Respect Life Sunday: As we mentioned last weekend, the 40 Days for Life began on September 28 and will last until November 6. The forty days for life is a nationwide effort to end abortions in our country. These forty days are highlighted by prayer and fasting, community outreach, and peaceful vigils at abortion clinics. For our parish we are taking part in prayer at the abortion clinic outside of Flushing on October 29, anytime from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Why is this so important? As Saint Mother Teresa said, “Any country that kills its unborn through abortion will not survive.” She also said that if “people kill our unborn they will kill anyone.” Certainly there is so much violence in our country and hopefully the end of abortions will play a big part in that reversal.
Witness to Hope Campaign: Thank you for your support and generosity thus far for the Witness to Hope Campaign. As was mentioned last weekend, more information on the campaign and pledge cards will be available next weekend, October 8 – 9.
Blessings of Animals: Saint Francis’ Feast Day is on October 4, but this Sunday, October 2, at 1:30 p.m. Fr. Gary will be in the parking lot to bless your animals. All are encouraged to bring their pets, either on leashes or in cages. The blessing of animals celebrates Saint Francis, the patron of all creation. He taught that living a life of peace includes living in harmony with all God’s creatures and giving thanks for animals, especially our domestic pets.
Priest Convocation: This week Fr. Gary and I will be at our Diocese of Lansing priest convocation from Monday, October 3 – Thursday, October 6 in Bay City. Therefore there will be no daily Mass on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. We will have Mass at 8 a.m. on Monday, October 3, and at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 6. Sorry about any inconvenience this may cause you. What happens at the priest convocation? We have conferences and talks, but the best part is seeing the brother priests who we don’t get to see very often.
Homecoming: Because of Grand Blanc’s homecoming on Friday, October 7, our offices will close at noon. Holy Family Parish will be in the parade as well. I am looking forward to going to the game too.
Victory: This Friday, October 7, is the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, formerly known as the Feast of Our Lady of Victory. This is the anniversary of the decisive victory of the combined Christian fleet in 1571 at the Battle of Lepanto, defeating an Ottoman fleet off western Greece when the Christian fleet was greatly outmanned. The pope of that time encouraged all Christians to pray the rosary. This was a huge victory. If this hadn’t happened, it’s very likely that Europe would not have been a Christian culture the past 500 years. The rosary is the greatest protection we have in our world.
Be assured of my prayers and love. Have a blessed week knowing of God’s Presence with you.
Msgr. Jerry
Saint quote of the week: “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” – St. Francis of Assisi