A merger of faith communities from St. John, St. Columbkille, St. Joseph, and St. Ignatius.
Praying with Scripture: Lectio Divina (Divine Reading)
Advent Homily Series: What is the Good News? CREATED, CAPTURED, RESCUED, RESPONSE
This homily series is meant to help us surrender our lives to Christ and cooperate with Him in His mission of rescuing souls:
Homily #1: CREATED: Why is there something rather than nothing?
Homily #2: CAPTURED: Why is everything so messed up?
Homily #3: RESCUED: What has God done about it?
Homily #4: RESPONSE: What is my response?
Video Summary of the Good News: “Someone Has Come To Fight” – Fr. John Riccardo
The greatest crisis in the Catholic Church is the lack of discipleship. Tim Glemkowski, in his book Made for Mission, as well as Don Buchalski, Coordinator of Evangelization for the Diocese of Saginaw, have highlighted the need for parishes to offer a yearly “pathway to discipleship” in order to become what our Lord wishes them to be, training centers for discipleship and evangelization. The Rescue Project series (watch it free here) could become our pathway. We offered it fall 2022, and it bore great fruit. We plan to offer it Lent 2023.
Surrender Prayer
Nicene Creed Beginning in Advent: At our Worship Commission meeting, we looked at the guidelines for the “profession of faith” at Mass and the options of praying the Apostles Creed or the Nicene Creed. We will begin using a combination of the creeds at our parish, with the presider announcing which creed would be said at the time of Mass when it will be changed for the season. I surveyed the vicariate pastors, and some of them use a combination of creeds, but most use Nicene Creed all year round. One that uses a combination of the creeds said there is, “No confusion because I tell them which one we are saying…”
To put us in union with most parishes throughout the country, as you see in livestream Masses, we will begin praying the Nicene Creed most of the year, beginning this Advent. But in the seasons of Lent through Easter we will use the Apostles Creed, as the Roman Missal suggests.
It is appropriate to start the Nicene in Advent, since we’re preparing for the birth of the divine Son of God. The Nicene Creed focuses on the divinity of Christ. It was written to counter the early heresies (false teachings) that Christ is not fully divine, especially the Arian Heresy. The Nicene Creed contains a line that’s like a hammer repeatedly smashing the Arian heresy. The Arian heresy is that Jesus was not fully God. The line states that Jesus is, “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father…”
“Consubstantial” means MORE than simply “one in being”, the former translation. It means, of the same substance or essence. It means that Jesus IS God. Father Bryan Babick, SL.L. gives this analogy, “Every analogy necessarily breaks down, of course, but consider that when you eat at a restaurant that allows you to select and fill your own drink from a soda fountain or a coffee pot, you often go for a free refill. Rarely do you put a different kind of soda or type of coffee, which is a substance, in the same cup you used for the first fill. You would fill it with the same substance. When God came into the World, He came Himself, not some substitute of lesser stature, or different flavor. Consubstantial may not be a word we use often, but there’s no better word to describe the relationship between God the Father and God the Son.”
charlestondiocese.org/divine-worship-and-sacraments/articles/consubstantial-with-the-father/
Vote No to Protect Your Child From ‘Trans’ Activists
Mass Journals: I’m excited for your sake, and for our Lord’s sake! Our Lord is eager and anxious to speak to each one of us, no matter our age. This weekend at Masses we kick-off the Mass Journals. These journals will help you hear the Lord speak personally to you. If you’re away this weekend, you can pick up a Mass Journal at our churches or parish office.
For details, see Mass Journals bulletin insert:
Check out this Mass Journals explanation video:
Job Posting: Coordinator of Discipleship Formation
Diocese of Saginaw: Final Synod Report
Good Shepherd Parish: Parish Synod Report
Article: Pope Francis’ Letter on the Liturgical Formation of the People of God
Article: How to Debunk 7 Common Myths About Overturning Roe v. Wade
Saturday Vigil Mass Time at St. John Church
I have been carefully discerning the question of whether we should keep our Saturday Vigil Mass time at 4:00pm year round, rather than switch to 5:00pm for daylight savings time. After considering feedback from council members, parishioners, local farmers, and our liturgical ministers who exercise generous stewardship of their time and talent to serve us at Mass (such as our organists, cantors, servers, lectors, ushers, sacristans, etc.) and after considering other factors (the amount of sunlight for driving home; the possibility of my being asked to sub at 5:30 Mass for Holy Family Parish; the potential for confusion; the common dinner hour, etc.), I have decided to keep our Saturday Vigil Mass time at 4:00pm year round. Thank you to all who helped me make this decision.
Support Needed for Our Own Pro-life Missionary: I invite you all to consider donating to (Good Shepherd parish family member) Haili Gusa’s team- a one time donation, or even better- on a monthly basis. I met with her and am very impressed with her calling and gifting to become a pro-life missionary. If you’d like to meet with her to learn more about her life-saving work, email haili@protectlifemi.org. If you’d like to donate, after you go to the link below, make sure to include her donation code 1320 to earmark the donation for her team.: www.protectlifemi.org/donate
Haili’s Bio: Haili Gusa is a recent graduate of Central Michigan University where she studied Communication and Psychology. She works for Protect Life Michigan as their Training Coordinator. This organization serves high school students, college students, and young professionals in the state of Michigan to create passionate activists to end abortion. Last year alone the organization reached 316,543 people! Over the course of PLM’s history, students have gone on to lead pregnancy centers, work in public policy and law for the pro-life movement, and much more. Haili is grateful to work for an organization where she can equip and train pro-life young people to become leaders in the pro-life movement!
For inclement weather: if one/more weekend Masses are cancelled, we will announce via parish Facebook page, email, and radio. If school is cancelled, morning daily Masses at Ubly are not cancelled, but use good judgment. Evening daily Masses will still be offered if the roads are safe. Please use good judgment regarding the safety of travel.
Pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain, and France with Fr. Portelli and Fr. Harburg: You’re invited to join us in visiting and praying at places where God and Mother Mary left their mark and their faith-building, soul-saving messages, such as Fatima, Lourdes, etc.! Brochure for Pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain, and France- Oct. 10-20, 2022, is available at parish facebook page and here
✠ DISASTER RELIEF FOR THE DIOCESE OF OWENBORO, KY – As we are all aware, more than 30 tornadoes have been reported in at least six states, spanning more than 200 miles from Arkansas to Kentucky last Friday night and into Saturday morning. Tens of thousands of Kentuckians remain without power, and many are without shelter – while countless others mourn the death of loved ones due to these violent tornadoes. It appears that most of the devastation is concentrated throughout the Diocese of Owensboro. In this time of Advent HOPE, please consider a collection of financial support within your parish that will be donated to the Diocese of Owensboro in their multiple efforts to minister to those most in need. Please be generous as we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent. Once collected, funds will be sent to the Diocesan Finance Office via a check to the Diocese of Saginaw and a notation in the memo line reading “Diocese of Owensboro Relief” which will be then forwarded directly to the Diocese of Owenboro. If you have questions, please contact Kellie Deming (kdeming@dioceseofsaginaw.org or 989-797-6609).
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ENCOUNTER JESUS: Watch The Chosen Series: Watching or re-watching this series about Jesus is a fantastic way to celebrate Advent. Options for watching:
- Watch for free in a mobile phone app: www.thechosen.tv/app or search “The Chosen” in your Apple or Android app store. From the app, you can stream to your TV using a streaming device, such as Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, Chromecast, etc.
- You can purchase a Pay-it-Forward package in the app. This not only gives you lifetime digital access to season 1 of The Chosen, but it helps send streams all over the world to others who may not otherwise have the chance to watch
- Purchase the DVD/BluRay here at The Chosen webstore.
- Watch on VidAngel: Go to www.VidAngel.com and enter your email address to create an account
- If you have purchased digital access, you can watch it on The Chosen web player
Donating Part of Your IRA’s Required Minimum Distribution
Can Benefit You and Your Parish
If you have a traditional IRA – and if you are 72 years old or older — you are required to take a Required Minimum Distribution. If you donate all or part of that distribution to a qualified non-profit 501(c)(3), such as Good Shepherd Parish or the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, you will avoid paying income tax on your distribution. The charity to which you are making the donation also will not pay taxes on your gift.
If you opt to make this type of gift, which is known as a Qualified Charitable Contribution, you must arrange for a direct rollover to a qualified charitable organization. You only need to give the IRA administrator the information about the charitable organization and how much you’d like to donate.
IRAs that are eligible for Qualified Charitable Contributions include: Traditional, Rollover, Inherited and some SEP (Simplified Employee Pension)
In order to get the tax benefits of a Qualified Charitable Contribution, the charitable organization must receive the donation by December 31. Processing this type of gift may take a few days, so it is beneficial to start the process as soon as possible.
Roth IRA owners also can utilize Qualified Charitable Contribution, but they will not see any tax benefit in doing so, as their distributions are already tax-free.
Any questions? Please contact:
Geri Rudolf, Stewardship and Development Coordinator at the Diocese of Saginaw, 989-797-6679
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If anyone emails or texts you claiming to be Fr. Nate asking for gift cards or money or errands, it’s identity theft- a hoax. Please say a prayer for the conversion of the imposter. If was an email, report it as “spam” or “phishing”. Forward the text message to the SPAM (7762) AND block the number on your phone. Thank you
Parish Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 8:30am-3:30pm
Weekend Masses:
Saturday 5:00pm Mass (4:00pm during fall-winter daylight savings time)
St. John, Ubly
4470 N Washington St
Ubly, Michigan 48475
Sunday 8:30am Mass
St. Joseph, Argyle (10 miles South of Ubly)
4960 N. Ubly Rd.
Argyle, Michigan 48410
Sunday 10:30am Mass
St. Columbkille, Sheridan Corners (8 miles West of Ubly)
3031 McAlpin Rd.
Ubly, Michigan 48413
Daily Masses (check facebook for cancellations):
- Wednesdays 11:30am at St. John, Ubly
- Thursdays 7:00pm at St. Columbkille, Sheridan Corners
- Fridays 9:00am Mass at St. John, Ubly
Other Opportunities to Encounter Jesus:
- Eucharistic Adoration & Benediction: Fridays 9:30am – 10:30am at St. John, following 9:00am Mass (Adoration extends until 4:00pm on First Fridays)
- Individual Confessions: Wednesdays 11:00-11:25am at St. John; Thursdays after 7pm Mass at St. Columbkille; Saturdays 4:15pm at St. John
- Rosary: Sundays before Masses
- Church Open Hours for Visiting the Blessed Sacrament: (Office Hours) Mon.-Thurs. 8:30am-3:30pm at St. John, Ubly; Thursdays (unless 7pm Mass cancelled) 1:00pm to 8:00pm at St. Columbkille, Sheridan
If anyone is in great need of the Sacraments of Healing (including Reconciliation/Confession, and Anointing of the Sick), or if anyone is dying and in need of the “last rites” (Confession, Anointing, Viaticum- Final Holy Communion), please call the rectory 989-658-8145
Diocesan Updates on the Coronavirus
MISC. UPDATES (for other updates, follow our FACEBOOK page)
Fr. Nate’s latest updates are found in the Weekly Bulletin.
Homilies are found on the Homilies page.
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COVID-19 PROTOCOLS UPDATE
From Bishop Gruss:
To all:
Following the latest CDC the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommendation, the Diocese of Saginaw is adjusting its COVID-19 protocols.
Effective immediately, the wearing of masks in liturgical celebrations will be optional for those people who have been vaccinated and are 14 days beyond their last shot. People who have not been vaccinated should continue to wear masks. There will be a more complete update on Diocesan COVID protocols provided next week.
We should remember we have not yet fully emerged from the pandemic and the need for vigilance still exists. Other mitigation practices such as washing hands, staying home when sick, and social distancing when appropriate remain important.
Let us all – whether vaccinated or not – show consideration and charity for each other, so that all members of the Body of Christ feel welcome at the Mass and all parish events.
Thank you.
We continue to rely on your generous financial stewardship. You can:
1. mail in donations to 4470 N. Washington St. Ubly 48475
2. drop off at Office Tuesdays 8:30am-3:30pm
3. donate online: https://saginaw.org/donate
4. call office 658-8824 to setup recurring online donations via bank transfer
Church Addresses
St. John Church, 4470 N Washington St., Ubly, Michigan 48475
St. Joseph Church (10 miles South of Ubly), 4960 N. Ubly Rd., Argyle, Michigan 48410
St. Columbkille Church (Sheridan Corners- 8 miles West of Ubly), 3031 McAlpin Rd., Ubly, Michigan 48413
St. Ignatius Church, 1826 Cumber Rd., Ubly, MI 48475