January 29, 2017 St. Patrick Catholic Church 140 Church St., Portland, MI 48875 Phone: 517-647-6505 Fax: 517-647-7807 parishoffice@portlandstpats.com www.stpatrickportland.com Rev. Larry J. King, Pastor Dcn. Don Sobolewski, Pastoral Associate The Mission of St. Patrick Parish is: To celebrate the Eucharist, To proclaim the Good News, To encourage Stewardship as a way of life and To grow in Faith, Justice, Love and Service to all. Mass Schedule: Reconciliation: Eucharistic Adoration: Saturday 4:30 pm Saturday 3:00 pm Monday, Noon 5:00 pm Sunday 7:30 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am or by appointment Wednesday, Noon 7:00 pm & Weekdays: Tuesday 6:00 pm 9:00 pm-12:00 am Wednesday 7:30 am Parish Office Hours Thursday 9:30 am Friday 7:30 am Mon.-Fri.: 8:00 am-4:30 pm Closed 12:30 pm-1:00 pm for lunch Wed. evening: 6:00 pm-9:00 pm
ST. PATRICK CHURCH Page 2 PORTLAND, MICHIGAN Masses for the Week of January 29, 2017 Mon. 01/30 Weekday Heb 11:32-40; Ps 31:20, 21, 23, 24; Mk 5:1-20 Tue. 01/31 Saint John Bosco, Priest Heb 12:1-4; Ps 22:26b-27, 28 and 30, 31-32; Mk 5:21-43 6:00 PM - Helen Ciolek Wed. 02/01 Weekday Heb 12:4-7, 11-15; Ps 103:1-2, 13-14, 17-18a; Mk 6:1-6 7:30 AM - For The People Thu. 02/02 The Presentation of the Lord Mal 3:1-4; Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10; Heb 2:14-18; Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32 9:30 AM - For The Students, Staff & Bene factors of St. Patrick School Fri. 02/03 Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr; Saint Ansgar, Bishop Heb 13:1-8; Ps 27:1, 3, 5, 8b-9abc; Mk 6:14-29 7:30 AM - For an increase in vocations Sat. 02/04 Blessing of Throats Weekday Heb 13:15-17, 20-21; Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6; Mk 6:30-34 4:30 PM - Danny & Denny Leik, Colleen Trierweiler Sun. 02/05 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 58:7-10; Ps 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 1 Cor 2:1-5; Mt 5:13-16 7:30 AM - Helen Clark, Alice Hengesbach 9:30 AM - Jerome J. Schafer 11:30 AM - For The People SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN THIS WEEK IN OUR PARISH January 29, 2017-February 5, 2017 Catholic School Weeks Breakfast, 8:30 AM, Cafeteria Church Reserved, 12:45 PM, Church First Year Altar Server Training, 3:00 PM, Church Ecumenical Sancitity of Life Service, 3:00 PM, Mt. Hope High School YM, 6:00 PM, CIA HQ Athletic Association Meeting, 6:30 PM, Parish Hall Church Cleaning, 12:00 PM, Church Eucharistic Adoration, 12:00 PM, Chapel Adult Formation-Ignite, 6:30 PM, Parish Hall Church Cleaning, 10:30 AM, Church Psalmist Choir Practice, 2:30 PM, Church Hall Walking, 4:00 PM, School Eucharistic Adoration, 12:00 PM, Chapel Hall Walking, 4:00 PM, School Adult Choir Practice, 7:30 PM, Church Basement Eucharistic Adoration, 9:00 PM, Chapel Hall Walking, 4:00 PM, Hallways/Stairs Blessing of Throats, After Mass, Church Church Cleaning - 9:00 AM, Church Hall Walking, 4:00 PM, School Men s Faith Formation, 6:30 AM, LLRC Rosary, 7:30 AM, Chapel Reconciliation, 3:00 PM, Church Coffee & Donuts - Following Masses Family Fun and Games, 12:30 PM, Parish Hall 8th Grade Faith Formation, 12:45 PM, CIAHQ High School YM, 6:00 PM, CIAHQ The deadline is 10:00 AM Monday for inclusion in the Sunday Bulletin. Parish Staff (517) 647-6505 School Website: www.portlandstpats.com Ministries
ST. PATRICK CHURCH Page 3 PORTLAND, MICHIGAN Seek Justice, Seek Humility Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 People who have had a close encounter with death often feel like God has saved them for some reason. They cannot explain it. They do not know what that reason might be. Whether they were preserved from an accident, aggressive violence, or a near-fatal illness, they believe that God has some future purpose for them. The experience often makes them appreciate every day. It makes them humble. The prophet Zephaniah spoke to people who had had that kind of experience. He spoke not just to individuals who felt they had been spared. He spoke to a people who felt that way. They had survived a war. They had endured persecution. They had lived through exile. These people had a name for themselves. They called themselves the remnant. The experience deepened their faith. It kept them humble. ALTAR APPOINTMENTS Feb 4th & Feb 5th 7:30 AM David Chislea Fr. Larry King Fr. Larry King 11:30 AM Bill Durnwald Fr. Larry King 4:30 PM Graham Wohlscheid, Zakary Arwood, Emma Weller, Bryce Wendling 7:30 AM Erin May, Elizabeth Pung 9:30 AM Courtney Pohl, Timothy Pohl, Grace Thelen, Martin White 11:30 AM Alana Brown, Sydney Brown, Leah Cook, Shane Cook When Jesus blessed the poor in spirit (Mt 5:3) he addressed the descendants of the people who had escaped this danger. They formed a remnant who had remained faithful after years of persecution and waiting. They were humble. What calamity has your community survived? How has God protected you? Has it made a difference in your life? Has it kept you humble? Written by Paul Turner. Copyright 2010, Resource Publications, Inc., 888-273- 7782, www.rpinet.com. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Lectionary Bulletin Inserts, Year A: First and Second Readings. Financial Activities Collection for the week beginning 01/10 01/17 Family Perspective By Bud Ozar It is in our family where we learn to be merciful and comforting to others. The Beatitudes of the Kingdom of God begin at home and depend on you. Parents lead the way. STEWARDSHIP REFLECTIONS Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. MATTHEW 5:3 This one confuses people. Replace the word humble for poor and it makes more sense. People that are humble recognize their dependence on God and trust that He will provide all that they need. Unfortunately, for many of us, pride and ego enters our lives and we think we can live without God. Remember God first in all circumstances. Prayer of the Faithful That we strive to put God first in all circumstances.
ST. PATRICK CHURCH Page 4 PORTLAND, MICHIGAN A big THANK YOU to everyone for all the food donations over the holidays. Our year-end report shows where we helped 185 families, over 500 persons. We still have a good amount of stove top stuffing, instant mash potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and vegetables. We need all kinds of cereal, instant oatmeal, jelly, pancake mix, syrup, can of tomatoes, all kinds of canned fruit, puddings, single package meals. We are now helping seniors that need transportation, that has brought on different kinds of food requests. We are grateful for any help you can give us. If you know anyone that needs a little help, please call us at 647-7727, we will do our best to work with them. -Portland Community Food Bank Children s Faith Formation Up Coming Dates January 30 th - NO CLASSS (Catechist In-Service) February 20 th - NO CLASSES Up Coming Events February 11 th - 2 nd Grade Reconciliation (Church)(1:00 pm) February 13 th Meals at First Congregational Church (4-6 pm) February 25 th - 2 nd Grade Reconciliation (Church)(1:00 pm) *Keep in mind when schools are canceled due to the weather, so are Faith Formation classes* *The book drive will be going on until end of February* *Diapers will be collected at the end of each month. Be sure to mark your donation. The class with the most donated each month will be rewarded.* The next Marriage Enrichment Date Night is going to be 6:00 PM on February 4th at the Wagon Wheel. Great food, a speaking couple, and entertainment. Tickets will be on sale after all masses the weekend prior to the event (Jan. 28-29) and at the Parish Office the week leading up to it. Cost is $25 per couple. Catholic Schools Week Breakfast Buffet The annual St. Patrick Catholic Schools Week Breakfast Buffet will be held This Weekend from 8:30 AM 11:30 AM on the 29th in the school cafeteria. Once again, this year s breakfast will be provided as a Thank You to our school and parish families for your continued sacrifices and support. There will be no charge for the breakfast, but a goodwill offering is always appreciated. So grab your family and friends and stop down for a delicious homemade breakfast! There will be a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Enrichment Day on March 4 th at St Gerard Parish from 9-4. The theme is passionate relationships and will consist of presentations, dialogue, and discussions. This is open to all couples and priests. The cost is $25 per couple, which includes lunch. Please contact Paul & Vicki Horak for more information or to register pvhorak@hotmail.com, 989-640 Mid-life Singles (mid-30s to 50s): Looking to start 2017 off with a renewed sense of purpose & belonging? Then register today for a life-changing REFLECT weekend retreat at the St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt, MI (10 miles north of Lansing), on March 17-19, 2017. Take a chance and get involved... this is one New Year s resolution you won't regret! Cost is $175 for meals and a single room. Call (586) 770-1772, e-mail reflect.michigan@gmail.com, or visit www.reflectretreat.com for details. BISHOP DAVID J. WALKOWIAK ASKS US TO PRAY FOR OUR SEMINARIANS Loving God, Raise up dedicated leaders who will shepherd your people and guide them to your Son. Give generous and willing hearts to the seminarians of our Diocese who have heard your call to live a life of service to the Church. Help us to encourage and support them as they strive to become priests who are models of discipleship, possessors of wisdom and on fire with love for your people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. We especially pray for: Michael M. Steffes Jr. University of St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein Seminary 1000 East Maple Ave. Mundelein, IL 60060
Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time Page 5 January 29, 2017 Youth Corner Junior High: See you on Friday after school! Mark your calendars for the Shine Rally on Saturday March 25th High School: NOTE: The Antioch Retreat at St. Judes, in Grand Rapids, has been moved to February 17th- 19th Please Keep in Your Prayers Rose Marie (Tichvon) Sochor, formerly of Portland and past member of St Patrick Church, entered eternal life, January 14. Funeral services were held at St John Paul ll Church, Cedar Springs, MI on January 18th. January 29: We will hear from some who went on the March for Life February 5: Superbowl night February 12: Witness Night: You do not want to miss this powerful witness talk by Tony Weber ichallenge: How will we win the fight for the unborn? With love and changing of hearts. Visit AQ Aquinas College Celebrates Catholic Schools Week In honor of Catholic Schools Week, Aquinas College invites all juniors and seniors who attend a Catholic high school to visit campus Jan 30 Feb 4. As part of this invitation, transportation costs (fuel) will be reimbursed by the Admissions Office. Please visit aquinas.edu/personal for more details or to schedule. In addition, free tickets will be available for all Catholic school families (K-12) to attend Aquinas Men s and Women s basketball games that will be held on Wednesday, Feb 1 (6:00pm & 8:00pm) and Saturday, Feb 4 (1:00pm & 3:00pm). Please visit aqsaints.com for more information. Lenten Soup Suppers Scripture reminds us that there is one Lord, one Faith, and one Church. But unfortunately, we live in a divided time. Many Catholics don t fully understand the differences between Bible Christianity and Catholicism. Are there really fundamental differences? Do these differences matter? How would you defend the genius of Catholicism? Last week we examined a rational defense for the belief in God and in Jesus Christ. This week, we ll take it a step further and study the reasons why Catholic isn t just Christian and why the Catholic faith truly is the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. What s coming up Mon. Jan 30 th : One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic - Why Catholicism is more than just Christian Mon. Feb 6 th : The Fall - Sin, temptation and grace Mon. Feb 13 th : Through the Cross - Growing during suffering Spread the fire! It is time to begin planning for the Lenten season. St. Patrick Parish will host soup suppers after Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings. If your ministry or group would like to sponsor a supper, or for more information, contact Ken Schneider at 517-643-2749 or send an e-mail to kenandkaren76@gmail.com. Sponsor of the Week: Grand Hearing Center The home represents the most precious human treasures, that of encounter, that of relations among people, different in age, culture and history, but who live together and together help one another to grow. For this reason, the home is a crucial place in life, where life grows and can be fulfilled, because it is a place in which every person learns to receive love and to give love. -Pope Francis (5/21/13)
Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time Page 6 January 29, 2017 The SHAMROCK AUCTION is fast approaching, and we need your help! We are busy gathering our donations for this year's PROM themed auction. Please help us by making a cash or gift donation. Do you work for a business who contributes to the community through corporate giving? Are there other families or parishioners you can go in with to purchase a larger gift? Do you have a talent you might consider donating? LET US KNOW! Donations can be dropped off at the school or parish office, or if you need something to be picked up, please get a hold of Amber Fogarty at amberlfogarty@gmail.com or (517)243-1850. Please visit our new ST PATRICK SCHOOL SHAM- ROCK AUCTION Facebook page. Like and follow us to learn about exciting contests in the months ahead to win free auction tickets and more! This year's auction will be held on Saturday, April 22nd, so MARK YOUR CALENDARS for a fun, entertaining evening. i.d. 9:16 Disciples' Night For Young Adults Attention all young adults in their 20s and 30s! Join us for our February Disciples' Night, on Thursday, February 2, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Church of the Resurrection in Lansing. RSVP to id916lansing@gmail.com FireKeepers Casino Trip The Portland Knights of Columbus Council 2168 will be sponsoring a bus trip to Firekeepers Casino on Wednesday Feb. 8, 2017. The cost is $30.00 with each participant receiving $20 in casino play and a $5 food voucher. The bus will leave the KC Hall parking lot located at 690 Maynard Road Portland at 9 a.m. and arrive at the casino at 10:00 am. The bus will depart the casino at 3 pm and arrive back in Portland at 4 p.m. Participants must register in advance for this trip. For more information or to register, contact Rich Schneider at (517) 647-4567, or John Vallier at (517) 647-6409. Other Upcoming KofC Events 2/1/17 Euchre Party @ Knights Hall @ 1:00 P.M. 2/5/17 Bingo @ Knights Hall @ 2:00 P.M. 2/6/17 Business Meeting @ 8:00 P.M. with Building Corporation Meeting to follow the Business Meeting. The Portland Knights would also like to thank everyone who made donations to our annual Positive Solutions Informed Choices (formerly Pregnancy Services of Ionia County ) fundraiser at St Patrick s church the weekend of January 14th & 15th. The fundraiser was a huge success.$741.00 cash and over $500.00 worth of items were collected. -Sarah Hart Concert- Save the Date Following the 4:30 PM Mass on March 11th, Sarah Hart will be performing at 7:00 PM in the church. Sarah is one of the leading figures in contemporary Catholic music today. Her songs of faith have touched the lives of millions. Her songs are part of the common worship experience of Catholics in the US: Go in Peace, You Alone, Sweet Redeemer and others. Sarah s dynamic energy, sense of humor and deep faith make her concerts, keynote presentations and retreats unforgettable experiences. She especially enjoys exploring topics around women s ministry and spirituality. In October of 2013, Sarah was invited to perform for Pope Francis and a crowd of 150,00 in St. Peter s Square.
ST. PATRICK CHURCH Page 7 PORTLAND, MICHIGAN Registering For On-line Giving To registered for on-line giving after you have set up your My Own Church account is quick and easy visit our website, www.stpatrickportland.com and click our Online Giving link and follow the directions under the create new account tab. St. Patrick currently has 129 parishioners and donors that give on-line. This months contributions total just over $22,000.00. Your Grocery Shopping Can Help Our Food Pantries Attention Fathers, Grandfathers, Uncles, Godparents: A program at SpartanNash stores called Direct Your Dollars can lead to a $1,000 donation from the grocery store to food pantries of Catholic Charities West Michigan. Do your normal shopping and the receipt will tell you how much of your bill qualifies for this program. Send the receipt to CCWM, 40 Jefferson Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. When our agency receives receipts totaling $150,000 in Direct Your Dollars, CCWM becomes eligible for the $1,000 donation from SpartanNash. That money will go to buy food for those in need and through food supplier Feeding America, we can multiply the spending power of each dollar by 10. And that could make the SpartanNash donation worth $10,000. Looking for a special way to connect with your son, grandson, nephew, or godson? Consider a day of dynamic Catholic men s spiritual development and fellowship at the 12th annual Building a Legacy conference on March 11 at West Catholic High School in Grand Rapids. Featuring an awesome lineup of speakers, including Fr. Larry Richards, Fr. Dave Pivonka and Fr. Michael Gaitley, with Mass celebrated by Bishop David Walkowiak. For more information go to www.buildingalegacy.org or call Robert at 616.258.8530 Soup's On For All! The largest fundraiser of the year for the God's Kitchen food and pantry programs of Catholic Charities West Michigan, is fast approaching. This fun night of sampling more than 30 soups, donated by area restaurants, will be Monday, Jan. 30, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The B.O.B. in downtown Grand Rapids. Tickets are $50 each, if purchased in advance, and can be bought at soupsonforall.org under Events. If your life has been affected by someone else's drinking, you should consider attending an Al-Anon meeting. The Portland Al-Anon group meets on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 am - 11:00 am at the First Congregational Fellowship Hall in Portland. Enter the Fellowship Hall through the double doors facing Smith Street and turn right. The Lakewood Al-Anon group meets on Thursday mornings from 10:00 am - 11:00 am at the Lakewood United Methodist Church in Lake Odessa in the Builder's Room. Phone 517-575-8000 for more information about either of these groups. Keep in touch with our parishioners in the Seminary or entering Religious Life Please continue to show our parishioners support by keeping in touch with as they continue on their journey. Michael Steffes Jr. Johnathan Johnson Wendy Rutherford Mundelein Seminary Mundelein Seminary St. Clare Convent 1000 East Maple Ave 1000 East Maple Ave PO Box 766 Mundelein, IL 60060 Mundelein, IL 60060 Mishawaka, IN 46546 Keep them in your prayers!
ST. PATRICK CHURCH Page 8 PORTLAND, MICHIGAN Join us in celebrating Catholic Schools Week Since 1974, one week every year is designated as Catholic Schools Week nationwide. It always begins the last Sunday of January and runs through the following Saturday. During this week, Catholic school students, parents, and educators in the United States celebrate what makes Catholic Schools unique. The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2017 is Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service. This year, there are many reasons to celebrate our own Catholic school here in Portland as well as Catholic schools around the nation. Did you know that St. Patrick is the only parish PK-12 Catholic school in the Diocese of Grand Rapids? Catholic schools offer academic excellence and faith-filled education where God is embraced and not marginalized. While some Catholic schools are challenged by declining enrollments and school closures, there is good news in Portland. St. Patrick School is in its third straight year of increasing enrollment and Catholic schools in the Diocese of Grand Rapids have defied the odds with their second straight year of growing enrollment. National test scores, high graduation and college attendance rates and other data show that Catholic school students outperform other students in both the public and private sectors. In addition, research from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) shows that 34% of millennials who attended a Catholic primary school are likely to attend Mass weekly, the number increases to 39% if they attended a Catholic secondary school, but the number drops significantly to only 5% if they have never attended a Catholic school. Not only are Catholic school students more likely to attend Mass weekly, they are more likely to contribute generously to charitable organizations. We are excited to celebrate our Catholic School here in Portland beginning Sunday, January 29. The success of our school is dependent on the support we receive from the greater Portland community. On the next page is a calendar of the daily themes and celebrations that will take place at St. Patrick School throughout Catholic Schools Week. Please note that events which are open to the public have the location listed in parenthesis at the end of the event.
ST. PATRICK CHURCH Page 9 PORTLAND, MICHIGAN Sunday, January 29, 2017: We celebrate as a parish! Come celebrate with us as we kick off Catholic Schools Week at the weekend Masses. (Church) A free (donations accepted), superior All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast will be served from 8:30-11:30 a.m. by the St. Patrick teaching staff and school board. (School Cafeteria) Monday, January 30, 2017: Let the school celebration begin! Preschool 12 th grade breakfast sponsored by the St. Patrick School PTO. Pajama Day for all students. Tuesday, January 31, 2017: We celebrate with the diocese! Delegation of SPS students to attend Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew in Grand Rapids. All students will pray a Candlelight Rosary. Hat Day for all students. Wednesday, February 1, 2017: We celebrate as a school! Middle and High School students will watch have the opportunity to watch movies. All students may dress Out of Dress Code in school-appropriate clothing. Thursday, February 2, 2017: We celebrate spiritually! Please join the K-12 students as we celebrate the Eucharist at 9:30 a.m. Mass. (Church) Students will bring canned food/boxed goods for our school SOUPer Bowl food drive. All students may dress in their Sunday Best for school Mass. Friday, February 3, 2017: We celebrate as a school! Students will be treated to ice cream at lunch. High School students will celebrate with a pep assembly. All students receive a free jean day with school spirit wear. We thank all of you for generous support of St. Patrick School and ask that you keep our school in your prayers as we celebrate Catholic Schools Week. Please join us for all activities that are open to the public. At St. Patrick School, We Pray! We Learn! We Achieve!
ST. PATRICK CHURCH Page 10 PORTLAND, MICHIGAN January 2017 Dear Friends in Christ, Enrollment continues to grow in our Catholic schools! This is good news as we celebrate national Catholic Schools Week, January 29-February 4. Catholic schools in the diocese now serve more than 6,500 students, a number that has increased for two straight years. I wish to thank the parents who send their children to Catholic schools. To those of you who work or volunteer in our schools, thank you for sharing your talents and Catholic faith with our students. Without you the ministry of our Catholic schools would not be possible. I believe Catholic schools, like no other ministry of the Church, offer students a daily encounter with Jesus Christ accomplished within the context of the highest-quality education. For that reason, I invite every Catholic in the diocese to value and support our Catholic schools. If your family is considering Catholic school education, the Welcome Scholarship is being offered again for the 2017-18 school year. This scholarship is available to all families with children in preschool through 11 th grade who were not enrolled in our schools during the 2016-17 school year. Each new student who meets the scholarship criteria is eligible for these awards ($250 for preschool, $750 for K-8, and $1,000 for 9-11). Prayerfully consider a Catholic school near you by visiting our schools webpage, CatholicSchools4U.org, or by calling our Office of Catholic Schools at (616) 246-0590. Through our strategic planning process, Catholic Schools: Bridging Faith and Future, we are committed to offering an excellent education to even more students. Launched one year ago, this effort has engaged clergy, school and parish leaders, and our wider Catholic community in developing a strategic plan that enhances Catholic culture and mission, programmatic excellence, affordability and accessibility, and stewardship and sustainability. The process is now in its third and final round. The draft strategic plan will be shared with diocesan decision makers ahead of implementation this summer. I am grateful to you for your support of our Catholic school ministry and your continued prayers for all the young people of our diocese. Sincerely yours in Christ, Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak Bishop of Grand Rapids
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ST. PATRICK CHURCH Page 15 PORTLAND, MICHIGAN My Own Church My Own Church is your online connection to your family and individual members Church records. In My Own Church you are able to keep your records updated (phone numbers, e-mail address, address changes), you are also able to review your contributions. The first step is to make sure the parish office has your e-mail address on file, the next step would be to register creating a user name and password. The My Own Church website is available from any web browser. Links are available from the St. Patrick Website, www.stpatrickportalnd.com or https://connectnow.parishsoft.com/grandrapids/. Click the new user button, complete the fields on the new user registration form. Read the terms and conditions and check the I Agree Box. Once you have submitted your registration, a St. Patrick Administrator will approve your registration and you will receive an e-mail. Please contact the parish office (517-647-6505 x 410) if you need assistance or have any questions.