September 13, 2024
Dear Friends,
At. St. Joseph Chapel (400 South Blvd., Pontiac, MI 48341), we begin September, the Month of the Sorrowful Mother, with First Wednesday (tomorrow), First Friday and First Saturday all falling this week.
We friars are now moved in at the Shrine! Our house is called “St. Joseph Friary” (same address). It is a great grace to live at such a holy place. I invite people to consider prayer walking the Stations of the Cross walkway while praying the Rosary or the Chaplet of Divine Mercy (or anything else). It is .2 miles if you do a circle (taking the front public sidewalk). Let’s encircle our campus in prayer!
September 9-26 I will be on vacation with my mother. The shrine will be open as normal except for Third Monday (Evening of Reparation) and Third Thursday (Evening for LIFE).
Coming Events include
- Tuesday, October 1 we will begin to offer an 8:30 am Mass on days we don’t have a Noon Mass. Thus, Tuesdays, Thursdays & non-First Fridays we will offer it. (Mondays we will be closed). We will keep the Noon First Friday Mass.
- Friday, October 4 which, for Franciscans, is a Solemnity as we celebrate the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi with a solemn Noon Mass followed by a reception (open to all) and a 7:00 pm Pet Blessing outside (weather permitting) in front of the shrine-grotto. (Please know that the WHOLE campus is actually “the shrine”—not just what we call the “shrine-grotto.”)
- Monday, October 7 we will be OPEN for the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (normal hours).
- Saturday, October 12 I will begin a class on Catholic Social Teaching on Contemporary Issues based on Fr. Jeffrey Kirby, STD’s book, Sanctify Them in Truth: How the Church’s Social Doctrine Addresses the Issues of Our Time (TAN Books). Beginning tomorrow, September 4, we will have the book available for $15.00 (limited amount) at St. Joseph Chapel. You may, of course, also purchase it on your own. The class will run for 7 Saturdays. Green FLIERS are available with class dates and topic titles.
- Also on October 12 will have our outdoor Rosary Rally.
To communicate with me, please DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL but email me directly at [email protected] or call/text me at (313) 727-9784. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
In Jesus, Mary & Joseph,
Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM
Spiritual Director of Terra Sancta Ministries