This weekend we begin a new liturgical year and the Season of Advent, a time to prepare for the two comings of Christ: celebrating his birth in Bethlehem, and anticipating his return in glory as our King at the end of time.  

The Adult Choir invites you to Lessons and Carols at 3pm on Sunday December 15th in the Church.  With scripture, music and prayer, they will help all of us to enter more deeply into the hope and expectation Advent calls forth.  Lessons and Carols is free and open to the public and it will be followed by a reception in Vincentian Hall hosted by the Ladies Guild.

Later that same evening, at 6pm on the 15th of December, you are welcome to the Pious Union of St. Joseph on Old U.S. Hwy 12 in Grass Lake for their annual presentation of the Living Nativity.  This is a free outdoor event, dress for the weather and bring a blanket and lawn chair.  Some bleacher seating is available.   

The Jackson Deanery Regional Advent Penance Services will soon begin:

St. Catherine: Monday December 9, 6:30pm

Fatima: Thursday December 12, 7pm

St. Mary:  Saturday December 14, 10am

St. Rita:  Monday December 16, 7pm

Queens:  Wednesday December 18, 7pm

St. John:  Thursday December 19, 7pm

Normally, we supply you with free copies of The Magnificat Advent Companion to help you through this season with brief daily devotionals for use by you and your family.  Unfortunately, they were sold out and unable to fill our order.  Not to be deterred, we are going paperless and providing you access to several Advent apps that you can access on all your devices:  

The Divine Mercy Chapel and nearby bathrooms will have new window frames installed later this week.  The chapel will be closed on Wednesday December 4th from 10am – 6pm and Thursday December 5th from 7am – 5pm.  

Next week is Toys for Tots.  Please bring your new and unwrapped gifts for the deserving children of Jackson to Mass.  We will bring them up during the offertory. 

There will hand crafted gifts made of olive wood from the Holy Land available for purchase in Vincentian Hall after all the Masses next weekend.  The Parish Life Commission will have a cookie reception on Saturday night and coffee and donuts after all Sunday Masses in hopes that you will come and browse the collection. 

8 weeks into the S3 campaign, Queens is at 78% of goal, having passed the $2,000,000 mark in pledges from 347 donors representing 22% of the parish family.  

THANK YOU TO THE S3 GIVERS!   Thanks also to Ted Lefere for speaking about his passionate support for Catholic schools and this campaign at all the Masses last weekend.    

The campaign funds raised at all 72 parishes of our diocese will go to increase financial aid and scholarships for families using our Catholic schools and giving raises and retention bonuses to Catholic school teachers.  The Diocese is paying for the S3 campaign but makes no profit from it.  Most of the money raised will go into endowments to raise funds for the causes mentioned above.  Each of the 4 diocesan high schools will receive $2,000,000 in direct support, including Lumen Christi. 20% of S3 raised at the parish stays at each parish to use as they see fit.  Each parish will keep all of the amount raised over 100% of goal.  

If the sticker shock of the Bishop’s request in your campaign packet causes heartburn and headaches, make the gift that feels right for you and your family, and your concern that affordable, accessible and exceptional Catholic education remains available for future generations of our children.

You can make your S3commitment however you like:  how much to pledge, when to start giving, how often you will be billed, how to pay, etc.  The power is in your hands.  Place pledge card envelopes in the offertory collection at Mass or drop them off at the parish office.  Checks should be made payable to ‘Stewardship for Saints and Scholars.’ 

The link below will take you to the Saints and Scholars website where you can set up your gift or pledge commitment:

CAMPAIGN PRAYER

Lord, everything we have is a gift from you. 
You call us to receive your gifts with thanks,  
to develop these gifts fully, 
and to share them generously.
Through the Stewardship for Saints and Scholars campaign
help every young person in the Diocese of Lansing
see your truth, beauty, and goodness;
help families to raise their children in the Faith;
and help parishes make a truly Catholic education
available to all.
May the work of this campaign bear abundant fruit
in the Saints and Scholars you are raising up for the future.
We ask these blessings through Christ our Lord.
Amen.   

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us 

Congratulations to Coach Brogan and the Varsity Titans of Lumen Christi for yesterday’s State Championship Victory at Ford Field in Detroit!  Both Lumen and Lansing Catholic had great seasons.  Like Bishop Boyea, I am very happy that two of our diocesan high schools were able to compete at this level.

“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