If you normally attend the Queens Saturday 8am Mass, please know that for tomorrow only its start time will be moved up by 15 minutes to 7:45am so I can make it downtown for a presentation by 8:30am.  Please contact people from other parishes who attend this Mass and let them know as they will likely not find out by another means.  I apologize for the inconvenience and thank those in attendance for making the accommodation.  

The Sign-Up Genius for volunteers for the Community Wide Christmas Dinner is looking pretty good but there are still some open slots that need filling.  

If you are alone for the holidays, have no one to celebrate with, nothing to celebrate with, perhaps you’re mourning the recent loss of a loved one, no one should spend Christmas alone.  Be our guest for a plated dinner served on fine china, a homecooked meal fit for a new born king!

CHRISTMAS EVE (TUESDAY DECEMBER 24)

NO 6:45AM MASS

CHURCH UNLOCKED AT 2PM (Note:  Boy Scouts on site for directing traffic.  We will be using ‘stadium parking’ to fit more cars on the lot)

CHILDREN’S MASS IN CHURCH 4PM (livestreamed)

OVERFLOW MASS IN GYM 4:15PM

MASS AT 6:30PM

CAROLS WITH ADULT CHOIR AND BELL CHOIR AT 11:30PM

CHRISTMAS DAY (WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 25)

MASS AT MIDNIGHT / 12:00AM (livestreamed)

MASST AT 9AM

MASS AT 11AM (livestreamed)

The parish office will be open Monday December 23rd from 8am – 4:30pm.  The office will be closed Tuesday the 24th, Wednesday the 25th and Thursday the 26th to allow our staff to celebrate with their families.  The office will be open for those wishing to drop off end-of-year contributions on Friday the 27th, in the morning only.

The following week, the parish office will be closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

There will be NO Open Doors Disciples Ministry for the weeks of Christmas and New Years.  We will observe the regular schedule of daily Masses, but then the church will be locked and those wishing to stay and pray will be asked to move down to the adoration chapel.   

Wednesday January 1^st is the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, a holy day of obligation.  All those expected to attend Mass on Sundays are expected to attend on holy days as well.  New Year’s Day is also the World Day of Prayer for Peace.  Queens will have three holy day Masses:  a 5:30pm Vigil Mass on New Year’s Eve Tuesday December 31^st and on Wednesday, January 1^st, New Year’s Day, holy day Masses are scheduled for 9 and 11am.  Regardless of what new year’s resolutions you’re making, make sure one of them is to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days and to invite your family and friends to do the same.

MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD is a feast day steeped in both history and controversy.  I will have much to say about why in the homily at Mass for the solemnity, but it all boils down to this:  If Mary is the mother of Jesus, and Jesus is God, then Mary is the Mother of God.  It does not make her a goddess, just the chosen one, conceived without sin by the grace of God to become the mother of His son and our savior, Jesus. 

Great 50/50 Raffle tickets make great stocking stuffers while supporting a great cause!  Tickets are on sale after all weekend Masses and at the parish and school office during the week.  Checks should be made payable to ‘Jackson Catholic Schools.’  Your $100 ticket enrolls you in 10 monthly drawings in 2025.  Two winners will be chosen each month.  In the recent past, each monthly winner has walked away with somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500!  The prize is determined by the number of tickets sold by January 31, 2025.   

10 weeks into the QMM/S3 campaign, we are at 86% of goal with pledges of $2,300,000 from 400 donors representing 26% of the parish family.  The average pledge so far is $5,750.  We have to raise another $365,000 to meet our parish S3 target of $2,650,000.  We have yet to hear from 1,150 Queens households.  Any amount raised over goal we get to keep 100%.   

‘THANK YOU’ TO THE 400 S3 DONORS!

If 26% of our parishioners can get us to 86% of our goal, then the other 74% of our parishioners should easily be able to make up the remaining 14%! 

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 

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

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Please make those joining us for Christmas Mass feel welcome here in hopes that they will return here more frequently!  

Fr. Tim MacDonald

Pastor

Queen of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church

606 S. Wisner St.  Jackson, Michigan 49203

(517) 783-2748  www.queenschurch.com