Archdiocese

Family of  Parishes

Kathy Archdiocese, From our Pastor

In the coming weeks I will share with you information on– Families of Parishes. Here are some frequently asked questions.

 What is a Family of Parishes?

Synod 16 called for a complete renewal of structures of our parishes to make them radically mission-oriented. Our goal is to make our parishes places where individuals and families can encounter Jesus anew, grow as disciples, and be equipped to be witnesses to the Risen Christ.

The current health and economic crises have accelerated the process of renewing the way our parishes are organized and structured. It is clear we need a new model for continuing on mission.

Over the next two years, all parishes of the Archdiocese of Detroit will join other parishes in new groupings called “Families of Parishes.” Families of Parishes are groups of parishes, generally three to six, sharing resources to advance the mission. This new model will allow the priests, deacons, and lay staff associated with each parish to better share their gifts and talents with the whole Family of Parishes.

While the move to Families of Parishes has been deemed necessary and appropriate by Archbishop Vigneron, the specifics about how best to achieve this directive have not been decided. A proposal has been drafted based on an initial assessment of our own circumstances, combined with what has been learned from other dioceses who have made similar structural changes. A phase of discernment and planning will take place from Pentecost through Advent of 2020, involving members of the presbyterate and laity committed to developing structures that serve our needs and advance our mission.

This is a significant change of the way our parishes are currently structured, but a necessary step in our missionary transformation. Just like the early Church and the missionary activity of the early apostles, the transition to this new structure will require docility to the Holy Spirit, a spirit of collaboration and innovation, and confidence in God who continues to lead us in our mission to unleash the Gospel in southeast Michigan.

 When will the Families of Parishes be announced? What is the timing for Families to be formally put in place?

The finalized list will be published in Advent of 2020. We anticipate a few changes to the groupings may be made after the list is published, as we begin the process and make any necessary adjustments.

We anticipate that there will be two waves of Families of Parishes. The first wave will begin preparation in January of 2021 and will launch in July of 2021. The second wave will begin preparation in January of 2022 and will launch in July of 2022. These waves will be announced at Advent of 2020. This timeline was designed to effectively address our needs while allowing for over a year of collaborative discernment before our first Families of Parishes officially come together.

More to follow in the coming weeks.

Right to Life Lifespan

Life Chain – Sunday, October 4, 2020

From 2:30 to 3:30 pm

This year members of our congregation will be joining thousands of other pro-life people who will line the sidewalks along routes in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties.

St. Valentine will be standing on Middlebelt Road North of 5 mile on the East side of the street.

We hope you can join us.

Rose  Pattenaude, Church Rep

 Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Loretto at 8:30 a.m.

The Parish Office will be open on Tuesday, September 8th at 8:30 a.m.

The Catholic Biblical School of Michigan

Bringing the Bible to LifeEver wonder about the Biblical roots of our faith? Or what the ancient wisdom of Scriptures has to say about living as a disciple in our world? Start a journey through the entire Bible, guided by expert live teachers with the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan’s new classes starting this September at St. Isidore in Macomb (Thu 7-9 pm), Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Beverly Hills (Tue 7-9 pm), Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak (Wed 1-3 pm) or and online (any day/time). Through donations, CBSM is accessible to all with 100% of requests for financial aid granted. Find out more with an on-site or virtual Open House Info Night or register for a class by Sept 14th. Visit cbsmich.org/join. Or, contact us at info@cbsmich.org or 586-438-3085.

 

Excerpts from the Archbishop’s and the Auxiliary Bishop’s letter to the Priests

Kathy Archdiocese, Faith Formation, From our Pastor

 “As you know our initial dispensation regarding Mass attendance is quickly coming to an end. In order to fashion a faith-filled response to the continuing crisis, cognizant of the legitimate concerns of the faithful to returning to a regular pattern of public worship, we would like to offer some general considerations as you teach about the centrality of the Church’s worship and our participation in it. We also want to communicate the importance of teaching about the need to keep holy the Lord’s Day.


“We have decided in the interest of the common good to extend the present dispensation for all through Christ the King Sunday. It seemed clear from the counsel received from our brothers that such a decision most aptly responded to the prevailing circumstances in our metropolitan area and in our parish communities. While this decision is a prudent and practical response to the present crisis, it is, nonetheless, a dramatic response and not lightly taken.”  

 “The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the very center of our identity as priests; we were made for the Eucharist. It is the identity of our people too, deputed for the task of sharing in the mission of evangelization; they find in the Eucharist the source of their zeal and strength (UTG, Marker 3.4). Helping our people keep this saving action as the engine of their missionary activity and at the forefront of their imagination is an absolute necessity and an incomparable gift that we can share especially at times such as these.”

 “While we are prevented from gathering in person in varying measures, we must encourage the importance of making a spiritual communion and do so without also implying that it is an adequate substitute for our participation in the Holy Sacrifice as a gathered community of believers.”

“Keeping holy the Lord’s Day, something enshrined in the Decalogue and as divine law not dispensable, is the foundation of hope upon which we as a people build our lives.  While our Sundays are different presently, it may be part of the Lord’s plan to use this pandemic as just one more way to draw us back to Himself and remind us of that perennial truth that without Him we can do nothing (cf. John 15:5). A holy people keeping a holy day is our goal, and in fact was at the heart of the directive regarding sports on Sundays. While every parish community is similar and every parish community unique, each of us must, with the assistance of our staff and advisors, offer ways in which our families, temporarily unable to come together, can continue none-the-less to carve out time for communion with the Lord particularly on the Lord’s Day. This includes scripture, prayers and meditation, and time for communion with each other. Thank you in advance, dear brothers, for your many efforts in assisting our people in walking the path of holiness, in being and becoming a eucharistic people, a people who keep the Lord’s Day perpetually alive in their hearts.”


“While this time is a time of testing, we pray that God uses this present crisis to whet our appetites for himself, for his eucharistic presence, so that we treasure anew our communion with one another, and once again make the foundation of our lives burn anew with eucharistic amazement.”

Fraternally in Christ,

Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron

Archbishop of Detroit

Most Reverend Arturo Cepeda

Most Reverend Gerard Battersby

Most Reverend Donald Hanchon

Most Reverend Robert Fisher

Fun Run Update

After careful consideration with our committee and Fr. Socorro we have made the decision to postpone our 15th Annual Fun Run Walk and Cookout.  We thank our numerous donators, volunteers, walkers, and runners who have registered and sent generous donations. In the next week your checks/cash will be mailed to you. Please know you are deeply appreciated.

This is not the end of our Fun Run! We have set a Spring date of April 18, 2021 with hopes the Coronavirus  won’t be compromising so many of our family and friends. 

Until then, stay safe and stay  healthy!

See you at the finish line in 2021!

Bonnie & John Danic

Patty & Jim Soter

 Faith Formation News

Dear Families,

In the next few weeks you will be receiving an email or phone call regarding your child’s attendance this year. It is our hope to have the children in the classroom for their religious studies. We will maintain all the safety regulations set up by the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Our tentative start date is scheduled for Monday, October 5th. Your child’s tuition will be waived this year. The only cost will be $15 per child for books. If this a strain on your family budget, please let me know. Every child is welcome.

Feel free to call the office at 313-532-4394 x201 with any questions you may have.

Bonnie Danic

Farewell Wishes to Fr. Kishore

Kathy Archdiocese, From our Pastor

 I want to thank Fr. Kishore for his assistance and for his ministry with us for the past two years. We were privileged to have him at least for two years.  His presence helped me in various ways, although being a pastor for two parishes I did not have to worry about too many things. He took care of most of the things including the Sacraments at St. Valentine. Being the Director of Religious Education program at St. Valentine he truly took his responsibilities seriously and did whatever was entrusted to his care. He met with parents whose children were preparing to receive the Sacraments, he met with children of those receiving Sacraments, and helped with the confessions at the School and the Religious Ed Students.

With his presence with us I could enjoy my vacation without worrying about both the parishes knowing for sure that things will be taken care of, and he did. He did so many baptisms, visited the sick, helped me with taking care of funerals, helped with the Sacrament of Penance and the list could go on. Knowing of the things that he has done here I am confident that he will be able to handle his big responsibility as Administrator of St. Michael the Archangel Parish and later on as its pastor. He is going to Monroe  with rich experiences of ministering in three different parishes. Let us assist him with our prayers.

On behalf of St. Valentine Parish I want to thank you Fr. Kishore for your presence amidst us and for all the help you gave me in my ministry.

I was blessed to have the assistance of both Fr. Henry and Fr. Kishore for 7 years. And now the real fun begins, if I think of all the things that I have to do by looking at the whole year it could be overwhelming so I will just take one day at a time and help minister to people of both the parishes as best as I can. I will need your help through prayers.

 CSA 2020: Theme: “Rise, Be Not Afraid”

 CSA SUNDAY AT PARISHES – the weekend of September 12/13 Weekend after Labor Day.

 This year the Archdiocese is going to handle all the mailings so you should  be receiving your CSA letters during the fourth week of August. The CSA goal has been reduced by 15% of its original goal, so the goal for St. Valentine is $39,100.00 

  With all that said what is also important is that you take care of yourself. So continue following the rules that we are all called to follow, social distancing, wearing masks, staying healthy. Let’s continue holding one another in our prayers.

Blessings on all,

Fr. Socorro

It is Hard to Say Good-bye

We really DO NOT want to see Father Kishore leave. And, we wish to let him know how much we care and will miss him! So, please join us on Sunday, July 26th after the 9:00 a.m. Mass in front of St. Valentine to say good-bye and enjoy a DONUT with him.       

Wanted: Football Heroes

St. Michael in Livonia is calling all 3rd  – 8th grade student athletes from surrounding parishes. To register for the Fall 2020 season follow this link:

https://church.livoniastmichael.org/apps/form/Sports-Registration-Fall2020

Registration is open from July 1 to July 31. We offer 3 football teams:

Freshman (Grades 3-4) Head Coach: Steve Goward

Junior Varsity (Grades 5-6) Head Coach: Brandon McCormick

Varsity (Grades 7-8) Head Coach: Mark Pelton

In order to proceed with having a team, a minimum roster size is required by  the July 31 deadline.

For questions, contact Bob Rowland, A.D. at 313-598-5350 or email

browland@stmichael.org