The day’s theme comes from the entrance antiphon reflecting on Isaiah 66:10-11: “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exalt and be satisfied at her consoling breast.”

Laetare is the first word — meaning “rejoice” — in the Latin text. On Laetare Sunday (as similarly with the Third Sunday of Advent’s Gaudete Sunday) the Church expresses hope and joy in the midst of our Lenten fasts and penances. Call it pink — or, more fittingly, rose — this change in color indicates a glimpse of the joy that awaits us at Easter, just before we enter into the somber days of Passiontide.

                  -Michael R. Heinlein is editor of Simply Catholic

                  https://www.simplycatholic.com/laetare-sunday/

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 8

Pledges:  $28,725.62 (13% of Goal:  $220,214)

Distance to Goal:  $191,488.38 

Number of donors:  68 (4% parish participation)

We are behind last year’s pace in donors and total gifts pledged.  Hopefully, we will pick up steam as the DSA campaign progresses.  In this season of almsgiving, don’t forget the Diocesan Services Appeal when planning your charitable giving.  

The Easter dinner is only three away!  We need to recruit volunteers for the days before, during and after the dinner to help with set up, serving and clean up.

Considering that Holy Week falls during Spring Break and some of our regular helpers may not have returned from their travels in time, it is of vital importance that we find those who will be in town on Easter to fill the gap.  

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.   

Join us for the remaining Friday Lenten Fish Dinners in the Queens School Gym:  3/8, 3/15, 3/22.  The Knights offer dine-in, drive thru and takeout options.  Please note: the fish dinners begin at 4:30pm and end at 7:00pm. 

The Simple Suppers are Wednesday evenings after the 6pm Mass in the Queens School Social Center/Cafeteria  and they run through March 20^th: 

3/13 Gnocchi Soup

Eucharistic Miracles

3/20 Beach Bar Tomato Soup

Saints and the Eucharist

Saturday March 9, 10am – St. Mary Star of the Sea

Tuesday March 12, 7pm – St. Rita, Clarklake

Thursday March 14, 7pm – Our Lady of Fatima – Michigan Center

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

Dr. Mary Healy from the Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit will give two talks at Queens in the Church beginning at 2pm on Sunday March 17^th. This is free and open to the public with a free will offering and a reception to follow.  Mary Healy is the author of several books and a highly sought after speaker.  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.

An early Lent means an early Easter.  Holy Week is less than a month away.  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.

Set those clocks ahead before you go to bed Saturday night!  Or you’ll be late for Church on Sunday!  Can’t have that.  

“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