It remains to be seen how big a snow storm we will face tomorrow, Friday January 12th.  The forecast seems to be less threatening than it was earlier in the week.  But as we all know, never tell Mother Nature how it’s going to go.

The parish office will be open.  There will be daily Mass at 9am and a funeral at 11 o’clock.  As far as can be determined, the children will be in school.

The snow will intensify midday and into the evening.  Out of an abundance of caution, we will be closing the adoration chapel at noon tomorrow and it will reopen at noon on Saturday the 13th.  Many of our adorers are older and it is less safe for them to be on the roads or walking from their car into and out of the chapel.  Closing the chapel prevents us from having to fight a losing battle to keep the drives and walks clear of snow and it gives our plows an empty lot to work with when they clear everything away in the early hours of Saturday.    

You have until the end of the day tomorrow, Friday January 12th, to get registered for this event.  There are currently 150 people expected to attend but we have room for more.  

This is open to people from every parish in the Jackson Deanery.  Teachers, catechists, aides and staff of Jackson Catholic Schools and parishes attend for free as our guest.  Everyone else is welcome.  Contact Betsy, bkoval@queenschurch.com or call the parish office at 517.783.2748 to RSVP.  

The evening starts with Mass at 6pm in the Church.  The dinner and talk will happen in the Queens School gym, NOT Vincentian Hall.  Dinner is provided by William Harvey who helped to cater the Rescue Project. 

I especially hope those that all those who work for our Catholic parishes and schools will attend.  If you are not already signed up, use the link here to do so:

Chef William could use 8 people who are not attending the Sheri Wohlfert talk who would be willing to help serve the meal, much as we did during the Rescue Project.  As usual, the servers are welcome to stay and eat for free once everyone else has been served. 

Please use this Sign Up Genius link if you are willing to help.  Volunteers please report to the school cafeteria by 5:30pm this Tuesday the 16th for further instruction.  

After a mild start, it is definitely starting to feel like winter.  That means it is time for the Queens Social Justice Commission’s Annual Warming Project.  Next weekend, January 20-21, you are encouraged to bring new and gently used winter weather apparel with you to Mass.  This will be used to help the needy of Jackson keep warm this winter. 

Our next charitable collection will be Super Bowl Sunday, February 11th, with the Souper Bowl of Caring.  Plan ahead when you do your shopping and start stocking up on canned soup to feed Jackson’s hungry.   

On Saturday February 10th, Queens will host a Called & Gifted Workshop.  The cost is $40 per person.  It would be more expensive but the parish is subsidizing a third of the cost of each registration.  Those who enroll will be e-mailed a spiritual gifts survey to complete before the event, and there is also a video you will watch online beforehand.  The day starts at 9:00am and includes lunch before parting ways at 3:30pm.  

God has called each of us by name and He has blessed all of us with gifts that are unique to us.  If we don’t discern what those gifts are, we may have trouble fulfilling God’s will in our lives.  The gifts God has given us are meant to be shared and to help us be of service to others.  Some of us may not be doing much because we don’t know precisely what it is God has equipped us to do.

“The Called & Gifted™ Discernment Process has been used since 1993 by over 200,000 lay, ordained, and religious Catholics and other Christians around the world. It is designed to help Christians discern the presence of charisms in their lives. Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to all Christians by the Holy Spirit to give them power both to represent Christ and to be a channel of God’s goodness for people. Whether extraordinary or ordinary, all charisms ought to be exercised in the service of God (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2003).  All three parts of the process are necessary for discovering where you are gifted” (source:  www.siena.org/called-gifted).

I hope we can fill this event.  I especially want those who participated in last fall’s Rescue Project to consider attending.  This date is coming up fast so please do not wait to register.  Use the link below:  

If you did not have a chance yet, please read this brief letter from Bishop Boyea about the importance of Christian stewardship.  This is to prepare the faithful of the diocese to participate in the upcoming Stewardship for Saints and Scholars Capital Campaign for the benefit of Catholic schools and faith formation all across the Diocese of Lansing.  

This campaign will be a $70,000,000 effort to keep Catholic schools accessible, affordable and ‘On Mission’ while improving faith formation programs and support for homeschool families – all the ways in which we raise future generations in the faith.   

Tickets will be on sale after all Masses this weekend for  The Great 50/50 Raffle to benefit Jackson Catholic Schools.  Cash, check, credit and debit card accepted.  Each ticket is $100 and enrolls you in 11 drawings in 2024.  There are two winners per month who each stand to walk away with more than $2,000!  Tickets will be available after all weekend Masses at Queens until the 1st drawing.  You can get them during the week from any local parish or Catholic school office. 

You can’t win if you don’t play!   

Please make sure you read my column in this week’s bulletin to find out about the Day of Legal Protection for Unborn Children on Monday January 22nd.  It is the anniversary of Roe v Wade, and a day of prayer and fasting to sacrifice in memory of the more than 60,000,000 babies aborted in America since 1973.  Jesus, protect and save the unborn. 

“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