24 Hours with the Lord: One of the initiatives that Pope Francis requested for the Year of Mercy is “24 Hours with the Lord” the weekend of the fourth Sunday of Lent (March 4-5). This would include Eucharistic adoration and confessions. Our parish will be doing this. On Friday, March 4, we will expose the Blessed Sacrament after the 8 a.m. Mass. The Eucharist will be exposed until prior to the 8 a.m. Mass on Saturday morning, March 5. Fr. Gary and I will take turns being in the confessional for the 24 hours. As Pope Francis said, “When faced with the gravity of sin, God responds with the fullness of mercy. Mercy will always be greater than any sin, and no one can place limits on the love of God who is ready to forgive.” I hope you are able to take advantage of spending time with the Lord and receiving God’s mercy.
Rome Trip: I had a very enjoyable time in Rome as part of the Missionaries of Mercy program. For me, one of the highlights was going to confession and experiencingGod’s mercy in a profound way. The priest who I went to confession to was very kind and merciful. In his talk to the Missionaries of Mercy, Pope Francis really encouraged the priests to have a loving, fatherly heart – much like the father of the prodigal son – in the confessional. I am also reminded of the story of St. John Leopold. When his brother Franciscan priests chided him because he was so lenient in the confessional, he replied, “what can I say, I only learned how to do this from Jesus!”
FORMED: Due to an overwhelming response from our parishioners, our parish has subscribed to Formed.Org. This website will lead to a wide variety of Catholic movies, CDs, talks, etc. It’s an incredible way to learn more about our beautiful Catholic faith. Simply go to www.FORMED.org. Our parish code is 8T48MY and go from there.
Diocesan Services Appeal: This weekend will be a time to pledge for the Diocesan Services Appeal (DSA). Thank you in advance for your generosity. As I mentioned last weekend, among the recipients that the DSA helps is our seminarians and their education to become priests.
60th anniversary meeting: This Tuesday, Feb. 23, we are having a meeting to discuss plans to celebrate our school’s 60th anniversary on July 23-24. We look forward to seeing many of our alumni back at Holy Family Parish.
Religious Vocations: This Saturday evening, Feb. 27, Fr. Gary and I will be driving to Ann Arbor to hear confessions for about 130 young women who are discerning a religious vocation at the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist residence. It’s always encouraging to see young people discerning the call to religious life.
Retreat: As I write this column, I will soon enter my silent retreat for the week. Please be assured of my prayers for you. I look forward to seeing you again.
Msgr. Jerry
Saint quote of the week: “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16: 18-19
Jesus’s words to St. Peter. The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter is February 22