January 2008
Month of the Holy Name of Jesus

Adult Faith Formation is on!
Check the schedule for this winter's program.

News: January 20-28, 2008

Tax receipts are available by request from the rectory for the year 2007. Please call 313-831-6659 if you have a definite need of a tax receipt. Our cluster secretary, Christine Hubbard, will be off on sick leave following surgery. Please to be patient with her alternate during this time. Remember Chris in prayer.

Our Food Pantry continually runs out of food. Deacon Bill Stimpson opens the food pantry just 2 days a week. Some weeks there is only enough food to open one day. It is a sad sight to see people walk a long distance or push themselves in a wheel chair just to find our pantry closed. Recipients only receive one hand-out per month so no one is abusing our generosity.

Red Cross Blood Drive
Our Bishop Plagens Council of the Knights of Columbus will host a blood drive for the entire cluster here at St. Joseph Church Social Hall on February 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. At least 25 donors are needed in order for the Red Cross to come out. Sign-up sheets are available now in all the churches of our cluster. The blood supply for the Metropolitan area often fails to only a one day supply. Give the gift of life and support our Knights in their selfless efforts to make the world a better place starting here with our cluster family. Chairman Mike Kapusniak 313-414-3710.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS. WE NEED HELP! We will take down our Christmas decorations and Nativity Scene on Saturday, February 2nd at 10:00 a.m. We need all the help we can get. A special thanks to those faithful parishioners who came on Saturday, December 22, to decorate the church for Christmas. Ginny Pulcer, John Lange, Germaine Dorr, Rosemary Dorr, Carol Potrykus, Sean Dey, Nicholas Dey, James Kirchner, Stephen Weber, Michael Parsons, Mary Parsons, George Gregorich, Robert Wenderski, and Patrick and Dorothy Degens. Some of our volunteers had to leave before a lunch of grilled hot dogs was served in the Social Hall by Dorothy Degens along with a fabulous birthday cake donated by Sharon Fromm to celebrate Patrick Degens’ 69th birthday.

Thank you to all the parishioners who baked for last month’s Bake Sale. We made a profit of $345. Next Sunday is Bake Sale Sunday again. We hope to get even more people baking. We have been given a new goal. Our Bake Sales will help to restore some of the figures in our century old Nativity Set.

A NOTE FROM SISTER JUDIE ANN

A special thanks to Fr. Mark for sponsoring the Giving Tree for the children living below poverty level. Thanks to everyone who took an ornament and returned gifts. Thank you to Patrick and Dorothy for taking more than ten ornaments. Thanks to Justin and Leslie for adopting four children at the Halloween Party and then following up with Christmas presents for each of them. Each of us are a piece of life’s jigsaw. Thanks to all of you for completing the puzzle. You are being remembered in extra prayers through Easter.

May your New Year be Holy, Healthy and Happy. Joyfully in Jesus, Mary & Joseph,

Sister Judie Ann

News: January 6, 2008
Epiphany of the Lord

The Parish Council will meet this coming Wednesday, at 7:00 p.m. in the Social Hall. All parishioners are encouraged to attend Council meetings and offer their input.

The Saint Joseph Pro-Life apostolate will be holding a baby shower after both Masses on January 13 in the parish hall. There will be a silent auction of many different gift baskets and they will also be collecting new or gently used baby items that you might like to donate. All proceeds will benefit a local pro-life pregnancy center. No tickets are necessary, so please come support the pro-life cause. On January 20th, after the 12:00 noon Mass, there will be a rosary/prayer service offered for pro-life intentions. The 10:30 Mass on that day will be offered for all the people who participated in the spiritual adopt-a-baby program over the past year. Please join us on this special day to celebrate life.

Last year the Knights of Columbus celebrated their 125th anniversary. Their founder, Fr. Michael J. McGivney’s work did not end with his death on August 14, 1890 at the young age of 38. Today, more than a million Knights worldwide carry on the legacy of Fr. McGivney of Charity, Fraternity, Unity and Patriotism. Here in our cluster, the Bishop Plagens Council of the Knights of Columbus are a vibrant group adhering to all of Fr. McGivney’s ideals. We wish to thank our cluster parishioners for the support they have given to our Council which enables us to support our three cluster parishes in turn and also to contribute to the many worldwide charitable works of the Knights. Thanks especially for supporting our Christmas card sales this season.