Why is the Fourth Sunday of Lent called Laetare Sunday?

•    The name comes from the first words of the Entrance Antiphon for Mass, “Laetare Jerusalem” — “Rejoice, O Jerusalem”.

•    The fourth Sunday marks the half-way point of the Lenten season, even though the Thursday before Laetare Sunday is the actual middle day of Lent. 

•     Signs of joy are allowed on this day, expressing our belief in the hope of the resurrection and to inspire us as we continue our Lenten commitments to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. 

•    Symbolizing joy, rose-colored Mass vestments may be worn instead of purple, to indicate the contrast between Laetare and the other Sundays of Lent. 

https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/general/laetare-sunday-fourth-sunday-lent

2/3 of the diocese’s operating budget is covered by DSA contributions. More than 100 programs and ministries receive vital support from your gift to this appeal. Among these programs are seminary formation, Catholic Charities, jail and prison ministry, the televised Outreach Mass and mailing you Faith Magazine each month without you having to pay for it.

QUEENS PLEDGE TOTALS AS OF 3/13/26:

2026 QMM DSA GOAL: $211,856

AMOUNT PLEDGED: $75,763 (36% OF GOAL)

REMAINING TO GOAL: $136,093

NUMBER OF DONORS: 118 (7% OF 1,600 FAMILIES)

AVERAGE GIFT: $642

We are past one third of the way to our goal with only 7% of our households participating! We can do it, and we will – Together!

DSA envelopes can be found in the church lobbies. One is also included in the DSA edition of Faith Magazine. A recurring gift option is available to make things simpler for those who are regular supporters of DSA. Checks should be made payable to ‘Queens/DSA’ and put in the offertory or dropped off/sent to the parish office. Please do not send them directly to the Diocese. Every gift is tax deductible.

333 Queens parishioners have taken the 10-15 minutes required to complete the Disciple Maker Index or DMI. That number represents about 25% of our weekly mass count.

The survey link remains open throughout all of March. The data is most useful when the same number of people complete it, so comparisons can be made with the information collected in 2020 and 2023. There were 716 responses in 2020 and 923 in 2023.

The DMI is a diocesan wide online survey that helps our leaders understand the needs, beliefs and practices of those who attend Mass and participate in parish life.  This information is helpful to our Bishop and his staff and also to us when we are determining priorities and programs and where we should devote our resources.  It doesn’t take long to complete and is very easy to do. The survey link is below. The QR code can be scanned in the bulletin. It can also be accessed on our website. Paper copies are available at the parish office.

Love something? Hate something? We don’t know unless you tell us!

I am in the confessional on Saturday afternoons from 3:30 until the start of the 5pm Mass. 

Please support the Knights of Columbus Friday Fish Dinners in the Queens School cafeteria.  Dine-in, drive thru and take out are available each Lenten Friday from 4:30 – 7:00pm, with the exception of Good Friday April 3^rd.  Each week, you are invited to come over to the Church after the fish fry to join us in praying the Stations of the Cross so together we can walk with Jesus on his lonesome road to Calvary. 

You can also pray the Stations of the Cross on Friday afternoons at 2:15pm with the students of Queens School on March 20.

Every other year spring break falls during Holy Week which makes it more challenging to recruit volunteers for set up, serving and clean up. This is one of those years. If you will be in town Easter weekend, please consider signing up to help.

Food Needed for Easter Dinner – Look for Food Tags at weekend masses beginning March 21&22

The Community-Wide Easter Dinner takes place in the Queens Social Center at 2 p.m. on Easter Sunday. Members of our parish community are being asked to support this function by supplying a salad, dessert, or canned vegetables. The food may be store-bought or home-made.  Please select a food tag from one of the display boards at each church entrance. The paper tags will be available at masses beginning March 21&22.  The tags will provide instructions and specify the type of food.

Important Note:  The dinner volunteers would greatly appreciate it if most food donations are dropped off on Holy Saturday.  If you supply canned goods, they must be delivered to the school cafeteria on Holy Saturday.  If necessary, food may be dropped off on Easter Sunday.  Specific delivery times on both days are outlined on the tags.

If you know of someone who will be spending Easter alone, please contact the Guest Director (517-474-9621.) to obtain an invitation for the dinner.

Invitation to Musicians: Individuals interested in contributing their musical talents to entertain dinner guests are encouraged to contact the Volunteer Director at 517-414-4438.

Thursday March 19th is the Solemnity of St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus and the universal patron of the Church. A solemnity is a very high ranking feast, so much so that you are allowed to indulge in whatever you gave up for Lent on that day (unless you gave up something that is sinful!). Saints Patrick and Joseph, pray for us.

Wednesday March 25th is also a solemnity! The Annunciation of the Lord, the 1st Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.

Palm Sunday Masses March 27-28 will occur at their regularly scheduled times. Weather permitting, we will gather on the Carlton porch and patio to bless the palms and process into the Church.

For all those traveling on Spring Break during Holy Week, travel is not a reasonable excuse for not following the rules for fasting on Good Friday (less food for those ages 14-59) and abstinence (no meat).

Since we reduced from 4 Sunday Masses to 3 in the summer of 2024, it became obvious we will not fit everyone who attends on Easter Sunday. Due to longer Masses and the need to reduce parking lot congestion, we are using an old schedule that we brought back to life last year and it seemed to work: 7am, 8:30am, 10:30am and 12:30pm. Do whatever you have to do to remember this and take note of it as NONE of the Easter Masses are occurring at their regularly scheduled time.

For those who placed orders, you can pick them up at the rectory garage after Masses next Sunday between 10and and noon.

At the Masses this weekend, Lumen Christi students will be collecting donations to help fund their upcoming spring break mission trip to Jamaica. This trip is always an eye-opener for participants, letting them see first hand the genuine struggle of people for whom every day is a battle for sustenance and dignity.

You can use the link below to donate. Click below, then click on ‘fund.’ After entering your contact information, you will see ‘gift type,’ scroll down and click ‘restricted’ and then you can enter ‘Jamaica’ and the amount you wish to give. On behalf of the student missionaries, their chaperones and the parishioners of St. Ann Parish, Jamaica, ‘THANK YOU!’

Scout Troop 424 will be having a fundraiser sale of garden mulch bags following all Masses (7:30AM, 9AM and 11AM) on Palm Sunday (March 27-28). Measure your garden and pick one of 5 colors!  They will be taking pre-orders at the parking lot entrance or you can order on line using the link below. Orders will be picked up Saturday 4/11 12-5PM at Middle School at Parkside.

The Scouts thank you for your continued support!  Even though they are not chartered at Queens anymore, they still help park cars at Christmas, pick up Christmas trees after the holidays, and several scouts are members of the parish.

I was at the prison with the deacons last Monday so I could hear inmate confessions in two separate units. It is a cause of joy to these forgotten men to know that God and His Church still have a care and concern for their spiritual wellbeing. They said while we were there that they had run out of bibles again and so we just ordered 200 more. Your support of this fund IS changing lives and saving souls, even the most forgotten ones!

“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