We are currently unable to meet with all those asking for help due to a critically low number of volunteers.

What exactly does this ministry do?

Our volunteers meet with, pray for, and befriend those in need in our local and parish community. The overarching goal is to show Christ’s love to our neighbors by accompanying them through their hardships and seeking sustainable solutions. Sometimes this means helping them materially, but it always starts with listening, praying with, encouraging, and helping them negotiate a world that often forgets the poor.

We need help:

• Occasionally monitoring our voicemail
• Pairing up with other parishioners to meet neighbors in need at a safe location like Root’s Brew Shop
• Listening to, praying for, and prudently considering how to best help our neighbors
• Discerning how to best use funds donated by the parish
• Planning service projects to raise awareness about poverty
• Volunteering at the Christmas Market and other hospitality events for our neighbors
• Meeting with parishioners to discuss our efforts, God’s graces, and new initiatives
• Prayer in supporting the apostolate
  

Who do we help?

A typical neighbor calls seeking assistance with back rent or medical bills, as they have fallen on hard times. They or a dependent family member have become injured, sick, lost a job or work hours, have lost access to transportation, and do not have family or friends able or willing to help them. Sometimes it’s as easy as helping them fix a broken car so they can get to work. Or encouraging someone who has lost hope to send out some job applications. Other times it’s a single mom who was abandoned or abused by her husband who has tried to manage the household with multiple jobs, but rent payments have fallen behind the past few months and are in danger of eviction.

Often taken advantage of by, or getting lost in the system, the poor need advice on how to get thngs done or referrals to professionals who can help them. Whether it’s helping with bills, buying school supplies, or providing Christmas dinner—in all cases, it’s a son or daughter of God, your neighbor, who may be on the verge of losing hope in their dignity and God’s love. Christ has no hands on earth now but yours. Are you willing to help?

Interested in learning more or serving/praying? Contact Catie Southerton at catie.gammon@gmail.com

Next meeting: Wednesday, September 13, 6:00pm Adoration in the church. 7:00pmmeeting in Room 302 (classroom above the gym). Join for either or both!

Ushers are needed, especially for the 9:30am Mass! This is a great opportunity to serve God and the parish community. A nice option for families to contribute to the parish. Arrive early for the best seat in the house and help hand out programs before Mass and bulletins after Mass. You can sit with your family during Mass and then do a quick pick-up of extra programs afterwards. Children love to help and this gives them a feeling of importance and responsibility. It also helps draw you closer to parishioners. We are a close-knit group and fill in for each other as needed. Please contact Stanley Sedore at stanley.sedore@aya.yale.edu with questions or to volunteer.

Sacred Heart will be providing the opportunity to come together in a group setting to learn more about the Catholic Christian Faith. Sessions are both for those seeking to grow in a better understanding of the Faith, and for those seeking to discern more completely entering into full communion with the Catholic Church. Sessions begin Monday, September 18 at 7:00 p.m.

For further information/registration please contact Michael Tober at dre@shgr.org or call the parish office at 616-459-8362  Everyone is Welcome

The center of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the Enthronement of an image of the Sacred Heart in the home. The Enthroned image of the Sacred Heart, which may be a picture or a statue, expresses Christ’s true Kingship, daily reminding each member of the family to follow in His royal way by making reparation for sins committed and by striving to serve God and neighbor more lovingly. (Excerpt from “Enthronement of the Sacred Heart” by Raymond Card. SRE Burke)

For more information about organizing an Enthronement, contact your Cor Jesu captain to invite your neighbors, contact the office at parishoffice@shgr.org to schedule a priest to visit your home, and check out this document for the format of Enthronement and a list of For Jesu captains: https://shgr.org/enthrone/

When possible, homilies are recorded and made available by volunteers of the parish. Please enjoy them here and on myParishapp.

Navigating websites can be cumbersome, especially those that have a clean look. Did you know? Most websites including our parish and academy sites have a search function? Once on the site, click on the magnifying glass (usually near the top) and enter keywords for what you are looking for. You will see a list of pages that all mention that keyword, just choose the page that is closest to what you typed in, or try a different keyword.

Sacred Heart of Jesus has access to a dynamic Catholic resource by the Augustin Institute:  FORMED.

Visit the FORMED website for more information  (Sacred Heart code…8K62QB)

WHAT IS THE “SACRED HEART MONTHLY MEMORIAL AND INTENTIONS”? The SACRED HEART Monthly Memorial and Intentions is a special offering made by parishioners of SACRED HEART, through which your intentions are remembered at a special Mass to be celebrated each month throughout the entire year.

WHY START SUCH A MEMORIAL? This Monthly Memorial fulfills many of your requests for monthly prayer for your special intentions or for those loved ones who are deceased; your intentions will be listed each week on the back of the parish bulletin. Your offering of $75.00 per year will help to support the parish.

WHAT IS THE REQUESTED OFFERING? A yearly offering of $75.00 is asked for the intentions to be remembered at this Mass, to be celebrated each month. You are all welcome to attend this Mass. HOW

DO I LIST MY INTENTIONS? You may list your intentions one of two ways. As one individual name: Mary Jones or you may list family groupings: The Jones Family. Multiple names may be listed but require an additional offering of $75.00 for each name listed.

WHEN WILL THESE MASSES BEGIN? As the memorial begins to form, and intentions are submitted, we will begin the Masses in June of this year. The “intention year” will then be from June to June. And then we begin again. If you wish to continue having your intentions remembered at these Masses, you will be asked to renew your offering each year.

HOW DO I BECOME PART OF THE “SACRED HEART MONTHLY MEMORIAL AND INTENTIONS”? Complete the Parish Monthly Memorial Form and return it to the parish office as soon as possible, with your offering of $75.00.

WHAT IF I HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS? Feel free to call the parish office at (616)459-8362, during business hours. We will be happy to answer your questions concerning the memorial. To Sign Up, Please Call the temporary parish number (616) 287-0256