Forget to turn in your parish census form?
Or would you like to join the parish? You can download a form right from this page. If you are not currently a parishioner and would like to register, simply fill out the form and write "NEW PARISHIONER" at the top of the first page.

Download a census form.

Don't miss the Administrator's message on the occasion of the parish's 149th anniversary!

Choral masses

November 28: First Sunday of Advent (first Sunday of a new church year.)

December 12: Third Sunday of Advent

Christmas Midnight Mass music will start at11:30 pm on Friday, December 24, and once again will feature the soloists, choir, and orchestra of the St. Joseph Academy of Music. Midnight Mass music includes The Hirtenmesse of Ferdinand Schubert, brother of the more-famous Franz. The title means "Shepherds Mass: the "pastoral" or shepherds Mass for Christmas has a long tradition in South Germany and Austria, and in the territories of the old Austrian empire.  The music is intended to reflect the rustic joy of the shepherds to whom the birth of the Christ Child was first announced. The prelude music will include the Weihnachtskantate by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, an important Austrian composer contemporary with Haydn and Mozart, and O Magnum Mysterium, a setting for soprano solo, chorus, and instruments by the Portuguese composer Pedro da Esperança (†1660).

The St Joseph Purgatorial Society
offers Masses throughout the year for your deceased loved ones. Anyone wishing to participate in this work of mercy toward the Poor Souls in Purgatory should write the names of those loved ones on a piece of paper along with a $10 stipend for each Mass you wish to have said. No limit for the amount of names per Mass. Put this in an envelope in the collection basket with "Purgatorial Society" written on the front. You may also mail these intentions with stipends to the business office at 4440 Russell, Detroit, MI 48207

New thoughts posted on the Meditations page.

Who brings the gifts on Christmas? Kids have sometimes found this confusing over the centuries, and some of this confusion has been built into our American language. Click here for the a special German-American history lesson!

In the charity of your prayers, remember the sick

News: November 28, 2004
First Sunday of Advent

Parish Council Meeting
The Parish Council will meet tomorrow night, November 29, at 7:00 p.m. in the socia1 hall. Meetings are not restricted to parish council members. Everyone is welcome to attend.

In Gratitude to Those Who Give Their Time
Where would our parish be without the people who donate their time and talent? Jack Dunn, 80 years young, still spends most of his entire week working on the grounds of the parish. The leaves and trash never seem to let up. Recently Gerard and Christine Gray, Rod Bloedow and our custodian Tom Crachiolo embarked on the miserable job of cleaning all the pigeon droppings from the bell tower and blocking the entry-ways that the birds have made. Imagine dragging tools, brooms, shovels and a shop vac up a narrow 12-story circular stone stairway (no railing) along with extension cords and lights to accomplish one of the nastiest jobs in the parish. God bless them and all of our volunteers who contribute so much to the life of our parish!

News: November 21, 2004

FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING
The Feast today officially ends the Church's liturgical year. Next Sunday begins Advent, the expectation of the Christ and is somber in tone starting a new liturgical year.
God our Heavenly Father, through Your Son Jesus, our Victim-High Priest, True Prophet and Sovereign King, pour forth the power of Your Holy Spirit upon us and open our hearts. In Your great mercy, through the Motherly mediation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Queen, forgive our sinfulness, heal our brokenness, and renew our hearts in the faith, peace, love, and joy of Your Kingdom, that we may be one in You.

Special thanks are in order for all the people who made the celebration of our parish anniversary so special. To list everyone would fill the greater portion of our bulletin. Some folks would not be outdone in their generosity both in time and in contributions of prizes for our drawing. Flyers advertising the orchestral Mass were distributed from Ann Arbor to Mt. Clemens. Tickets sales took many hours. God bless every one who helped to make this special day of thanksgiving to God a day to remember. Honorable mention goes to Father Mark, our secretary Chris Hubbard, as well as our director of music.

Funerals
The funeral of Rosemary Young, mother of parishioner Bennadette Moore, will be held on Monday November 22. The deceased will lie in state at 9 a.m., and the mass will begin at 10 a.m.

Michael Edward Day, brother of parishioner John Day, who is a member of our choir, has died. The orchestral mass at noon on November 14 was offered for the return to health of Ed Gramling and for the repose of the soul of Michael Edward Day.

News: November 14, 2004

Our most gracious thanks to all the musicians, organizers, communicators and visitors who made our 149th Anniversary Mass and Harvest Dinner a success!

Family from our three clustered parishes along with visitors and friends came together to give thanks and praise to Our Lord Jesus Christ for sustaining our parish through 149 years. This year we are especially grateful to our Pastoral Administrator, Father Mark Borkowski, for the enthusiasm he shows in managing all three parishes in our cluster. Together with him we have embarked on a whole new era in our history. Please remember him and all our priests in prayer during these difficult times when priests are so heavily burdened.

"There is no obstacle to world peace greater than abortion." --Mother Teresa
Right to Life-Lifespan will be here at Saint Joseph Church next Sunday, November 21 selling Christmas Cards and Entertainment Books. Their traditional cards show Mary cradling the Infant Jesus in beautiful shades of dusty rose and purple. 20 cards with gold foil-lined envelopes sell for $15 per box. Smaller cards with a depiction of the manger as seen through the eyes of a child sell for $6 per box.

Holiday Music and Wine
Christmas is always a special time at St. Joseph Church. As music fills the night, we marvel not only at the miracle of Christ's birth but also at the glorious music that helps us celebrate this great feast. You can help keep the tradition of celebrating Christmas with joyful music alive by attending a pre-holiday Wine Tasting to benefit the music program at St. Joseph's.
Join the St. Joseph Musical Society for an evening of wine and song at a Wine Tasting to be held on Saturday, November 20, 2004 starting at 7:00 p.m. in the rectory. A limited number of tickets are available for a donation of $35 per per-son or $60 per couple. Tickets are available before and after Sunday Masses or by mailing your check to St. Joseph Musical Society, P.O. Box 43708, Detroit, MI 48243/ For additional information contact: sjms@ameritech.net.

News: November 7, 2004

Schedule Change for November 14th only:
English Mass at 10:30 am.
Latin Mass at 12:00 noon.
The Holy Name Society will attend the noon Mass. Please assemble before the beginning of Mass and pray the pledge in honor of the Holy Name of Jesus.

The last chance to get tickets to the Harvest Dinner was today.

DON'T LET THE MUSIC DIE
Many of us at St. Joseph's take for granted the beautiful music we enjoy each Sunday—the
magnificent sound of the organ, the wonderful voices of the choir and the majesty of the orchestras on Christmas, Easter and other special feasts. Music enhances our worship and praises God in a special way. Although the efforts of many volunteers contribute to the music program, there are out of pocket costs that must be met. You can help keep the magnificent music alive at St. Joseph's and enjoy a pre-holiday celebration at the same time. Join the St. Joseph Musical Society for an evening of wine and song at a Wine Tasting to be held on Saturday, November 20, 2004 starting at 7:00 p.m. in the rectory. A limited number of tickets are available for a donation of $35 per person or $60 per couple. Tickets are available before and after Sunday Masses or by mailing your check to: St. Joseph Musical Society, P.O. Box 43708, Detroit, MI 48243. For additional information contact sjms@ameritech.net.

St. Joseph Alumni Association
25462 Cortez
Harrison Twp., MI 48045
or contact John Gawryck at 586-469-7608
or Dale Pascoe at 586-772-4625

News Archive