Page 1 St. Christopher, Marysville

1000 MICHIGAN AVE, MARYSVILLE, MI | 810-364-4100 | WWW.STCHRISMI.ORG

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Page 2 St. Christopher, Marysville

Pope Francis’ Mission Statement: To Become a Band of Joyful Missionary Disciples. Archdiocese of Detroit’s Mission Statement: To Unleash the Gospel. Saint Christopher’s Parish Mission Statement: Transform Lives in Jesus Christ Through the Power and Freedom of the Gospel. Parish Vision Statement: Foster a Personal Encounter with Jesus.

Pastor’s Ponderings. Greetings and the Father’s Blessing be upon you, my dear spiritual children. Next weekend, being the First Sunday of Advent, we were all expecting to hear the official announcement from Archbishop Vigneron regarding the intention for forming the new Families of Parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit, but it has recently been communicated to us that this will not happen until December 11. It has been communicated to us also that Archbishop Vigneron is intending to have a pastoral letter available to us on the topic of Families of Parishes instead. We do know that there will be fifty-one total Families in the Archdiocese, and it is very highly likely we will be in Wave One. The move to Families of Parishes will be a major restructuring and we will begin planning for it in January to begin to feel the impact of it July 1, 2021. There will be many adjustments that will be made as time goes on for all of us, especially a “mental grasp” or “mental picture” of what our Church will become. For that time ahead, let us place our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, and go to Him as often as possible in prayer, in our hearts and in our minds so that He may be our comforter and consoler. May we also remember frequently that “God has this too,” and He does, in fact, truly care personally and individually for us.

Reminder on the Sign of Peace. For the Sign of Peace eye contact and a head nod along with the statement “Peace be with you” is our new cultural norm to exchange the Sign of Peace as this new custom is most relevant for our time and circumstances. Of course, between family members only, physical contact is permissible.

Perhaps on this semi-related topic, it is a fitting time to remind everyone that the influenza season is November through April. Please allow common sense to rule the day and self-monitor for any symptoms of illness whatsoever and, as a common courtesy and an act of loving your neighbor, stay home if you are aware of not being in “top health.” Thank you.

Reminder: Shift in Financial Strategy for your Contributions (this year only). Our financial strategy (for this year only) is to direct your “larger” donations that you would normally have given to the CSA to the Christmas 2020 collection. The best time to make your Christmas contribution is December 11, 2020 – January 8, 2021; yet, anything marked with an intention for “Christmas” will go to the Christmas collection as we will honor the intention of the donor. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call upon me. I will be happy to speak with you. Thank you so much.

Event Planners Needed (one to four) from Saint Christopher’s Parish for planning a Scholarship Dinner to benefit Blue Water Vicariate Catholic school students by raising money as tuition subsidies for students attending or seeking enrollment in any Blue Water Vicariate Catholic School. The funds raised from the dinner would be equally divided by six and distributed to each school for the purpose of tuition subsidies for students. The expectations of those who serve would be approximately two meetings. The intention is for this event to occur in May of 2021. Anyone who is interested in serving in this capacity to help plan such an event, or if you have any questions about it, then please contact Dan Kilian directly at 810-765-8825, extension 16, or [email protected]. Thank you so much.

Catechism of the Preface for this Weekend’s Readings to Ponder. “Though already present in his Church, Christ's reign is nevertheless yet to be fulfilled "with power and great glory" by the King's (Continued on page 3) November 22, 2020 Page 3 St. Christopher, Marysville

(Continued from page 2) return to earth. This reign is still under attack by the evil powers, even though they have been defeated definitively by Christ's Passover. Until everything is subject to him, "until there realized new heavens and a Sunday, November 22 new earth in which justice dwells, the pilgrim Church, in her sacraments 8:00 am and institutions, which belong to this present age, carries the mark of 9:30 am RCIA 9:30 am RE Classes this world which will pass, and she herself takes her place among the 11:00 am Mass creatures which groan and travail yet and await the revelation of the 11:00 am Children’s Church/ sons of God." That is why Christians pray, above all in the Eucharist, to Babysitting hasten Christ's return by saying to him: Marana tha! “Our Lord, 4:00 pm Confession come!”’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 671). 5:30 pm Mass 7:00 pm Quest gathering Blessed Solemnity of Christ the King and Happy Thanksgiving, Monday, November 23 9:00 am Mass Fr. James † Thomas M. Fritz III by Mary Oles Tuesday, November 24 9:00 am Mass † Bernice & Eugene Melczarczyk Mary Bixler Steven DeMeulenaere Mark Meier by Michael & Mary Byington Elizabeth Bolton Denise Gawronski Iris Miguel 5:30 pm Youth choir practice Connie Bradbury Karen Goodmen Mike Murphy Wednesday, November 25 Linda Bowman Rick Goodmen Nadine Nowicki 5:30 pm Small Church Marilyn Bromberger Cindy Horn Natalie Lech Parent Community #3 Thursday, November 26 Christine Cairns Sondra Kota Greg Porrett Offices Closed William Cairns Barbara Letzgus Chuck Roehl 9:00 pm Mass Marilyn Cruickshank Edward Letzgus Dorothy Shafran Thanksgiving to God Mary Deising Kim McConnell Kalvert Michael J. Ward Friday, November 27 Offices Closed 9:00 am No Mass Saturday, November 28 Sunday, November 29 8:00 am Mass - Rite of Acceptance 9:30 am RCIA MK1 EJ Anglebrandt, U.S.C.G. Sgt Mario Nowicki, U.S. Army 11:00 am Mass SFC Shelby Bixler, U.S. Army PO2 David Patchel, U.S. Navy 11:00 am Children’s Church / Major Clayton Cruickshank, U.S.A.F. Capt Chelsea Patino, U.S.A.F. Babysitting Lt. Mark Cruickshank, U.S.A.F. Capt Taque Patino, U.S.A.F. 4:00 pm Confession CPL Nicolas Deland, U.S. Marines CPT Lt Eric Reder, U.S. Army 5:30 pm Mass A1C Marshall Eckert, U.S.A.F. C4 Jacob Redlawski, U.S.A.F. PFC Jordan Garijo, U.S. Army LCpl John Russ, U.S. Marines Pvt. Nathaniel Nelson Hohf, MI N’tl Grd Sgt Curtis Senyk, U.S. Marines Sgt Joe Kilbourne, U.S. Army LCpl Randy Washburn, U.S. Marines Cpl Michael Knowles, U.S. Army

Our Giving Tree is up in the Social. Please select your tag and return gifts under the tree by December 13. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Page 4 St. Christopher, Marysville

“Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 Thanksgiving, Us and the Eucharist

"“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The colored leaves, the smells from the kitchen, the gathering of loved ones, the warmth from the fire, the spoken prayers, the clinking of dishes and silverware, the laughter of shared stories and the tears of remembrance are all mental snapshots from my favorite holiday. To be honest, the stress of shopping, prepping and cooking, the tension of unresolved family issues, the weight of self-imposed per- fection, the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations are also mental snapshots of Thanksgiving. It is not either/or but rather all of it. The beautiful and the messy are on display not only on the fourth Thursday of each November but also on each of the other 364 days of the year. Yet, Saint Paul tells us in the verse above to always pray, to always rejoice, and to always give thanks. How is that even possible? It is only possible if our focus remains on God and His son Jesus.

Years ago I read a book by Christian author Ann Voskamp called "One Thousand Gifts". Although she is not Catholic she spoke extensively about the word Eucharist and its meaning. It comes from the Greek word Eucharisteo which can be translated as "to give thanks" or "thanksgiving.” When you look even further it contains the root word "chara" which translates to "joy." You can really delve deeper into the etymology of this word (and others) but for now I think it's important to focus on the fact that the Eucharist includes both joy and giving thanks. This means that as Catholics we don't need to celebrate Thanksgiving only in November but we can at every single Mass. The Church teaches us that every Sunday is a little Easter and, in a similar way, it helps me to think of each Mass as a little Thanksgiving. Knowing a bit more about the word Eucharist has served as a reminder that I should receive Jesus with both joy and thanksgiving regardless of how I'm feeling that day.

It is a tall order from Saint Paul when he tells us to "give thanks in all circumstances" because as humans it is so easy to let our emotions guide us instead of God's truths. How do we give thanks even during the difficult times? Again, we only need to look at Jesus' example. He always gave thanks to the Father no matter what the circumstances. When faced with a crowd of 5000 men plus women and children Saint Matthew explains what Jesus did: "“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over” (Matt. 14: 19, NIV). Jesus gave the thanks and then the miracle occurred! Another example can be seen when we look at the Last Supper which is the night where Jesus instituted the Eucharist. Jesus knew he that he was going to experience pain and death yet Saint Paul tells us, "... that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:23-24, NABRE). Even when facing betrayal and death Jesus still gave thanks. This is what takes place at every Mass. The priest gives thanks before the bread and wine are transformed into Jesus' Body and Blood. The thanks- giving precedes the miracle.

So this Thursday before we turn on the parades and the football and before we sit down to share our meal and blessings with one another do the most important thing....go to Mass! We are blessed to be able to gather as a community of believ- ers, and we are beyond blessed to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Receive with both joy and thanksgiving then go out to the world to spread His love to others. See you Thursday at the 9am Mass!

In Thanksgiving, Kristi Director of Religious Education

November 22, 2020 Page 5 St. Christopher, Marysville

girl. He later called the chaste relationship he had with Serena during his last two years of life “the most beautiful gift" the Lord could give him.

Farina often thought about the faith and the “difficulty of Saintly Teens going against the current.” Concerned about a lack of good faith education for young people, he undertook this Venerable Matteo Farina, who died at task among his own peers.

the age of 19 in 2009, was declared When he was 15, he reflected on friendship, saying “I venerable by Pope Francis in May of would like to be able to integrate with my peers without this year. Matteo grew up in a strong being forced to imitate them in mistakes. I would like to Christian family in the southern Italian feel more involved in the group, without having to town of Brindisi. renounce my Christian principles. It’s difficult. Difficult

Starting at eight years old, he would receive the sacrament but not impossible.” of reconciliation often. He was also devoted to the Word Eventually, the teenager’s condition worsened and after a of God. At nine years old, he read the entire Gospel of St. third surgery he became paralyzed in his left arm and leg. Matthew as a Lenten practice. Farina also prayed the He would often repeat that “we must live every day as if every day. it were the last, but not in the sadness of death, but

When he was nine years old, he had a dream in which he rather in the joy of being ready to meet the Lord!” heard St. tell him that if he understood that “who Farina died surrounded by his friends and family on April is without sin is happy,” he must help others to understand 24, 2009. (https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/ this, “so that we can all go together, happy, to the kingdom italian-teen-who-died-in-2009-declared-venerable-by-pope of heaven.” -francis-22783)

From that point onward, Farina felt a strong desire to Venerable Matteo Farina, pray for us! evangelize, especially among his peers, which he did politely and without presumption. Joyfully in Christ,

In September 2003, a month before his 13th birthday, Suzy DeVeny Farina began to have symptoms of what would later be diagnosed as a brain tumor. As he was undergoing medical tests, he began to keep a journal. He called the experience of the bad headaches and pain “one of those adventures QUEST Reminders: that change your life and that of others. It helps you to be *Parent Appreciation Night is stronger and to grow, above all in faith.” Sunday, Nov 22 @ 7-8:30pm. All high school teens & their parents are invited! Over the next six years, Farina would experience several Please RSVP. brain operations and undergo chemotherapy and other *Caroling for Homebound Parishioners is treatments for the tumor. Sunday, Dec 6 @ 2:30-5:00pm

*Shopping for Adopt-a-Family is His love for Mary strengthened during this time and he consecrated himself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Saturday, Dec 12 @ 1:00-3:00pm In between hospitalizations, he continued to live the ordinary life of a teenager: he attended school, hung out with his friends, formed a band, and fell in love with a

*For those who began preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation in January 2020, Confirmation Retreat is Our next Fall Teen/Young Adult Bible Study is Sunday, November 21 @ 9-4pm. Nov 22 @ 9:30-10:45am – for ages 14-24. Contact Timothy Office with any questions. Remaining sessions are Nov 29, Dec 13, Dec 27. Please *New Confirmation Prep group will begin January 2021. contact Suzy [email protected] if you’re Details to follow. Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Page 6 St. Christopher, Marysville

acred Music Ministry

Musical Musings

Today, I’ll take a break from my series on chant, as I wish instead to write about today’s double Feast: the Solemn Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, and the Feast of St. Cecilia, patroness of music. These are two of my very favorite Feasts! They occasionally fall together, and I think it is appropriate that they do so, since St. Cecilia was an early Roman martyr, and loved Christ her King to the point of a gruesome death. The executioners were allowed only three times to complete the beheading, and having failed on the third strike, she was left for three days to die. She professed her belief in the Holy Trinity, even in death, as she held up three fingers on one hand and a single finger on the other to signal Three Persons in One God. Although much of what we know of her is legendary, this fact is not legendary but was evidenced when her coffin was opened in 1599. The famous effigy was sculpted at this time, showing her the way in which her incorrupt body was discovered.

St. Cecilia is one of my favorite Saints, not only because she is the patroness of music, but because of her whole-hearted love for God. She also was one of the favorite saints of another one of my favorite saints, St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face! St. Cecilia, as well as St. Joan of Arc, were among St. Therese’s favorites and in fact Joan of Arc was still Blessed, not yet having been canonized during Therese’s short life. All of these Saints had immense love for God, and courage in the face of trials, virtues that we need very much these days!

Pope Pius XI, in 1925, seven years after the end of the First World War, instituted the Feast of Christ the King. At that time the world dealt with much of the same evils that we deal with now. Now the spiritual battle is at an all time high. May Christ our King reign in our hearts, and in the world! Let us unite with the Church in prayer:

“Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!” “Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ commands!”

Next Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, so for four Sundays the Gloria will not be sung. Also, to mark this penitential season, we will sing the Heritage Mass setting, which begins on page 68 of the Glory & Praise Hymnal.

Deidre Collins Director of Sacred Music November 22, 2020 Page 7 St. Christopher, Marysville

Weekend Liturgy for November 29, 2020

Day / Time Sunday 8:00 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday 5:30 p.m.

Mass † Ted Wessel Parishioners & † Grace Mary Mollan Intentions by Bob & Fran Fowler Territorial Souls by Rich & Carole Kliemann † Kenneth Kern of St. Christopher by Jeff & Lori Malinowski † Sam Serra by his family Celebrant Rev. James F. Arwady Rev. James F. Arwady Rev. James F. Arwady Lector Maggie St. John Christine Sass Jenine Ulrich Hospitality Selena Schweihofer Webb & Sue Coates Dave Huxhold Ministers Jacque Schweihofer Jan Hamblin Lorraine Frendt

EMHC *Bill Dega Teri Lanschoot *Mike King *Mass Sacristan *Cami Armstrong

Altar Server Sophia Senyk Kelsey Ureel Gerry Measel

Please Join the Knights of Columbus, as they pray the Rosary, the 5th Sunday of every month after the 8:00 Mass

Right to Life of St. Clair & Sanilac Counties invite you to join them as they travel to the March for Life in Washington DC January 28-30, 2021. SPONSOR OF THE WEEK CSA 2020 Goal $58,354 Buses leave Our Lady of Mount Carmel at 6:00am January 28th Total Pledges………….....$83,028.95 and return about 7:00pm January Contributions Received…..$69,466.95 th Jim Vinkier, Agent 30 . Families Supporting CSA………….157 To learn more go to (810)364-9811 Please patronize our sponsors! Please make checks payable to www.rtlsc.com or Archdiocese of Detroit—CSA call 810-531-4746 or

989-280-6148. Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Ed Quain ASSOCIATE BROKER Home of the Marysville Knights of Columbus Cell: 810.343.6013 WEDDINGS • SHOWERS • DANCES Bus: 810.364.8700 MEETINGS • GRADUATIONS Parish Member 810-364-6800 4521 Ravenswood Rd., Kimball, MI 48074 BINGO EVERY SUN 1:15PM, TUES 10:20AM & WED 6:20PM

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