Now in their 26^th year, the Queens Community Dinners are the hidden gems in our parish’s crown.  These dinners bring together the old and the young, the well-to-do and the poor, people from different churches and faiths, all for a great cause. 

This is a ‘Faith Forward’ event, allowing those who volunteer to feed the hungry while building up God’s Kingdom.  You can now use the Sign Up Genius Link to take a shift or two.  Help is needed before, during and after the event.  If you aren’t available on Easter Sunday, you could help set up before it or clean up the day after.

We are looking for dedicated adorers to sign up for a weekly holy hour with our Eucharistic Lord:

Sunday 2pm

Friday 10pm

Due to Spring Break in many school districts including the Jackson Catholic Schools, the Middle School and High School Youth Groups will NOT be meeting this weekend but will be back in business next Sunday.

Parents, if you have a child in middle school or high school who is not participating in the Jackson Youth Group, please encourage them to head over to St. Joe’s on Waterloo on a Sunday afternoon or evening and check it out! 

Here is the Lenten Regional Penance Service Schedule:

FATIMA:               Thurs April 3, 7pm

ST. RITA:              Mon April 7, 7pm

QUEENS:             Wed April 9, 7pm

ST. JOHN:            Thurs April 10, 7pm

ST. MARY:            Sat April 12, 10am

Confessions are available every Saturday morning at St Mary from 10 – 11am and every Saturday afternoon at Queens from 3:30 – 4:30pm.  Or by appointment. 

Join us for Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 7pm.  All are welcome to pray the stations with the school children at 2:15pm on April 4 and 11. For those looking to do something extra this Lent, you might consider spending more time praying in church or the chapel or perhaps attend a daily Mass during the week in addition to Sunday.

Wednesday Night Soup Suppers in the school cafeteria continue on March 26 and April 2. 

March 26:  The conclave and how a pope is chosen (Beach Bar Tomato Soup)

April 2:  My memories of being in Rome for the 2005 conclave (Gnocchi Soup)

THE 2025 DIOCESAN SERVICES APPEAL continues.

Here is a DSA pledge total update as of March 22nd:

Pledged:  $128,000 (58% of goal)

Donors:  281 (18% of parishioners)

Average gift:  $490

Amount left to goal:  $92,000

The giving pace has slowed significantly in the last week and we have a long way to go before we meet our goal of $220,214.  I am kindly asking anyone who gave to last year’s DSA that has yet to make their gift this year to please do so soon so we can finish this off.  Anything we raise over goal is split 50/50 between the parish and the diocese.

DSA accounts for 2/3 of the diocesan operating budget and funds 100 programs and ministries that are vital to the ongoing work of the church across the Diocese.  Queens’ goal is $220,214 to help the Diocese reach its goal of $5,750,000.  Anything we raise over goal is split 50/50 with the Diocese. 

DSA helps Catholic Charities achieve its mission to life up the least among us.  It pays for the care of our future priests and senior priests, prison and jail ministry, outreach to the elderly and the homebound, pro life, marriage and family ministry, and so much more.  

There may be some confusion as people are making payments to the DSA and the Saints and Scholars Campaign at the same time.  DSA checks are payable to Queens and should be put in the offertory or sent to the office.  For payment of campaign pledges, checks should be made payable to Saints and Scholars and sent to the Catholic Foundation using the address on the pledge reminder billing statement. 

May our Lenten Pilgrimage lead us through the sufferings of Calvary to the glories of Easter and the promises of Heaven and Happiness. 

“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