Updates

Ignatian Family Teach-in For Justice

November 7-9, 2015
Washington, D.C.

Ignation Family Teach-In For Justice (IFTJ) is an annual gathering for members of the Ignatian family (Jesuit institutions and larger church AKA everybody) to learn, reflect, pray, network, and advocate together in the context of social justice and solidarity. It is a place where you will be empowered, reenergized, inspired, challenged, and supported by a community that believes social justice works in union with faith. Join your peers (soon to be friends) from SMSP and University of Detroit Mercy for a weekend you will never forget! All are welcome!

For more information, contact Bill Alt or Meredith Burke or click here to visit the IFTJ site.

Click Here to Register

Coverage of the Pope Watch Party on ABC 7

Thanks to everybody that joined us Thursday morning to watch the Pope’s historic address to congress. What an inspiring event – we laughed, we cried, and we cheered. ABC 7 news covered the event and produced a short piece (just under 2 minute) highlighting the watch party and our reaction. The piece below aired live on Sept. 24th at 4:45 PM on ABC 7 Detroit.

Support the CROP Hunger Walk!

Join us for the 41st Annual CROP Hunger Walk Sun., Oct. 11, 2015.

Help raise awareness and money to alleviate hunger by joining the St. Mary Student Parish CROP Walk team.  Sponsored by the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, this annual ecumenical, interfaith walk raises funds for local as well as international hunger fighting agencies.  Donors can designate Catholic Relief Services as a recipient if desired.

Registration for the walk begins at 1pm, send-off service and walk begin at 2pm at Rudolph Steiner High School on Pontiac Trail.

To join our team, visit hunger.cwsglobal.org. Paper envelopes are also available in the parish office for those who wish to fund raise in person.

Can’t walk? Please consider supporting our team with a donation via the website or drop off a check in the parish office (made out to CWS/CROP). Thanks for your support and prayers.  Hope to see you at the Walk on Sun. Oct. 11th.

For more information, contact Lisa Hirsch at [email protected] or 734-741-1235.

Prep for the Pope’s Visit to the US

Prepare for the Pope’s visit and check out our events right here at St. Mary!

Join Our Watch Party

As part of his visit to the United States, Pope Francis will address a joint session of Congress on Thursday, September 24, 2015 bringing together faith and politics. His address to Congress will be an opportunity to invite legislators to reflect on the U.S.’s response to those who are marginalized by poverty and injustice, especially migrants, those plagued by climate change, and workers treated unjustly while challenging all of us to live more fully the Gospel call to mercy and justice and promoting a culture of life.

St. Mary Student Parish will host a watch party in Donnelly Hall (9:30 – 11:00 AM) to view this historic event. If you are available, please stay after the Pope’s address for discussion and a call to action. All are welcome!

Ig.nite: Pope Francis Edition

Undergrads! Join us for a special edition of Ig.nite on Thursday, September 24th. Mass begins at 5:10 PM followed by dinner and a student-led panel discussion to react to Pope Francis’ address to the United States Congress. On theme with Pope Francis’ background, we’ll be serving a South American dinner specialty:

grilled skirt steak and chorizo sausage with chimichurri sauce,
empanadas, chipa rolls, and of course dulce de leche tiramasu!

For more information on the Pope’s historic visit, click here to download our flyer containing information on his background, itinerary, and past papal visits to the US.

Register for Small Church & Busy Student Retreat

Fall is here and we have some great opportunities for spiritual development. Join a Small Church Community (SCC) for weekly small group faith sharing, or join the Busy Student Retreat (BSR) for one-on-one spiritual direction that fits into your busy schedule.

Small Church Communities

Faith sharing groups help to make our big community feel a little smaller. There are a variety of SCC groups for all ages that meet at various times beginning in October. Together with your group, reflect on faith experiences and discover how the word of God applies uniquely to your life.

Register online before Sept 23. Register Here

The SCC program is open to all parishioners. Contact Elise Huber for more information.

Busy Student Retreat

Spend time with God in the midst of your regular hectic schedule. Bring the joys and concerns of your daily life into conversation with Jesus. Invite the Holy Spirit into your decision making.

Retreatants commit to:

• An opening dinner on Sunday, October 4 at 7:00 pm
• 15 minutes of individual prayer each day during the retreat (Oct 4 Nov 22)
• 30-45 minutes of conversation each week with a spiritual companion
• A closing celebration on Sunday, November 22 at 6pm

Cost is $10. Register Here

The BSR program is open to undergrads, graduate students, and young professionals. Deadline to register is Sunday, Sept. 27. If you have any questions and/or require financial assistance, contact Abby Braun.

Seeking Welcome Week Volunteers!

Each September, our parish community welcomes new and returning students to St. Mary’s and to life at the University of Michigan. Welcoming students is one way every parishioner and family can participate in our mission of campus ministry.

Here’s how it works in 3 easy steps:

1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot
2. Enter your email address (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots – VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders.

Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Susan and she will sign you up manually.

Fr. Dan Reim Legacy ASB Scholarship Fund

As we said goodbye to Fr. Dan earlier this month, we were truly in awe of his 11 inspiring years at SMSP. Active in our community – tackling social justice issues – and always smiling, he will be greatly missed.

We have set up a Legacy ASB Scholarship Fund in his name to honor his remarkable contributions. When he arrived in Ann Arbor, there were 3 active ASB sites. This past year we participated in 9 domestic and 3 international sites, sending over 130 students from our community to serve those in need.

If you are interesting in donating to the Fr. Dan Reim Legacy ASB Scholarship Fund, envelopes are available in the parish office or you can give online.

Open Registration for Family Faith Formation & Teen Confirmation

We’re excited to announce registration is now open for Family Faith Formation and Teen Confirmation!

We recommend reading our program guide prior to registering. At this time, registration is only open to registered parishioners. Click here to access the registration form and payment information.

2015 Diocesan Services Appeal

Thank you to everyone who made a pledge to the Diocesan Services Appeal last weekend. If you were unable to pledge last weekend, please consider doing so. You can also give online by clicking the yellow GIVE icon at the top of this webpage.

Please prayerfully consider a gift, within your means, in support of the future of our diocese. It is important to remember that no gift is too small.

As you prayerfully consider your gift to DSA, allow yourself to be motivated by gratitude to God, making a generous gift within your means, to the Lord for all the blessings in your life.

Our 2015 DSA theme, “For Everything is From You, and What We Give Is What We Have From You,” reminds us that we bring nothing material into this world and we take nothing out of it. Everything we have is a gift from God.

As Christian stewards we serve God out of love and gratitude for all his gifts to us, knowing that it’s not how much we have, but what we do with what we have, that is important. Sharing our financial resources with others in need is a loving and just act – a way of thanking God for all His blessings.