MATTERS ON OUR MINDS AND HEARTS
“Doom-scrolling.” At a recent meeting of the Ignatian leadership program, our young adults introduced me to this phrase, which names our current temptation to get sucked into minutes (or hours) mindlessly taking in bad news, stories of doom and gloom on our phones or devices. Take a break and read the following items about the matters on our minds and hearts that counter the dark narratives surrounding us these days!
While our immigration policies and laws are certainly in need of reform and improvement, many of the changes currently being proposed or implemented would seem to be at variance from long-standing Judeo-Christian ethical perspectives on immigrants and refugees. For example, the divine command to establish sanctuary cities dates back to the earliest strata of the Old Testament. Please take a few minutes to read the authoritative statements that have appeared recently from our Catholic leaders:
From Michigan’s Catholic Bishops
From the U.S. Catholic Bishops
And here is a video message from Detroit Jesuit Matt Ippel, SJ, who works for the Jesuit Refugee Service. (Matt was in town and served as the Deacon at our recent Christmas Eve liturgy.)
We have a supply of “know your rights” red cards in the church by the door, which you may freely distribute to anyone you know who may need to assert their constitutional rights during an encounter with immigration authorities or other law enforcement. On March 15, you can attend an interesting workshop at Gesu Parish, sponsored by Strangers No longer, the local Catholic organization dedicated to immigration and refugee ministry. The workshop will provide a simulation experience in which you can imagine yourself in the shoes of a refugee.
February is Black History Month. Our Inclusion Committee will provide a special program at our after-mass social on Feb. 16 focusing on the six African-American candidates for sainthood; see their contributions elsewhere in this eNews. At UDM on Feb. 18 Edda Fields-Black will discuss her book Combee, which explores the work of Harriet Tubman as a spy and a scout in the Carolinas during the Civil War. Register HERE. Other UDM offerings are HERE.
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola are the basis of the Jesuit character and mission of our parish. If you haven’t had at least a beginner’s experience of the Exercises, now is your chance: on March 2 at the after-mass social, come hear first-hand from fellow parishioners who made the Exercises and experienced their transformative impact. Then you can sign up for our Lenten season introduction to the Spiritual Exercises.
On the Church’s “World Marriage Day,” next Sunday’s liturgy (February 9) will include a special blessing for couples, both engaged and married, in advance of Valentine’s Day. Let’s pray for all our couples, especially our young parents!
In response to numerous requests from parishioners, we are continuing to collect donations through February 24 for Catholic Charities Los Angeles Wildfire Disaster Relief. You can donate HERE.
Archbishop Vigneron issued a “Pastoral Note” this week entitled No Second Tunic, announcing a process for the realignment of parishes and resources within the Archdiocese. It will begin immediately with the parishes in the City of Detroit proper, and then roll out to the suburbs in succeeding months. While our Jesuit parishes are exempt from this process (but not from the issues it is addressing!), it will surely have a profound impact on Catholics throughout the metro area. Read it HERE.