Next week, on the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, we will celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God for the first time. Last year Pope Francis instituted the Sunday of Word of God, “so as to appreciate the inexhaustible riches contained in that constant dialogue between the Lord and his people” (Misericordi et Misera, 7).

  The Scriptures are treasures filled with countless riches! From Genesis to Revelation, God speaks to us in human language. By speaking to us, God reveals his part in this great love story: “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16). In the Archdiocese of Detroit, we hear a lot about the power of the Word of God. We speak of the Gospel as something to be unleashed. We recognize that the Word of God has the potential to change hearts. When we proclaim the Word to others, they encounter the power of the Word and the person of the Word: Jesus Christ. But have you personally spent enough time hearing what Jesus is saying to you through the Word? Pope Francis is asking everyone in the Church, every diocese, parish, family, and parishioner, to read and listen to the Word of God anew.

  In preparation for the celebration of the Sunday of the Word of God, consider your favorite Scripture passage.

· How has God used it to speak to you, change your heart, lead you, or bring you peace?

· Ask yourself how can I be open in these coming days to receive the gift of loving the Word of God more?

· How can I make my own these words from today’s psalm, “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8-9)?

Reverend Brian Meldrum

Gratitude

     The true meaning of Christmas is giving and sharing the love and reaching to those who have touched our lives. It’s a time to count our blessings and be grateful for them. My heart is filled with joy and happiness to appreciate all of you for sending me beautiful Christmas cards and wishes. In a special way, I would like to thank you for your generosity and kindness. you are greatly appreciated. It’s been my pleasure to be with you celebrating Christmas and New Year. Wish you God’s abundant blessings on your families.  

Fr. Kishore Babu Battu SAC

Some of you may be surprised that my vacation time has come up again so quickly. I had just returned back from vacation towards end of May 2019 with memories still fresh. This year I had to change my plans as my mother is going to celebrate her 85^th birthday on February 23^rd. It was in 2015 that I had gone to celebrate her 80^th birthday. Time does fly by. I’ll be leaving on January 20^th so that I can get the opportunity to attend the Feast of our Founder St. Vincent Pallotti on January 22^nd, and will be back on February 25^th, just in time for Ash Wednesday.

And so, while I am gone we will have changes in the daily Mass schedule beginning January 21^st up until February 25 a day before Ash Wednesday – Monday’s and Tuesday’s Mass at Our Lady of Loretto at 8.30 am. Thursday’s and Friday’s Mass at St. Valentine. Although Thursday’s Mass will be at 8.30am, while Friday’s School Mass will be at 8.15am. 

Please keep me and my family in your prayers and be assured of my prayers for you.

Christmas Collection:

 Before Christmas I always try to write a note reminding you to be generous towards the Church while making the Christmas offering. And I want to thank you for being so kind in listening to me. I know you always do. Our 2019 Christmas collection was totaled to $101,363.67. My sincere THANKS to each and everyone for your generous contributions, towards the Church especially during the season of giving, “Christmas.” St Paul tells us that “God loves a cheerful giver” (2Cor.9:7). May God Bless you and your generosity, and reward you a hundred fold.

52 Sundays – A Guide to Reclaim the Lord’s Day For Faith and Family.

“A new reflection guide created by the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Department of Evangelization, Catechesis and Schools seeks to offer families a way to spend the Lord’s day together in prayer by focusing on the Scriptures, family conversations and meals together. The program, called 52 Sundays, is available in book form English and Spanish or online at 52Sundays.com, to guide families through weekly exercises based on the Sunday Gospels. It also includes reflections on the saints, a specific prayer activity and a recipe for each week. Families can also follow along with each week’s lessons and activities on the Unleash the Gospel Facebook page.”

Just to give you a taste of the book or online – On 52 Sundays – Here’s a Family Prayer that is taken from the Book.

Gather your children’s baptismal candles and light them during the prayer. Place a small bowl of holy water on the table. Choose a leader for the prayer.

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Loving God, you created all the people of the world, and you know each of us by name. We thank you for the gift of baptism and for making us a part of your family. Bless us with your love and friendship that we may grow in wisdom, knowledge, and grace. Grant this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

 All: Our Father… Amen.

 Leader will then use the holy water to trace the sign of the cross on the forehead of each family member.

Dear parish members, wishing you every blessing this festive season! 

“A child is born for us; a Son is given to us” (Is 9:5). What Isaiah prophesied as he gazed into the future from afar, is now proclaimed to the shepherds as a present reality by the Angel: “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:11). The Lord is here. From this moment, God is truly “God with us”. No longer is he the distant God. He has entered the world. He is close to us… “For you the Savior is born”.

The celebration of the birth of Jesus is therefore a celebration of the infinite love of our heavenly Father and we need to thank God for that great gift given to each one of us so freely.  As we remember and celebrate this gift, we need to realize that only Christ can bring us the love, peace, joy and happiness which we all seek. We need to come to Him as often as we can and be filled with those graces and blessings, He longs to bestow on us. As I wish you happiness during this season, I pray that the gifts of love, joy and peace brought by Jesus may overflow into the New Year for each one of you.  

The Mother of Jesus is our mother, if we intercede to her she will definitely assist us on this journey of experiencing her Son’s blessings, and she will help us to bear witness in our world to His truth, His love and His peace.

On behalf of Fr. Kishore and our parish staff I pray that our loving Lord bless you and your loved ones with a joyful grace-filled Christmas. And may the gift of God’s love come alive in your heart in the New Year 2020 and bring you many occasions for rejoicing. Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and allowing Him to lead us, will definitely help us to have a new 2020 vision, a better vision.

A Merry and blessed Christmas!

Fr. Socorro Fernandes

 Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!

A warm welcome to all those who will be returning back to this parish even though you have not been here regularly – you have 2020 to look ahead and to make new decisions. All we can say is Welcome Home. If you are a member of this parish, I hope to see you taking a more active part in various ministries, in commissions and committees that we have. I am sure you will find something that will stir your interest if you are really looking forward to actively taking part. We remember those family members who are still far from home and unable to be with their loved ones.

We hold in our prayers those who may be sick, lonely or bereaved. May the Peace and Joy of God’s presence surround you and bless you with Grace. 

 From the Principal

Dear St. Valentine Parish,

The faculty, staff, and students of St. Valentine School wish you all the blessings of the season. Our school year theme is “Be Still and Know that I am God”. Our teachers and students are focusing on our relationship with our Lord and relationships with each other. During the Advent season our students from kindergarten through grade 8 all have had the opportunity to spend time growing closer to God during their daily reflections, during our weekly Advent wreath lighting prayer service, and during their mini- retreats. Our teachers do a wonderful job offering a prayerful and age appropriate retreat for each grade level. St. Valentine School has been working to prepare the path to our hearts for Jesus.

 In a favorite Christmas song “O Holy Night” there is a line that states “the thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices”.  We are indeed a weary world as we look around and see division among people, poverty, violence, and so much intolerance and hatred in our own country and around the world. It often seems that our world is again in darkness as it was at the time of Christ’s birth. St. Valentine Church and School communities shine forth as a beacon of Christ’s light for a “weary world”. I count myself very blessed to be a part of a community of faith that supports a Catholic School. Our children need faith and the values the Gospel teaches to be able to go out and continue to shine with Christ’s light. Thank you, St. Valentine parish, for your continuing support of our faith-based school.  Your prayers, support and generosity help us to carry out our mission of a school based on values that are rooted in Catholic teachings, academic excellence, love and respect for all, and allows us to provide a community of faith for our young learners making us a strong community in Christ. Thank you for being a part of our mission. Merry Christmas!

Mrs. Damuth