3. Leave “yesteryear” in the past and look forward to the future.

4. Do something for someone else.

5. Enjoy activities that are free.

6. Be aware that excessive drinking will only increase your feelings of depression.

7. Try something new.

8. Spend time with supportive and caring people.

9. Save time for yourself.

10. PRAY—THE LORD IS OUR TOWER OF STRENGTH!

Blood pressure screening

Screenings will take place after all the masses the weekend of January 29-30 in the Activities Center.

Peggy Benson, RN

Parish Nurse

Alzheimer’s support group to meet

Caregivers of family members with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia are invited to attend a support group meeting on Monday, January 17th from 1:00 – 3:00 PM at A Friend’s House Adult Day Services in Clinton Township.

Sponsored by Catholic Services of Macomb and the Greater Michigan Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association, the group provides information and support to those caring for or concerned about family members with memory loss.

A Friend’s House is located at 15945 Canal Rd. (between Garfield and Hayes) in Clinton Township. On-site respite services are also available, for a small fee. Pre-registration is required.

For information or to register for on-site respite services, call A Friend’s House at 586.412.8494.

Sharing Tree thanks

Dear Parishioners of SS. John & Paul,

On behalf of Catholic Services of Macomb, thank you so much for your very generous donation of disposable cameras, film, candy and gift certificates and cards to local stores to A Friend’s House Adult Day Services through your parish’s giving tree program this year.

We are humbled and overwhelmed by your generosity, and so grateful for your support. 2004 has been a challenging year of trying to meet greater needs with fewer resources. With your help, the pantries and supply closets at A Friend’s House will be well-stocked throughout the new year! Our participants will be well nourished, and provided with hours of creative and therapeutic activities-and we will have a multitude of photos to show care-giving families what their loved ones do while at A Friend’s House.

More importantly, the money we won’t have to spend on supplies will help us continue providing our services based on each family’s ability to pay. This year, over 40% of the participants served at A Friend’s House had incomes below poverty levels and were unable to afford the total costs of care.

Again, thank you! May God bless you for being such a blessing to us! From our “house” to yours, best wishes for a healthy, happy and peaceful new year!

Sincerely,

Suzanne Szczepanski-White

Director Senior Services

Dear Fr. Buersmeyer and Parishioners,

On behalf of the medically at risk senior citizens of Macomb Family Service, we thank you for your generosity and kind hearts in giving to make their Christmas bright! God bless you all in 2005!

Sincerely,

Beverly A Moran

Director-Volunteer Program Shelby Office

Sharing Tree thanks

Dear Parishioners of SS. John & Paul,

On behalf of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and the many families with children that we assist through our Capuchin Christmas Toy Program, I thank you so much for your generous toy donation. Your toys, along with toys donated by other generous individuals and group organizations, helped over 1,200 needy families with children in the metro Detroit Area.

From December 21st through the 23rd we distributed toys and food assistance to families at the Capuchin Services site, 6333 Medbury. As it is our desire to reach out to as many families in need as possible, after our distribution period, we partnered with other local services agencies in their programs to help even more families during the holiday season.

You have certainly made this Christmas season a bit brighter for a child in need. Thanks a lot and may you have a healthy and peace filled Holiday Season!

Br. Rick Samyn OFM Cap.

Retreats for men

and women

St. Peter Church in Mt. Clemens is hosting separate retreats for men and women as follows:

Retreat for Men—January 25, 2005

Facilitated by Fr. Jerry Kessel, Director of the Capuchin Retreat House.

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Where: Fr. Welch Hall at St. Peter’s,

95 Market Street, Mt. Clemens, MI.

Fee: $5.00

Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. followed by the retreat.

Retreat for Women—January 27, 2005

Facilitated by Sr. Mary Ann Dixon

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Where: Fr. Welch Hall at St. Peter’s,

95 Market Street, Mt. Clemens, MI

Fee: $5.00

Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. followed by the retreat.

Reservations for both retreats due by Friday, January 21, 2005. Call (586) 468-4578.

In prayerful memory

January 22 marks the 32nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion. Several local activities have been planned to mark this anniversary, either to pray for an overturning of this decision or to simply memorialize unborn children.

On Saturday, January 22nd, St. Gertrude church, 28839 Jefferson in St. Clair Shores will hold their 15th Annual Rosary Vigil for Life from 1:00 – 3:00 PM. This event is sponsored by Right to Life Affiliate of Southeast Macomb and the Knights of Columbus Council. For more information, contact Andrea at 586.774.6050 or e-mail Andrea at atrella@rtl.org.

Also, on Sunday, January 23rd there will be an Interfaith Memorial Service at 3:00 PM to be held at Power of Faith Ministries, 24502 Campbell St. in Warren. Included in the service will be a life presentation talk by Dr. John Barkay and singing by the Voices of Faith Choir. For more information about this event, contact Dan Melnyk at 586.754.5251 or Dot Nowak at 586.751.0945.

The effect of the media

on Christians

On Thursday, January 27, the St. Lawrence Education Commission will be hosting an evening with well-known media personality Teresa Tomeo. You may have heard Teresa before on Catholic radio or at other conferences. She will be speaking about the effect of the media on us as Christians and what we can do about it.

Please call St. Lawrence at (586) 726-0823 for time and to reserve your spot. Space is limited.

A Family Perspective

By Bud Ozar

It is not guaranteed that our children will follow in our footsteps. Our job is the same as John the Baptist in today’s Gospel, to “testify (in our words and life) that Jesus is the Son of God.” After that, our children are free to accept or reject our testimony.

Vatican II continues…

We hope you are enjoying the Vatican II bulletin inserts. However, it is hard to tell if they have been a valuable tool for you to learn more about this subject. If you have been reading the inserts, please let a staff person know so that we know this resource is being used. If you missed one of the articles, we have extras in the office that you can ask for.

Our next insert is titled, “Called to Holiness and Service: Ordained Ministry”. The Second Vatican Council gave major consideration to the ordained ministry of deacons, priests, and bishops. The Council Fathers looked intently at both the life and ministry of those ordained for service to God’s people.

The foucs of this next insert will be on the ministry of priesthood. It will address the function of the priest in today’s Church, the cultural context in which priesthood is being lived out, and then asks the question, What does the future look like for the priesthood

TEEN NEWS

Thank you to all the 7-12 graders who donated a $1.00 for the Tsunami Relief Fund, on Sunday night. It was a pleasure to see the loving support our teens gave to those less fortunate. Our continued prayers and a check for $175.64 will be sent to the Archdiocese of Detroit, Department of Parish Life & Services, marked “Earthquake Relief”. Know that your $1.00 will be used wisely to help those in so much need.

¨ NO Teen (9-12 Grade) Session on January 16

¨ Rainbow, January 22-23

¨ Next teen session is

February 6 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.