January 5, 2020

BLESSED SACRAMENT PARISH

Mass Appointments

Saturday, January 11, Vigil Mass 4:00 p.m. Servers: Owen McClelland, Luke Kaylor Readers: TBA Extraordinary Ministers/Holy Communion: TBA Sunday, January 12, 8:30 a.m. Servers: Emma, Nate and Noah Kuebler Readers: TBA Extraordinary Ministers/Holy Communion: TBA

Charlotte Baird Alyce Baker Judy Buckles

Maddison Burke Ryder Carlon Emery Celina

Rick Comstock Susan Cone

Sam Edgerton Stephanie Fedora

Jessica Kelly Green Rhonda Grinell Clarence Harris

David Harris Mark Harris

Fr. Jerome Heyman Ronald Heys

Tammy James Lynn Kamens

Sara Keift David Krause Jr.

Kim Leslie Mackenzie McCowen

Dick Majewski Joyce Mead John Mellein

Bennett Meyers Mark Meyers

Elizabeth Jean Molloy Lisa Zugel Moul Stewart Norby

Christine Pilarczyk Tom Rochow Maya Shreve Chuck Setter

Ted/Leona Stough Don Swartzlander

Lexie Suehr Rick Valdez Ron Wenzel Jack Zugel

Joe Ziolkowski And our homebound

and for the special intentions in our Parish Book of

Intercessions on our prayer altar.

If you are not receiving our weekly emails but would like to, please con-tact parish office at blsacch@frontier.com to be put on the list.

Weekly/BAA Financial Reporting Because of the Christmas bulletin deadline, no information was

available for the weekend of Dec. 29

COLLECTION FOR DECEMBER 22, 2019 Stewardship Weekly Offering

Budgeted Amount …………..………………...$4,550.00 Collection…………….………………………….3214.00 Capital Improvements………………..…………..352.00 Total Capital Improvements to date………....33,815.63 Number of Envelope……… …..……….…………….93

LOOK!

2019 Bishop’s Annual Appeal Blessed Sacrament’s Goal………………………......$43,961.00 Pledged Amount.……………………………………..43,061.06

Pledge Balance.…………………………….0 ! Number of Total Pledges…………………………………..126

Thank you for your generous support. Continue every effort to pay off your pledged amount by April 2020.

The Sanctuary Light will be offered The week of January 6-12

In Memory of Frances and Chester Madalinski Req. by family

SPONSOR OF THE WEEK: ELECTROCAL, INC.

JOSHUA SCHAEFFER, Master Electrician Parishioner

Please patronize our Sponsors who make the bulletin possible!

Council of Catholic Women Ministry of Care for January - Most Holy Rosary

If anyone has reason to suspect physical, sexual or emotional abuse of any person of any age, please contact Protective Services (855-444-3911) or the police, as appropriate. The Diocese has and will continue to cooperate with the Michigan Attorney General's investigation and encourages anyone with infor-mation related to misconduct to call the reporting number set up by the Michigan Attorney General’s office at 844.324.3374.

SCHEDULE OF MASSES FOR OUR COLLABORATIVE

Monday, January 6 No Mass today

Tuesday, January 7 No Mass today Mass at St. Margaret at 9:00 a.m.

Wednesday, January 8 9:00 a.m. † Devassy Ponmany Req. by family Mass at St. Margaret at 11:00 a.m.

Thursday, January 9 6:00 p.m. † Nina Bergholtz Req. by Most Holy Rosary Circle

Friday, January 10 No Mass today Mass at St. Margaret at 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, January 11 4:00 p.m. † Louise Phillipus Req.by Andy Phillipus Mass at St. Margaret at 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 12 8:30 a.m. Offered for Blessed Sacrament Parishioners Mass at St. Margaret at 11:00 a.m.

PASTOR: FR. SIMON MANJOORAN 110 N. Cedar St. Allegan, MI 49010 Phone: (269) 673-4455 email: blsacch@frontier.com Website: www.blessedsacrament-allegan.org Parish office hours: M-Th: 10-3:00 Closed Fridays Fr. Simon’s email: simanjoo@yahoo.com Deacon Jim Bauer: 269-655-6510 deaconjimbauer@gmail.com Deacon Gene Haas: 269-838-8432 deacongenehaas@att.net

Mission Statement: Blessed Sacrament welcomes everyone to experience the gifts, joy and personal growth through Christ’s teachings.

Celebrate your life by listening, adopting and practicing Christ’s message.

Religious Ed sessions for all grades resume on January 5,

with a special Epiphany presentation/celebration!

JANUARY 5, 2020 - THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

Dear members of Blessed Sacrament family, Greetings of Peace, Joy and Hope to each one of you! This week’s reflection is centered on three important themes – The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and the beginning of the new year (January 1) and the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord (January 5).

Mary Mother of God: One of the earliest titles given by Christians to the Blessed Virgin was Theotokos - "God-bearer." We celebrate her as the Mother of God, because, in bearing Christ, she bore the fullness of the Godhead within her. Jesus’ nature as both and equally human and divine is something we take for granted today. But back in the early days of the church, this dogma was hotly debated. In 431 A.D. during the Council of Ephesus, the title of “Mary Mother of God” was defended and defined against the heresy of Nestorius. He refuted the title of “Theotokus” claiming that Christ had two loosely united natures, and therefore, Mary was only the mother of the human part of Him. Catholic theologians rejected this claim, and defined that Christ indeed has two natures, definitely united in one person. So, Mary is the mother of the whole Person of Christ. Mary is called “Mother of God” in the sense that the Person that she bore in her womb is indeed true God and true man. Calling Mary "mother of God" is the highest honor we can give Mary. We are reminded of the role that the Blessed Virgin played in the plan of our salvation. Christ's birth was made possible by Mary's fiat: "Be it done unto me according to Thy word." Let us draw inspiration from the selfless love of the Theotokos, who never hesitated to do the will of God. And we trust in her prayers to God for us, that we might be-come more like her. Happy New Year: Every January 1st, we get excited about the chance to start again. Whether the previous year was full of successes and happiness, or tragedy and sorrow, we look forward to doing better in the new year. Being in Christ, it is safe to forget the past; it is possible to be sure of the future; it is possible to be diligent in the present. I extend to each one of you God’s abundant blessings and the fulfilment of all your dreams. May God’s favor rest upon you in the year 2020 and beyond. Epiphany of the Lord: On January 5th, we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord which is the manifestation of the Lord to the entire world. As the three wise men journeyed to Bethlehem to find an answer to the deepest longing in their heart, may we too seek the Lord untiringly because he alone can ‘quench the thirsting in our soul’. God’s abundant blessings upon each one of you! In Christ, Fr. Simon

WHO DO YOU KNOW?... Who may be interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith? Or… may be inter-ested in entering the Church? A six week inquiry class will start in the new year, for inquirers to come and ask questions and learn about our Faith. Please call the office for more information….

This month-Good Samaritan pantry canned sliced potatoes, pork and beans,

mac n cheese, cereal, bar soap

They are here! Check The Narthex: For Calendars for 2020 and Boxed sets of contribution envelopes.

Did you notice? We are now handing out KidsBulletins each week to all the children in our congregation! These tell about the readings of the day, and a featured saint as well! We are hoping it is a way to connect our young ones with our Sunday liturgy!

SENDING YOU

BLESSINGS From the staff

of Blessed Sacrament….

Youth Group Event! Sunday, January 12, 12-3 p.m.

ALLEGAN EVENT (439 River St. Allegan) Featuring, climbing walls, indoor ropes courses, etc. Cost is free for any of our parish youth, but please please RSVP. Adults may purchase own admission. Andrea will be at Allegan Event at 11:30. if you need transportation, please let Andrea know. Hope to see you there!

Not Alone meeting after the 9 a.m. Mass on January 8.

Prayers for our children

Based on Isaiah 54:17 I pray that you cover my children. Give them the helmet of salvation to protect their minds against messages competing for their attention. Guard their hearts Lord, from anger, depression, anxiety, loneliness or anything that would make them feel unworthy of love. No weapon formed against them shall prosper. In Jesus’ Name. Based on Psalm 91:10 Keep your hedge of protection around them as they sleep, as they go to school, as they participate in extracurricular activities, as they get jobs. Let them fear nothing. Let no evil befall them. I know that I can’t be around them every minute. I thank you, Father God, for never leaving them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

THIS MONTH! Rodger Jones 1-3 Juliana Heusser 1-4 Rose Neumann 1-4 Cecilia Dornak 1-5 Marc Kuebler 1-5 Joseph McClelland 1-5 David Wisniewski 1-6 Augusta Brokus 1-9 Trevor Haas 1-10 Blaise Smith 1-11 Richard Hitchcock 1-12 Connie Schaendorf 1-13 Blaise Smith Jr. 1-13 Sue Franz 1-14 Elizabeth Ziolkowski 1-15 Kelly Beckers 1-16 Terra Lydy 1-16 Diane Wilcox 1-16 Peter Boyd 1-17 Janet Morgan 1-17 Margaret Sorenson 1-17 Dorothy Sagodic 1-18 Robert Sosnowski 1-20 Ken Root Jr. 1-22 Michael Saintz 1-22 Joan Smith 1-22 Spencer Koch 1-23 Scott Milbocker 1-23 Jesse Haubenstricker 1-26 Connor Riess 1-27 Terrence Willyard 1-29 Burton Brenner 1-30 Diane Hitchcock 1-30 Walter Sosnowski 1-30

Celebrating Wedding Anniversaries

this month….

William & Joan Root 1-1-1956 Christopher & Lena Collum-Lawe 1-1-2014 Lewis & Myrene Koch 1-2-1993

Congratulations and Blessings!

Dementia Awareness session

We have Rescheduled! January, 28, 6:00 p.m.

Pass the word...all invited.

The content covered includes:

What you need to know about dementia.

Normal aging versus the early signs and symptoms of dementia.

Tips when communicating with a person living with demen-tia.

The five key messages every Dementia Friend needs to know.

What helpful resources are available in our community. Offered by Evergreen Commons in con-junction with Dementia Friendly of Grand Rapids.

Catholic Websites to check out!

integratedcatholiclife.org

catholicculture.org onepeterfive.com

cruxnow.com Catholiceducationresourcecenter.org

Epiphany/New Year Chalk Blessing

Chalk and blessing prayers are available in the narthex for you to take. The Epiphany Chalk blessing is an old custom. It is done in the month of January which takes its name from the Roman god, Janus who was considered the guardian of thresholds. The chalk blessing is a Christian interpretation of blessing the threshold of one’s home as well as to celebrate the threshold of a new year. The blessing is done on Epiphany as a reminder of the way that the Magi searched for Christ and found a place of peace. Through this chalk blessing it is hoped that all who cross through our doors will also find a place of peace and the presence of Christ among us. 20+C+M+B+18 What does it mean? The year is noted at the beginning and end of the inscription. The crosses symbolize that Christ is with us through the year. The C, M, and B are the initials of the three Magi who visited Jesus; Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. However the three letters also are the initials of the Latin phrase: Christus Mansionem Bendicat which means “May Christ Bless this House!” Finally chalk is a product of clay and so is used recalling the human nature taken by Jesus! SO, place this in-scription over your doors so that all who enter and depart may enjoy God’s blessing!

WORKSHOP ON LECTIO DIVINA Three sessions on January 15, 22, and 29

6:00 supper, 6:30 presentation One of the treasures of our Catholic heritage for your own personal spiritual growth is lectio divina. Lectio divina is an ancient way of reading Scripture so as to come to know Christ, who is the Word of God. This workshop will use the Franciscan At Home video program, as well as other materials all aimed at deepening your prayer life. In this workshop we will learn and practice, a way of doing lectio divina that is inspired by the manner in which St. Ignatius of Loyola prayed lectio divina. Another popular practice of lectio divina that we will look at is the Bene-dictine way.

Prayer for Life Service Saturday, January 18, 2020,

2 p.m. St. Augustine Cathedral,

Kalamazoo All are invited to the annual Prayer for Life service to pray for a peaceful end to abortion. The prayer service will take place on the front steps of St. Augustine Cathedral Parish, Kala-mazoo. A short program with refresh-ments will be held in the Crowley Center following the prayer service. Participants are invited to bring dona-tions of diapers and baby wipes to support the work of Caring Network and Alternatives of Kalamazoo. In case of inclement weather the prayer service will take place in the Crowley Center. For more information contact Lisa Irwin at lirwin@diokzoo.org or 269-903-177

The Diocesan of Kalamazoo Trauma Recovery Program is seeking to hire licensed men-tal health clinicians to provide screening and facilitate psycho educational group ses-sions (10 weekly sessions per series; the series is offered once or twice per year, de-pending on location). Group sessions are offered in either English or Spanish, so bilin-gual clinicians are encouraged to apply. Prospective candidates must be trained in the Trauma Model (training provided), and must support the teachings of the Catholic Church. Candidates must have a master’s degree in psychology, counseling, or social work, and must be licensed to practice psy-chotherapy in the state of Michigan. Candidates must have at least two years of experi-ence, post-master’s degree. Candidates will be required to carry their own liability in-surance. This is a contract position, with a stipend for each series completed, and related assess-ments for participants. Interested individuals should submit a resume with cover letter, plus three professional references to Dr. Phyllis Florian at dr.phyllisflorian@gmail.com

Are you… or someone you know interested in knowing more about the Faith? Are you thinking of becoming Catholic? Call parish office for info!

1010

We are seeking a variety of local businesses and professionals to respond to the needs of our growing community. If you are interested in supporting Blessed Sacrament Parish by placing an advertisement in our bulletin, please contact MIKE LENZ, the Diocesan Publications marketing

representative at 616-485-7257 or mlenz@diocesan.com.

For more information visit:www.Diocesan.com/careers

Antkoviak and Rycyna familiesLeo and Diana AveryHoward Baker familyJoe and Sally BartzRobert and Milo Bartz familiesBoreczky and Rydzewski familiesBrad Burke-special intentionAlice BurzaAlec Clark FamilyComstock familyManistique Cook familyCrisp and Osborne families

Deceased members of the CCWMarian EllisCarl GilbertLawrence and Mary GilliganGirouard and Herbon FamiliesLester and Mary GrocholskiHaas and Fisher familiesMatt Havaich FamilyHeckman and Wolfram Families Hein familyHodge family

Homrich familyDee HowardIlmberger familyDavid KruegerArlene KrollMartin and Jean MorsmanStewart Morsman LewisAl and Grace McClellandMead/Fivecoat familiesMiller familyLawrence Morgan

Jim MunnBud JohnsonJoseph, Jane and Peter PapranecJerry and Virginia PetroshusArt and Louise PhilippusPicciola and Ross familiesPiwowar and Samborski familiesJim and Jean RadiRapa familyRepp and Tisch familiesCamryn Mae Riess

Robertson familyRuga familyJoyce RussellRon RussellSalo and McAnallen familiesArchie and Helen SimpsonJack and Alice SmallaSolcani and Zamlynski familiesSchieman/Schulte FamiliesFrank TrumbettiTyo and Foster families

Wilcox/Hartman familiesRichard T. WilcoxWillyard familiesUriarte familyMark VandermeerMichael J. VisuriPinkul Family

Blessed Sacrament First Friday Memorial

3596 Green Pointe Center • Hamiltonwww.insosborn.com

Bradley J. OsbornParishioner

For your insurance and financial needs

269.751.6541

Like a good neighbor,State Farm is there.®

155 Brady St.673-4256

HARTMAN ELLIS AGENCY, LTD.

Insurance and Financial Services

Katherine D. Lake • Parishioner

SAM SANDERS • Parishioner

FREE LICENSED ESTIMATES INSURED

Home 269-686-70163558 127th Avenue

Cell 269-720-0440 123 LOCUST ST. 673-5100

. Paul A. Hodge, Dr. Amanda Hodge Dr. Dale L. Wittkop - Optometrists

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DiscountPrescription Center

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CALL MIKE LENZ616-485-7257

Scott Ellis Parishioner

269-673-8488

809 Airway Dr., Allegan

Contract Packaging Specialists

Christmas Trees • Wreaths

peterson-riverview.com Jerry & Anne - Parishioners 673-2440

873 26th Street

Tom’sTransmission& Auto Repair

269.248.44871177 Lincoln Rd. • Alleganallegantransmissionrepair.com

CallToday!

ANDY’S

558 Water St.269-673-8942 Parishioner

Knights of ColumbusMeets 2nd Monday

at 6:30 p.m.ALLEGAN COUNCIL No. 2515MATTHEW HEUSSER, Grand Knight

CHRISTOPHER HODGE, Financial SecretaryFind us on Facebook

Service Upgrades • New & Remodel Wiring • Machine Controls

chaeffertrician

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Rememberto Honor

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Simple Cremation: $1500Simple Burial: $4850