World Day for Consecrated Life Celebrated in Parishes February 3-4, 2018

Kathy Weekly message

   In 1997, Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2. This feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church.

 The Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations seeks to foster and encourage the various forms of consecrated life in the Church today. In Vita Consecrata, the 1996 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Saint John Paul II wrote of the different forms of consecrated life as “the many branches which sinks its roots into the Gospel and brings forth abundant fruit in every season of the Church’s life.” These diverse forms include: Monastic Life, the Orders of Virgins, Hermits, and Institutes completely devoted to contemplation, Apostolic Religious Life, Secular Institutes, Societies of Apostolic Life, and new or renewed forms of the consecrated life (cf. Vita Consecrata, 6-12). Each form is described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Taken from USCCB
 

Preparing for Lent

The 2018 Lenten season is fast approaching; and it’s time to prepare how we can make it more meaningful in our daily lives. The parish selected as our theme for this Lenten season the directive – “Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving”.

To help parishioners find some quiet time to spend in prayer, during Lent we will keep the inner doors of the church closed before the start of all weekend Masses; and we ask your support to please abstain from talking and visiting in the main section of church.

Continue to watch future issues of our parish bulletin, for information and ideas on ways to prepare yourself and your family for a more meaningful Lenten season.

– St Valentine Worship Commission

 

St. Valentine Parish Council Meeting Minutes – Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Kathy Parish Activities

Meeting was opened at 7:30 PM with a prayer from Fr. Henry

 

Old Business

· Fund Raising

· Discussion of Events

· Raffle (Action Item: Ron to explore possible arrangement with local dealerships)

· Horse Racing  (Action Item: Ron to discuss with Mike Kelly)

· St. Vincent De Paul Fundraiser will be held at AOH Hall on 13-Jan-2018.  Irish Night

 

Commission Reports

School Advisory: Rachel Damuth

· Father Socorro indicated that a Catholic School Advisory Board; will be formed

· Participants: Two people from School, Principal, two other people from parish

· Goal to develop a new strategic plan (last one was completed 5 years ago)

· Part of money from School Outreach Funds will be spent on new Window covers. Will assist in fuel cost and glare reduction in classrooms

· Vicariate News:  Closing of Ladywood High School (Current enrollment is 166 students; 33 in freshman class)

· Academic School Advisory is looking for new math assessments

· Worship Commission is working with school on three events

· Catholic Schools week (Last week in January) activities

· Retirement Home door decorating

· Parable projects – Dramatic parables

· Hymn Sing-along

· Mr. Cushman (Athletic Director) reports that there are 5 basketball team for 2017-2018 season

 

Christian Service: Rosemary Fox  (email)

· Giving tree was a big success; All tags were taken and returned (plus 25 more)

 

Pastoral Update: Fr. Henry

· We are in need of a volunteer to maintain the Notice Board in the vestibule of the church

 Worship: Mike Nowak

· The Prayers of the Faithful will continue to be read by the Deacon when he is present at Mass

 Vicariate:  Walt Bankowski

· Best practices will be shared by parishes starting in the March 2018 meeting

 Meeting was closed at 8:16 PM with a prayer from Fr. Henry

 Next Meeting is January 16, 2018—7:30 PM


Future City Wrap Up

We send our congratulations to the 8th grade class on their 2nd place finish at the 2018 Future City Competition—Michigan Region held January 22nd at the Suburban Collection in Novi.

Although they didn’t come in 1st they were a very strong 2nd and came home with a Special Award titled, Quality Improvement Award, sponsored by The American Society for Quality, Greater Detroit Section 1000.

Congratulations to the presenters, Ariyon Toney, Malena Smith and Edward Austin on their fine presentation and to their teacher, Mrs. Meghan Ciechanowski, mentors Mr. Dan Brooks and Mr. John Danic. Well done! Your school and parish are proud of all of you.

Ordinary Time

Kathy Weekly message

 Today with the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time we begin a stretch of Ordinary Time Sundays that will last till the 6th Sunday. The liturgical color is green, the color of hope and life. We start with John’s account of the call of the disciples. Having just celebrated a season marking the coming of the Lord, we now begin to see the adult Jesus at work. Having recalled our own baptism with the commemoration of the Baptism of the Lord last Monday, this weekend would be a good time to reflect on how we too have been called by the Lord in our baptism. We are called to be Christ’s instruments, witnesses to the world, a holy and consecrated people. We have received the power to do this by the Holy Spirit who has come to us. So let us be faithful to our calling. In answer to the Lord’s call, we respond, “Here I am Lord; I come to do your will.”

 

Vacation Time:

As Fr. Henry made the announcement that he is leaving for a vacation on January 14 and be back on February 13. We will have a change in the weekday Mass schedule: Monday’s and Tuesday’s 8.30 am Mass will be at Our Lady of Loretto, Thursday’s and Friday’s 8.30 am Mass at St. Valentine. We will continue to celebrate Mass in the Chapel when we do not have the School Mass.

 

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. This year our Christmas collection was totaled to $83,832.00. 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 your generosity, and reward you a hundred fold.

Blessings,
Fr. Socorro


Stewardship Thoughts

Today’s Scripture readings from the Book of Samuel and St. John’s Gospel share a common theme of accepting our Lord’s will by answering His call. Our vocation is His plan for our lives. St. Paul, in his First Letter to the Corinthians, proclaims we are all members of the Body of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit, that you are not your own. Through the Holy Spirit, we obtain special charisms — unique gifts with which we serve the Lord and carry out His divine plan. Prayer, meditation, and contemplation lead to conversion of mind and heart, and help Christian stewards discern their vocational call from the Lord. This call may be to the priesthood or religious life, marriage, or single life. Are we, like Eli, Samuel, John, Peter, and Andrew, open to the Lord’s call in our lives? If you believe God is calling you to the priesthood, the Office of Priestly Vocations, (313) 237-5875 or detroitpriest.com, can assist you with discernment. Women interested in religious life may contact the Office of Consecrated Life at (313) 596-7143. Men seeking information about the permanent diaconate should also call that office, but at (313) 596-7142.