Vacation Time

Kathy Weekly message

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 85th birthday on February 23rd. It was in 2015 that I had gone to celebrate her 80th birthday. Time does fly by. I’ll be leaving on January 20th so that I can get the opportunity to attend the Feast of our Founder St. Vincent Pallotti on January 22nd, and will be back on February 25th, just in time for Ash Wednesday.

And so, while I am gone we will have changes in the daily Mass schedule beginning January 21st 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.

The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord

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Epiphany is normally celebrated on January 6th although it can be celebrated on the Sunday between January 2nd and 8th as is done in the United States and many other countries. It may also combine the celebration of all three epiphanies (“showing forth”) of Christ: His epiphany to the Magi at His birth; His epiphany to St. John at His baptism in the Jordan and; His epiphany to the disciples, and the opening of His public ministry by the miracle of Cana. However, the primary significance of this feast is the closing of the Christmas season with the celebration of the visit of the Magi to the manger (Matthew 2:1-12). The Messiah is thus shown to have come to all people, not just the Jews.

The three kings represent the three major races: Melchior, an old white man with a long white beard, bearing the gift of gold for Christ’s royalty; Caspar, young and of darker hue, carrying incenses for Christ’s divinity; and Balthasar, a black man, offering myrrh for Christ’s suffering and death. The names of the wise men are not given in the Bible, but were supplied by later story tellers to enrich the meaning and celebration of the Epiphany.

Blessing of Homes: A tradition associated with the Epiphany is the blessing of homes. Using chalk, a parent can mark the inside of the main door of the house with the initials of the Magi and a code of the current year connected with crosses: 20+C+M+B+20. The initials refer to two things. First, they refer to the names of the three kings, Casper, Melchior, and Balthasar. It also refers to the Latin phrase, “Christus mansionem benedicat,” meaning, “May God bless this house.”

 The point of this rite is to recognize the coming of Christ, to ask Him to fill your home with His grace, peace, and love, and to protect the people who live there from the attacks of the Ancient Enemy. In other words, as we celebrate the coming of the Lord into the world and His becoming known at Epiphany, in this blessing you are asking the Lord to come into your home and make Himself known to you. 

 The family can offer the following prayer: 

Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen

Blessings in this New Year,

Fr. Socorro

Invitation To A Festival of Lessons & Carols

 As a gift from your parish, you are invited to close out your Christmas season at a special evening service of readings, music, prayer, and reflections on Sunday, January 5th, at 7pm in the Church. There is no charge to attend; but free will offerings will be accepted. Hope to see you there. See the small fliers on tables in each vestibule.

– St. Valentine Worship Commission

Invitation To A Festival of Lessons & Carols

Kathy Prayer Opportunities

As a gift from your parish, you are invited to close out your Christmas season at a special evening service of readings, music, prayer, and reflections on Sunday, January 5th, at 7pm in the Church. There is no charge to attend; but free will offerings will be accepted. Hope to see you there. See the small fliers on tables in each vestibule.

 – St. Valentine Worship Commission