Our next Versiti Blood Drive at St. Joseph Church is Tuesday, May 6th from 1-7:00 pm. Did you know? Regular blood donation can be beneficial for your health. It helps regulate iron levels, which can reduce the risk of certain health issues like heart disease. Please consider donating! Click on the link below to make your appointment.

https://donateblood.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/11599084

A pictorial directory is a powerful tool in our church to help each of us know each other better. Our last directory is now out-dated and it is time for a new one. Please make an appointment using the link below to have your picture taken or sign up after the weekend Masses. 

Your participation will help the church and yourself. Every family photographed for the directory will receive a copy of the directory and an 8×10 portrait at no cost. You will also have the opportunity to purchase additional portraits at the time of photography. So please, sign-up today! Click the link below to sign up online.

https://instant-scheduling.com/sch.php?page=&lang=en&year=2025&month=05&day=01&subPage=newApp&aNum=3534502&step=2&sceId=&typId=65864&a=

Charles Riker, a St. Charles parishioner, has passed away. We offer our sincere condolences to his family. The funeral Mass for Charles will be Thursday, April 24th at St. Charles Church at 11:00 AM. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral Mass at St. Charles Church. Please keep Charles and his family and friends in your prayers.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

For the complete obituary click the link below.

https://www.hurstfh.com/obituaries/Charles-Anthony-Riker?obId=40258721

Mass scheduled for Thursday, April 24th at St. Joseph has been cancelled.

We begin Holy Week on Palm Sunday with our usual Sunday Mass schedule at all three churches. An additional Lector is needed for the reading of the Passion of the Lord. Call either parish office to volunteer to Lector fro Palm Sunday.

The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum which begins on the evening of Holy Thursday, continuing on Good Friday, and ending at Saturday’s Easter Vigil. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically, one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery, his suffering, death, and Resurrection. It is one liturgy with two pauses. It is fitting that this liturgy take place in one location.

We encourage liturgical ministers and altar servers from all three churches to sign up for serving in liturgical roles for these three holiest days of the year. Please sign up online on SignUp Genius using the QR code, or visiting our website (saintscjm.com), or call either parish office to volunteer.

St. Mary and St. Charles liturgical ministers are assigned on Easter Sunday. Please see the April schedule to see if you are serving. If you are unable to serve please find a sub to take your place.

Since the Easter Sunday Mass at St. Joseph falls outside the normal schedule we are asking liturgical ministers to volunteer to serve on Easter Sunday. Sign up online or call the parish office to volunteer.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0448A4AD2AA5FE3-55390381-holy

In Bishop Walkowiak’s letter, published in October, 2024 we were made aware of the Pastoral Planning process that was to take place.

We now have the statistical data that was gathered Diocesan wide.  These findings are published and accessible via the Diocese of Grand Rapids website. Click the link to be taken to their site: https://grdiocese.org/rooted-in-christ-diocesan-wide-pastoral-planning-process-begins/

The second draft of the Pastoral Planning process is now available to view. Click on the link to view the document. If you have any comments or concerns regarding the second draft please send them in written form to one of the parish representatives.

https://saintscjm.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/East-Deanery-March-Pastoral-Plan.pdf

We would encourage all parishioners to review this information and offer feedback.   This will address the future of our parishes and your voice matters.

As you review these reports, note that both St. Joseph-St. Mary and St. Charles Borromeo are part of the East Deanery. 

Please direct email responses to: bulletin@saintscjm.com.

Written responses may be left at either Parish office by January 13, 2025.

On January 15, 2025, your representatives will take your responses

to our gatherings and share your feedback and concerns.

Thank you,

St. Joseph-St. Mary

    Olga Albert

    Brian Jenks

St. Charles

    Ron Woychehoski

    Karin Kwiet-Darvill

Click here for a printable copy of the Latin Mass parts.

Panis Angelicus Pronunciation

Panis angélicus, fit panis hóminum,
Dat panis cáelicus figúris términum.
O res mirábilis mandúcat Dóminum,
Pauper, servus et húmilis.

Te, trina Déitas únaque, póscimus,
Sic nos tu vísita, sicut te cólimus;
Per tuas sémitas duc nos quo téndimus,
Ad lucem quam inhábitas.

Sanctus 308-B

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.

Translation:
Sanctus = holy
Dóminus = Lord
Deus = God
Sábaoth = of heavenly armies
Pleni = full of
sunt = are
caeli = heaven
et = and
terra = earth
glória = glory
tua = your
Hosána = praise or adoration
excélsis = the highest
Benedictus = blessed
qui = who
venit = (He) comes
in nómine = in the name
Dómini – of the Lord.

Memorial Acclamation 309-B

Mysterium fidei! Literally: Mysterium = the mystery; fidei = of faith.
The Mystery of Faith!
We all respond:
Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine,
et tuam resurrectionem confitemur,
donec venias.
Mortem = death
tuam = Your
annuntiamus = we announce or proclaim
Domine = Lord.
We proclaim Your death, O Lord.
et = and
tuam = Your
resurectionem = resurrection
confitemur = confess.
And confess Your resurrection.
donec = until
venias = come.
Until You Come
The whole acclamation:
Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine,                           We proclaim Your death, O Lord,
et tuam resurrectionem confitemur,                               and confess Your resurrection,
donec venias.                                                                              until You come

Agus Dei 313-B

Agnus Dei,                                             Lamb of God
qui tolis peccata mundi,                 who takes away the sins of the world,
miserere nobis.                                   have mercy on us.
Agnus Dei,                                             Lamb of God
qui tolis peccata mundi,                 who takes away the sins of the world,
miserere nobis.                                   have mercy on us.
Agnus Dei,                                             Lamb of God
qui tolis peccata mundi,                 who takes away the sins of the world,
dona nobis pacem.                           grant us peace.

The Widow’s Mite – A Holy Offering

We were blessed this fall to have Deacon Jim Hessler share an enlightening perspective on stewardship based on “the widow’s mite.” This is an interesting and well-founded perspective on how we are called to share our treasure to further God’s work.  If you missed his homily, we encourage you to click the link below. Some of his thoughts are summarized below.  

Deacon Jim shares that the widow’s gift was from her poverty, a sacrificial gift, which makes it holy! Jesus was not impressed by the larger gifts of other contributors but drew attention to the widow’s mighty gift of two coins. God blesses sacrificial gifts because we must rearrange our priorities and consciously choose to put God first. His graces then flow into our spiritual lives leaving us more grateful, joyfilled, with an improved spiritual life and feeling a sense of contentment only God can provide. God will not be outdone in his generosity! 

If your spiritual life doesn’t seem to be making progress or if your prayer life seems dry, perhaps the area of finances is the door you have left propped open in the fortress of your spiritual life. Leaving this door open keeps you from completely trusting in God and allows the cold draft of sin to separate us from His warm embrace. God doesn’t need our money but uses our money to prove we can trust him.    

Low volume. Please turn up your volume or use headphones to listen.

St. Charles School PTO is hosting a craft sale on Saturday, November 8th from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. All handmade and homemade crafts are featured at our craft sale. We are taking applications for crafters now.