Archdiocese of Detroit – Year of Mercy

Kathy Weekly message

Throughout the jubilee year, Holy Doors will be opened including the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit and the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak. Faithful who make a pilgrimage and pass through a holy door receive a plenary indulgence. 

The Holy Door – 
The Door of Mercy is open to the public on the first Friday of every month 9:00am – 2:00pm and every Sunday afternoon 1:00 – 3:00 pm. Groups of 15 + may make an appointment for other times on the Cathedral.


What has to be done to gain an indulgence when visiting the Holy Door?

 1.  In order to be capable of gaining an indulgence one must be baptized, not excommunicated, and in the state of grace at least at the completion of the prescribed works.

2.  To gain a plenary indulgence, in addition to excluding all attachment to sin,   even venial sin, it is necessary to fulfill the following three conditions:

A. Sacramental confession

B. Eucharistic Communion

C. Prayer for the intention of the Holy Father (one Our Father, one Hail Mary, or any other prayers)

A plenary indulgence can be acquired only once in the course of a day.

Doors leading to the Holy Door

   Some pilgrims to the Holy Door have requested the texts from the doors at the Cathedral leading to the Holy Door. These provide material for meditation during this Year of Mercy. They are attached at https://aod.app.box.com.

 From the Archdiocese of Detroit

 Paschal Candle: Thank You

 A sincere thanks to a parish member for writing a check of $350.00 to pay off the purchase of the Easter Candle. There were several others who came forward too, but we took the check that came first. I cannot thank you enough for being so willing and generous. For the other donors that were willing to give, as for now you, can hold on to your money, there will be many other opportunities in the future for certain things in the Church and we will surely bring it to your attention.

God Bless you all. 

Fr. Socorro

Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet

Kathy Weekly message

 In order to participate more fully in this Year of Mercy initiated by Pope Francis, a nine month novena will begin at Our Lady of Loretto on the first Tuesday of the month starting March 1, 2016 and ending on November 1, 2016.  The Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be recited at 3:00 p.m. in conjunction with Eucharistic Adoration that takes place at Our Lady of Loretto.

 Please use this opportunity to join your fellow parishioners in embracing the message of Divine Mercy and spending time before the Eucharist.

 The Chaplet of Divine Mercy was directed to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, by visions she received from Jesus Christ and recorded in her diary. The Divine Mercy chaplet is an intercessory prayer, and its intentions are threefold: to obtain mercy, to trust in Christ’s mercy and to show mercy to others.

 Paschal Candle Donation—A new initiative

 Preparations are now underway for the Paschal Triduum. The celebration of the Easter Vigil begins with the solemn lighting of the Paschal Candle, the symbol of Christ’s light in our world. This candle burns brightly during the Easter season and is used throughout the year for the sacrament of baptism and the celebration of funeral liturgies. This year, we are offering you the opportunity to donate funds toward the purchase of the Paschal candle. We have already chosen the Paschal Candle and the price is $350.00. Your donation will be a constant symbol of the light of Christ shining within the St. Valentine Parish community for the year to come. If you are interested please call the parish office and let us know. 

 

Lenten Prayer Service—March 9th at 6:30 pm

 A Lenten Penance Service will be held on Wednesday, March 9 at 6.30 pm at Our Lady of Loretto Church. You are invited to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation – a sign of God’s merciful and loving forgiveness.  Five priests will be available to hear confessions, including Fr. Henry and Fr. Socorro.  We encourage you to take this opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation in preparation for Easter.

The Elect, Candidates along with their Sponsors who took part in the Rite of Election

Kathy Parish Activities, Weekly message

RCIA candidatesThe Elect, Candidates along with their Sponsors who took part in the Rite of Election at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament  which was presided over by Bishop Arturo Cepeda

Elect: Christine Hainley-Peavley.

Candidates: Evan Peavley, Shawn Durrant, Barbara Lefevre, Susan Franz, Cassandra Barnes and Thomas Ryan Alexander.

Sponsors:  Joseph and Jennifer Hainley, Jim and Connie Moran, Lisa and Tom Alexander and Suzanne Mote.

 

 

Reintroducing the Sanctus Bells at Mass

 You are all familiar with Sanctus Bells. Though the bells are still heard in many parishes, many wonder about them. Some long to hear their joyful sounds; and some erroneously believe their use during the Mass is now prohibited.

 Since we are a people of senses, sounds are important in our worship, whether in the quiet of the moment, the singing of a congregation, or the sound of the organ. The sound of bells does add to the reverence and the solemnity of the Mass. Most importantly, they highlight in a sensible way the sacred action taking place on the altar. Therefore, we have a tradition that is not only practical but also beautiful.

 Sanctus bells have been rung as part of the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the mass for over 800 years. Most Sanctus bells are small handheld bells or assemblies of three or five bells that may be rung are directed in Chapter IV, paragraph 150 of the General Introduction of the Roman Missal:

 “A little before the consecration, when appropriate, a server rings the bell as a signal to the faithful. According to the local custom, the server also rings the bells as the priest shows the host and then the chalice.”

We have to also keep in mind that the rubrics leave to the discretion of the pastor whether bells should be used or not. Nevertheless, the use of bells at Mass is a longstanding tradition in the Catholic Church and no one should ever think that their use has been suppressed. Actually, the common practice in the basilicas of Rome is for the bell to be rung at each elevation and then in a prolonged way when the priest genuflects after the elevation of the chalice.

Although, at St. Valentine the practical use of the Sanctus Bells has been diminished over time, we are in the process to reintroduce the bells for the weekend masses, as it has been already reintroduced for weekday masses. It can still serve another purpose as an extra aid to call attention at the moment of the elevation especially for those who become out-of-focus and it is an effective catechetical tool for children and adults alike. Altar Servers have been recalled and trained on how to ring the bells during the elevation of the Host and Chalice. A long-standing custom should not just be swept away unless more is to be gained by dropping it than retaining it.

 As the 4th Sunday of Lent is called Laetare (Rejoice) Sunday, it’s a liturgically suitable day to reintroduce the bells at St. Valentine. Any quarries or concerns please don’t hesitate to write to me for further clarification at frhenry@stvalentineschool.com

Fr. Henry Rebello SAC