The DSA allows us to work together to build the Kingdom of God by building up the Church on earth.  I included the link below to the Bishop’s message for those who missed it or who would like to take another look at it.  

The Bishop and I invite you to make a pledge or one-time gift to support the 2024 Diocesan Services Appeal and help to fund 100 vital programs and ministries.  You will be supporting the televised Outreach Mass, the care of our senior priests and training of future pastors, the many programs of Catholic Charities, the marriage Tribunal and so much more.  

The Diocese seeks to raise $5,750,000.  Queens goal is $220,214.  While it’s always important to meet the goal, it’s even more important to bring more people onto the team that gets us across the finish line.  I will be looking for all the donors to DSA 2023 to come back and I hope that those who can’t remember the last time you made a DSA pledge to please join us this year.  And if you’ve never supported DSA ever, put a twenty in the envelopes at the doors of church and throw it in the collection.

This is the Queens DSA Report as of March 15

Pledges:  $90,722 (41% of Goal:  $220,214)

Distance to Goal:  $129,492 

Number of donors:  195 (12% parish participation)

That was a big jump from last week, with over $60,000 in new pledges and another 130 donors making their DSA gift commitment!  In this season of almsgiving, don’t forget the Diocesan Services Appeal when planning your charitable giving.  

The Easter dinner is two weeks away!  We need to recruit volunteers for the days before, during and after the dinner to help with set up, serving and clean up.  The biggest need right now is on Easter Sunday afternoon.  

If you can be of assistance in the days leading up to Easter Sunday, or helping throughout Easter day, Sunday March 31st, please use the link below to access the Sign Up Genius and take a shift or two.   

ONLY TWO TO GO!  This week and next are your last chances during Lent 2024 to join us for the Knights of Columbus Friday Fish Dinners in the Queens School Gym.  The Knights offer dine-in, drive thru and takeout options.  Please note: the fish dinners begin at 4:30pm and end at 7:00pm. 

Time is running out  . . .

Monday March 18, 6:30pm – St. Catherine Laboure – Concord

Tuesday March 19, 7pm – Queen of the Miraculous Medal

Thursday March 21, 7pm – St. John the Evangelist***

***THE THURSDAY MARCH 21 ST. JOHN PENANCE SERVICE WILL BE MOVED TO ST. JOSEPH ORATORY, 705 N. WATERLOO ST.  

DR. MARY HEALY teaches Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.  She is a bestselling author has given lectures all over the world. Dr. Healy is a general editor of the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture and author of two of its volumes, The Gospel of Mark and Hebrews. Her other books include The Spiritual Gifts Handbook and Healing. Dr. Healy serves the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian unity as a member of the Pentecostal-Catholic International Dialogue. She is one of the first three women ever to serve on the Pontifical Biblical Commission, and is a consultor to the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.  Dr. Healy has degrees from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, the Catholic University of America, Franciscan University of Steubenville and Notre Dame. 

Join us here at Queens this Sunday, March 17^th, St. Patrick’s Day, when Dr. Mary Healy will give two talks beginning at 2pm. This is free and open to the public with a free will offering and a reception to follow. Talk 1: For Such a Time as This: Christian Witness in a Post-Christian World.  Talk 2:  Lost and Found: what the Gospel of Luke reveals about the heart of the Father.  Dr. Healy will have her books for sale and there will be a book signing during the reception.

On Palm Sunday (March 23-24) and Easter Sunday (March 31st) we have changed the Mass schedule to help with crowds and parking, and taking longer Masses into account.  

PALM SUNDAY WEEKEND

Saturday March 23:  5pm Mass

Sunday March 24:  8am, 10am and 12pm

EASTER WEEKEND

Saturday March 30:  NO 3:30 Confessions. NO 5pm Mass.  Join us for the Vigil at 9pm

Sunday March 31st:  8am 10am and 12pm

Please consider taking part in the entire Sacred Triduum – it is one Mass that begins on Holy Thursday night and ends with the conclusion of the Easter Vigil.  It’s like a three act play where the drama of the passion and resurrection plays out before our very eyes.  On Good Friday we will take up a collection for the Church in the Holy Land, ravaged by months of violence between the Israelis and Hamas.  Following the Good Friday service we begin Day 1 of the Divine Mercy Novena.  The remaining days are prayed at home.

To help all of us enter into the spirit of this holiest week of the year and to give us a better idea of the suffering Jesus endured at the crucifixion, the traveling Shroud of Turin Exhibit sponsored by the Knights of Columbus will be on display in Vincentian Hall on Palm Sunday weekend, March 22-23rd.  There will be a presentation in the hall about the shroud after each of the Masses, describing its rich history and authenticity.

“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