The FEAST of ST. MARY MAGDALEN Last year the bishop gave us permission to transfer the Feast of the Magdalen from July 22 to the closest weekend. So on Thursday, we did not join the rest of the Church in commemorating the Magdalen during the morning Liturgy, but our main celebration of the feast is being observed this weekend.
Making our celebration memorable is the arrival of our statue of the Magdalen! It was commissioned a year ago after the money for the work was donated. The Construction Task Group interviewed a couple of artists and chose Michael Kapetan from Ann Arbor to do the work.
On Easter Sunday morning, Mary Magdalen encountered the risen Lord near the tomb (John 20:1 ff). Christ, the risen One, sent her to tell His disciples the good news. This commission led the early fathers of the Church to call her "the apostle to the apostles". The statue will depict the Magdalen just as she turns to rush off to share the good news.
The statue is carved from wood and stands five feet high. The pedestal is an additional three feet. Placed just behind the dedication stone, the inscription on the stone serves as the title of the statue: "Witnessing to the Resurrection".
Coupled with the shrine of the Crucifixion at the entrance of the property, the two shrines remind us of the most important appearances of our patron in the Gospel. All four Gospels tell us that Mary Magdalen was there at the foot of the cross and that she was the first to bring the good news of the resurrection to the apostles. THE PROGRESSIVE BLESSING By Sunday evening, 18 more homes in the parish will have been blessed. These occurred during the two "progressive house blessings" that were celebrated this week.
It actually began in January when a couple of families in the same neighborhood asked to have their homes blessed. As the number of participants grew, it created a new ritual. This progressive blessing began at the first home with prayer and Scripture. Then after the blessing, we went from house to house and repeated the blessing. At the last house, we had the final prayers and a potluck dinner.
It was a wonderful way to invite the Lord into the home and to bring
together friends and neighbors in prayer and companionship. I am sure the two this week will be as enjoyable as the first. I would encourage any other "neighborhoods" who would like to have a similar event to talk to each other and then give me a call to set the date.
Fr. Dave Howell
If you would like to have a Liturgy celebrated for a special intention, arrangements can be made by calling Kay at the office. A contribution is usually made to pay for the cost of the bread and wine and all the other items that are needed for the celebration of the Liturgy.
On Wednesday, July 28, we will celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick during the 7pm Liturgy. All who have serious or chronic illness are especially invited.
Please pray that the sick will respond to God's healing will, especially: Miriam Marker, Matt Even, Eileen Auld, Keith Kovach, Ellen Colombo, Ken Colombo, Emerson Brown, John Fay, Adeline Smith, Richard Waldeck, Larry Cecil, Anna Cecil, Catherine Howard, Dottie King, Nola Mitchell, Catherine Schumont, Ken Carson, Emily Cooper, Shirley Brake, Keith Dunn, Karen (Pat Spindler's daughter), Laurie Deirlein, Ron Schaar, Marilyn (Steve Crowell's mother), Jeannette Wood, Jane, Merle, Ed, Zora Kolef, Keith Freel, Tom Cavanaugh, Timothy Richards, Mary Kay Davis, Edith Reagan, Joseph Pasienza and Donovan.
SENIOR SUMMER SCRIPTURE DAYS will be presented three times this year:
August 10-12 and 24-26 at St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt;
August 17-19 at Weber Center, Adrian.
Scriptural presentations will be combined with liturgies, creative
activities, prayer, recreation and
fun. Contact Catholic Charities (517) 342-2458 for brochures and
registration information.
Scholarships are available.
The "float" committee has begun planning our entry for the "Festival of Lights" parade in Howell this November. They are looking for carpenters, seamstresses and willing laborers to bring their vision into reality. If you are interested in getting involved, please give Laurie Cooper (248-328-0038) or Barb Colley (810-227-7108) a call.
Marriage Encounter Weekend - Jerry and I went on a Marriage Encounter Weekend shortly after he became Catholic in 1987. As the weekend progressed, it became increasingly important to both of us, giving us an opportunity to explore and discuss various aspects of our married life that time and children had put on the back burner. Our marriage took on a new life. It re-centered our lives around Christ, making Him the third player in our relationship.
We have invited Allen Theis, B.C.D., with a masters degree in theology
to offer a 5-hour seminar to married couples on Sunday, October 24, which will conclude with
a recommitment of their marriage vows. Please join us for a very worthwhile afternoon.
Yours on the journey, Marilyn
Worldwide Marriage Encounter What are you doing to keep you marriage in good shape? Why not try a Marriage Encounter weekend? The next scheduled weekend will be September 24-26. Call John & Michelle Macari at (313)572-8952 or toll free (888) 628-7433, for more information.
If you would like to advertise your goods or services in a Free parish business directory, just complete a form titled, "Business Directory Information" located in the gathering space, and leave it on the table or turn it in to the parish office. The goal is to provide this list as a service to the St. Mary Magdalen community; however, it cannot be considered an endorsement or guarantee of the goods or services. Any questions, please contact Jim Chevalier (810) 229-9734.
There are many children who are not registered for religious education next year. Please drop in and fill out the forms. Still needed are catechists, aides and people to help in the program.
Schedule for next year: Kindergarten during the 11am liturgy, Grades 1-6 from 9:30-10:45am on Sunday, and Grades 1-8 on Wednesday and Thursday 6:30-7:45pm. The ninth and tenth grades meet Sunday evening from 5:45-7:00pm.
The date set for Confirmation by the bishop's office is Saturday, December 4, 1999, at the 4:30 Liturgy.
Journey with Jesus will be held the first week of August. Join us for
a wonderful week!
Sister Maryetta
I would like to thank all of those who stayed and supported our teens last weekend as they spoke about their experience at DYLC. Your support means a great deal to them and to me. It was awesome to see new faces at the evening meeting! We are looking forward to getting to know you better.
Time is running out to commit to attending our camping trip. You can still pick up the information tonight at the meeting.
David Deater, Natalie Peplinski and I will be in Chicago this week participating in a Young Neighbors program. It is a Christian-based work camp. We will be working with teens from all over the country who have the same values and beliefs we do. We are all looking forward to this great experience and thank you in advance for keeping us in your prayers.
I will need to know if you are interested in volunteering with us at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit Monday, Aug. 1, from 10:30am to 1:30pm. We still need of a few more people. Although I will be gone, please leave your name and number at the office, and I will call you early next week.
Our youth prayer breakfast is underway and is going quite well. We
have met a few new people and are excited about the new faces. Everyone is learning more
about themselves and about being a disciple of Jesus. Please feel free to join us on any
Tuesday. Teens of all ages are welcome. Bring a friend from 9:45 to 11:15am in the basement of the rectory.
Margaret Callaghan
YOUTH PRAYER BREAKFAST for all teens will be held in the lower level of the Rectory on Tuesdays, beginning July 13, from 9:45-11:15am, right after Mass, and running for six weeks through August 17. Hope to see you all there!
We are planning a family picnic Saturday, August 14, at Kensington Park. There will be a meeting Tuesday, July 20 for any parent who would like to help with the planning of food and games. Please call me at (810) 229-8624. The meeting will begin at 7:00pm in the youth room. Margaret Callaghan
St. Mary Magdalen M.O.M.S. Group is looking for childcare helpers in the fall on Fridays from 9:30am to 11:30am. A stipend will be offered for your services. Call Cami Watson (810) 227-6861.
Stewardship Report Last weekend approximately 992 people participated in the Liturgies. These folks contributed $14,294.79 to the parish. Last year on this Sunday the contributions totaled $10,906.72.
St. Agnes Church in Fowlerville is hosting its seventh annual Fun Fest the weekend of August 14/15. The weekend festivities include music, food, games, raffles, auctions, etc.
The Teen Group holds a pre-festival teen dance night on Friday, August 13, from 7:00-11:00pm, with music provided by DJ, Steve Waldorf. All teens are invited to attend.
There will be a pig roast Saturday from 6-8:00pm followed by "Adults Night" for those over 18 from 7:30-11:30pm, featuring the country/rock sounds of the Jim Adams Band.
The famous chicken barbecue gets under way from noon till 4:00pm on Sunday. There will be a full day of activities from 12:00-6:00pm with children's games, craft show, pony rides, live auctions and horseshoe tournaments.
For more information please contact St. Agnes parish office (517) 223-8684.
Sixth Annual Parish Picnic & Ice Cream Social will be held Sunday, September 12, 1999, starting with 11:00 a.m. Liturgy. Your time and talent will help to make this another memorable picnic!
Sign-up sheets are in the gathering area for volunteers to help with food service, set-up, Liturgy, games, ice cream social, signs, pictures and clean-up. Any questions or concerns please contact Rick or Sandi Phillips (810) 229-7861.
22ND Annual St. Augustine Country Chicken BBQ will be held Sunday, August 1, from 11:30am till 5:30 pm (rain or shine)! Meals are $5 or $6 depending on the amount of chicken, and include baked potato, corn on the cob, country slaw, roll, homemade pie and beverage. Special features include: door prizes every hour, DJ, bingo, dunk tank, white elephant sale, kids games and more. For more information, call Tim (517) 546-6456.
Summer Pastoral Theological Institute presents two evening sessions on spirituality in an effort to help ordinary people of faith realize the profound relationship they have with God. St. John Neumann Parish, 44800 Warren Road (1/4 mile west of Sheldon), Canton, will host both presentations.
Family Spirituality "Ordinary Ways To Connect With Our Extraordinary God" will be presented by Kathleen Chesto, D. Min., Monday, August 9, 7:30-9:00pm. This will be a focus on the family unit, the domestic church.
Spirituality For the New Millennium "Global Perspectives and Challenges" will be presented by Margaret Brennan, I.H.M., Wednesday, August 11, 7:30-9:00pm. Margaret focuses on the connection we have to Christ through the global disregard for human life.
In both dimensions we encounter the awesome presence of God. For further information, call (734) 455-5910.
Will be sponsoring a Knights Family Night for Seminarians at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing on August 14. It is designed to affirm the seminarians of the Diocese and promote the vocation to the priesthood and religious. A televised Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas in E. Lansing at 4:30, celebrated by Bishop Mengeling, will begin the afternoon. The baseball game between the Lansing Lugnuts and the West Michigan Whitecaps will follow at Oldsmobile Park. There will be prizes and fun for the children. Contact members of our K of C for tickets.
Catholic Host Families Needed for Students from SPAIN to study in Catholic High Schools for the 1999-2000 school year. These students are 15 to 17 years of age and come from middle-class families. The goal of the program is to receive academic credit for their studies here and to perfect their English. They have accidental/medical insurance through the program and their own spending money. Spanish Heritage pays the full tuition at the school, so this is a very inexpensive way to make international connections and get to know another culture. If interested in helping make their dreams come true, please contact Spanish Heritage at (800) 669-0589.
OBERAMMERGAU 2000 - THE PASSION PLAY in the Bavarian Alps of Germany: Visit France, Germany and Switzerland with Fr. George C. Michalek from September 11-22, 2000 for $2,929 from New York and see the famous Oberammergau Passion Play. For more details, contact Pat McGregor (517) 627-8350.
A Catholic camp for boys ages 8-16. They have a variety of programs: roller hockey, beach activities, canoeing, backpacking, crafts and sports! The camp is 96 wooded acres in Northern Lower Michigan. Call (616)546-3878 for a brochure or visit their website: http://www.campsanctamaria.org
HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE Join Fathers Phil Gallagher and Jim Schmitt for a 10-day journey through the land of our faith. Visit such places as the Garden of Gethsemane and the Dome of the Rock. Celebrate Mass at the Church of the Nativity, Church at the Mt. of Beatitudes, the chapel of the Upper Room, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Renew your baptism in the Jordan River or your wedding vows in Cana. The tour departs Detroit on Nov. 1 - 10, 1999. $2,599 per person (dbl.) includes air fare, hotel and meals. Call 877-4 gopilgrim for a brochure. Space is limited.
The Diocese of Lansing is invited to join in a Journey to our National Shrine to honor Mary in celebration of Jubilee 2000 on September 2-5, 1999. Cost is $130, which includes round-trip bus fare, housing at Trinity College. Meals include Friday breakfast, lunch and dinner and Sunday breakfast. Seating is limited to 49 persons. Deadline to register is August 16. For information, call Black Catholic Ministry Office (517) 342-2496.
Fr. Corapi will be at Holy Spirit, Hamburg, Friday thru Sunday, August 6-8. The weekend will celebrate fellowship, rosary, mass, spiritual talks, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. To register and receive more information call (810) 231-6784 registration fee includes lunch and dinner on Saturday ($30.00), seating is limited to 500.
Join us every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month from 12:30 to 1:30 pm at Medilodge Nursing Home, 1333 W.Grand River, Howell. For more information contact Lisa Klein (810)229-0607.
COUPLE TO COUPLE LEAGUE will be offering two different series of four classes for engaged or married couples who want to learn some practical aspects of living a chaste and holy life within their marriage covenant. Cost for materials for each series is $55.00 per couple. At St. Thomas the Apostle in Ann Arbor, beginning Sunday July 11, 2-4:00 pm. Other classes are Aug. 15, Sept. 12 and October 10. Call Tina at (734) 944-1182 for more information. At St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Ypsilanti, beginning Saturday, Aug. 7, from 10-12:00 Noon. Other classes are Sept. 11, Oct. 2 and Nov. 6. Call Becky at (734) 973-3173 for more information.
YOUNG ADULTS (20-30) single and married Detroit/Lansing Young Adult Picnic will be held at Kensington Metro Park, Milford on August 7, 1999. Bring a dish to pass and beverage.
For information call Lansing Young Adult Ministry (517)342-2494 or Kevin Roach (810) 225-0471.
A RETREAT FOR DIVORCED AND SEPARATED MEN AND WOMEN will be held Friday, August 27, through Sunday, August 29, at Manresa Jesuit Retreat House in Bloomfield Hills. The weekend includes special presentations, healing service and Mass. Cost is $110 which includes meals & single accommodations. For more information, call Virginia (734) 994-9194.
MARRIED COUPLES RETREAT will be held at St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt, July 30-August 1. The theme is "Marriage and the Cost of Sharing". Facilitators will be Fr. Larry Delaney and Fr. Charlie Irwin. The retreat will look at sharing in all areas of married life - family, sexuality, finances, emotional intimacy, faith and spirituality. Give yourselves the precious gift of time away together. For more information, call the retreat center (517) 669-8321.
TAKE CHARGE is a program for families, friends and co-workers of a substance abuser. It offers myth-shattering explanations about chemical dependency and shows families how to motivate someone with an alcohol or other drug problem to accept help. To borrow a copy of "Take Charge" from St. Mary Magdalen, please contact Jim or Dottie at (810) 227-7908 or Deacon Dave at (810)229-8624.
Sun., July 25 Dennis Wagener
Mon., July 26 John Bellanti, Joyce Muehler
Tues., July 27 Kathy Clark, Shirley Caster
Wed., July 28 Barb Colley, Pam Hornsberger
Thurs., July 29 Laura DeLaMarre, Mary Cavanaugh
Fri., July 30 Colleen Atwood, Christine Camden
Sat., July 31 Cindy Sultana
Before each weekend Liturgy begins, there is a three minute explanation of a segment of the Mass.
This column offers additional information.
THE MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION The words of the consecration are found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Each of Gospels records a slightly different version of these words. But the Roman tradition seems to have always used the same version of these words of Institution.
The formula we now use differs slightly from the one used in the long tradition of our Church. In the older formula when the words of consecration were spoken over the wine, the presider said "This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant, the mystery of faith..." We do not know when this phrase was added. Yet every text of the Roman Eucharistic Prayer, even the most ancient, included this phrase in the words of consecration. Scholars disagree as to its meaning.
When the Liturgy was reformed by Pope Paul VI, this non-scriptural phrase was deleted from the words of institution. But since it had been a part of our tradition for so long, the phrase was preserved in our Liturgy by adding another practice borrowed from the eastern Church. In many of the oriental Churches, each set of the words of consecration is concluded with an acclamation by the assembly which is usually Amen! So