Author: Kathy

Thank You!

Kathy Parish Activities, Weekly message

 As a Parish we owe our thanks to the AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernians) for naming St. Valentine School and the Parish as the beneficiaries of the 54th Annual Charity Ball, held on October 14, 2017. After Mike and Maureen Kelly were awarded the 2017 Hibernians of the Year award the organizers called Fr. Henry and myself up and handed us the check in the amount of $6500.00. It was a pleasant surprise for all of us and we are so grateful to the organizers for their donations towards St. Valentine.

A number of St. Valentine parishioners, teachers and parents from the school were in attendance besides many others showing their support through advertisements and patrons. Thank you to all.

May God bless all their efforts and the charitable works the AOH does for the surrounding communities.

 

Rite of Candidacy

As it was mentioned in last weeks bulletin – Robert Calleja from St. Valentine and Joseph Colleran from St. Kenneth will be installed as Lector on Sunday, October 29th at the Noon Mass – the Mass will be celebrated by Most Rev. Bishop Gerard Battersby. Everyone is welcomed to be part of this celebration. We congratulate Bob and Joe in advance and pray that they may continue to journey with the Lord and serve Him in His vineyard.

 

Today Is Mission Sunday

Last weekend we heard the gospel account of Jesus speaking the parable of the king who invited his guests to the banquet. “Go out, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.” That mandate parallels Jesus’ command to his disciples, “Go to the ends of the earth and preach the gospel message to all peoples.” Mark 16:15.

That is what the Lord is asking us today as we reach out to those servant-missionaries who are giving their lives for the spread of the gospel and the support of the “Young Churches” they have established. They have truly gone to the main roads of the world and have invited so many to the Lord’s banquet.

We observe the annual day of prayer and sacrifice for the missions today. We unite ourselves also with our fellow Christians all over the world who with us attempt to share our faith with others, especially those who have not yet heard the name of Jesus. Today offers us the opportunity to join our missionaries in the “holiest and greatest work of the Church.”

AOH 54th Annual Charity Ball

Kathy Weekly message

Every year the AOH Stephen Walsh Division holds a Charity Ball to Honor two Distinguished Hibernians. This year the two Distinguished Hibernians are our own parish members, Mike and Maureen Kelly.  What a great honor for the St. Valentine family. With the Charity Ball event the AOH also chooses a parish to donate the proceeds to and this year St. Valentine Catholic School and the Parish is going to be the beneficiaries. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to support AOH and show our appreciation for Mike and Maureen Kelly as they do a lot for our community. 

 

The 54th Annual Ancient Order of Hibernians Charity Ball, will be  on Saturday, October 14, 2017 at  George F. Monaghan K of C Hall, 19801 Farmington Road, Livonia, MI. $50.00 per person includes Dinner and Open Bar. Mass at 5:30 pm., Cocktails 6:30, Dinner 7:30, 8:30 pm., Hibernians of the Year Award followed by Dancing to The Classic Band.

 

Any parish member can participate by purchasing tickets to the event and/or buying patron sponsors for $5.00 (which amounts to your name or family names being listed on a single line as a patron) to a 1/4 page business card ad $40.00, half page ad $60.00 or a full page ad $100.00. St. Valentine get’s 100% of the revenue for the ads/patrons we generate for the Program Book.

 

 We require ads and patrons to be turned in by October 6, 2017.

 

For tickets and ad book sales contact Maureen Kelly (St. Valentine School Librarian) at 313.533.719 or mkelly@stvalentineschool.com. Thank you for your support. It would be like a parish event if many of us take part in it. Come let us join in and celebrate the achievements of Mike and Maureen.

 

In Gratitude

As we begin a new academic year, and here at St. Valentine as we begin to combine the Youth Group with Our Lady of Loretto, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Shannon Mcqueen and Pat Fox for coordinating together to help the young high school students for the past several years. They gave of their time and talent generously without getting any remuneration. They did this so that they could keep the youth connected to the church and help them deepen their faith. The group together did things for the community and took part every year in the Rainbow Conference hosted by the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) in the Archdiocese of Detroit. I am sure all those who have gone through youth group under the guidance of Shannon and Pat will have many cherished memories.

On behalf of Fr. Henry and St. Valentine Parish Community I would like to extend my thanks to Shannon and Pat. May you receive many blessings as a reward for all that you have done for the St. Valentine Parish Community.

God Bless you.

Fr. Socorro

 

Mass of Anointing—September 30th

Kathy Weekly message

During our regularly scheduled, 5:00 pm Mass on Saturday, September 30th, the parish will once again offer the “Sacrament of Anointing”, which is intended for, and should be considered by:

· Anyone who is seriously ill, whether at home, in hospitals or in nursing homes;

· Seriously sick children who are old enough to experience the sacramental benefits;

· Individuals about to undergo surgery due to a serious illness;

· The elderly, suffering the maladies of old age; and

· All individuals who are chronically ill or permanently disabled.

If you see yourself, or a family member, in any of the descriptions above, we encourage you to attend this Mass and receive the anointing  at Mass. All you need to do is:

Call the office at 313-532-4394 – To register your name no later than Wednesday, September 27th.

Remember, part of God’s plan for each of us is that we should fight strenuously against all sickness; and carefully seek His blessings for good health. This special Mass, along with the Sacrament of Anointing, provides an opportunity to do that.

St. Valentine Worship Commission

 

Meeting … Unleash the Gospel

Dear Friends,

I am calling a special meeting of all Commissions and Council members and all others who will be interested in learning more about Archbishop’s pastoral letter “Unleash the Gospel” which he issued on the Vigil of Pentecost, June 3, 2017. This meeting will be held on Monday, September 18 at 7.00 pm in the school meeting room, I would very much appreciate your attendance. 

In his pastoral letter, the Archbishop is leading the Archdiocese in becoming what Pope Francis has urged the Church to be: a band of joyful missionary disciples.  In doing so, he is following up on what we in the Church in Detroit heard the Holy Spirit say in Synod 16 (held last November). The letter outlines the rationale for this missionary direction, and identifies both the attitudes and actions needed for us to follow this prompting of the Holy Spirit. Our common understanding of the letter is crucial for the path we are called to follow. It signals a time of great blessing for the Church of Detroit.  

Deacon Ron (OLL) and Deacon Lawrence (St. Val) have prepared a presentation and will lead us in our review of the Archbishop’s letter. The meeting will last no more than 90 minutes, including time for Q&A and discussion.

If you wish to read the letter in advance of the meeting, it can be accessed at: http://www.unleashthegospel.org/.

Please make this meeting a priority. Thank you for your attention.

Blessings,

Fr. Socorro

Thank You for a Successful Parish Picnic

Kathy Parish Activities, Weekly message

It takes many hands to make any parish event an Enjoyable, Successful Event.

“I just want—to say—thank you” to all of the amazing people who helped out last Sunday for our Parish Picnic. As with every year, our picnic would not have come together the way it did without all the volunteers who helped on the day of, from the people who setup, cooked and served the food, conducted the games, the many who brought a dish to share, be it food or desserts, helped us take down and clean up — thank you. We are a wonderful Parish because of you. We hope everyone who came, had a great time. A special thank you to our Parish Council members for facilitating the whole event and to our Men’s Club members for supplying the hamburgers, brats, hotdogs, corn, and for being there to cook and feed the many. Thanks to our very own entertainer DJ Evie who volunteered to do music for the picnic and make it upbeat. Again, thank you to everyone who lent a hand and to all those who attended our parish picnic. Bravo! For a job
well done!

Blessings,
Fr. Socorro

Beatification Mass of Father Solanus Casey

If you have registered to take the bus to the Beatification Mass of Fr. Solanus Casey at Ford Field on November 18th, please send in your $15 per person to the Parish Office by September 17th.
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If you haven’t made a bus registration, there may still be spaces on the Our Lady of Loretto bus. Please call 313-534-9000 to secure your reservation.
You may also call our Parish Office at 313-532-4394 to be put on a waiting list for the bus.

Parish Picnic Next Sunday!  Mass at Noon in Church—Picnic in the School Gym!  Come one, Come all!!!

Kathy Upcoming Event, Weekly message

Everyone is invited to our Parish Picnic next Sunday, August 27th. We are grateful to our Men’s Club for providing the meat and corn on the cob. We would appreciate if you could bring a dish to share. There will be at least 100 people at the picnic, so please bring enough to feed approximately 15-20 people.

Those who bring a dish will automatically be entered into a raffle to win a nice prize!

 We changed things up a bit for those donating dishes.

· Last names A-G—Desserts or Fruits

· Last names H-O—Appetizers or Dips

· Last names P-Z—Salads—Greens, Pasta, Coleslaw, etc.

 

If you could drop off your dish at the food table prior to the noon Mass that will help our organizers get the food ready in a timely fashion. We will have a 50/50 raffle and games for the kids. We hope to see everyone! Any questions, feel free to see one of our Parish Council members.

 

Beatification Mass of Father Solanus Casey

Are you interested in going to the Beatification Mass of Fr. Solanus Casey at Ford Field on November 18th?  If so, we are sharing 100 tickets with Our Lady of Loretto Parish. We have chartered 2 buses to help with your transportation. The cost is $15 per person. This is a first come first served basis. You must call the parish office at 313-532-4394 to secure your reservation and your money must be paid by September 11th. If you have any questions, please call Bonnie at the Parish Office.

 

Parishioner, Albert Betzler, is a student at Sacred Heart major Seminary. His Professor Tamra Fromm, suggested he submit his reflections to our Sunday Bulletin. Below you will find the fifth in the series.

 Sense of Sin

My friend, Diana, is my theological arch-nemesis. I say that fondly as we have charitably debated each other for years. She calls me “Paladin” because I “drink the Catholic Kool-Aid”. I call her “Ranger,” after a morally ambiguous anime character that doesn’t believe in the existence of sin. Like Ranger, Diana believes that everyone should follow their own moral code. As she once told me (rather theatrically), “I’ve thrown off the yoke of the Catholic Church. No one tells me what to do anymore. I’m free!”

But that’s just it. She’s not free. Sin is an illusion of freedom, a great lie of slavery perpetuated by the greatest liar of all. Unfortunately, many people believe as Diana does. How, as Christians, do we convince them sin is real? I start by appealing to their reason, by making a connection between the physical and the spiritual, the tangible and the intangible. I begin with creation. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). Clearly God made a good and ordered world. This is evident in the physical laws that govern the universe. After all, everyone believes the earth revolves around the sun or in Newton’s Laws of Motion. They are physical, undeniable, and they affect us.

But man is not just a material being. He is also a spiritual one. Of all God’s creations, man is the only one who is a composite of body and soul made in in the image and likeness of God. We belong to both realms. I think it’s reasonable to say that if God gave us physical laws that affect our bodies, He would also give us moral laws to govern our souls.

For example, if I ignore the Laws of Gravity my body is going to regret it. If I commit adultery, I blacken my soul by breaking my friendship with God and by damaging my relationship with my wife, regardless of whether she’s aware of the affair or not. When committing a wrong, most people feel the sting of conscience. Why? Jeremiah 31:33 comes to mind: “I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts.” I think deep down people intrinsically know what they are doing is wrong but willfully choose to ignore it under the misconception that they are free to do as they please regardless of moral consequence. The more they engage in this behavior, the less their conscience stings them. Eventually it ceases to protest. Their vice has now become a habit and their perceived freedom is, in reality, slavery. Pornography is that way; even if you come to intellectually realize it is wrong, the sin is so powerful and has the will so enslaved, it takes God’s grace to break free.

In the same way my intellect uses fear to warn me away from the edge of a cliff because I might fall, I think our conscience serves as an early warning system, a whisper from God that we are about to violate one of His moral laws.

In other words, we are about to commit a sin. Otherwise, why would we feel that way?

My advice? Heed your conscience!

Mr. Albert Betzler