June 12, 2023
Dear Friends,
This Tuesday, June 13, is the feast of the much-beloved Franciscan saint, St. Anthony of Padua. We will celebrate his feast at St. Joseph Chapel (400 South Blvd. West, Pontiac, MI 48341) with Mass at Noon that will include the blessing of St. Anthony Bread (which all can take home), Novena prayers, and blessing with the relic. There is a long tradition of devotion to St. Anthony at our shrine since Fr. Jarzembowski, founder of the shrine in 1947, was healed by St. Anthony as a child.
On Saturday, June 17, we will celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who is our shrine’s other namesake (view the flier HERE). After the Noon Mass we will have a procession outside to our Shrine-Grotto to pray the Rosary and honor the Immaculate Mother at our miraculous statue of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Back in the 1940s & 1950s thousands would come from all over the country for this special feast since ours is a Fatima Shrine—at Fatima Jesus and Mary calling for devotion to the Immaculate Heart to whom world peace is entrusted and through whom (in Christ) many souls would be and could be saved. The Immaculata will be our refuge in these apocalyptic times from the diabolical disorientation we see all over the world and especially in the United States. COME AND GATHER UNDER HER MOTHERLY MANTLE!
We have a NEW Sacred Heart statue with a custom-made beautiful brilliant Heart. Come see Him and pray to the Sacred Heart. Our greatest “pride” is Jesus, and the Cross He freely embraced is our boast! Everything entrusted to the Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Heart is immediately deposited into the Sacred Heart of her Son.
We will be closed after June 17 until we re-open July 1 for First Saturday.
To communicate with me, email me directly at abunaalex@yahoo.com or call/text me at (313) 727-9784. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
In Jesus, Mary & Joseph,
Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM
Spiritual Director of Terra Sancta Ministries