Parish Mission Statement

The Parish of St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy, inspired by Mary’s “Yes” and led by the Holy Spirit,

strives to be a faith-filled community, joyfully welcoming all to witness and to celebrate the Gospel.

MARCH 19, 2017 • 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT

CAUSE

OF St. Mary, Our Joy 8200 N. Wayne Road • Westland, MI 48185

734-425-4421 • stmarycooj.org

Joyful News

Friday, March 24

Join us for a

Lenten Meal at 6pm

Small Social Hall

Soup and Salad Sponsored by

Joyful Women

Followed by

Stations of the Cross at 7 pm in the Church

Please join us:

Sunday, March 26

1:15pm Prayer Service (after the noon Mass)

To honor Mary, our patron

1:30pm STATE OF THE PARISH by Fr. Ken If there is any information that you may want addressed during this update, please fill out a card

in the gathering space of church and put it in the box.

2:15pm Lunch provided by the parish and OPEN HOUSE of the Parish Offices and Social Hall, for those who

may not have had the chance to visit yet.

Please RSVP to the parish office by March 23 to

let us know how many people to prepare for lunch.

To confess or not to confess? This is a dilemma that many people face, especially during the season of Lent. Should I go to confession? If I do, what should I confess? How often should I go to confession. Why can’t I just confess my sins directly to God, He forgives them anyway, right? Why do I have to go to the priest. What if I don’t remember the “formula”, the words for

confession?

I hear these and many similar questions very often. First and foremost, it is important to realize that no matter what you say in confession, you are not going to shock the priest. And no, he is not going to remember what you said after you finish confessing. There is a certain grace that God gives to priest confessors that allows them to forget. Continued on pg. 3

From the

Desk of

Fr. Ken

Page 2 PARISH INFORMATION

PARISH STAFF DIRECTORY

Pastoral Staff Fr. Ken Mazur, PIME, Pastor Pastor@stmarycooj.org Fr. Joseph Plawecki, Priest in Residence Rev. Mr. John Burke, Deacon Rev. Mr. Jim Hensel, Deacon Emeritus

Children’s Faith Formation Sr. Gemma Legel, OSF faithformation@stmarycooj.org

Music and Worship

Steve Reyes

Youth Ministry

Carol Nelius youthministry@stmarycooj.org 734-765-5525

Parish Administration

Mary Allsteadt

Sandy Young

Peggy Fox

Jennifer Newman

Carol Pates

Shannon Galoch Matt Andresen

Director of Music & Liturgy music@stmarycooj.org

Secretary Secretary Secretary Secretary joyfulnews@stmarycooj.org Bookkeeper bookkeeper@stmarycooj.org Maintenance Maintenance

Knights of Columbus: Bob Schoenborn Grand Knight (GK15204@mikofc.org) 734-812-8734

Webmaster: Jeff Burden jeff@stmarycooj.org

office@stmarycooj.org

maintenance@stmarycooj.org

Our Active Duty Service Members:

CMDR Theron R. Korsak, U.S. Navy; CPT Joey Saunders, U.S. Marines; Joseph David Onadia, U.S. Navy; SMSGT Terence Zelek, U.S. Air Force

Questions? You can call the office and leave a message OR Email: PPC@stmarycooj.org

Parish Pastoral Council

Ann Schroeder Sharon McCarthy Julie Callahan

Chair Vice Chair Secretary

Members-at-Large

Debbie Marshall Suzanne Price Nancy Smith Rocco Krcatovich Don Yokley

Doug Taylor Doug Cyr James Fredrickson John Lister Helene Lusa

Report Sexual Abuse for any child or adult: Call AOD victim assistance 1-866-343-8055 or Call the Michigan Department of Human Services at: 855-444-3911 any time

PARISH INFORMATION

ST. MARY, CAUSE OF OUR JOY

8200 N. Wayne Road Westland, Michigan 48185

Phone: 734-425-4421 Email: office@stmarycooj.org

Fax: 734-425-0650

Website: www.stmarycooj.org

Office Hours Monday to Friday: 8:00am−4:00pm

Reconciliation: Saturdays: 3:30pm

Mass Schedule

Saturday: 4:30pm Sunday: 8:00am 10:00am 12 Noon Weekday: Monday, Thursday & Friday: 8:30am Wednesday: 12 Noon

Baptisms

Please call our Parish Office (425 4421) during regular business hours to make arrangements

if you have a child to be baptized.

Marriage Arrangements must be made by registered parishioner at least six

months in advance to allow sufficient time for instruction and preparation.

Visitation to the Sick The pastor, deacon & lay visitors are available to visit the

sick of the parish upon request. RCIA (Right of Christian Initiation of Adults)

Call the Parish Office

St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy

Readings for Sunday, March 26

1st Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a

Resp. Psalm: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing

I shall want. 2nd Reading: Ephesians 5:8-14 Gospel: John 9:1-41

PRAYER LIST

Ron Aneiros Victoria Angelosanto Denise Barlage Loyola Beaudette Jim Beaudry Grant Belles

Claudia Boerner Pat Boyington Family

Jack Brinkman Jim Burns

Judy Canfield Janet Carrier Tina Cieply Rose Colensky Charlie Conatser Michael Connolly Stacy Copple Rick Corrow Betty DeVos Jane Deja

Ron & Paul Dugas Lorrie Early Ed Figueroa Kevin Freeman Kay Gallagher Bill Gnacke

Nancy Gremaux Luann Guthrie Richard Heidler Bernice Hill Mike Hissong Vicky Holly

Thomas Howard John Hubert

Pearl Huculak Rachelle Hund Daniel Johnston Judy Kanack Gloria Kenzie Rachel Kleinke Bob Kluba Sally Koss

Lillian Kramer Harold Krauss Lee Kubiak

Michelle LaForet Florence Levandowski

Greg Linder Karen Lombardi Mary Ann Magon Danielle Malaniak Sr. Thomas Marie Betty Martin Pauline Martin Esther Manzo Phyllis McCann Dolores McCarthy Joyce Miriani Michael Mize Selena Montez Kris Munroe Fran Nieckarz Henry Pardo Ruth Parisien

Genevieve Patrick Myrna Payton Carol Peters

Evelyn Peterson Debra Pietszak Rita Polent

Sharon Propson Daniel Pryce

Sonya Rodriguez Deb A. Roraback Ed Rysztak Harry Sacha

Rose Marie Santos Kathleen Savard Emma Scaramella Jean Schmuck

Jack & Nancy Shea Marie Smith Frank Sobota Pat Stanton

Theresa Stefanko Renee Studt Joan Solon

Pauline Sultana Carl Sweeney Natalie Tanana Marge Tavedian Helen Tollefson Al Velasco Betty Venable Donna VerCandy Craig Vernon Vilma Villerot Cathy West Joan Wojcik

Antoinette Wonsack Deb Yaremchuk Lilus Young Felix Zawaski

Georgiann Ziegler Ceil Zielasko

Page 3

Tomorrow brings a very special presentation entitled Passing on the

Faith. It is for all parents, grandparents, godparents, and sponsors. Come to the Large Social

Hall by 6:00 pm. You will receive great resources as together we address issues of how to talk about the faith and its tradition with our children and teens. The presentation concludes at 7:30 pm. Parents with children in the Monday night program will find them in the small hall enjoying pretzels and water after dismissal. Available for just $10.00 is a wonderful book entitled Feeding Your Family’s Soul. The subtitle is Dinner Table Spirituality. It complements Fr. Leo’s cookbooks and contains recipes, meal prayers and table teachings that can easily be done as a family once a week – all year long. This is a real deal! Get yours before they are gone.

After tomorrow, we have just five FF sessions left this year! We WILL meet on April 3 and April 24. It is a good thing we got in Reconciliation in when we did. Parents are reminded to return their Counting Chickens form before Easter Break. We will be off Holy Week and Easter Week so that everyone can participate fully in the liturgies.

Children can bring their Lenten Alms every week through April. We will let you know the grand total going to the PIME Missionaries. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation! The Bottom Line Little Joey went to the pet store to buy a bird. He was torn between a baby duck and a baby chick, but ended up with the chick. The salesman said it was a little cheeper.

Sr. Gemma Legel, OSF

IN FORMATION

EARLY BULLETIN DEADLINE

Articles for the April 16 bulletin are due to the office by 9am on

Wednesday, April 5.

Fr. Ken (continued from front page)

One of the seven “precepts” (rules) of the Catholic Church is that each of us receives the Sacrament of Penance once a year. I wonder how many of us do so? And on the other hand, there are those who receive the Sacrament too often. What?! You may think, too often? Yes, some people use it as a crutch, thinking “Oh, I can continue to sin, and God will forgive me anyway”, or “I better go again” and they approach the priest with a laundry list of the exact same sins they confessed two weeks earlier. What happened to the “I firmly resolve…to avoid the near occasion of sin”?

The Sacrament of Penance is a time for us to reflect into our lives and see where we are in regards to our relationship with God and with others. We should not only look at the thoughts, words, in what I have done and attitudes that are “wrong”, but “in what I have failed to do”. We MUST help the poor, the homeless, the hungry, the lonely, the homeless, the sick and imprisoned. Pope Francis recently said, “We should offer housing or financial assistance to families settling in a new country”, and, as Lent begins, he called on Catholics not to make excuses when it comes to giving to those asking for change. Francis said giving to the needy must be a priority—and challenged those who make excuses against giving money to people on the streets. People who worry about how the money might be spent should ask themselves what guilty pleasures they are secretly spending money on, Pope Francis said. "There are many excuses" to justify why one does not lend a hand when asked by a person begging on the street, he said. Some may think, “‘I give money and he just spends it on a glass of wine!’” Francis said. But, he joked, a “glass of wine is his only happiness in life!”

If you don’t remember “how” to go to confession, the priest will help you. The important thing is that you search your mind and heart, that you examine your conscience. If you go to confession and tell the priest, “Well, I really don’t have much to confess”, then you have not prepared yourself properly.

On Wednesday, April 5, there will be a communal penance service at 7pm, with the presence of many priests. You can also check at neighboring parishes for the times of their penance services; we have a vicariate newsletter which lists them all. There

should be no excuse NOT to receive the Sacrament, and strengthen your relationship with our loving Father during this season of Lent.

Fr. Ken

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who so kindly donated to the installation of the stained glass windows. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. We are sure that this will add to the beauty of our Church as we move forward at St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy.

Fr. Ken

Knights of Columbus �

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Page 4

Forever Young Seniors… Our next meeting will be Monday, April 3rd at 10am. We will be watching a DVD of the Stations of the Cross from the Cathedral. Our 1st Anniversary catered luncheon will be at our May 1st meeting. Tickets for the lunch are $10 can be purchased at the April meeting. You must purchase a ticket before April 24th, NO tickets sold at the door.

Please keep all of our ill members in your prayers especially Betty Martin, Rita Kraft & Barb Lenard.

We have some wonderful bus trips coming up:

Old Chicago Road Tues, May 23rd 9:00am – 5:45pm $73 due by May 9th (Wait List)

Turkeyville “Life Could Be a Dream”

Thurs, June 22nd 9:15am – 7pm $73 due by May 9th

The bus trips are open to everyone. Please call Marie DiDomizio 734-522-

4639 for reservations and more details. Copies of the flyers can also be obtained at the Parish Office during regular business hours. Make checks payable to Bianco and mail to Marie 34378 Fountain Blvd, Westland, MI 48185

Maryann Sligay

Adult Movie Night ~Pizza and a Movie! Our Parish’s Joyful Women group is sponsoring a FREE adult movie night in the Social Hall THIS Thursday, March 23rd. Movie, popcorn and beverage provided FREE of charge, pizza available for $1 a slice. The movie is The Finest Hours. In February of 1952, one of the worst nor’easters to ever strike New England damaged an oil tanker off

the coast of Cape Cod and literally ripped it in half. On a small lifeboat faced with 70-foot high waves and frigid temperatures, the Coast Guard mounted what is to this day considered one of their most daring rescue missions. Starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck & Ben Foster. Movie is Rated PG-13. Doors open at 5:30pm with movie starting at 6pm. All ladies and men of the Tri-Parish family and their friends are welcome! Metal folding chairs provided … feel free to bring your own more comfortable chair and/or cushion!

Joyful Women News…

Please plan on joining us as we provide the Lenten Meal this Friday, March 24th at 6pm in our Social Hall followed by the 7pm in Church Stations — Mary’s Way of the Cross. Please remember that Saturday, March 25th, is the Feast of the Annunciation. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with

God.” Luke 1:30 May we all have the courage as Mary did to say “Yes” to Our Lord. May you have a Blessed week. Enjoy Life, Enjoy One Another!

MARCH Yellow Offertory Envelope

The yellow envelope found in your monthly packet of envelopes mailed to your home is earmarked for: Catholic Relief Services.

Please prayerfully consider how you can support this collection. Learn more at www.usccb.org/catholic-relief.

W E L C O M E

James & Tiffany Gerrity

Margaret Schneider

And to all our newly registered members! If you have any questions about any of the Committees or Groups at our Parish, please call the Parish Office at 425-4421

Christian Service Project

Please drop off individually wrapped Easter Candy in the specially designated box found in our Gathering Space or at our Parish office by Monday, April 3rd. All candy will be donated to a local Food Depot for distribution to families in need with children in our Community in time for Easter. Thank You!

HOLY NAME FRATERNITY Sunday, March 19: Pancakes/French Toast Breakfast in social hall 8 am - noon. We are saving a stack for you. Ho-ly Name Fraternity meets Tuesday, March 21, 6 pm, in small hall. Evening includes a short business meeting, a light supper, and lenten comments by Father Ken. All men are welcome. Already Thursday, August 10 has been estab-lished as our annual bus trip to a Tiger game @ Comerica Park vs Pittsburg Pi-rates. Seats will be at lower deck, first base side, section 115. Bus leaves St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy parking lot at 11:30 am sharp. Cost: $62 total (bus and game). Bob Sheppard is coordinating the event. Bob will be available at pancake breakfasts to receive your reservation(s); or by phone at: 734- 455-1561; or on line at: bobsheppard44@ymail.com. Fifty-six seats available. When they are gone, they're looong gone.

Paul Markus

Heavenly Father, welcome home

those whom you have called from

this world especially

Richard Zawrotny

Joyce Vella

Fr. Daniel Murphy

and all the souls of our faithful departed.

May they rest in peace. Amen

ALL YOU CAN EAT Pancake & French

Toast Breakfast

THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 19

8:30am to NOON

Saint Mary, Cause of Our Joy

Social Hall

COST: $3 Adults

$1.50 Children ages 2 to 10

MENU: Pancakes, French Toast, Ham, Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, Applesauce,

Tea, Coffee, Milk, & Juice Sponsored by

HOLY NAME FRATERNITY

Thank You Thank you to our parish family for your support, cards, and prayers with regards to my brother Jim Kuplicki's, passing. We would not have gotten through this without it.

Janet & Doc Carrier

Page 5

A Practical Look at Passing on the

Faith to Future Generations

SAINT MARY,

CAUSE OF OUR JOY PARISH

Large Social Hall

THIS Monday, March 20, 2017

6:00pm to 7:30pm

For more information please

contact Carol Nelius at youth-

ministry@stmarycooj.org

Easter Egg Hunt

Sunday, April 9 St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy

1:30pm-3:00pm

Toddlers-Grade 6

You are invited to join us for an

Easter Egg Hunt, pictures with the

Easter Bunny, Crafts, Games, and

Snacks.

This event is hosted by St.

Mary, Cause of Our Joy

High School Youth Group Teens

No charge for this event.

Pre-Registration is required.

Forms are available in the

gathering space and parish

office.

Deadline for registration is Monday,

April 3. Drop off forms to the parish

office. Any questions please call

Carol Nelius, 734-765-5525 or email

youthministry@stmarycooj.org

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�������������� �����• Make an honest assessment of

young people and faith.

• Examine how parents can better inspire faith in future generations.

• Address practical issues such as how to talk about the faith and its tradition with your children, and how to apprentice and model our faith as parents.

• Include great resources and more!

ARCHDIOCESE AND

COMMUNITY NEWS

The NEW

National Pro-Life March Ever since the SCOTUS passed

Roe v. Wade on January 22,

1973, pro-lifers have sponsored

an annual march in our nation’s capital to

honor the millions (now almost 60 million

lives) of babies who have died because

killing them is legal in the U.S. What is

NEW is that this year, our pro-life

President asked our pro-life Vice President

to represent him at The March. His

message was uplifting and sincere. “Life is

winning again in America,” he declared.

And more NEW good news: the

mainstream media has been forced to

finally acknowledge that a half million or

so Americans were willing to travel across

the country to express their pro-life views.

We are making a difference! Thank you to

everyone who supported The March in

any way!

LIFESPAN 734.422.6230

www.miLIFESPAN.org

Subscription Info... Please consider taking out your own personal yearly subscription to The Michigan Catholic

$24 published bi-weekly. Call 313 224 8002

Michigan Catholic

12 State Street

Detroit, MI 48226-1823

On Saturday, March 11, 116 junior high and high school teens participated in a kids against hunger event at St. John Neumann. Along with St. Mary, Cause of our Joy, Seven parishes participated in this event which included St. John Neumann, St. Priscilla, St. Kateri, Sacred Heart Dearborn, & St. Colette. In two hours, we were able to make 20,000 meals. That is 220 meals per minute! The meals we made contained a soy rice casserole. Once you add hot water to the meal content you have a nutrious meal. We were able to sample the meals and it was a very tasty meal. The mission at Kids Against Hunger is to significantly reduce the number of hungry children in the USA and to feed starving chil-dren throughout the world. They ship meals to starving children and their families in over 60 countries through partnerships with humanitarian organizations worldwide. A big thank you to the following 16 teens from St. Mary, Cause of Our Joy that participated in this event! Junior high teens: Jonathan Morawiec, Joey Beahon, Sarah Gaffka, Makenna Burden, Billy Kallis, Alex Gray, Andrew Gray, Vincent Konston, Caroline Pietron, Colin Barringer, Logan Bird, Marissa Mueller. High School Teens: Anya Hassen, Eva Mueller, Jean Michael Lecourt, and Marcela Lecourt.

Page 6

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 20 -March 26

MON. Mar. 20

8:30am 6-7:15pm 6-7:15pm 7-9:00pm 7:15-8:00

Mass Faith Formation Passing on the Faith—Social Hall High School Youth Group Children’s Choir Rehearsal

TUE. Mar. 21 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:00pm

Holy Name Fraternity Mtg. Light Meal Served Men’s Lenten Night of Reflection Living the Eucharist Series Rm 108

WED. Mar. 22 10:00am 11:00am 12 Noon 7:00pm

Living the Eucharist Room 108 Cards & Coffee in social hall Mass Rosary

THURS. Mar. 23 8:30am 5:30pm 6:00pm 7:00pm

Mass Doors open in Social Hall FREE movie night (adults only) Adult Choir Rehearsal

FRI. Mar. 24 8:30am 9:00am 6:00pm 7:00pm

Mass Eucharistic Exposition Lenten Meal Stations of the Cross

SAT. Mar. 25 9-11:30am 10:00am 3:30pm 4:30pm

First Communion Retreat Living the Eucharist Reconciliation Mass

SUN. Mar. 26 8:00am 8:45am 10:00am

10:45am Noon

1:15pm 1:30pm

Mass Living the Eucharist Mass (2nd Scrutiny) RCIA Living the Eucharist Mass Liturgy of the Word with Children Prayer Service STATE OF THE PARISH UPDATE

In Church

LITURGICAL SCHEDULE March 25/26

SATURDAY 4:30pm SUNDAY 8:00am SUNDAY 10:00am SUNDAY 12 NOON

Celebrant Fr. Ken Fr. Joe Fr. Ken Fr. Ken

Lector

Comm.

Julie Callahan

Kate Mercado

Kay Palmer

Evangeline Baldis

Ann Schroeder

Victoria Apolzan

Kevin Steele

Ellen Steele

Extraordinary

Ministers of

Holy

Communion

Kathy Andrus Kim Rourke Sharon McCarthy

Pat Slusarz

Fran Gleason Ralph Costyn Mary McKelvey

Deacon John

Carol Janowski

Larry Janowski Lisa Kliza

Linda Dinsmore Kathy Birchfield

Diane Robinson

Deacon John Theresa O’Bey Duane Harbowy

John Lister

Jerry Chwalek

Bob Montagna

Bernice Reed

Deacon John

Annmarie Konrad

Ken Konrad

Scott Ozga

Jennifer Gonzalez

Joanne Harshman

Mary Lou Davis

Altar Server Matt Mazaitis Natalie Francis Frank Criscenti Vinny Konstal Andy Konstal Tori White

Joey Beahon Tori White

Sacristan Pat Storey Alice André Jeanne Sullivan Jeff Vernon

Ushers Tony Collins

Denis Rowland

Peter Kowalski

Paul Markus

Emery Price

Tony Micallef

Don Niemiec

Steve Noonan

Frank Pelton

Jean Schmuck

Don Koszegi Ernie Lenard Bill Lezotte

Jim DeVitis Paul Lukasik

Dan Stachow

Chris Gieske Andy Konstal Mark Gozinski Jim Siepierski

Kathy Sherry Ron Sherry Yonnie Underwood

Luis Gonzalez Ken Konrad Annmarie Konrad

Barbara Burke

John Burke Bonnie Kinunen Ron Kinunen

Clare Masak

Greeters Rose Rodriguesz JB Bearden Bethany Garfinkel Darlene LaFave

Faith Formation Students

Homebound Duane Harbowy Theresa O’Bey

Altar Care March 31 Janet Carrier Margaret Blackwood

MASS INTENTIONS

Wed.

March 22

12 Noon Fr. Alex Kuras Robert Art Zarate by Monty & Carmen Stress Amelia Ramierez (2nd Anniv.) by her Family

Thurs.

March 23

8:30am

Deloris O’Hagan by her husband, Don Prayers for Annunciata Egbe by her sister, Sr. Michael Paul

Fri.

March 24

8:30am Remy Borromeo by Edgardo & Teresita Ramos

Sat.

March 25

4:30pm

Dolores Tucker by Mary Hudson Sam Scianna by his wife, Amelia Maryanne McKenna-Hood by Marie Pierson John Feta by Mary Hudson

Sun.

March 26

8:00am

10:00am

12 Noon

Charles & Phyllis Dziadosz by their daughter-in-law Felicia Prayers for our Parish Family

Elisa DiDomizio by her daughter-in -law Marie Paul Maceri by M/M Joseph Mercurio

Andrew Wrobel by Roberta Paja

Mon.

March 20

8:30am Joseph Paja by his daughter, Roberta Irene Sowul by Roberta Paja Dec. Members of Florence Mizer Family

If you are unable to walk up for Communion and you are not sitting in the handicap section,

please notify an usher when you enter Church and a Priest