The English called the day before Ash Wednesday Shrove Tuesday. People were shriven (the old English term for celebrating the Sacrament of Penance) and then took on a particular penance they would perform all through Lent as a means of correcting their life.

The Spanish and Italians called it Carnival, which means farewell to meat because no meat was eaten throughout the 40 days of Lent. The French called it Mardi Gras, meaning Fat Tuesday, because people would eat rich food that used up all the lard or fat (a meat by-product).

But no matter what you called it, it meant time to party!

The party will take place on Saturday evening March 1. Come and defy the drabness of the winter! Come together; come alone; come and celebrate life!!

Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 1 !!

Fr. Dave Howell

The ashes of Lent come from the palms of last year. You may return your palms to the basket near the statue of St. Mary Magdalen in the gathering area.

Thank You

This section of the book of Isaiah contains the words of a prophet who preached to God’s people in exile in Babylon. The prophet proclaims that the exile is the result of the people’s sinfulness. But God announces through the prophet that he is forgiving their sins, and one day they will be free to return home to Jerusalem.

Today we begin a series of readings from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. In this letter, Paul defends himself against various charges made against him. The background of today’s defense has to do with Paul’s cancellation of a planned visit to Corinth. Some Christians there accused him of being insincere. He grounds his defense in God whose constancy is above reproach and who is the source of Paul’s own faithfulness.

"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?" The forgiveness of sins is one of the most outrageous things that Jesus did in His mortal life, and yet today it is the most widely ignored. Jesus offered a forgiveness that was free and clear with no further obligation. When have you been offered forgiveness that was undeserved or unexpected? Where in your life can you offer the same?

In today’s second reading, St. Paul urges the Corinthians to "do all for the glory of God." If we follow that advice, in everything we do we cannot help but be good stewards!

Sacrificial Giving Presently we have 930 families registered in the parish and 537 families have made their stewardship commitment. If you have not returned your commitment card, please pray about the sacrificial giving you will be making weekly/monthly and return the card either by mail or the collection basket on Sunday. Thank you.

The Finance Council

There’s Magic in the Air! Come join in the pre-Lenten celebration, Saturday, Mar 1 from 7— 10pm.

It will be an evening filled with food, music, dance, and surprises. So whip up your most delectable dessert and bring it to the party for all to share. Beverages, pizza and snacks will be provided. Costumes are optional. Family fun is guaranteed! Sign up sheets are in the gathering area. Sponsored by Community Life. If you have any questions, call Mike Christie (810) 229-7557.

Thanks also to the Family Program for making St. Valentine wreathes for the homebound of our parish and to all the RE classes that made valentines for Motts Children’s Hospital and for the Veterans. Thank you to all our youth for sharing your hearts with all of them!

Please remember to pray for the youth on their journey towards the sacraments for those of you who picked a name as your prayer partner!

Check your calendar: There will be no classes for Religious Ed/Formation Feb. 16 - 22 due to the mid-winter break. Classes will resume on Sunday, Feb. 23 for the Kindergarten and the 9^th grade classes. There will be classes on Feb. 26-27.

First Penance Parent/Child retreat on Saturday, March 8: parents are asked to register for this day by calling the office. It will be held in the Social Hall from 10 AM - 1:30 PM. Parent(s) are asked to attend with their child for this special day!

If participation is not possible for you at this time, please come in support and pray for our success at RENEW’S Hour of Prayer Service, this Monday evening Feb 17, at 7 PM.

Young adults (18-35) and high school youth, "Let the Light of Christ Burst Forth" in you at Faith Explosion -a state rally sponsored by all the dioceses of Michigan, Sat., April 26, at the Lansing Center. For more information, contact me in the parish office.

If you would like to join us for a week-long service experience, plan to attend the National Relief Network (NRN) meeting Thursday, February 20 at 7:30pm in the social hall. Even if you attended last year, plan to come.

We collected just over $2,000 doing our Souper Bowl collection. In response to the experience at the Hunger Awareness Retreat, the high school youth have donated money to the Livingston CO Food Pantry, adopted a child for a year in Honduras in a shelter called Osman Hope, gave money to both Habitat For Humanity and Catholic Relief Services! How proud I am of the teens who became one with the poor in hunger and then have chosen to directly help those in poverty both near and far!

M.U.D (6, 7 and 8 graders)

If you are interested in the Diocesan wide Middle school rally Saturday March 1, contact me in the parish office.

Please pray that the sick will respond to God’s healing will, especially:

M.O.M.S. (Ministry of Mothers Sharing)

Mothers of infants & small children are welcome to attend. All sessions are Wednesdays, 9:30—11:30 am. Childcare is provided for a small fee. Feb.19 - Hand Care Presentation. Mar.5- Apr.16 - A Mother’s Way of the Cross.

Custom made jewelry and accessories. Several people have asked me who will repair rosaries. Call Susan for inquiries and orders: 517-555-5123, or

e-mail: susan@bellabranello.com.

Visit her website at: bellabranello.com.

This is an interactive workshop guided by Sr. Maryetta Churches and Kathy Rakoczy RN. Come and learn the benefits of this therapeutic means to feed your spirit. You will have the opportunity to actually begin your "journey". Please call Sr. Maryetta Churches for more information. (810) 229-8624

For all "adult" Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Ministers of Hospitality and Music Ministers.

Yours is a share… Come, let us pray.

The second in a series of six workshops on environmental issues will be held at St. Mary Magdalen Sunday, Feb. 23 from 6-8pm. The featured speaker, Dave Dempsey serves as policy advisor to the Michigan Environmental Council, is author of "Ruin and Recovery", and has worked on state environmental issues since 1985. For more information, call 517-546-7053 or Deacon Dave.

E-MAIL ADDRESSES -- 20 percent of our email address records are obsolete !! If you have changed your E-Mail address PLEASE CONTACT DEACON DAVE deacon1@ismi.net SO WE CAN UPDATE OUR RECORDS. THANK YOU!

Stroke Screening with Blood Pressure Screening February 22/23 after all three Masses. Come and learn your risk for brain attack and ways to lower your risk for the third leading cause of death in America.

For Pain’s Sake — a support/ discussion group for folks dealing with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis on Friday, Mar 7 from 1-3 pm at St. Mary Magdalen. Come and join us for new ideas and encouragement. For more information call Mary Kay Foley (517) 545-9462.

Who Will Decide?? Advanced Directives/ Durable Power of Attorney and long-term care options: Sunday, March 2 from 7- 8:30pm at St. Mary Magdalen. If you become incapacitated or confronted with the need for mechanical life support what decisions do you want your family and physician to make for you? Conversely, what decisions do your loved ones want you to make for them? Fr. Dave, Dr. Mark Zawisa, Erin Mulvihill MSW and Janina Szajnecki RN will be our panelists for this workshop. Come and begin the process of Advanced Directives and Durable Power of Attorney. Sign up in the gathering area or just show up!

Extended Care Insurance-Everything You Want To Know — Tom Fieten, K of C insurance agent will present on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 2pm in the Rectory Lower Level (informational session only). Please join us to explore this fairly new avenue of health care insurance. Sign up in the gathering area or just show up! For more information please call (810) 220-8304. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

Wellness Ministry Team

ATTENTION: ALL AREA SCOUTS will be honored at the 9 am Mass at St. Mary Magdalen on Sunday, March 2nd. All boys and girls who are Scouts are invited to attend with their families. Please arrive 20 minutes before Mass begins and report to the gathering area wearing your uniform and being proud to be a Scout! All scouts will take part in the entrance processional and then will sit with their families.

An Auction-Dinner fundraising event will be held on Sat, Mar 1. The monies raised will be applied to the school’s general fund as well as to the Rick Dible Memorial Scholarship. There will be a silent auction, live auction, a fabulous dinner and dancing. The Auction committee is seeking donations in support of this major event. Contact us as soon as possible if you are interested in attending or making a donation. St. Mary’s School: 734-878-5616

Registration will be in the spring. Join us at our open house on April 6! For more information, please call (734) 878-5616 or visit the website: faithscape.org and click on the link to St. Mary’s Catholic School.

All are invited to begin the 33 day preparation as found in "True Devotion", on Feb 21. Pope John Paul says this consecration changed his life and he renews it each year. A Mass will be celebrated Tues. March 25, 12 pm at St Mary’s Cathedral in Lansing. Fr. Arockiyasamy Santhiyagu will preside. For more info. Call Barb Yaich 517-719-6754 or email at byaich@chartermi.net.

A series of 5 preparation classes presented by Brent Heyer will take at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Howell beginning Thurs. Feb. 20, and will run for 5 consecutive Thurs. on a drop-in basis from 7 —8pm in the Emmaus room. If you cannot make the classes, you can still participate in a Consecration Mass on Sat. Mar. 29 at 8am at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Please call Debbie at 517-552-1339 for more information.

There is a nationwide ministry available to traveling Catholics providing free information on the location of the nearest church and times of Masses on weekends and holy days. This service is available to all parishes by calling 1-800-627-7846.

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK

Eileen Denhard

Associate broker

The first Victorious Missionaries Caregiver Retreat for 2003 will be February 22 at St. Casimir Parish, Lansing. Caregiver Retreats are for family and friends of persons with developmental disabilities, and take place from 2-5pm ending with Mass at the hosting Parish. The theme for the retreat is Call — Listen: Speak Lord, your Servant is Listening. Retreat masters are Serapio Hernandez and David Martinez. Contact Joann Davis or Sr. Marlene Taylor, 517-342-2500.

Couple’s Prayer Church of the Holy Spirit in Highland invites you to attend, a six week series that starts March 7. This program is designed for both engaged and married couples. Those who have experienced it feel that it has truly enhanced both their relationship with God and each other. For more information, call (734)414-1235. Please register before February 20.

A support group for divorced and separated meets every 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of the month at 7:30pm at St. Thomas Parish Center in Ann Arbor. Topics of discussion: the five stages of grieving, helping children cope, legal issues, and spirituality. Call Virginia Mikola (734) 994-9194 for more information.

The Ministry for the Separated and Divorced in the Brighton area offers a support group and other activities. Contact Mary Jo Germaine at (810) 229-0040 or email her at mischiefmj@yahoo.com

Worldwide Marriage Encounter: Reserve a weekend for just the two of you. The next weekend is June 27-29. For more information or to schedule a weekend call Jerry & Gail Allen (888) 628-7433