St. Joseph Catholic Church

 

-Food Pantry Donation

-UPCSA Update

-Enrollment open for Fall Semester at St. Mary’s Catholic School

-Anointings, Cellphone Hours

-High School Youth Group Schedue, Confirmations

-Adoration and Confession on Sunday Nights

-Morality of Receiving the Vaccine

-State of our Finances

-Rainbow Recovery

-Coming up: Online Small Groups and Great Lakes Recovery Centers

 

 

Just a special thank you to our co-workers in Christ at St. Barnabus Lutheran Church, who gave a $1,000 donation to our Food Pantry. I’m so thankful that Christians in the Soo can be united in working together to help the vulnerable among us and those who are in need! Matthew 25:40

 

Our total pledge amount to date is $45,925, and we have collected $36,990 of those pledges thus far.  Our parish goal is $46,953 for this year.  We are only $1,028 shy of meeting our parish goal!  

I am so thankful for all the parishioners who have donated to such a worthy cause! 

Also, an apology– we learned that the Diocese sent out a card asking for donations to UPCSA, but accidentally included on their mailing list donors who had already given! We were embarrassed at this, because it made it seem as though we were asking people who had already donated to give more, which was not the case! Sorry about that!!

Check out our Catholic School and enroll your children! We have been able to manage having in-person classes all this school year. We have small class sizes and a great Catholic environment! 

Just a reminder, if you or someone you love is in danger of death, contact me or Fr. Romeo at any time of the night or day to give them the Anointing of the Sick. Remember that once you are in the hospital system, it is very unlikely that I will be allowed or able to enter in order to give you this Sacrament, it is best to call me and have me come to the house, or meet you wherever you are. This Sacrament has no effect once someone has passed away. If a loved one has already passed away, there are other prayers I can pray- but the great graces given in the Sacrament will be missed out on. 

 

My cellphone is 906.792-0375. I give out my personal number because I care greatly for my parishioners, and want to be easily reached for emergencies at any time. Outside of emergencies, please do not call or text my cellphone outside the hours of 9am to 9pm. So many people have disrespected this, that I may soon have to change my number. (Morning people who text at 6am are much worse about this than those who text late, after midnight!) Love you guys, but boundaries! 🙂

High School Youth Group has started up on Sunday nights, from 6:30-8:00pm. It will take place either in the basement of the Faith Formation center or the Parish Hall (depending on what is planned for that night and which space suits it better). 

Students who wish to be confirmed must attend youth group regularly, where confirmation expectations are communicated and preparations take place. 

 

Jan 17- Grab-bag week. Confirmands with Fr. Romeo

Jan. 24^– “Be like little Children”

Jan. 31- Science and Religion

Feb. 7- Superbowl and Games

Feb. 14- The Real St. Valentine

Feb. 21- Married Life

Feb. 28- Religious Life

Mar. 7- Sing Life+ Grab bag

Mar. 14- Church History

Mar. 21- Movie, Fun, Confirmands with Fr. Romeo and Sophie

Mar. 28- Fruits and Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Apr. 4^th– no meeting (Easter)

Apr. 11- Relationship with Creation

Apr. 18- Catholic Response to Current Events

Apr. 25- Grab bag- fun and games

May 2- College Preparation, Senior Send-off

 

Remember there is Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 6:30-8:00pm. Sometimes we’re able to hear confessions during that time as well, and we have Praise and Worship music every other week (the next P&W is on January 24^th)

 

Links to articles and statements:

 

 

 

And here is the statement of the Bishops in Michigan:

 

Anyway, they’re saying it’s morally permissible. However, anyone claiming it’s morally obligatory to receive this vaccine doesn’t have a leg to stand on as I see it. 

No judgement for those who do- but I have personally decided that I am not getting it. I respect those who have come to another conclusion, and I hope that respect is reciprocated. 

It’s not my role as a priest to merely preach my opinions, especially when they depart from what the Bishops are saying, so I’ll keep my reasoning to myself for the time being.

 

Thank you to Bill Beaune from our Finance Council who generated these graphs, which give a very accessible picture of our current finances!!

These graphs show data for the last six months, from July 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020.
We’re holding our own through a difficult time, and I’m so thankful to you for that!

They’ve invited me (Fr. Mike) to come as a guest speaker to their online meeting! 

 

A Spiritual Meeting designed to cultivate a relationship with a higher power of our understanding and applying it to our recovery life. Putting our past behind us and moving forward in a positive direction. Rainbow Recovery is not confined to drugs and alcohol, but is about all life’s problems.

Fr. Mike will be speaking January 20^th at 8pm.It is spearheaded by Mike Doud, if you have trouble logging on or would like to be involved with this group contact him at  madoudsoo@yahoo.com

 

In the next Flocknote, I’ll be giving an update about Great Lakes Recovery Centers, and the great work that they’re doing in revamping what was once Nativity Catholic Church (which we sold to them several years ago)

 

Also, I’ll be giving an invitation to join one of the online Prayer Groups or Bible Studies which we will be starting up in a couple of weeks!