Parish Bulletin 2

Bulletin:

This Week in our Parish:

Town Hall Meeting after Mass

6:15pm Religious Education & CGS Classes

6:30pm VBS meeting

1:30pm V4 meeting

5:30pm R.C.I.A.

7:00pm Worship Commission meeting

10:30am Bible Sharing

6pm Choir Practice

6:30pm Core Team Meeting

2:30 - 3:50pm V4 Ice Skating

Sat. 2/4

Sun. 2/5

Mon. 2/6

Tues. 2/7

Wed. 2/8

Thurs. 2/9

Sun. 2/12

KEEP THEM IN OUR PRAYERS:

Dave Beson, Dolores Boman, Timmy Bourcier, Marilyn Collier, Nancy Dorion, Joanne Downey, Lorraine Duford, Keith Eyre, Lynda Friedle, Pete Fryzel, Joan Gatza, Jessie Gillespie, Nancy Gomez, Betty & Bob Hetherington, Holly, Brenda Prime-Holmes, Brian Jeske, Anita Jezowski, Lee Jolin, Dorothy Joos, Nancy Kanicki, Nancy Kochanny, Evelyn Lawrence, Jacob Lee, Sue Lenhart, Tammy Jones-Lenhart, Carl Losinski, Sandy Martin, Aurora Martinez, Dawn Morgan, Bea Rabadue, Roman Radabaugh, Dick Reinecke, Jenny Schroer, Ted Schumann, Fr. Vern, Leo Stepanski, Gloria Sylvester, Ann Volk, Vern Walraven, Betty Walsh, Paradise Prime-Witkop, Jonah Yaworski and Alek Zacharko. And our soldiers away from home: Andrew Comtois, Jerome Monville, Jr., Scott Sansom and Joe Zaucha.

A SCRIPTURE REFLECTION

Jesus’ power and authority extend over all things. In the Gospel, Jesus cures the sick, and he drives out evil spirits. Even today, Jesus’ divine Word possesses the same strength and authority. Jesus is the Prophet and Teacher who speaks the Word of the Father on the breath of the Spirit. Let us open our hearts to hear his voice and receive his healing power.

The events of today’s Gospel take place at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus has only recently called his disciples, and today we see him welcomed into the home of Andrew and Simon. The illness of Simon’s mother-in-law provides a thematic link with today’s First Reading, as do the presence of the sick and possessed who gather at the door. Jesus’ pre-dawn withdrawal to a deserted place for prayer no doubt gave him the needed strength for the important ministry in which he is engaged, as well as assurance of his call. The last line of today’s Gospel depicts him fully engaged in this ministry.

Taken from the 2012 Sourcebook for Sundays and Seasons

A STEWARDSHIP MESSAGE:

“Everyone is looking for you” (Mark 1:29-39)

Of course everyone was looking for Jesus. He cured their sick and drove out their demons. They believed in him because of what they had seen him do. But they had listened to his message and did they believe what he had to say? Jesus would eventually tell others that “It is your faith that has healed you.” In the first reading, Job recants his life as drudgery, loss and pain. The passage concluded, “I will not see happiness again.” But Job did not lose faith in God when the Lord allowed Satan to test him, so God restores Job’s fortunes and gives him a beautiful family. Faith that does not endure when tested is not faith. As long as Jesus stayed in Capernaum and healed their sick and drove out demons, they believed in him. The test of their faith is whether they continued to believe in him when Jesus left to preach the gospel to others by His words and actions. The test for us is whether we believe the faith his followers passed on to us.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT SMG

Couple’s Night Out

Tuesday, February 14^th

6-9pm with Dan Szatkowski

WORLD MARRIAGE DAY

MASS OF CELEBRATION

The Diocese of Saginaw will celebrate “World Marriage Day” on Sunday, February 12th with a Mass of celebration at 5:30 pm at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Saginaw. Most Reverend Bishop Joseph Cistone will preside at the celebration. All married couples and their families are invited; those celebrating a significant anniversary will be recognized! Mass will be followed by a cake and beverage reception. Please RSVP to Rosa Campbell at 797-6646 or online at http://www.saginaw.org/world-marriage-day-mass.html.

Bay Area Catholic Schools:

Faith. Academics. Service.

This weekend, we conclude our celebration of Catholic Schools Week and the value Catholic schools like ours provide to our community. The pastors, principals, staff and students thank all of the families, parishioners and friends from across Bay City and Essexville who helped make our week special. May God bless us as we work in a setting founded on FAITH, to work on ACADEMICS today for SERVICE tomorrow.

A NOTE OF THANKS

“Dear Sr. Ginny & Friends, On behalf of my mother and our entire family, I wish to thank you for your kind expression of sympathy and support on the occasion of the death of my father. Our family has received so many sympathy notes, Mass intentions, and Spiritual Enrollments, as well as memorial contributions, in dad’s name, to various institutions and charities. Dad was a man of deep faith and, I am sure, appreciates your prayerful remembrances.

I wish to acknowledge in a particular way my friends here in the Diocese of Saginaw who have shown such love and support to me and to my family during this time of sadness and loss. We greatly appreciate your kindness.

Most especially, we are deeply grateful to God our Father for the gift of dad’s life here on earth and for his eternal life in His heavenly kingdom. +Bishop Cistone” The St. Maria Goretti Parish Family sent a note and $100 contribution to the Catholic Community Foundation of Mid Michigan in memory of Daniel Cistone, Sr.

MARRIAGE MOMENTS &

PARENTING POINTERS

By Susan Vogt (www.SusanVogt.net)

“They brought to [Jesus] all who were ill.” (Mark 1:32) How do you like to be treated when you are ill? Do you want to be left alone or fussed over? What about your spouse? Don’t assume that what you like is what your beloved would like. Ask.

Parents naturally want their children to be successful in life and love. “When raising children focus on enduring values and character – the success that counts will fall into place.” (Raising Kids Who Will Make a Difference) Wealth and good looks are nice but can be false friends. Go for integrity and compassion.