Join us at the 8am Mass tomorrow, Saturday February 3rd, for the Annual Blessing of Throats.  

February 11th is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day of Prayer for the Sick.  These two events will not be observed because they fall on a Sunday.  I don’t want to miss an opportunity to provide prayers for healing of those in need of it, and so we will have a Mass for the Anointing of the Sick at 8am on Saturday February 10th.  Anyone seeking healing and health in their lives is welcome to seek this sacrament.  All I ask is that people sit every other pew from front to back, as I will pass through the pews during the Mass with the holy oils.  

Sunday February 11th is also World Marriage Day.  It too is being bumped by the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  However, I and the Parish Life Commission want to mark the occasion by honoring those married couples celebrating milestone anniversaries.  Since romance may be lacking this year as Valentine’s Day falls on Ash Wednesday, we are setting aside the 5pm Mass on Saturday February 17th to honor milestone marriage anniversary couples.

If you are celebrating a milestone anniversary this year, please contact the parish office by Friday February 9th to sign up for the Mass and dinner to follow in Vincentian Hall.  This event is free for those who are being honored.  

On Saturday February 10th, Queens will host a Called & Gifted Workshop.  The cost is $40 per person.  Those who enroll will be e-mailed a link to a spiritual gifts survey to be completed online before the event, and instructions on how to watch an online video about the Called & Gifted process before February 10th.  The day starts at 9:00am and includes lunch before parting ways at 3:30pm.  

“The Called & Gifted™ Discernment Process has been used since 1993 by over 200,000 lay, ordained, and religious Catholics and other Christians around the world. It is designed to help Christians discern the presence of charisms in their lives. Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to all Christians by the Holy Spirit to give them power both to represent Christ and to be a channel of God’s goodness for people. Whether extraordinary or ordinary, all charisms ought to be exercised in the service of God (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2003).  All three parts of the process are necessary for discovering where you are gifted” (source:  www.siena.org/called-gifted).

Use the link below to register before the end of the day on Wednesday February 7th:

On Ash Wednesday, February 14th, Queens will have Masses with ashes at 6:45am, a school Mass at 9am and the final Mass is at 5:30pm.  There will be NO 5pm holy hour on Ash Wednesday.  At 12:15pm there will be a brief service, not a Mass, with ashes only in the church.  Everyone abstains from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent.  Those of a certain age must also fast, which means reducing our intake of food.  Fasting and abstinence are not synonymous words to describe the same thing.  They are different. 

Here are the rules for fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday:

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics.  In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.  For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59.  When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards (source: www.usccb.org)

There is no medical excuse for people not being able to abstain from meat.  Those who must take food with medicine should do so.  Those who become ill or faint when fasting should be mindful of their condition when planning the menu for days of fasting. 

As for Lent itself, look for the following in the weeks ahead:

Stations of the Cross on Fridays

Knights of Columbus Lenten Fish Dinners

The 2024 Diocesan Services Appeal begins the Second Sunday of Lent, February 24-25.

We’re working on a plan for Wednesday Night Simple Suppers beginning February 21st.  

The Queens Lenten Penance Service will be at 7pm on Tuesday March 19th.  

For those looking to almsgiving as part of your Lenten observance in 2024, a great way to make a big impact is to become part of the Ladies Guild Blessings for Better Beginnings program where you can make donations that will help people through Birthline, the Lyle Torrant Center, The AWARE Shelter, St. Vincent de Paul and the Center for Women.  

See the ad in this week’s bulletin detailing how you can donate new clothing and hygiene items to benefit babies, children and adults all across our community.  Donations of cash and check are also welcome.  There will be bins at the church doors starting February 17th thru March 24th, all the Sundays of Lent.  You can start gathering your donations now!  On behalf of the Guild and those who will benefit from your generosity – Thank you!  

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching” (Heb 13:8-9).

Fr. Tim MacDonald

Pastor

Queen of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church

606 S. Wisner St.  Jackson, Michigan 49203

(517) 783-2748  www.queenschurch.com