JANUARY 3, 2021 20800 Grand River Avenue Detroit, Michigan 48219

PARISH MISSION We are Christ the King Parish, a richly diverse Christian Community in Northwest Detroit. We are on a journey of Discipleship with Jesus, seeking conversion, reconciliation and renewal. We reach out in welcome to all the people within our neighborhood, proclaiming the good News of Christ the King, building community, celebrating together, serving one another’s needs and the needs of all our neighbors.

Miracles on Dacosta and Fenkell Street

This past month has been extraor-dinary! We did not know how we would be able to provide Christ-mas to families requesting assis-tance. COVID-19 had impeded our ability to inter-

view individuals about their needs for Christmas. The Christmas Com-mittee began meeting in July to brainstorm our alternatives. It was decided we write a letter to our Christmas donors and request gift cards to Meijer’s. We chose Meijer’s as it an all-purpose store which pro-vides everything. In addition, it was in our community, which we could support. We received enough gifts card to provide Christmas to every-one on our list as well as to those who sought assistance the week of Christmas. Catholic Charities of Michigan provided us with financial support to help an additional thirty-four families.

On December 15th, we provided 298 families with Christmas meals. The week of Christmas we packaged up over 40 emergency boxes for anyone needing food. In addition, we deliv-ered food boxes to over 20 seniors in our community of both Christ the King and Brightmoor. This effort of home delivery was spearheaded by Deacon Chris Remus, who continues to find ways to make sure the foot-print of St. Christine’s leaves a posi-tive impact on all who ask for assis-

tance of any kind. This ability to provide food to those in need was made possible by the countless groups who brought food to our pantry for the last month. One day, I was in my office at St. Christine’s, when I was told there was a school bus full of non-perishable unloading! I went out to the garage, and saw a school bus from Marion High School unloading food. On December 14th, an anony-mous donor delivered 50 hams to the pantry.

I want to thank Kevin O’Brien and his friends for spearheading the delivery, including unloading all the hams and putting them in the freezer. I am most grateful to The Christ-mas team of Mary McLeod, Marilyn Porth, Betty Johnson, Chris Webb and Patricia Baldwin for helping to organize the gift card distribution process led by Ruth Remus. Our pantry volunteers led by Maggie Segal, have worked relent-lessly this past month, to organize and rotate stock. A lot of this is la-bor intensive, thus a shout out to Mark Barkey, Doug Anderson, Rick Seefelt, David Collins, Tom Tomala, and Vince Licari who come every week to drive and unload trucks from Forgotten Harvest and Gleaner’s. In addition, The Knights of Equity led by Joe Shannon as well as St. Edith’s Knights of Co-lumbus assist every Monday and Saturday in the pantry. Sr. Fiorentina is a crucial volunteer who “Unleashes the Gospel” every week at the pantry, Sr. Fior also listens to our neighbors each week,

often finding other ways we can assist those in need. We have been extremely fortunate to have Fr. Joshua Peters with us every Tuesday, Fr. Joshua loads cars with groceries and takes time to listen to our neighbors and prays with them upon request.

Our kitchen manager Cathy Gillis continues to provide a hot carry out lunch every Tuesday to over 300 individuals as well to our volunteers. The student nurses from Madonna University have provided us with much needed help, they are so com-mitted to learning about our com-munity and our needs. They are full of young energy which we benefit from each week as they easily move grocery bags and assist wherever needed without question. They always say to me” Flexibility is the name of our Game”

The other miracle has been my re-covery from my hip surgery. I am so grateful to be back, particularly during the Christmas season of giv-ing to others which is very dear in my heart. I pray for all who have provided the miracles of 2020 to St. Christine’s Christian Services. We remember the miracle of the very first Christmas and know any-thing is possible! May they and all their families stay safe and healthy. God Speed to all,

Maureen

Christ the King Parish ~ Grand River at Burt Road Rectory

16805 Pierson…………………………313-532-1211 School

16800 Trinity…………………………..313-532-1213 Parish website

Www.ChristTheKingCatholicDetroit.org

St. Christine Christian Services 15317 Dacosta at Fenkell………………313-535-7272

Www.SCCSdetroit.org

Siena Literacy…………………….…...313-532-8404 Sr. Janice Brown, O.P………..jbrown@sienaliteracy.org

St. Vincent & Sarah Fisher

Ms. Diane Renaud……………………..313-535-9200 diane.renaud@svsfcenter.org

Pastoral Staff

Rev. Victor Clore, Pastor…...….clorevi@udmercy.edu Rev. Joshua Peters S.J., Asst. Pastor jpeters@jesuits.org Deacon Joe Urbiel………deaconjoeurbiel@gmail.com 248-910-0490 Deacon Chris Remus…..chris.remus@sbcglobal.net 313-717-5672 Mrs. Maureen Northrup...…Christian Service Outreach MaureenNorthrup@gmail.com Ms Nicole Evans………………….…..Office Manager n.evans112@gmail.com or christking@ameritech.net Mrs. Andi Kovach ………………………Bookkeeping andiatck@hotmail.com Mr. Ivan Branson…..………………………...Principal ivan.branson@christthekingschooldetroit.org Ms. Bethanne McCall………………….Choir Director feddy428@gmail.com

Little Scholars - Christ the King Campus Cora Rodgers, Director 313-693-4260

Parish Council Elected Members: Joe Fitzgerald..……...……………..…Council Chair Rachel Conner, Stacie Harris, Mark Barkey, Suzie Groenenboom, Jerry Randall, Sheila Fenbert, Nicky Marcot, Gary Beaman

Commissions Maureen Northrup………..………..Christian Service Carole Ann Beaman…………………...……Worship Ron Hildebrandt……………………...…Stewardship Michelle Lewis……………………...Faith Formation Dcn. Joe Urbiel….……………….....Finance Council Lois Phillips……………………….….Evangelization Bob Bruttell & Ron Eady…………………..Inclusion St. Vincent dePaul………...…………313-535-7272

Liturgy Schedule Sunday…………………………….………10:45am Wednesday and Friday……………………..8:30am

Family Religious Education Contact Deacon Joe for more information.

Becoming Catholic Adults, Children, Youth: If you are interested in becom-ing a member of the Catholic faith or learning more about the Catholic Church, the Adult Catechumenate will prepare you for this decision. Please call the Parish Office if you would like more information. Infants: Baptism is the public celebration of the beginning of life in the Church. At the celebration of Baptism, parents publicly affirm their decision to raised their child in the faith of the church. To make arrangements for your infant to be bap-tized, please contact the Parish Office. Pre-Baptismal classes for parents and godparents are necessary, held as arranged with families. Holy Eucharist and Confirmation Preparation Call the Parish Office…………………..313-532-1211 Other Sacraments

Please let an usher know if you would like to receive Communion at your pew.

MASS INTENTIONS

Sunday January 3, 2021 10:45am Barbara Freeman By The Krystyniak Family

Monday ~ No Mass Tuesday 9am at SS/OLGH

Wednesday CHRIST THE KING 8:30am Gerry Walencewicz By Marge Johnson Int. of Elizabeth Rose Woods In honor of her birthday By DeLores Lundy Thursday 9am at SS/OLGH Friday CHRIST THE KING 8:30am All Covid Patients By People of Christ The King Saturday ~ No Mass Sunday January 10, 2021 10:45am Giuseppe & Elisa Piccirilli By Guy & Carol Piccirilli

PRAYER & WORSHIP

OUR LITURGICAL MINISTERS

FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY

1/3 Feast of the Epiphany Is 60:1-6, Eph 3:2-6, Mt 2:1-12 Mon 1/4 1 Jn 3:22-4:6, Mt 4:12-17 Tue 1/5 1 Jn 4:7-10, Mk 6:34-44 Wed 1/6 1 Jn 4:11-18, Mk 6:45-52 Thu 1/7 1 Jn 4:19-5:4, Lk 4:14-2a Fri 1/8 1 Jn 5:5-13, Lk 5:12-16 Sat 1/9 1 Jn 5:14-21, Jn 3:22-30 1/10 The Baptism of the Lord Is 42:1-7, Acts 10:34-38, Mk 1:7-11

For NEXT Sunday Jan. 10, 2021

Lectors: Rita Neal & Michele Rochester

Servers & Liturgy of the Word for Children: None at this Time

Serving at the Table of the Lord: Jean Krystyniak

Minister of Service: Nicole Evans

THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE

Sun 1/3 10:45am Mass No Coffee Hour Mon 1/4 School Resumes Tue 1/5 9am Mass SS/OLGH Wed 1/6 8:30am Mass CK Rosary 7pm Intercessory Prayer (on Sunday Zoom Link) Thu 1/7 9am Mass SS/OLGH Fri 1/8 8:30am Mass CK Sat 1/9 10am Liturgy Planning In Koelzer Hall Sun 1/10 10:45am Mass No Coffee Hour

Wear a Mask! Social Distancing Observed!

Thank You! Thank you to everyone who helped make our Christmas assist program such a grand success despite the un-usual circumstances this year. Thanks to the generosity of parish-ioners, friends and our corporate friends we were able to provide Mei-jer Gift Cards for all of our neighbors in need. The head of each family was able to do their Christmas shopping right here in our neighborhood! In addition to the gift cards, the re-sponse for cereal and blankets was overwhelming! We distribute these items throughout the cold weather season, assuring that anyone needing a blanket to keep out the cold will have one. You may not think about it, but many children have their breakfast at school. When schools are not open, that could mean no break-fast food for children in need. We are delighted to be able to share the do-nated cereal with families right here in our neighborhood. Thanks to you, our kids will have a good breakfast. The staff and volunteers at St. Chris-tine Christian Services wishes you a very Happy and Healthy New Year, and once again, Thank You for your amazing generosity.

Coming Soon!! Starting Saturday, January 16, we are happy to offer a Tour of the Holy Land by Zoom. We will Zoom on Saturdays 10am to 12 Noon starting January 16 and going to Feb-ruary 13. Watch the Broad-cast for more details!

EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

We know the coronavirus knows no boundaries, I appeal to political leaders and to the private sphere to spare no effort to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines and

to the essential technologies needed to care for the sick, the poor and those who are most vulnerable. Alongside the generosity and solidarity of those caring for the sick, over the past year there has also been a surge in various forms of nationalism, racism and xenophobia, and wars and conflicts that bring only death and destruction in their wake. These and other events that marked humanity’s path this past year have taught us how important it is to care for one another and for creation in our efforts to build a more fraternal society. We need a “culture of care” as a way to combat the culture of indiffer-

ence, waste and confrontation so prevalent in our time. Remember the story of Cain and Abel, and Cain’s question to God “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Stories such as these, bear witness to the fact that everything is interconnected, and that genuine care for our own lives and our relationship with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others. Look at God’s role in creating the planet and Jesus’s ministry and healing of the sick as examples of the primacy of caring for creation and for hu-manity. Jesus is the Good Samaritan who stoops to help the injured man, binds his wounds and cares for him. Look at corporal and spiritual works of mercy carried out by the early Christian community to illustrate the Church’s constant work in caring for the poor through practical means, whether it be through hospitals, soup kitchens, orphanages, or heavens for travelers. The social doctrine of the Catholic Church, is the basis for a culture of care, because it is offered to all people of good will as a precious patrimony of principles, criteria and proposals that can serve as a ‘grammar’ of care. These principles include the Church’s commitment to promoting the individual dignity of each human person, solidarity with the poor and vulner-able, the pursuit of the common good and concern for creation. Each human person is an end in himself or herself, and never simply a means to be valued only for his or her usefulness. Persons are created to live together in families, communities, and societies, where all are equal in dignity. Every aspect of social, political and economic life reaches its climax when placed at the service of the common good. As a result, our plans and projects should always take into account their effects on the entire human family and consider their consequences for the present and for coming generations. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us the truth and timeliness of this fact. We must show care through solidarity, which concretely expresses our love for others. More than a vague sentiment, solidarity helps us to regard others – whether as individuals or, more broadly, as peoples or nations – as more than mere statistics, or as a means to be used and then discarded once no longer useful, but as our neighbors, companions on our journey. My encyclical Laudato Si is an illustration of the fact that all creation is interconnected. We need to listen to the cry of the poor and, at the same time, to the cry of creation. This listening leads to a proper care for the earth and those in need. At a time when culture is dominated by waste and growing inequalities, I urged government leaders and heads of international organizations in every field to embrace these principles as a compass capable of pointing out a common direction and ensuring a more humane future in the proc-ess of globalization. This, will enable us to esteem the value and dignity of every person, to act together in solidarity for the common good, and to bring relief to those suffering from poverty, disease, slavery, armed conflicts, and discrimination. I ask the Church to take this compass in hand and promote a culture of care by working to overcome existing social inequalities. Pay attention to the role of women. Their involvement is needed in the family and in every social, political and institutional sphere. International law must also embrace these principles, particularly when it comes to defending and promoting fundamental human rights. I urge greater respect be paid to international humanitarian law, especially at this time when conflicts and wars continue uninterrupted. Tragically, many regions and communities can no longer remember a time when they dwelt in security and peace. While such conflicts have many causes, the result is always the same: destruction and humanitarian crises. We need to stop and ask ourselves what has led our world to see conflict as something normal, and how our hearts can be converted and our ways of thinking changed, in order to work for true peace in solidarity and fraternity and insist that resources spent on weapons, and nuclear weap-ons in particular, be allocated elsewhere to promote individual safety, peace and proper human development. See the necessity of education in creating a culture of care, and see that religions and religious leaders in particular have an indispensable role to play in passing along the values of solidarity, respect for differences, and concern for those in need. At a time like this, when the barque of humanity, tossed by the storm of the current crisis, struggles to advance towards a calmer and more serene horizon, the rudder of human dignity and the compass of fundamental social principles can enable us together to steer a sure course. I ask that Christians work together to advance towards a new horizon of love and peace, of fraternity and solidarity, of mutual support and accep-tance. May we never yield to the temptation to disregard others, especially those in greatest need, and to look the other way; instead, may we strive daily, in concrete and practical ways, to form a community composed of brothers and sisters who accept and care for one another.

THE WISDOM OF POPE FRANCIS

Liturgy Planning ~ Next Saturday, January 9 at 10am in Koelzer Hall

Please join us next Saturday morning as we plan the upcoming Sunday Liturgies. It’s a new year, so why not try something new?? If you still need a copy of “At Home With the Word” we will have them in the Hall next Saturday. If you try this once, we are sure you will want to do it again! Looking forward to seeing you there. (please bring your own coffee! As we cannot serve you at this time )