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 CONGRADUATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2022: This Sunday at the 10:30 Mass we honor The Class of 2022 and we congratulate those finishing high school, college and university. These high school graduates were starting first grade when I arrived at Queens in mid-2010 and I along with you have had the honor of watching them grow up. They have changed and so has the world around them but fortunately for us all, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Wherever life takes them, God will go with them. Whatever good they do in life, to God be the glory! Join me in praying for these graduates – whether they continue on in education, the military or ministry, in marriage and family life or whatever path they choose, we know they will be blessed all their days. Congratulations graduates! For those seniors attending Mass this weekend – please wear your cap and gown. Join us on the Carlton porch just before Mass to process in with the priest and deacon during the opening hymn. We will bless you and give you a gift before we send you downstairs after Mass for brunch with your family graciously provided by the St. Maria Goretti Circle of the Queens Ladies Guild.  FAITH FORMATION FUNFEST: Join us in the parking lot here at Queens this Sunday afternoon May 22nd from 11:45AM – 3:00PM for the end of the year Faith Formation Funfest! The Knights will be grilling the meats and we will have even more inflatables than last year, including a fun house, an obstacle course, a big slide, bounce house and an inflatable Twister game. This is free and open to children from the entire parish and their families. No need to RSVP. Just join us a lunch of grilled hot dogs and hamburgers and some free fun with fellow parishioners. Thank you to all our catechists and Faith Formation families under the leadership of Betsy Koval for another great year and thank you to the Ladies Guild and Knights of Columbus and our maintenance staff for helping with the Funfest and picnic!  TENTS NEEDED: For this Faith Formation picnic on Sunday we like to have free standing tents to put tables and chairs under to protect people from the elements. So far, we only have one. If you have one of these and would be willing to share it with us for Sunday only, I am asking for your help. You could let Betsy Koval know at bkoval@queenschurch.com or just show up with it and have it set up by 11:30 on Sunday over by the school.  PARKING THIS WEEKEND: To accommodate the inflatables and the Faith Formation Funfest, half the parking lot by the school will be closed on Sunday only. We will close off the half of the parking lot closest to the school. If you are fit and able, please be generous in allowing our elders to park closer to the church.  FLOWER AND PLANT PICK UP: If you ordered spring flowers or plants from the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Circle of the Ladies Guild, orders will be available for pickup outside the rectory and parish office after Sunday Masses this weekend. Please make sure you stop and pick yours up. I believe they will have a certain number of hanging baskets for sale.  A THANK YOU FROM BISHOP BOYEA: Bishop has taken notice of the generosity of the nearly 550 donors from Queens who have helped the parish to meet and surpass its goal for the 2022 Diocesan Services Appeal. He wanted to thank each of you, and so I share with you this recorded message where he expresses his gratitude: https://youtu.be/QblLkzBw8k8 The Diocese is now at over 90% of goal, having raised over $5,000,000 in support of 100 programs and ministries. I am still hoping to make our 40% participation target. 75 more gifts of any size can help us reach that milestone. If you are among the 1000 Queens families who have not made a gift to the 2022 Diocesan Services Appeal, here is your chance: https://dioceseoflansing.org/appeal The diocese now offers the Recurring Gift Option, where you can make your annual DSA support stretch for years to come and save yourself the hassle. We are now more than $30,000 over our goal of $196,774. Thanks to a generous diocesan rebate, half of that is coming back to Queens.  MEMORIAL DAY CEMETERY MASS AT ST. JOHN: There will be no Mass at Queens on Memorial Day, May 30th. I invite you to join me and the clergy of the Jackson Region at the Annual Memorial Day Mass at 9:00am at the St. John Cemetery. As the slogan says, ‘we don’t know them all, but we owe them all,’ and this is our chance to remember all the deceased servicemen and women who risked their lives in defense of our flag and our freedom. Please join us. In the event of rain, the Mass is moved to St. John’s Church.  PRECIOUS BLOOD RETURNING: I have been asked more than once in recent months when the Precious Blood would be distributed again at Mass. Churches across the diocese and elsewhere have already begun reintroducing the practice and I am willing to restart it here at Queens as well. We need more of our extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion to return to duty in order for us to do this consistently. Starting at the weekend Masses on June 4-5, the Precious Blood will return but only on a limited basis. I hope to make two cups available at all weekend Masses. Please keep in mind, receiving the blood was not an option for the laity until the late 1960’s and today it remains just that, an option. A full and worthy reception of Holy Communion occurs when you receive the consecrated host. No one is forced to drink from the cup and receive the Precious Blood. Those who choose to do so are accepting whatever risks may be involved. Here is an excerpt from a scientific journal showing the minimal risk of the shared Communion cup spreading infectious disease: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016344538896029X?via%3Dihub That article was written long before Covid-19, but it was at the height of the concerns surrounding the transmission of HIV/AIDS. I am sure someone opposed to the distribution of the Precious Blood can find something contrary to quote to me. That is why this is purely optional. For those who want to receive the Most Blessed Sacrament of the altar under both species, you may. For those who do not want to, you do not have to. If you are an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, please let scheduler Marcia White know if you are willing to distribute the Precious Blood at Mass. Once again this starts June 4-5. If we cannot find enough volunteers or no one chooses to receive from the chalice, we will hold off until another time.  FOOT GOLF FUN-RAISER: The Queen’s Guild St. Jude Circle invites adults 21 years and older to participate in their Foot Golf Fundraiser on June 17th at Sharp Park Golf Course. 50% Golf plus 50% Soccer equals 100% Fun! Please see details in the bulletin or website @queenschurch.com. Fr. Tim MacDonald Pastor |