This weekend we celebrate the 2nd Glorious Mystery of the rosary, Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, the traditional 40th day of Easter.  After appearing to his disciples in various places, proving that he was indeed risen from the tomb, Jesus enjoyed a Heavenly Homecoming, returning to the Father’s House as a conquering hero.  Where he has gone, we one day hope to follow. 

Many recall Ascension Thursday as a Holy Day of Obligation and they wonder how and when it changed.  Read the article below to learn the story and history behind the change. 

Join us for the Queens Spring Cleanup tomorrow morning, Saturday, May 31, 9 a.m.  Meet at the parish office parking lot.  Lunch is provided in the school cafeteria.

Young and old alike are invited to join us for a Spring Cleanup around our campus.  Please bring your rakes, shovels, clippers and garden gloves.  If anyone has a hedge trimmer, that would be a big help!

Many hands make light work.  If your middle or high school student needs service hours, this is a great opportunity to get them in and help your parish.  In the event of rain, we will reschedule.  

Also, the Lost and Found will be cleared out and items will be placed on tables in the Elevator Entrance the weekend of June 7 & 8th.  If you think the following weekend would be better (because of your Anniversary celebration), that would work also.  We just need to clear that stuff out.

I hope you will celebrate with me as I am soon to mark 25 years as a priest of the Diocese of Lansing. I have spent 23 of those 25 years as a pastor, and 15 of those right here with you!  My family and my brother priests will be coming to town for some of the festivities marking this milestone.  Fr. Adam was ordained with me though one need only look at us to see we are not twins! 

There is the reception in the school gym on Sunday afternoon June 8^th and a special 6pm Mass on the actual anniversary date Tuesday June 10, followed by a party in Vincentian Hall.  I have now been a priest for half of my life and God has blessed me in so many ways, allowing me to share all life’s sorrows and joys with the sheep of His flock.  Join me and my family in giving thanks to God for His many graces and blessings.

DIOCESAN CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION:  The Diocese of Lansing is planning a diocesan-wide observance of Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus, on Saturday June 21^st with an outdoor Mass at 10:30am in Lansing’s Jackson Field where the Lugnuts play.  Following Mass, there will be a Eucharistic procession from the ballpark to the Cathedral, followed by food trucks and an outdoor party.  There will be limited seating on Lumen Christi buses for those who would rather ride than drive.  Queens will pay for the buses.  We ask you to tip your driver.

If you would like to reserve a spot on the bus, seats are first come, first serve.  Call the Queens Parish Office and leave your name and number.  The buses will depart the west lot of St. Johns Church at 8:30am.  You will be dropped off at the ballpark for Mass.  Pick up will be near the Cathedral at the end of the procession.   The procession is just over a half mile in length.  Keep that in mind if you have mobility issues.  Learn more about the Mass and Procession at www.eucharisticjourney.org. 

FORTY HOURS DEVOTION:  Every parish in the diocese is being asked to host a 40 Hours Devotion leading up to this diocesan wide Eucharistic Mass and procession.  Every parish in the Jackson Deanery will be participating in the days between Pentecost (Sunday June 8) and Corpus Christi (Sunday June 22).  Queens will go last, hosting our 40 Hours Wednesday evening June 18 through Friday noon June 20^th.  I believe the simplest and safest way for us to handle this is to have Open Doors Disciples adoring the Blessed Sacrament during the day in Church and in the evening and overnight hours the 40 Hours will continue in the chapel but I encourage anyone who is able to stop by and pray during this diocesan-wide Eucharistic Revival. 

40 Hours campaigns will be happening all across the Diocese during the same two-week period.  According to Craig Pohl, Diocesan Director of Evangelization, “each of the Diocese’s 10 deaneries will orchestrate a schedule aiming to cover every hour between Pentecost and Corpus Christi with Eucharistic adoration across their parishes.  Bishop Boyea envisions this as a powerful opportunity for intercession, not only for personal and communal conversion, but also for those who have drifted from the faith or have yet to encounter Christ in a life changing way.”  Mr. Pohl goes on to say, of the Mass and procession, “this is a chance to deepen Eucharistic devotion, intercede for others, be public witnesses to our faith, and ignite a renewed spirit of outreach.”

JACKSON CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION:  Whether you are able to participate in the Lansing Mass and procession or the 40 hours devotions moving from parish to parish, we do hope that you will participate in the Jackson Annual Regional Corpus Christi Procession at 2:30pm on Sunday June 22^nd.  We will be making our way from St. John Church to St. John School and ending at St. Joseph Oratory on Waterloo, stopping along the way to pray at elaborately decorated altars. A Lumen bus will take people from St. Joe back to their cars at St. John while the area K of C councils will provide hospitality during a ‘Block Party’ in the St. Joe parking lot when we arrive there and conclude our 1-mile procession.

Queens suspended our Saints and Scholars Campaign for the purposes of undertaking the 2025 DSA.  Though we have gone over goal for DSA, we have not yet reached our goal for the Stewardship for Saints and Scholars Capital Campaign for Catholic Education.  We are so close, with pledges of 2,573,377, meaning we are just $91,623 from our goal of $2,665,000. 

Though pledge commitments of a multi-year variety are still the best and most reliable way to fundraise toward large goals, now it is all about upping the participation rate to finish off the campaign and so far nearly 40% of our registered households have made their gift.  

The monies raised for saints and scholars will be spent on teachers, schools and tuition, not adding to the diocesan coffers.  The diocese is paying for the campaign but making nothing from it.  S3 establishes endowments to ensure that we hire, train and retrain well educated teachers who live their faith and spread it by word and example.  At the same time, S3 funds will provide bonuses to new families in our Catholic schools and vast increases in the amount of diocesan financial aid given to families who demonstrate need all across our K-12 system.  

If you haven’t already made a gift to saints and scholars, now is your chance. Maybe you have some leftovers from a tax refund or a distribution from a retirement account?  There are still S3 envelopes at the doors of church or you can use the link below.  If you made a gift but got a bigger anticipated tax refund this spring, you might choose to increase your existing pledge.  

“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