The Baby Blanket Marathon is our annual endeavor to provide a greater awareness for the Sanctity of Life, to assist the local Catholic Help Crisis Pregnancy Center, and to raise necessary funding to offset the travel cost to Washington D.C. for the March for Life.

Please prayerfully consider donating fleece, so that our students can make blankets to donate to the HELP Pregnancy Center. We accept fleece all year long for this event. The only criteria is that the colors and the patterns be baby-friendly. You can drop fleece off at the back of the church or the parish office. Contact Laureen Fish at lfish@shgr.org with questions.

Did you adore our Lord during our 40 Hours Devotion? Would you like to adore Him every First Friday? We are in need of those willing to commit to an hour of adoration every First Friday. We particularly need adorers for the 5:00pm and 10:00pm hours. If you would like to sign up or want more information, please call Noelle in the parish office at 616-459-8362.

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

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

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th, is transferred this year in the New Mass. Along with it, at the request of the Holy See, the obligation to rest and assist at Mass has been transferred to Monday, December 9th.

As a result of this, on December 8th, while the 11:30 will be the Mass of the Immaculate Conception in the Traditional Calendar, the other Masses will be for the Second Sunday in Advent. However, all these Masses only satisfy the Sunday duty.

Catholics are asked by the Church to assist at Mass on BOTH Sunday, December 8th and Monday, December 9th in keeping with the precept of the Church. Catholics can fulfill their obligation at the Morning Mass (8am) or at the evening Mass at 5:30pm on December 9th.

Because the feast does not transfer in the Traditional calendar there is no Latin Mass on December 9th–however the precept (i.e. obligation) to attend Mass on the 9th remains.

In a particular way, I would personally ask all parishioners to consider assisting at the 5:30pm Mass on December 9th. This is the inaugural Mass for Palestrina 500 and will be celebrated by His Excellency David Walkowiak with all the parish priests in attendance.

Our upcoming Authenticum lecture features  Dr. James Matthew Wilson,  Cullen Foundation Chair in English Literature and the founding director of the MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Saint Thomas! 

Join us Thursday, December 5th in Cebelak Parish Hall for his talk titled: “THE CATHOLICITY OF BEAUTY.” 

JAMES MATTHEW WILSON is the Cullen Foundation Chair in English Literature and the founding director of the Master of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing at the University of Saint Thomas. The author of fourteen books, his most recent collection of poems is Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds. The Strangeness of the Good, won the poetry book of the year award from the Catholic Media Awards. In addition to his role at the University of Saint Thomas, he serves as poet-in-residence of the Benedict XVI Institute, scholar-in-residence of Aquinas College, editor of Colosseum Books, and poetry editor of Modern Age magazine. Wilson joined the University of Saint Thomas, Houston, in 2021, when he co-founded the Master of Fine Arts program. 

December 5, 2024

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish
151 Garfield Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Doors open at 6:30 PM for Wine and Cheese Social
Lecture begins at 7:00 PM

Come see several familiar parish students in our fourth annual MS production of Seussical JR taking place on Friday, Dec. 6 and Saturday Dec. 7 at 7pm at the Sts. Peter and Paul Gymnasium!

Visit shgr.org/theaterarts and use promo code FAMILY for 10% off orders of 8 or more!

Sacred Heart will host a year-long choral festival called Palestrina 500, celebrating the quincentennial birthday of the great Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-94). In an effort to pull off an endeavor of this magnitude we are looking for volunteers who can commit to a specific need below, for ALL 13 events. We understand the commitment necessary from you to make that work, and we appreciate you praying about it. Our hope is that we end up with a solid team so that we can run like a well oiled machine. Please scan the QR code, visit https://bit.ly/VolunteerP500 or email Mike Tober,
dre@shgr.org or Laureen Fish, lfish@shgr.org with questions.

ANNOUNCING THE RETURN OF THE W.A.R. POP-UP CHRISTMAS GIFT BOUTIQUE! Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish will again be hosting a pop-up gift boutique benefitting Women At Risk International on the weekend of November 16-17 in Cebelak Hall. Products include handmade jewelry, candles, spa products (soaps and lotions), infant clothing and toys, scarves, ornaments, totes and more. The pop-up boutique will be open between 4-7 PM on Saturday, November 16 and between 8:45 AM-1:30 PM on Sunday the 17^th. 

Women At Risk International is a non-profit organization based in the Grand Rapids area that sells handcrafted items made by and benefitting at-risk and rescued men and women from around the world, supports culturally sensitive, value-added intervention projects, and raises awareness about the risks that many face regarding human trafficking. The organization supports programs in 51 different countries. Additional information about the organization and its mission can be obtained at the boutique or online at www.warinternational.org. You can also preview available products at www.warchestboutique.com.

Ladies of the parish are invited to join us for our Annual Advent by Candlelight.  This is an opportunity to set aside the hustle and bustle of the holiday preparation and focus our minds and hearts on the Advent season.  

Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 6:00 PM  This year’s speaker is Sister Maria Anna

Please consider hosting a table and invite your relatives and friends!  Space is limited, sign up as soon as possible.  Hostesses are responsible for decorating their circular table with an Advent or Christmas theme, providing a place setting, appetizers and desserts for their guests.  To host a table or come as a guest, please visit bit.ly/SacredHeartABC