Week of March 24, 2024

1) Holy Week and Triduum Schedule

Below is our schedule of liturgies and Masses for Holy Week, the Triduum, and Easter Sunday. Our liturgies and Masses will also be live-streamed at livestream.stjoan.church.

Monday (March 25):

7:00 AM - Mass

7:00 PM - SERF Reconciliation Service with Individual Confession

Tuesday (March 26):

7:00 AM - Mass

1:00 - 2:00 PM - Confessions

Wednesday (March 27):

7:00 AM - Mass

4:30 - 6:00 PM - Confessions

6:00 PM - Mass

Thursday (March 28):

7:00 PM - Mass of the Lord's Supper

Good Friday (March 29):

12:00 PM - Stations of the Cross

12:30 PM - Divine Mercy Chaplet

1:00 PM - Liturgy of the Lord's Passion

Holy Saturday (March 30):

11:00 AM - Confessions

12:00 PM - Blessing of Food

8:00 PM - Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday (March 31):

6:00 AM - Mass

8:00 AM - Mass

10:00 AM - Mass

12:00 PM - Mass

2) Preparing for Holy Week

Preparing for Holy Week: Praying with Jesus Through the Agony in the Garden

The Ascension Lenten Companion: Year B

Welcome to Holy Week! This week, Fr. Mark Toups explains what the word “holy” really means, and how this can affect our understanding of Holy Week. This is not like any other week of the year: it’s set apart, different, and should be treated as such. How can we approach Holy Week in a way that will prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ on Easter? Fr. Toups shares some insight with us today.

3) Confession Opportunities During Holy Week

During Holy Week, we have scheduled the following confession opportunities:

Tuesday: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Wednesday: 4:30 PM - 5:50 PM

Saturday: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

The Sacrament is celebrated in the Sr. Carol Center; signs are posted in the Gathering Place with further directions.

We also have a communal penance service with individual confession on Monday, March 25, 2024, at 7 PM at SJA.

As we have mentioned at the weekend masses, don't worry if you've forgotten the prayers or how to go to confession because we will guide you through it. And, it doesn't matter how long it has been since you've last gone to confession. Just come and experience the Lord's awesome gift of mercy!

From Ascension Presents: Confession is a place of never-ending mercy and forgiveness, and is one of the most beautiful parts of our Catholic faith. But for many, it can also be a very daunting experience, especially if it’s been a long time since your last confession. Whether it’s the first time you’ve gone in a year, or it’s the first time you’ve gone in your life, God is ready and willing to forgive your sins. All we have to do is let him into our hearts.

In the following video, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains how to approach going to confession for the first time in a long time.

4) A Walk Through Holy Week

As we prepare for Holy Week, it's good to look at the various liturgies that mark this most significant week of the Church's liturgical year. In the following video, I walk through each of the Holy Week liturgies and offer a brief explanation of each of them.

5) Northeast Regional Eucharistic Congress - Saturday, April 6th

6) Pope Francis Appoints Bishop Battersby to lead the Diocese of La Crosse in Wisconsin

From Detroit Catholic: DETROIT — Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Gerard W. Battersby will become the 11th bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin, the Holy See announced early March 19.

Bishop Battersby, 63, will succeed Bishop William P. Callahan, OFM Conv., as the spiritual leader of the west-central Wisconsin diocese, which serves 135,000 Catholics in 19 counties in the Badger state with a total population of 875,000 people.

A native of Detroit, Bishop Battersby has served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit since 2017, and has been a key leader in the archdiocese’s missionary transformation since Synod 16.

He will be installed in the Diocese of La Crosse on Monday, May 20, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman.

“It is with joy that I received the news that the Holy Father had named me the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin,” Bishop Battersby said. “When I was baptized, ordained a priest, and consecrated a bishop, I received a call within a call, an invitation to follow. The Risen One has bid me to follow him to western Wisconsin, to the banks of the Mighty Mississippi. I leave with hope and anticipatory joy.”

A press conference took place Tuesday morning in La Crosse introducing Bishop Battersby to the Wisconsin faithful.

Since his episcopal ordination, Bishop Battersby has been at the forefront of the Archdiocese of Detroit’s efforts to implement Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron’s pastoral vision laid out in the archbishop’s pastoral letter, “Unleash the Gospel,” serving as chairman of the archdiocese’s Unleash the Gospel Pastoral Council in addition to his role as moderator of the archdiocese’s South and later Northwest region.

Archbishop Vigneron praised Bishop Battersby’s contributions to the Archdiocese of Detroit throughout his time as a priest and bishop, adding the Diocese of La Crosse will benefit from his leadership.

“The Archdiocese of Detroit has been blessed by the gift of Bishop Battersby’s ministry, nearly 26 years of dedicated service as priest, faculty member at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, and auxiliary bishop,” Archbishop Vigneron said. “Like a truly joyful, missionary disciple, Bishop Battersby has always faithfully answered the call to go forth in new ways to share the Good News of Christ. As his bishop and brother priest, I am particularly grateful for his contributions to the Archdiocese’s Synod 16 and for his support of its fruit, our mission to unleash the Gospel.

Click HERE to Read More ...

7) Ascension's Bible and Catechism App

8) Holy Hour on Thursdays

9) This Sunday's Readings: March 24, 2024 - Palm Sunday

10) Sunday Reflections by Jeff Cavins

In this week’s Encountering the Word video for Palm Sunday, Jeff Cavins shows us how Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem was the beginning of his entering into a new covenant with humanity.

The readings are:

First Reading: Mark 11:1-10 or John 12:12-16

At the Mass: Isaiah 50:4-7

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11

Verse Before the Gospel: Philippians 2:8-9

Gospel: Mark 14:1—15:47

11) Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon

Put Yourself in the Passion Narrative



Friends, we have the great privilege on Palm Sunday of reading from one of the Passion narratives, and this year, we read from the Gospel of Mark—the very first one written. But what I want to do today is something a little bit different: instead of putting the focus on Jesus, I want to focus on a series of people around him as they react in different ways to the events of the Passion, putting ourselves in the scene. Who do we identify with in this story as Jesus comes toward his death?

12) Grow+Go

13) Giving to SJA:

I'm truly grateful for all of your support of SJA. Your support means so much. The increase in electronic giving has been tremendous. Giving electronically, whether on a one-time or recurring basis is pretty simple. For more information on online giving, please click on the following button.

14) This Week's Edition of TALLER Tales

Palm Sunday Appearance: A mom and dad returned home from Church on Palm Sunday. Their little son, who was ill that day, stayed home with an older sibling. The little guy was intrigued by the palms his parents brought home. He decided to pepper his parents with questions about the palms and the Palm Sunday liturgy. They described how they started outside and then processed with the palms, almost like in a parade, to celebrate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. At one point in the dialogue the little guy said, “Wouldn’t you know it, the very day I stay home from Church, Jesus finally shows up.”

Holy Week: Today, we begin our solemn journey with the Lord. We have celebrated his entrance into Jerusalem, and now we journey with him to the cross and ultimately stand as witnesses to his glorious resurrection. These sacred days are filled with beautiful liturgies that have special meaning for us as Christians. I hope and pray that you and your family will make the time to attend as many of these liturgies as possible or even watch them online at livestream.stjoan.church, because we celebrate events that changed the world and events that changed your life and mine.

Many of us approach this sacred week with lots on our minds. We might be helping extended family members work through a tragedy, or maybe our family is dealing with a heavy cross right now. We continue to watch in absolute horror the senseless death and destruction occurring in Ukraine and the Holy Land. As you reflect on these situations in your own life and in what is taking place in our world, we need to place all of these concerns at the foot of the cross and know that just as God had a plan for Christ and asked him to embrace the cross for a reason, God likewise has a plan and a destiny for each of us. The sacred events of this week are certainly centered on the saving reality of the Cross of Christ, but it is also about the saving reality of the crosses that Christ asks us, in the name of the Father, to embrace for the world’s salvation.

The Paschal Triduum: What exactly does Triduum mean? Triduum comes from two Latin words (tres and dies), meaning a space of three days. We calculate these days in the same way the Jews count days and festivals, that is, from sundown to sundown. Thus, the Triduum consists of three twenty-four hour periods. The Triduum starts at sundown on Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and concludes with evening prayer at sundown on Easter Sunday.

“The liturgy we celebrate these days is far more than an objective recall of the events of first century Palestine, or even a prayerful recollection by means of which we understand and appreciate more fully what God has done for us. Despite the dramatic impact of these liturgies we do much more than dramatize what happened once in the history of salvation. More fundamentally, the liturgy these days is our present privileged experience of these same saving mysteries in Christ. Through these liturgies we are inserted into and are made sharers of the same saving deeds Christ accomplished for our salvation and sanctification. We do not observe again what Jesus accomplished; we share in the accomplishment of salvation. Through the symbols and gestures, scripture proclamation and prayers, we participate in the same redeeming actions which Christ underwent for our salvation. What Jesus accomplished through his death and resurrection is actualized and made real in the liturgy. Through the various celebrations over three days we are progressively and more intimately brought into the paschal mystery. What God accomplished in Christ continues to draw us into the love of God. This incorporation into Christ makes us the body of Christ on earth (Kevin W. Irwin, A Guide to the Eucharist and Hours: Easter, p. 14).”

The liturgies we are about to celebrate are sacred indeed. They are filled with much symbolism and ritual. In celebrating the memorial of the institution of the Eucharist and the command to be of service as ritualized in the washing of the feet at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, we enter more deeply into the paschal mystery. From hearing the proclamation of the Lord’s Passion to our veneration of the cross on Good Friday, we enter more deeply into the paschal mystery. From seeing the fire being blessed, hearing the proclamation of the Easter Exultet, to witnessing the baptism of those in the OCIA, the reception of those being brought into the Church, to our own renewal of baptismal promises where we reject Satan and profess our faith in Christ Jesus, we enter more deeply into the paschal mystery. But this entering into the paschal mystery is not just a once-a-year occurrence. We need to live the paschal mystery each day of our lives. We need to die to self by doing God’s will and serving others so we can rise to new life.  

Living the paschal mystery is about putting God and others ahead of ourselves. Living the paschal mystery is about keeping Christ as the center of our lives.  “As we live this Christian mystery we gradually grow in our awareness and experience of the reality that the only way to live as Jesus taught us is to die to self. Indeed, in the paschal mystery dying to self and rising to new life collapse into the same reality of surrendering ourselves to allow God to work in and through us. The paschal mystery is living the rhythm of dying and rising as a people who are on a mission – with Christ we bring salvation to those who hunger for justice and truth, forgiveness and reconciliation, mercy and peace. We are a people on a mission – and this is what these days are about (Joyce Ann Zimmerman, C.PP.S., et al., ed., Living Liturgy, p. 102).”

As you and your family make plans for Holy Week and Easter, please consider attending these sacred liturgies, especially those you have never experienced before. You should also consider inviting a family member, a friend, or someone who may not attend Church regularly to come along with you. The experience and prayer of the Holy Week liturgies may bring them closer to Christ and allow them to come to a deeper understanding of the saving reality and beauty of the cross of Christ.

Our Schedule for Holy Week is as follows:  

Holy Thursday: 7 p.m. – Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Good Friday: 12 p.m. – Stations of the Cross / Divine Mercy Chaplet; 1 p.m. – Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion

Holy Saturday: 11 a.m. – Confession; 12 p.m. – Blessing of Food; 8 p.m. – Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday Masses: 6 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 p.m.

Happy Holy Week! Know of my prayers!

In Christ,

15) Along the Way with Father Adam

Holy Week Prayers

This year, let’s make Holy Week a time to refocus our hearts on the Passion of Christ. Through daily prayers for each day of the Holy Week, let’s remember who we’re celebrating and the most wonderful gift we’ve ever been given. Whether you use these Holy Week prayers during your quiet personal time or share with friends and family, may these words help you see reflection, repentance, and renewal as we approach the Easter celebration. 

Palm Sunday: Prayer of Worship to Begin the Holy Week

Lord God, today we join the crowd of people mentioned in Matthew Chapter 21, who spread palm branches on the road shouting, “Hosanna in the highest!” As we remember Jesus’ riding into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey, we recognize the humility He displayed. Even though He was the King of Kings, He humbled himself as a gentle Savior. Help us to follow His example of humility and peace. To those around us, make us a light of Your love and a witness of Your Gospel. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Holy Monday: Prayer of Righteousness

Heavenly Father, today we pray for right thinking as we focus our hearts on the Passion of Christ. On this Holy Monday, help us remember how Jesus acted in righteous anger to clear the temple of moneychangers. His zeal for Your house drove Him to do the right thing that day, and we want that kind of zeal for Your ways. Lord, help us not grow complacent or compromise our faith but to grow more steadfast in Your truth. We look to Your Son as our ultimate example for faith and life, knowing our righteousness is found in Him. In His name, we pray, amen.

Holy Tuesday: Prayer of Love

Gracious God, as Jesus clearly shared in Matthew 22:37-40, the two greatest commandments are to love You with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love others as ourselves. Please remind us of these commandments today as a blueprint for our lives. Show us how every thought, belief, and action can align with these commandments, and help us test everything in the light of Your love. Thank You for Jesus’ willingness to follow You in perfect obedience - even obedience to the cross. We can never repay You for the amazing gift of salvation You provided, but we can live according to the greatest commandments. We offer this prayer of love today - first for You and then for others. In Jesus’ holy name, amen.

Spy Wednesday: Prayer of Giving

Lord Jesus, thank You for the example of the woman who poured out the jar of expensive perfume to prepare Your body for burial. You said she would be remembered from that day on, and we remember her lavish gift today. Please help us be generous in our offerings. Help us release our tight grip on earthly treasures and store up treasures in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy. Open our hands to the poor and open our doors to our neighbors. Most of all, open our hearts to You anew, filling us with a deeper understanding of who You are - the Savior of the world. In Your precious name, we pray, amen.

Maundy Thursday: Prayer of Communion

Lord, today we remember Your last meal - the Passover. As you gathered with Your disciples, You broke bread with them and instituted the Most Holy Eucharist. Help us set aside a quiet moment today to remember Your body and blood that was given for us. You died in our place, and Your blood was sacrificed for our atonement. Please help this sink deeply into our hearts as we recall the joy of our salvation. We cannot thank You enough for dying in our place and saving us from sin and death. We remember You today in a time of sweet communion. In Your name, always, amen.

Good Friday: Prayer of Remembrance

Holy God, we thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross during this solemn day of remembrance. The symbol of our faith in You is a precious symbol of redemption for all humankind. Oh, how we long for all to come to know You! We pray specifically for our loved ones who do not believe. Let this day be the day they come face-to-face with their need for a Savior. Let the magnitude of Your sacrifice touch their hearts and lead them to repentance. As we gather for our Good Friday services, deepen our faith and renew the joy of Your salvation once again. In the wonderful name of Jesus, amen.

Holy Saturday: Prayer in the Waiting

Lord Jesus, today we wait in quiet stillness for the glorious day when people all over the world celebrate Your resurrection. Let us never forget the victory You accomplished over sin and death! As we celebrate with our families, church congregations, and communities, remain at the center of our attention. Throughout this day of waiting and preparing, ready our hearts to worship You in Spirit and in Truth. Help us reflect on the ways in which we’ve grown stagnant in our faith and revive us again. Thank You for the cross, Lord. Thank You for the tomb. And thank You for rising again. You are our hope, our joy, and our salvation, the only risen Lord and King of Kings. In Your mighty name, we pray, amen.

A Prayer for Easter Sunday

Gracious God, as we celebrate the joyous resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ on this Easter Sunday, we offer our heartfelt gratitude for the gift of salvation and the promise of new life. May the triumphant victory of Christ over sin and death inspire us to live faithfully, spreading love, hope, and compassion to all we encounter. Renew our spirits, O Lord, and fill us with the light of your presence as we rejoice in the miracle of Easter. Amen.

Blessings!

Fr. Adam

anowak@sjascs.org

16) Ascension Presents: Father Mike Schmitz

A Simple Key to Extending Grace

Everyone bears burdens and faces unseen challenges. Leading a life filled with love is often the simplest path to personal growth.

In this discussion, Fr. Mike delves into extending grace to strangers. A small gesture of kindness, such as offering a smile or lending a helping hand, can cultivate a community of grace and love. He reminds us that everyone navigates life’s complexities differently. Fr. Mike emphasizes that acts of kindness and compassion pave the way for increased empathy and understanding, even towards those we have yet to encounter.

17) Words on the Word: March 24, 2024 - In His Name

We know very well that wherever two or three of us are gathered in Jesus’ name, he is there. But for a Palm Sunday thought exercise, let’s consider for a moment what happens when Jesus is not at the center of our gatherings; individual agendas almost always come into play.

Some might call it politics.

Consider the headlines a few weeks ago about the developments in a nearby suburb. According to two stories in The Detroit News, specifically, both the police chief and the city attorney in that suburb left their respective posts within the same week. The stories cited various disagreements and friction the officials had experienced with various other political leaders in the city.

Staying away from the political agendas of everyone involved, it’s safe to say that in none of the conversations or arguments was Jesus at the center. And, not surprisingly, things devolved.

None of this is to say, of course, that even among those who do gather in Jesus’ name, there aren’t sometimes disagreements. Or – the other side of the coin – sometimes when religious leaders come together, there can be consensus, but for the wrong reasons.

“The chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council,” we hear in today’s gospel passage from St. Mark. “They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.”

Regardless of the circumstances, the point of the thought exercise is to keep at the top of our mind the supremacy of Jesus’ name, and to keep him in the middle of everything we do.

“God … bestowed on him the name which is above every name,” we hear in today’s second reading to the Philippians, “that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Chris is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

© 2024 Words on the Word

18) This WEEK on FORMED:

19) 52 Stories: Good News from Spirit Juice Studios

Prepare to be Inspired

Spirit Juice Studios is blessed to work with countless Catholic organizations, dioceses, parishes, and schools. We get to help them tell their powerful stories about all the good stuff that is happening within the Church. Sign up for 52 Stories so we can share them with you! You’ll meet the unsung heroes of the Catholic Church, discover the stories of holy women and men around the world, and witness miraculous moments of God’s grace in everyday life.

In a world full of bad news, these stories will give you 52 reasons to believe that God is working through the Catholic faith to transform lives through His love and mercy. Sign up today!

St Joseph: Our Spiritual Father

This powerful documentary, consisting of six stories, explores St. Joseph’s life and lasting influence. Through beautiful reenactments of St. Joseph’s life, footage of various artwork, and interviews with scholars and authors, this film presents Joseph of Nazareth in a way that will have a lasting influence on those who wish to know better the man who was the guardian of the Son of God.

20) Hallow App:

21) SJA's Garden Angels are looking for Volunteers

22) Wind and Fire Series

23) Mass Intentions for the Week:

Monday, March 25, 2024, Monday of Holy Week (Purple) 

7:00 am, Lawrence VanOverbeke, 

Tuesday, March 26, 2024, Tuesday of Holy Week (Purple)

7:00 am, Maura Mallare

Wednesday, March 27, 2024, Wednesday of Holy Week (Purple)

7:00 am, James & Florence Gillette, Paul Lefevre

6:00 pm, Jose’ Silva

Thursday, March 28, 2024, Holy Thursday (White)

7:00 pm, Mass of the Lord’s Supper 

Friday, March 29, 2024, Friday of the Passion of the Lord (Red)

12:00 pm, Stations of the Cross

1:00 pm, Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, 

Saturday, March 30, 2024, Easter Vigil (White)

8:00 pm, Michael & James Forrester, George J. Bugarin, Charles & Margaret Forrester, David Curcuru, Charles McQuillan, Charles Semany and Special Intentions for the J. Champine Family, the Thomas Family, for Alison Reslow, Pam Haisenleder, Lorraine Jonas, and Linda Frank

Sunday, March 31, 2024, Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord (White)

6:00 am, Sally Cabot

8:00 am, For the Intentions for St. Joan of Arc Parishioners

10:00 am, Grace and Sam Valenti

12:00 pm, George & Sophie Rupinski, George J. Bugarin, the deceased & living members of the Rogier & Detloff Families, Dennis Venuto, Joesph & Angeline Calus, Anton & Francis Murawski, Gary Bezy, Virginia Prill, Marie Shaheen, Richard Fredette, the deceased members of the McQuillan, Zarenek, Walters & Gaidus Families, the deceased members of the Cardosi & Giusti Families, and Special Intentions for Sally McCarthy Alison Reslow, Pam Haisenleder, Lorraine Jonas, and Linda Frank.

24) This Week on St. Joan of Arc LIVE:

This week's LIVE Stream

Schedule at St. Joan of Arc:

Monday (March 25)

7:00 AM - Mass

7:00 PM - SERF Vicariate Penance Service

Tuesday (March 26):

7:00 AM - Mass

8:30 AM - School Mass

Wednesday (March 27):

7:00 AM - Mass

2:00 PM - School Stations of the Cross

6:00 PM - Mass

Holy Thursday (March 28):

7:00 PM - Mass of the Lord's Supper

Good Friday (March 29):

12:00 PM - Stations of the Cross and Divine Mercy Chaplet

1:00 PM - Liturgy of the Lord's Passion

Holy Saturday (March 30):

12:00 PM - Blessing of Food Baskets

8:00 PM - Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday (March 31):

6:00 AM - Mass

8:00 AM - Mass

10:00 AM - Mass

12:00 PM - Mass

Please note that all of our masses and events can be accessed through the ARCHIVE section of our Live stream page if you cannot watch it live!

We also have our own ROKU Channel. Search for "CATHOLIC" in the ROKU channel store, and you will find SJA's channel. A Fire TV Channel is also available.

25) SJA's Latest Parish Bulletin

Click on the image below

to download a copy of the bulletin

for March 24, 2024

26) Weekly Bulletin Mailing List

27) Detroit Catholic