Newsletter for Friday, March 27, 2020
Welcome to the second week of our email newsletter. As we attempt to settle into the “new normal,” we find ourselves seeking comfort, community, and Christ in an unsettled time. While our church and parish office remain closed, our mission remains at the heart of all we do.
Fr. Jim shared a sincere and hopeful pastoral perspective on Wednesday, for the Feast of the Annunciation of Mary:
“I am confused and I am afraid. I pray a lot these days for all of you. In the darkness of these days, I see God is with us and telling us all will be well if we walk with Jesus.” Click here to read the full article
Fr. Mark has also launched a series of daily video reflections which will expand next week to include other members of the Ann Arbor Jesuit Community. You can view these reflections here. Just under two minutes, these quick reflections can fit into even the busiest schedule.
Though we’re unable to gather in-person on Sundays, we feel your presence in the 1,000+ Sunday mass views, the emails of gratitude, and the many generous donations received.
SUNDAY MASS, EASTER TRIDUUM, AND SPECIAL INTERCESSIONS
We will continue to live-stream mass on Sundays. English mass at 9 a.m. will stream live on our website, followed immediately by Spanish mass at 10 a.m. Recordings will be available immediately following the masses at the same location: https://www.
Scheduled mass intentions will be offered by the Jesuit Community, but not necessarily on the scheduled date.
If there is a need for you to receive Communion at your residence, or you need to schedule confession, please call our parish office 734.663.0557 ext. 0 and leave a message.
EASTER TRIDUUM & EASTER SUNDAY
We will live-stream the Easter Triduum on our website, which includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. We will also live-stream English and Spanish mass on Easter Sunday, as outlined above.
SPECIAL INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray for all the sick who have been entrusted to our prayers. We pray today especially for Will Hutchens and Joey Parins. May they all be comforted and cared for in their suffering.
For those who chose to be justified by the “Light of the World”, and who now have recently died, especially: Len Stenger. We rejoice for now their spirits are life itself.
If you would like a name added to either of these special intercessions, please email [email protected].
ONGOING STEWARDSHIP
MARCH MATCH MADNESS
More than ever, St. Mary Student Parish and the Fr. Gabriel Richard Newman Center need your support. As a student parish, we have the opportunity to have a lasting impact on students’ spiritual, personal, and ethical formation. Your support of Catholic Campus Ministry enables us to provide programming that allows students to grow in faith, deepen their involvement in the world, serve God and live as men and women for others.
Throughout the month of March, contributions made to campus ministry will be matched –doubling your gift and your impact. We are so grateful to you for helping our ministries remain viable for the future with your prayers, your donations, and your financial support. To date we’ve received just $16,237, which when matched by the Ann Arbor Jesuit Community and an anonymous local donor, provides $32,474 to support campus ministry. We’re a long way from our goal of $100,000. Please consider an online gift today https://www.
YEAR TO DATE OFFERING REPORT AS OF 3/22/2020
Annual Budget Goal $1,020,000
Year-to-Date (YTD) Goal $745,000
Amount Collected $750,559
Above (below) YTD Goal: $5,559
SUNDAY OFFERING REPORT AS OF 3/22/2020
March Budget Goal: $18,000
Sunday 3/22/2020 (Week 38): $12,151
Above (below) YTD Goal: -$5,849
FEASIBILITY STUDY UPDATE
As you know, we have partnered with the Steier Group, a national Catholic development firm, to conduct a survey for our parish. The purpose of the survey is to help assess the needs of St. Mary Student Parish as we move forward and celebrate our 100 anniversary in 2024. We contracted with Steier before being hit with this pandemic. We recognize it is not the best time now to be doing this survey. On the other hand, many people are home and available, and Steier says they are collecting good data.
We are not proposing a fundraising campaign now. Obviously we have other major concerns facing us each day. This should be seen as a feasibility study. Are there needs and interest in the future, after we move beyond this health and financial pandemic, that might suggest a campaign moving towards celebrating our Centennial Anniversary, or not? What will make our mission here at St. Mary Student Parish vibrant and strong as we move into the future? This a step in the discernment process, a step of listening to all of you.
Let’s continue to walk together as companions of Jesus loving and caring for one another in this pandemic.
CROSSROADS EASTER MEAL
*The date of this event has moved to Sunday, April 19 to comply with Governor Whitmer’s Stay-at-Home executive order.*
On Sunday, April 19, the St. Mary community will prepare and serve dinner at Crossroads Soup Kitchen in downtown Detroit www.crossroadsofmichigan.org. Donating and/or volunteering is a great way to share in and celebrate the love of the Easter season with Detroit community members and other St. Mary parishioners! The number of people Crossroads has fed over the last couple of weeks has grown, so they expect to serve even more Easter meals than we have in past years.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are only seeking monetary donations and volunteers. This will limit the individuals that will need to go out to purchase items. (If you have already purchased items, we will accept them – please contact [email protected] to arrange this donation.)
Make a Monetary Donation
Your financial support of this communal meal with our brothers and sisters in Detroit is what makes it happen. Our preferred method of receiving donations is through our website https://www.
Volunteer at Crossroads
Friday, April 17
+ Transport food/supplies to Crossroads
Sunday, April 19
+ First Shift: 8:15am-12:00pm (Meal Preparation)
+ Second Shift: 11:15am-3:30pm (Dinner Serving)
If you would like to volunteer, please e-mail [email protected] with the following information: your preferred shift, a contact phone number, if you need a ride to Detroit or, if you can, the number of additional people you can transport.
To comply with current guidelines provided by the CDC, all meals will be made “to go” and handed out at the door. Because these guidelines continue to change, volunteers will follow what is recommended at the time of the meal.
OTHER LENTEN RESOURCES AND IDEAS
VIRTUAL HOLY WEEK RETREAT – FREE!
Monday, April 6 – Thursday, April 9
Hosted by Weber Center: Holy Week is the ideal time to retreat from one’s ordinary concerns and contemplate the powerful mystery of Jesus’ passion. This event will be live streamed at no cost, but online registration is required. Click here for more information or to register.
CREATE A PRAYER SPACE AT HOME
Make your prayer space as quiet, uncluttered, and “desert-like” as possible. It can be the corner of a room or any unused space. Furnish your prayer space with a Bible, prayer books, cross, rosary, icons, and a candle. Encourage family members to use the prayer place for personal as well as family prayer. You can bless your place of prayer, saying:
“Come, Holy God. Dwell in this place of prayer,
and bless it with your peace and inner presence.
Bless all who seek you here.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”