Middle Schoolers (grades 5-8) interested in Youth Ministry announcements, join here: https:// shojgr.flocknote.com/msyouth

High Schoolers (grades 9-12) interested in Youth Ministry announcements, join here: https://shojgr.flocknote.com/hsyouthgroup

We are in need of permanent First Friday Adorers for the 1pm, 4pm and 10pm time slots. If you would like to volunteer for one of these hours to adore Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, please email Noelle at parishoffice@shgr.org

As 2026 approaches, we have a new year of opportunities for flower arranging in the church around the liturgical calendar. Many hands make light work and there are plenty of options this year in which you can help us! Visit the sign up here: https://shojgr.flocknote.com/signup/238398 or by scanning the QR code. Thank you for your service.

Christmas

December 24
8am Latin 5:30pm English

December 25
Midnight (Latin) 9:30am English 11:30am Latin
NO Holy Hour December 26 or January 2

New Year’s and Epiphany Mass Schedule

December 31
8am English
5:30 English (Vigil of Mary, Mother of God) Adoration 11:00pm – Midnight (Corrected time)

January 1—Mary, Mother of God, Holy Day of Obligation! 
9:30am English
11:30am Latin

January 2—First Friday
8:00am English
Adoration until 3pm only, NO Holy Hour

January 6—Epiphany
8am Latin 7pm Latin

Office Hours

The Academy Office will be closed December 19-January 2.
The Parish Office will be closed December 31-January 2.

Advent Candles are available for purchase in the parish office for $10/box while supplies last! Please bring exact change!

Opłatki are available for purchase in the parish office for $3 for an envelope of 4 wafers. Please bring exact change.

Tickets are now SOLD OUT for the annual Men’s Wild Game Dinner on Saturday, February 7. Contact Michael Tober at dre@shgr.org or call the parish office at 616-459-8362 if you have questions or want to make a donation.

Our upcoming Authenticum lecture features Dr. Nathan Schmiedicke, Professor of Biblical Theology at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska.

Join us Wednesday, January 7th, 2026 in Cebelak Parish Hall for his talk titled: “BRIDEGROOM OF BLOOD: New Covenant Circumcision and the Meaning of Masculinity.”

DR. SCHMIEDICKE is a native of the Grand Rapids area. He graduated from Thomas Aquinas College in California and did his M.A. and PhD in Biblical Theology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Since then, he has taught for various institutions of higher learning (St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and Villanova University in Philadelphia, Wyoming Catholic College, the University of Mary). He currently teaches Scripture for Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary(FSSP) in Lincoln, NE. He has appeared on EWTN and Catholic Answers live.

WEDNESDAY, January 7, 2026

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish – Cebelak Hall

151 Garfield Ave. SW Grand Rapids

Wine & Cheese Social 6:30pm

LECTURE BEGINS: 7:00PM

Authenticum Lectures are now available in podcast format through Spotify, Anchor, and Sacred Heart Parish Website. 

ALL ADULTS OF EVERY AGE ARE INVITED. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. 

Some parishioners have committed to attending four Grand Rapids events this holiday season to discuss the incarnation, accept prayer requests, and invite shoppers to Christmas Mass. Should you wish to be a part of this group, please contact Marshal Brummel at mbrummel14@gmail.com.

The dates are:

ChristKindl Market:
Saturday, Dec. 6th, 5pm-8pm
Friday, Dec. 12th, 6-8pm
Saturday, Dec. 20th, 4-8pm

Mark your calendars! Sacred Heart of Jesus will again be hosting a Women At Risk Pop-Up Christmas Boutique after all Masses this weekend. We’ll have a selection of jewelry, ornaments, apparel, spa products and other gift ideas available for purchase. The pop-up boutique will be available before and after all Masses. Can’t wait to shop? You can shop online at warchestboutique.com and use our special discount code (AD10) at checkout to save 10% on your order. The discount will be available until December 14th. We’ll make sure we have your order on hand for pick-up. Either way, your purchase supports survivors and artisans through the WAR Chest Boutique.

The Fratelli Ruffatti Organ-Building Crew has departed for home after 6 grueling, 70-hour work weeks at Sacred Heart. Few of us anticipated the complexity of this installation, an interdisciplinary endeavor involving master-level carpentry, metallurgy, mechanical and electrical engineering, millwrighting, and construction, in addition to a deep knowledge of the musical and liturgical nature of organs. The Ruffatti team were clearly experts. It was also evident that their success was strengthened in a significant measure by the numerous people from our parish (and even other parishes) who either saw a need and pitched in or responded to a specific call for help. We had top gun contractors, strategizers, heavy lifters, riggers, encouragers, trash cleaners, communicators – it was an amazing demonstration of our community stepping out of their normal rhythm for the greater good of us all. The Ruffatti crew has done work all over Europe, the USA, and Asia, so they know what’s “typical” and what’s “exceptional” for support from their customers. They mentioned specifically how impressed and thankful they were for our ongoing help. They were also thankful to various parishioners inviting their team for a home-cooked dinner. (Subway was never intended to constitute a steady diet.) All in all, we saw a BIG demonstration of the Catholic community at Sacred Heart. Thank you to everyone who stepped forward to assist both them and us in showing Christ’s love to our visitors. It was no accident that the installation team ended their labors on the Feast of St. Cecilia—they have built her a glorious shrine, framing her beautiful window with such a magnificent instrument. However, the organ is not yet finished. After Epiphany, another team from Italy will be with us until the end of February. This is the voicing and tuning team, responsible for adjusting the timbre, wind pressure, and resonance of each of the 2,000+ pipes. The upper church will be closed during the week due to their need for absolute silence. After 2 months of adjustments, the organ will be formally dedicated on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25th, with a 5:30pm dedication recital given by our Music Director Jonathan Bading and a 7pm Mass featuring the choir of Aquinas College. Until that day, we will be using our digital organ to get us through the Christmas season. Good things come to those who wait!