| SS. John
& Paul
August 14, 2005 |
A community of believers united and growing in Christ to serve as generous and loving stewards of God's love. | ||
|
Feast of the Assumption —
Monday, August 15, 2005 Please join
us for Mass on Monday, August 15, at 7:00 p.m. as we celebrate the Feast of the
Assumption of the Blessed Mother. (The obligation to attend mass has been waived
by the bishops since the Assumption falls on a Monday this year.)
|
|||
|
Welcome Fr. Josiah K’okal The Consolata Missionaries
The Consolata Missionaries were founded in 1901 by Blessed Joseph
Allamano in Turin, Italy, taking its name from the Shrine of Our Lady of
Consolation and the devotion and love Blessed Allamano had for Our Blessed
Mother.
They are a religious society for foreign missions, composed of priests,
brothers and sisters who devote their lives to the evangelization of people
everywhere, the dream of Blessed Joseph. Working in 21 countries around the
world, the missionaries serve the spiritual and temporal needs of many people.
They serve in Africa (Congo, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique,
South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda); South America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia,
Ecuador, and Venezuela); Asia (Mongolia and South Korea). They also have a
presence in the United States, Canada, England, Portugal, Spain and Italy.
Overall, there are 224 Mission Centers with each Center caring for up to
100 villages. Please be generous in your support of The Consolata Missionaries. |
Your are cordially invited… Please join the SS. John & Paul Parish family as we celebrate Fr. David A. Buersmeyer’s 25th Anniversary of Ordination on Saturday, September 10, 2005 Our celebration will begin with the 5:00 p.m.
Mass followed by a reception in the Activities Center Hors d'oeurvres and beverages will be served |
||
|
|
Help wanted!! Wanted: Strong,
younger people When:
Wednesday, Aug. 24, 9:30 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 26, 10:00 a.m. Why:
Move chairs in church so
the carpet can be cleaned Needed:
No more than 30 minutes Please sign
up on the bulletin board in the hallway or call the parish office (586) 781-9010
if you can lend a hand. Thank you! |
Calling all singers to mark their
calendars… Our first
adult choir rehearsal will be on Thursday, September 1, at 7:00 p.m. when
we will begin preparing special music for Fr. Dave’s anniversary Mass on
September 10. From the Music Desk . . . Defining
Diversity
It is my hope and intention that all of the music here at SS. John and
Paul Parish will continue to reflect a wide diversity, both of form and of
style. But what exactly is
diversity? Is it mere variety, with
music selected just for its novelty, change for the sake of change alone?
The word “diversity” has become value-laden and politically charged.
Not even appearing in older dictionaries, it stems from “divert,”
meaning to turn aside from a course or direction.
To some people, this use of diversion is intentional, reflecting a
rejection, or at least a devaluing, of the cultural and aesthetic norms built up
over the centuries of Western Civilization, and turning instead to other
traditions.
To most of us, however, diversity would be better defined as
inclusiveness. Particularly in
regard to the music of the Church, we as Catholics have an amazingly rich
treasure from which to draw. From
its earliest beginnings, the Church was a multinational organization extending
over three continents, and has continuously existed longer than any other
institution in human history. Throughout
all of this, music has been a part of the spiritual lives of believers, and
exists in many varied forms and genres. Add
to this abundant tradition the explosion of music composed for liturgy within
the past few decades, and we find ourselves in the midst of an overwhelming
feast. The problem is not deciding
what to use, but rather what to omit. So to me, diversity means inclusiveness – choosing from among all regions, periods, styles, instruments, rhythms, and languages. The issue becomes one of quality: God deserves the best that we can offer. In addition, music selection has important pastoral dimensions, recognizing the need for accessibility and meaningfulness to those in the assembly, while reminding us of our membership in a longstanding global church. World Youth Day
The teens of our parish have been so blessed to be able to experience
World Youth Day at home. We have 13 teens and 5 adults who will be heading to
Tom and Maria Harmon’s home in North Branch where we will join 300 others. We
will pitch our tents and experience a night out under the stars. Saturday
morning we will be picked up by busses and transported downtown to the Focus
Hope building. There we will participate in a service project, take a walk to
the Cathedral for mass, then return to the Focus Hope building where we will
spend the night. We ask that you keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers while we take another journey in faith. The parent/candidate make-up session for Confirmation on August 27 at 6:00 p.m. has been canceled. Please call Mrs. Peters if you have any questions, (586) 781-9488. |
|
CHRISTIAN FAITH FORMATION |
|
2004-2005 Religious Formation Program Early Childhood — Sunday (ages
3-4-5 years) During
9:30 a.m. Mass Grades 1-6 Monday:
4:45-6:00 p.m. Tuesday:
4:45-6:00 p.m. &
6:30-7:45 p.m. Grades 7-8 Sunday: 6:30-8:30 p.m. STILL LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS Catechists
& Assistants for: Early Childhood-Sun.
Morning (1) for
3 & 4 yr. olds (2) for
4 & 5 yr. olds Tuesday Evening: (1)
Grade 4 (1) Grade
6 Monday Afternoon: (1) Grade
5 (2) Grade 6 Do you feel a slight tug at the heart? Maybe ‘Someone’ is trying to tell you something! You don’t need to have experience...just a love for our kids and the desire to share your faith with them. You will receive all the support you need. All catechists and assistants are in teams of two. For more information call Linda Bauer at 586-781-9488. |
The Last Shall Be First Mt.
15:21-28
The people gathered
outside the gates. They were good,
respectable, God-fearing people, the backbone of society who moved in the same
business and social circles. As they
stood waiting for St. Peter to open the gates they exchanged greetings, calling
out to one another, ‘Thank God you made it, John.’
‘Good to see you, Mary!’
As St. Peter arrived to open the gates, they were amazed that there had
been no judgment. Now that they were
sure of getting in by their good life, they were eager to occupy their reserved
places.
Suddenly there was a commotion and a voice raised.
‘Well, look who’s coming. If
it isn’t old Mr. Jacob.’ Mr.
Jacob had the reputation for meanness. Then
a woman who had a number of convictions for shoplifting arrived, followed by, to
their horror, another woman they had known to be a
prostitute.
These late arrivals, feeling the hostility of the first group, gathered
in a little group by themselves. Suddenly
a man from the first group turned towards them and asked what made them think
they were going to get into heaven. Surely
not by their own merits. The reply
from this little group was surprising. They
were hoping to get in through the mercy and goodness of God.
Time started to drag for the ‘good life’ people and they started to
complain to one another saying that it wasn’t fair that people like these
should get in. There was no justice.
And they worked themselves up into a fury.
By then the Lord himself arrived. He
said to this group that he understood they had been wondering why there had not
been a judgment. To which they
cried out that they wanted a judgment. They wanted justice.
The Lord responded that the judgment had already taken place.
They were surprised and asked him what he meant.
He replied that they had judged themselves.
By judging these people, they judged themselves.
They were flabbergasted and began to bitterly complain. They had lived a
good life. These people lived bad
lives. The Lord replied that they
had done evil things but have repented and he was merciful.
He did not find signs of repentance among them.
Mr. Jacob was no saint, but he worked hard and in quiet ways did many
charitable deeds. The woman
shoplifter was the mother of eleven children and her husband was an alcoholic.
Many would have thrown the towel in, but she had great courage and faith,
without a crumb of support from the community.
And the prostitute at heart was a kind woman.
She got married expecting love, but got repeated beatings instead.
The Lord explained that he found more faith, more courage, more humility,
and more love among these people, than they who sat down at the banquet table.
The Lord opened the gates and the second little group followed him in. The Canaanite woman in our gospel today is held up to us as an example of faith, courage and love. She faced many obstacles: her pride, indifference and then a put-down and a rejection. But she was not ‘put off’. Not seeking something for herself, unselfishness enables us to put up with almost anything. It enables us to transcend ourselves. |
|
Samaritan House Back-to-School Drive Last year Samaritan House provided backpacks filled with school supplies to 293 area children. A greater number of children is anticipated this year and the goal is to prepare 300 backpacks for area children grades K-8. Beginning
August 2nd,
Samaritan House will be accepting donations for their annual
“Back-to-School Drive”. Please
drop off any donations by August 17th so backpacks can be filled and
ready to distribute to clients on August 19th and 20th. In
addition to backpacks, each child will be given a $15.00 gift
certificate to Payless Shoes. On
behalf of all the children who will be able to go to school with some
necessary school supplies THANK YOU for your generosity and support. Back-to-School Wish List: ¨ New
backpacks ¨ Spiral
notebooks ¨ Pocket
folders ¨ Binders ¨ Wide-ruled
filler paper ¨ Children’s
scissors ¨ Erasable
pens ¨ Crayons ¨ Watercolor
markers ¨ Colored
pencils ¨ White
school glue ¨ Glue
sticks ¨ 12”
rulers ¨ Cash
to purchase gift certificates Donations can be dropped off at Samaritan House at 58944 VanDyke in the old Alward’s Plaza on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 AM – 6 PM and Fridays from 10 AM – 2 PM. If these days and times are not convenient, items can be dropped off here at church, clearly marked “Samaritan House”. Support group for widowed
Losing a spouse is one of the most life altering experiences that
life has to offer. Going out
into a safe, comfortable, friendly environment is instrumental with
healing and new growth as we enter our new life.
Coordinated with “Widowed Friends”,
the SS. John and Paul community would like to create a group within our
area to help support and address the spiritual, educational and social
needs of all widowed. For
interest, comments or questions please call Sue at (248) 651-3411. “My
house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” Isaiah
56:7
God’s openness to all peoples, the universal offer of salvation,
is the thread that runs through this Sunday’s readings.
All the readings point to the fact that human beings draw lines in
order to exclude others, but that God ignores the lines and welcomes
everyone.
The gospel presents us with a story of exclusion that ends with
inclusion. A Canaanite woman
pesters Jesus and the disciples, hoping for a cure for her daughter.
At first Jesus dismisses her, but her boldness and wit results in
the healing of her daughter. Jesus
saw that she was a woman of great faith.
She begged for God’s mercy and it was granted to her.
This Gentile woman is brave, standing up to the disciples and even
to Jesus. She has a point to
make, and they listen. Even though Jews were taught to be exclusive of
Gentiles, Jesus shows how all peoples are included in the kingdom of God.
The Gospels continually call us to respond to injustices and
exclusions in the world.
Have you ever stood up and defended someone who was being excluded
because of race, religion, ethnic background or economic status? How did
you feel afterwards? LOOKING FOR… Have
you ever put together a road rally or been on a committee that planned
one? If you have, you are just the person the Hospitality Committee is
looking for.
We would like to offer a Parish Road Rally in October but need
volunteers to come forward and put it together for us.
The committee will help with
planning and the hospitality afterwards. If you are the person(s) we are
looking for, please call JoAnne at the parish office. Thank you! Summer Taize REMINDER!!! Our
next Taizé prayer followed
by conversation and
refreshments will be on August
23, at 6:30 p.m. Weather
permitting, we will meet
outside! Hope
to see you there! |
In Gratitude for “Thanks &
Praise” Volunteers
SS. John & Paul would like to acknowledge and thank all the
wonderful volunteers who helped with the North Macomb Vicariate’s
summer day care for local Hispanic children.
The summer months fill up quickly with graduations, weddings,
vacations, family get-togethers and activities, so the time and talent
given to this program is especially appreciated. Those who helped with the education, physical activities, supervision and crafts were: Maxine Sobetski, Tina Newberry, Joyce Schoenherr and Sarah Martin. Those who helped prepare and serve the lunches during our week to host this meal were: Celeste, Ryan, Zach, Devon and Micayla Compeau, Suzanne and Jim Rielly, Bridget, Fiona and Henry Theodoroff, Caroline, Tim and Joe Seidel, Melanie Krieg and Barbara Quayhackx. Thanks to all for ensuring a safe, productive and enjoyable experience for the children in this program. Local Blood Drive Coming Soon St. Clement of Rome in Romeo will host an American Red Cross blood drive on Sunday, August 28, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please call St. Clement’s parish office at 752-9611 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome. Soup kitchen news
Thanks to everyone who participated and donated food for the
Salvation Army lunch on June 21. Once again the Soup Kitchen volunteers
outdid themselves. We served a delicious spaghetti lunch. Our next meal
served will be August 16. We will serve a spaghetti lunch with salad and
fresh fruit. Donated items should be delivered to the parish kitchen
before August 16. Please mark your bags SOUP KITCHEN.
If you would like to make a food donation, please call Pat Sagert
at 586.781.7035 or Barbara Jarzembski at 586.336.1450 and they will let
you know what is needed. The volunteer preparers and servers will meet
on August 16 at SS. John & Paul at 8:30 a.m. to car pool to the
Salvation Army Soup Kitchen. God bless all those who donate food items
and those who prepare and serve the lunch for your generosity in helping
those less fortunate. Help us help others
HELP in September!
We are in need of several kind-hearted individuals who could
provide 10 simple box lunches for the ten Alzheimer’s patients and
team at A Friend’s House in Romeo.
Lunches need to be made, packaged and delivered.
Serving lunches will not be required.
SS. John & Paul will provide the funds necessary to purchase
the food as well as any materials that are needed (Styrofoam boxes,
silverware, etc.). The
lunches need to be delivered at approximately 11:30 AM to A Friend’s
House, located in the Agape Center on the grounds of
St. Clement parish in Romeo.
The specific dates we need assistance
are:
Thursday, September 1, 8, 22, 29.
This
is something that can be accomplished by one individual per date.
However, a team of two or three would make the process even
easier! It won’t require a
lot of time and it WILL make a big difference in the lives of some of
our community’s elderly. Please
call Kathy at 781-9010 if you are interested in assisting in this most
worthwhile project. August Senior cards Monthly Food Drive World Youth Day meeting Samaritan House
Back-to-School Drive Family RCIA Feast of the Assumption Soup kitchen at Salvation Arm World Youth Day Weekend Coffee & donuts after masses Hospitality Committee meeting Taize
prayer/conversation/refreshments Parent/candidate Confirmation meeting 4th Annual Golf Outing—Bruce Hills Blood Pressure Check Bathroom remodel
Well, the construction is finally over and the remodeling of the
bathrooms in the church is complete. New countertops were added, along
with new sinks, faucets, paper towel dispensers, light fixtures, ceiling
tiles, 3’x5’ wall mirror and fresh paint to each bathroom.
Many thanks go to the project managers, Tom Klakulak and Larry
Weathers, for the countless hours they sent in the planning and
installing stages and to Bill Greenway, Bill Huellmantel, Rick Giffin,
and Bob Lerczak for their assistance in getting this project completed.
This project was approved in February by the Building and Maintenance
Committee and funds appropriated in the 2005-06 budget.
|
|
Together
In Ministry Family Committee
We have just begun to meet and plan events, both fun and
faith-enriched, which will focus on the needs and lifestyle of today’s
families.
Our first meeting was last week and so far six families have
shown an interest in helping to make this new committee a reality.
We are looking at an October social event as a kick-off.
We are also planning to schedule dialogue/speaker sessions that
would be held at the same time as our Religious Formation program.
If you are interested in joining this new committee, please call
JoAnne at the parish office. NEXT WEEK: Sharing some of the ideas from our first meeting. |
|
| Eucharistic Prayer Requests Saturday and Sunday August 6-7, 2005 Agnes Lohmann by Family Katherine Miracola by LaRose Family Isaac Giffin by Family Fr. Arthur Bell by Martino Family Mae Gleason by Martino Family Forrest Bernia by Family Monday, August 8, 2005 Stanley Materka by Puzzuoli Family Tuesday, August 9, 2005 Carol Lize by Family Wednesday, August 10, 2005 Robert Leadley by Fredal Family Saturday and Sunday August 13-14, 2005 Mary Timko by C. Gregory Fr. John West by Klakulak Family John Krzycki by Greenway Family Rudi Dietrich by Family Dan & Martha Brown by Brinker Family |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||