Month of St. Joseph | Lenten Check-In | Holy Week Schedule | Parish News
Month of St. Joseph
This month, we will explore why the Church has chosen St. Joseph for its March devotion.
Regardless of the demands of your state of life or busy schedule, simply being aware of devotions given to us from Holy Mother Church can give us a “lens” through which to view the workings of God’s grace in our daily lives.Â
We see, for example, that Sundays honor Christ’s Resurrection; Mondays, the Holy Spirit and holy souls in Purgatory. Tuesdays lay claim to the Holy Angels, and Thursdays are devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and thus the Holy Priesthood. Fridays are dedicated to Christ’s Passion and to His Sacred Heart, while Saturdays honor Our Lady, because it was on Holy Saturday that She waited in joyful hope with the fearful disciples for the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
Holy Mother Church has given Wednesday, “the day the week turns on”—as author David Clayton highlights in his book The Little Oratory—to St. Joseph. This means that the middle of the week is the perfect time to reflect on, be grateful for, and intercede on behalf of holy fatherhood, both spiritual and biological.
The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of March 2023
For victims of abuse: We pray for those who have suffered harm from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.
Sunday's Focus of the Liturgy: March 26, 5th Sunday of Lent | Jn 11:1-45: The raising of Lazarus. "I am the resurrection and the life."
Mid-Lent Check In
How's your Lent going?
For many of us, there’s a moment in every Lent when we begin to stumble. When the promises we made seem too difficult, when we convince ourselves that the Lord doesn’t need our sacrifice, when we begin to follow the call of comfort and leave Christ’s side—and very suddenly we find ourselves lost in the desert.Â
This article offers four practical steps to help you press into the discomfort and ask Christ to teach you how to be with Him there.Â
As you press into Lent in the midst of the “slump,” remember the Lord’s unending mercy and love for you. Turn back to Him in all His kindness, and ask Him to walk with you and give you the strength you need to continue following Him into the desert.
The Lenten Parish Mission--including the Interior Healing Service and Parish Penance Service--will be an incredible opportunity to "return to Him with contrite hearts" (Joel 2:12-13) so that He can pour out His mercy and grace onto us.
Holy Week 2023
Holy Week, the final week of Lent, is an important time for Christians throughout the world. It's a time when Catholics gather to remember and participate in the Passion of Jesus Christ in some of the richest liturgies of the year.
Click below to find St. Michael's 2023 schedule of liturgies and offerings and to learn more about the liturgies themselves.
Parish News
3/24: LENTEN FRIDAY
Daily Mass at 8 AM
Adoration/Confession at 5 PM
Stations of the Cross at 5:30 PM
Daily Mass at 6 PM
International Meatless Meal at 6:30 PM
Free! No charge, and donations are accepted to St. Michael's charitable donation.
You can donate an international meatless meal by signing up here.
3/26: HOLY FAMILY CONSECRATION
With busy schedules, individual devices, and pop culture, our families are easily focused away from our Christian values and being a praying family. Fortunately, the Consecration to the Holy Family (prayer cards passed out this weekend) focuses on a special prayer to Jesus, Mary and Joseph as the Holy Family, still a wonderful model for us today.Â
Consecrate your family under the protection of the Holy Family. Learn how to receive the full benefit of intercession from the Holy Family using this prayer.
3/30 PRIME TIMERS LUNCH
Prime Timers are a 55+ group that gets together regularly for meals, socials, and day trips. Join us at Another Broken Egg, on Thursday, March 30 at 11:30 A for Lunch. For more information, email Joe McFaull at jmcfaull@yahoo.com.
3/31 TRAIL LIFE FUNDRAISER ENDS
St. Michael’s Trail Life's members have committed to acts of kindness including Volunteering at the animal shelter, wilderness cleanup, helping make meals for Ease House, volunteering at the pregnancy resource center, and other custom ideas.
 Click here to be taken to our RaizeCraze page where you can submit a donation. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook so you can see pictures of how your generous donation is making a difference! The Fundraiser ends March 31.
EASTER FLOWER OFFERING
You are invited to help purchase Easter flowers in honor or memory of a loved one. The flowers will be used to decorate the Chapel and Church during the Easter season. Gifts will be listed in the bulletin, and the 9:00 AM Mass on Easter Sunday, April 9, Â will be offered for all those in whose honor or memory flowers were offered. You can submit your offering using your contribution envelope or through our online giving.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The office staff needs help preparing candles, programs, and more for Holy Week on April 3 and 4. Contact Oti at 334-887-5540 if you can help.
We also need volunteers to help decorate the church for Easter on Saturday, April 8 at 10:30 AM. It is not necessary to bring any supplies, just a willingness to help. Questions call Patty Abrahams at 334-887-5540
EASTER FOOD COLLECTION
The St. Vincent de Paul Ministry would like to ask for your help to serve families in need in our local area. We need your support to make Easter boxes for 45 families. Each year the families of St. Michael’s aid in making this project possible. We would appreciate if you could donate only the items listed in this article.  Please bring your items to the kitchen hall between March 11-29.
