Holy Week Schedule

Please see this year’s Holy Week schedule below. All events are at St. John unless otherwise noted.

Saturday, March 23
3:00 p.m. Reconciliation
4:30 p.m. Palm Sunday Vigil Mass
6:00 p.m. Palm Sunday Vigil Mass (Blessed Sacrament)
6:50 p.m. Reconciliation (Blessed Sacrament)

Palm Sunday, March 24
7:30 a.m. Mass
9:00 a.m. Mass (Blessed Sacrament)
10:00 a.m. Mass
12:00 p.m. Mass
5:00 p.m. Mass

Holy Thursday, March 28
6:30 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper
8:15 p.m. Reconciliation (until all are heard)
8:15 p.m.-12:00 a.m. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
11:00 p.m. Holy Hour of Prayer

Good Friday, March 29 – Day of Fast and Abstinence
1:00 p.m. Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion and Death
3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Reconciliation
7:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross

Holy Saturday, March 30
2:00 p.m. Blessing of Food, Swieconka
8:30 p.m. Easter Vigil (please note: no reconciliation)

Easter Sunday, March 31
7:30 a.m. Mass
9:00 a.m. Mass (Blessed Sacrament)
10:00 a.m. Mass
12:00 p.m. Mass
NO 5:00 p.m. Mass!

Diocesan Services Appeal

DSA stands for the Diocesan Services Appeal. This once-a year-appeal is from Bishop Boyea inviting us to join with our fellow Catholics and do our share to support the many ministries, programs and services of our of diocese. DSA is a joint effort of all 72 parishes from ten counties in south central Michigan to pool our resources and to support what no one parish can do of itself. Though all 110 services are valuable, two of the services which DSA supports are at the top of the list:

  • To continue to provide quality formation and education for our future priests.
  • To continue critically needed support of Catholic Charities, especially in Flint and Genesee County

As the largest Catholic Community of Genesee and Shiawassee counties, we are called to do our share. Our 2022 DSA goal is $126,790.

If you can make a gift or pledge, I invite you to join Father Dieudonné and myself and make a gift or pledge to this once-a-year appeal. Remember: ”I ask not for equal gifts but for equal sacrifice.” If you haven’t received your letter in the mail yet, there are envelopes in the pews as well as in the special Faith Magazine Publication highlighting the features resulting from DSA.

Your gift or pledge may be returned by mail, placed in the offertory basket, or be brought to the parish office. You may also make a DSA gift via credit card or electronic funds transfer from a bank account. See the website: www.dioceseoflansing.org/dsa.

Our gift to DSA is a great way to reflect our gratitude to God for all that he has entrusted to us.

Free Music Concert

On Wednesday, March 20 Listen to a variety of music performed by the Flint Institute of Music New Horizons Band! The event is free to attend and beverages are provided. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with music beginning at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome! This is event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.

Diocese of Lansing Men’s Conference

Gentlemen of the parish are invited to attend the Diocese of Lansing Catholic Men’s Conference taking place on Saturday, March 16 from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. Visit acceptthechallenge.org for more information. If you are having difficulty deciding whether to attend or have questions, please contact Craig Ockerman via email at ockybear@aol.com or by text/phone at (810) 919-2486. Craig also encourages all attendees to invite three other people to attend!

 

Tropical Costa Rica

Join Fr. Andrew on a trip to Tropical Costa Rica February 17-25, 2025! Trip highlights include San Jose, Coffee Plantation, Arenal Volcano, Cano Negro Refuge, Lake Arenal Cruise, Farm Tour and Lunch, Monteverde Cloud Forest, and Guanacaste. An optional 3-night Jungle Adventure Pre Tour Extension can also be added. Click here to view the trip brochure!

To sign up to attend the trip, or for more information, please click here!

Please register for a Tropical Costa Rica Zoom presentation being held on Tuesday February 20th at 6pm by clicking on this link: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__collette.zoom.us_j_82730370732&d=DwIFAw&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=5o9iMR9nVjnHPj5vhBj4OyhGOzVrehIeHeRbXF-JrdA&m=idPtB4fN3sBkQWmlgWfwwvP5mE9hPWQGuH9Ce0WPd2_LPkAgLmliJsqQjBUEn6VC&s=Ktp1uWyII91mg5ZNJWjKDZzlDsVvgB-HmmfRcoiHx6A&e=

To view the Zoom meeting that was held, please follow this link:

https://collette.zoom.us/rec/play/RwgF4lxG3LNKodsuaxqWYNFVSszLA8HZq6yu67pvgOM1X5XvmLALiIQGt1FgujgyApbwcCr4kBaPCE5Y.XVdt1p1vTeW58akf?canPlayFromShare=true&from=share_recording_detail&continueMode=true&componentName=rec-play&originRequestUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fcollette.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2FALpYLB2IlGUzYw_B7ovz3YGj8O_UvkWAT8FgdGgQCEiGea92u4xk0asueXBr7Ddh.AaNOL7bJZtQENzmr

Open Pickleball

Join us for open pickleball at the St. John Family Center! The cost is free for Wellness Center Members and $5 for non-members. Exact payment is due prior to playing and you can sign in at the Wellness Center front desk. Please bring your own racket.

Daytime Hours
Monday – Friday 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Evening and Weekend Hours for October
Wednesday, October 4, 11, and 25:
3:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Friday, October 13, 20, and 27:
12:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 21 and 28:
8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

 

Shades of Ireland

July 25-August 6, 2024. Featuring Northern Ireland. Highlights: Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Blarney Castle, Boat Tour, Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Farm Visit, Galway, Donegal Town, Derry, Giant’s Causeway, Glens of Antrim, Belfast, “Titanic Experience.” For more information, please visit this link: https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1166428

Price includes hometown transfer, round trip airfare from Detroit Metro Airport. For more information contact Veronica at vur@stjohndavison.org

To view the virtual presentation that was held on Wednesday August 23, 2023 at 6PM, click on this link: https://collette.zoom.us/rec/share/0p8nxOKkccbAq3VCX0Gpnb3Nkb894P_4EvZla03grmP3eiCDlouJ-Osbro2DH4en.eSyV0G7UTP5AvF0M

Magical Rhine and Moselle Rivers

Join Fr. Andrew on a trip down the magical Rhine and Moselle Rivers, September 19-27, 2024. Highlights include: Zurich, 7-Night River Cruise, Rhine River, Strasbourg, Speyer, Mannheim, Lorelei Passage, Cochem, Moselle River, Bernkastel, Wine Tasting, Cologne, and Amsterdam.

For more information about the trip, please visit: https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1146076

To view the flyer, please click here.

To view the recording of the zoom presentation, please click here.

Online Giving Made Easy 4 Ways

Website · Text · Scan · App

We have exciting news! The Catholic Community of St. John and Blessed Sacrament is now offering online giving services through ParishSoft Giving to better serve our parishioners. We are providing this option in addition to cash or check donations. You can still give through traditional methods, but now you can make recurring or one-time gifts online with a credit/debit card or electronic check.

This program is beneficial to you, in that you do not need to worry about having cash or check on hand at Mass, and it benefits our Parish by reducing the time needed to process donations and run financial reports.

To give online through our new platform, visit our giving page on our website https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/stj404263 or scan qrcode below.

You can also give through text message by texting “MyGift” to 810-652-5253.  Finally, you can stay engaged with our parish and give by downloading the myParish App to your phone.

Please contact Shelly Wallace at 810-653-2377 if you need assistance to make the switch from Eoffering to ParishSoft Giving.

Scan to give:

Seasons of Hope

Seasons of Hope: coping with our losses is a support group for the bereaved that is held in the St. John Family Center.

The support group for the bereaved will begin a 6 week session on Wednesday, April 3 and continue through Wednesday, May 8. Sessions are offered in the mornings from 10:45a.m.-12:45p.m. and the evenings from 6:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. in the Family Center Small Activity Room. Anyone grieving the loss of a loved one is encouraged to attend and bring a friend.

Registration by calling Judy Plamondon at (810) 653-1706 or use the registration form below.

Seasons of Hope Registration

Contact information for those registering for the Seasons of Hope grief support group.

Session
Name
Address

Catholic Bishops in Michigan Statement Following Dobbs Decision

Nearly fifty years after the unjust decision in Roe v. Wade, our country draws closer to a society that recognizes the God-given right of life for all persons, at any stage or in any condition. While today’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturns Roe is a cause for joy, we must remember that life is and always will be a gift from our Creator; it cannot be given or taken by governmental structures, judges, or elected officials.

We are saddened by the fear and anger that has reverberated across our land since a draft of this opinion was leaked to the public. In light of these concerns, we wish to make clear that no woman should face pregnancy alone. With safe-delivery laws, adoption, pregnancy resource centers, and assistance from Catholic and other agencies that provide necessities for mom and baby, every pregnant woman should know there is a community of compassion and support waiting to help her and her unborn or infant child. We empathize with women who struggle with daily challenges that may affect their decision to carry their baby to term: financial insecurity, food insecurity, medical care, lack of relationship and/or family support, coercion, and homelessness, just to name a few.

The pro-life movement must redouble its efforts to ensure every woman has the support she needs throughout her pregnancy and beyond, whether she chooses to parent or create an adoption plan. We affirm that the Church must prioritize this work, through our Catholic Charities and parish-based support networks, to meet the physical needs of mothers and children as well as offer the emotional support and love new mothers need. We also implore men to be respectful of women and responsible when they father a child. We are all called to walk with moms in need, and we encourage all Michiganders to join us in this effort.

Today’s momentous decision would not have occurred without fifty years of prayer, action and witness from innumerable women and men who promote the sanctity of human life. These people of goodwill laid the foundation for a future of love, compassion, and support toward women and their unborn or newborn children. Though Roe is no longer relevant to abortion policy, we must remain vigilant against future attempts to promote abortion as help for women, which in reality are attacks on human life itself. Some of those attacks have already started here in Michigan through the legislative process, at the ballot box and in the court room, signaling that the work to build up a social order that respects human life is not finished.

Let us, as the Body of Christ here on Earth, pray for all pregnant women and continue to proclaim that human life is sacred from conception to natural death and at every point in between, and to commit ourselves to building a society grounded in that essential God-given right.

Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron Archbishop of Detroit

Most Reverend Earl A. Boyea Bishop of Lansing

Most Reverend Robert D. Gruss Bishop of Saginaw

Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak Bishop of Grand Rapids

Most Reverend Jose Arturo Cepeda Escobedo Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit

Most Reverend Donald F. Hanchon Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit

Most Reverend Paul J. Bradley Bishop of Kalamazoo

Most Reverend John F. Doerfler Bishop of Marquette

Most Reverend Jeffrey J. Walsh Bishop of Gaylord

Most Reverend Gerard W. Battersby Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit

Most Reverend Robert J. Fisher Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit

The New St. John Book and Gift Shop

“The Most Holy Gift Shop” is located off the Gathering Space in St. John Catholic Church

New Books Have Arrived!! Our Early Christmas Sale begins Saturday, November 4th-Sunday, December 24th. Each Saturday from 3:45 p.m.-5:45 p.m. and each Sun. 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Come see all new great Advent and Christmas gifts available for friends and family!!

Hours:
Saturday: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00p.m.
Sunday: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

For more information call:  Sandy at (810) 240-7451 or Larry at (810) 252-7928

Acts of Spiritual Communion

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make and Act of Spiritual Communion which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion means uniting one’s self in prayer with Christ’s sacrifice and worshipping him in his Body and Blood. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

 

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that
You are present in the
Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all
things, and I desire to
receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at
this moment receive You
sacramentally, come at
least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as
if You were already
there and unite myself
Wholly to you.
Never permit me to be
separated from You.
Amen.

Sign-Up for FORMED

FORMED is an exciting new gateway to the best Catholic teaching videos, books, and audio talks to deepen your parishioners’ relationship with Christ and his Church.  All in one place. Accessible on most smart phone, tablets and computers. Please view the video below for an overview on FORMED and click the link below the video to register for FREE now!

To register for FORMED follow this link and input the code 77XNVP to the ACCESS CODE box.  

 

 

 

Promise to Protect Pledge to Heal

If you have been abused or victimized by someone representing the Catholic Church –

Please believe in the possibility for hope and help and healing.  We encourage you to come forward and speak out. Every diocese in the United States now has a victim assistance coordinator who is available to obtain support for your needs, to help make a formal complaint of abuse to the diocese and to arrange a personal meeting with the bishop or his representative if you desire.  The Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Diocese of Lansing is:

Cheryl Williams-Hecksel, LMSW
1-888-308-6252, or via email:
cwilliamshecksel@dioceseoflansing.org

In addition, you may also report through the law enforcement toll-free reporting hotline at (844) 324-3374  (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or by email at aginvestigations@michigan.gov.

Bishop Earl Boyea’s Statement on the Current Sexual Abuse Crisis

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

           I am writing this to you due to the recent removal of Archbishop Theodore McCarrick from ministry and the release of the grand jury report on clergy abuse in Pennsylvania. Once again, the sins of clergy have hurt victims, scandalized the faithful, raised anger in many hearts, and brought ill-repute upon the Catholic Church. Archbishop McCarrick’s abuse of minors, his homosexual activity and his abuse of seminarians and young priests are beyond the pale. The sins of anyone who sexually abuses children is abhorrent, most especially clergy. In addition, some knew about these crimes and did nothing to address this behavior. I am as shocked as you. So, first of all, I apologize for their behavior and the behavior of those who did nothing to stop it. It is incredibly wearying and demoralizing to hear yet again about these sexual sins and crimes. Let us hold each other in prayer.

As you may know, each bishop is ultimately responsible to the Holy Father, who is the only one who can remove a bishop. Still, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will be discussing how we bishops might attempt to hold one another accountable, given this limitation. I can never give a guarantee that there will not be other clerics who violate their promise of celibacy and abuse their positions. We are all sinners. The Lord Jesus knew what these sinful clergy did just as he knows our sinful selves as well. Beyond what we can do as human beings to address the behavior of one another, we also commend ourselves and each other to the charity and justice of our God. We offer our prayers for the healing of victims of abuse but the time has come for us bishops to do more to hold one another accountable.

Christ is our hope in all things. May God have mercy on us all.

Bishop Earl Boyea, Diocese of Lansing

Get Our Parish App!

appDid you know that we have a Parish App? If not, now’s the time to download it! The App includes Mass times, daily readings, bulletins, homilies, and more! Messages are sent out from Fr. Andrew and the Parish staff regarding important events or notices to help keep you informed of the goings-on at St. John and Blessed Sacrament.

To download the app search “myparish” in the App or Google Play store. Or, follow this link.