Dear Detroit Catholic Deaf Community, Thanks to everyone who came near and far to celebrate St. John’s Deaf Center’s 50th Anniversary. It was a grand celebration and a fantastic opportunity for fellowship and reconnecting with one another. Again, I thank God for his faithfulness and great mercy in caring for the Deaf Ministry and the Detroit Deaf Catholic Community. Also, thanks to the Archdiocese of Detroit for its continued support; they have brought immense blessings to each of us. I especially thank all the priests who served our community. Their love, commitment and sacrifice have enriched our lives and helped us grow in faith. Thank you to all volunteers, alive and deceased, who have shared their time, talents and service to build a strong community. And thanks to all our SJDC members, the body of Christ, and His church. Each one of you helps bring the gospel to your families and friends and continues to build the kingdom of God here on earth. Summer is coming to an end. As we start a new school year, approach the presidential election, and prepare for the year of the Jubilee 2025, let us pray to God for safety, wisdom, peace and hope for our country and worldwide. May we bring the light and the hope to those around us. With the beginning of the new school year, St. John’s Deaf Center will go back to its regular Tuesday Senior Citizen’s Day schedule, Adoration, Catholic Faith 101 classes, Parish Council meetings, and special events starting on September 6. Please read these newsletters for the schedule and special announcements. Thank Fr. Mike for being with us these past summer months. Please keep him and the Archdiocese of Baltimore Deaf community in your prayers as they continue to build the Deaf ministry in this area. I look forward to having Fr. Ken back after a busy summer schedule running camps at DeSales Center. Let us continue to support and pray for one another. May we find reasons to be grateful in our daily lives and the people we encounter. May God, in His infinite love, bless us and keep us in His care. Yours In Christ, Veronica

Dear Detroit Catholic Deaf Community, Thanks for praying for all who attended the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. It was a blessed time, and the weather was perfect. Rest assured that you were present in my daily prayers and Mass intentions. In August, we commemorate Mary’s Assumption to Heaven and this year, we are also celebrating the 50th anniversary of St. John’s Deaf Community. Although the official anniversary is on September 14, we are celebrating in August, so both Fr. Ken and Fr. Mike could be present, as both, along with Fr. Richard, Gerry and Fr. John, have dedicated their time and talents to serving and nurturing our community. August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Holy Day of Obligation. We will have interpreted Masses at 9 a.m. at Holy Innocents St. Barnabas Church and 5 p.m. at St. Valentine’s School Chapel. Please plan on attending one of these Masses or go to your local church. Two things come to mind as I reflect on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. First, that Mary was the first apostle of Christ. Her Fiat! (yes!) changed the course of the world. Even though Mary didn’t perform any miracles or preach the gospel during her time on earth as the apostles did, her life was a constant testimony of her love and obedience to God. Secondly, Mary’s greatest reward was in Heaven. Mary, the one Elizabeth called “blessed among women,” had an earthly life filled with strife: a shocking pregnancy, victim of persecution, refugee in Egypt, widow, witness to Jesus’ persecution, passion and death on the cross. But the book of Revelation also tells us that Mary was named the “Queen of Heaven and Earth,” and she continues interceding for us. Let us strive to be like Mary, trusting God in everything and being receptive to His will, knowing that our ultimate goal is to rejoice together in heaven. Let us then confidently pray to our Blessed Mother to help us follow her example of discipleship and to seek heavenly things. Mary, our Blessed Mother, Pray for us! Veronica

Dear friends in Christ, As many of you know, Fr. Mike will be ministering to the Detroit Catholic Deaf Community this summer. He will be celebrating Sunday Masses at both locations starting on July 7 until August 18, and some Tuesday Masses at the Center as well. It’s such a blessing to have him back while Fr. Ken works at camp. On July 4, we will be celebrating “Independence Day”. This is an excellent time to thank Jesus for gaining victory over death for His ultimate gift of eternal life, and giving us the real gift of independence. That gift comes with total freedom. The freedom that Jesus has given the world allows us to say YES! to being his disciples (or not). It enable us to live in freedom as the children of God or captives of earthly things. Many of us have chosen to be servants of technology, possessions, wealth, food, consumerism, sport, fame, work and more. You see, our God made the world so we could govern over the creatures, nature, and everything He created. Somewhere in the last few decades, we have become victims of the world's temptations, just like Adam and Eve. Temptations that tell us that we are as worthy as the many likes in our Facebook or other social media posts. Temptations tell us that having more is a sign of success and happiness, even when we sacrifice time with God and our loved ones. The freedom that Jesus brought to the world and each of us allows us to choose. Are we choosing wisely? When we stand before our creator, how many more talents will we have earned to give Him? Or have we buried them like the lazy servant? You see, God won’t be asking which one was our favorite video game, or how many houses, cars, etc., we owned? He will ask what you did with the freedom and the gifts I gave you, my faithful servant. As we celebrate our country’s Independence Day, let us pray to God that we can enjoy of the true fruits of freedom: Peace, love, happiness, joy. And that we are able to see our worth as His beloved children! May God’s gift of freedom be yours always! And may we choose to use it right! Veronica

Dear friends in Christ, June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pope Clement XIII originally approved this feast by specified dioceses in 1765. Later, in 1856, Pope Pius IX extended this feast to the Catholic Church and designated the Friday following the feast of Corpus Christi as the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Later, Pope Leo XIII dedicated the entire Catholic Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in one of his Papal Encyclicals (letters). One reason for this feast goes back to 1673 when Jesus appeared to a French Nun, Sr. Margaret Mary Alacoque. During His apparitions, Jesus told Sr. Margaret Mary about His immense love for all people and ways that we could honor His Sacred Heart. Jesus, who appeared with his heart visible outside his chest, on fire, and surrounded by a crown of thorns, continued to appear to Sr. Margaret Mary for 18 months. Jesus asked Sr. Margaret Mary that the Friday after the feast of Corpus Christi be dedicated to His Sacred Heart. The Sacred Heart of Jesus made twelve promises to St. Margaret Mary for those who devoted themselves to His Sacred Heart. Some of them are to bring peace to their families, console them during their troubles, bless all their affairs, and be their refuge in life, especially in death. And for those who receive Communion on the first Fridays for nine consecutive months, Jesus promised a Holy Death with the grace of final repentance. I invite you to pray to Jesus’s Sacred Heart and receive Holy Communion on His feast, June 7. Thank Jesus for His great love and blessings and ask Him to convert our hearts and the hearts of those who don’t believe. Let us ask for His grace to bring the good news to those around us through our good works and words. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You! Veronica

Dear friends in Christ, This month, we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus to Heaven and the Feast of Pentecost. Forty days after His resurrection, on the day of the Ascension, Jesus advised his apostles to stay in Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit. Risen Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles to give them the strength, faith, knowledge and wisdom to proclaim the good news and to establish and build His Church. He had commanded them to go forth and make disciples of all nations, baptize and teach them to obey His commandments. Yet, Jesus didn’t send them alone; He sent the Holy Spirit to work within and through them. Beginning on the day of Pentecost, the apostles spoke different languages and were able to heal the sick and resurrect the dead. They went out and proclaim the good news. All in the name of Jesus. As Jesus’ apostles, we are called to bring Jesus to others. We might not be able to speak foreign languages or do miracles, but we can all bring the Spirit of God to those around us. How can we do that? First, we must remember that we have received the Holy Spirit through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. We often forget that we, too, have been clothed by the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear (reverence) of God. Secondly, we must pray to the Holy Spirit. He can equip us to do the job we are called to do and help us use our spiritual gifts to be good examples of our faith. He can remove all the barriers that cause us to doubt. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are evidence of one’s deep relationship with Him. These “fruits” or products of one’s walk with God include “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Genesis 5:22-23). Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us make God our priority, to help us walk in light and truth, to utilize the gifts we have received to evangelize and to bring others to Jesus through our Christ, for example. Come Holy Spirit, be present in our hearts and fill us with your gits! Blessings, Veronica

Dear friends in Christ, Alleluia!! He has Risen! His Resurrection destroyed death and opened the gates of Heaven for all who believe! Throughout Lent, we have walked with Jesus on His journey into his Passion and Death on the Cross. Now, we celebrate His Resurrection and His gift of Hope. Our life in Christ is a journey of hope. Andy Dufresne, in the movie “The Shawshank Redemption,” wrote, “[in a letter to Red] Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” Jesus is Hope. He is the best thing that could happen to us. And Jesus is with us! Yesterday, today and forever. Our Easter Vigil is a perfect reminder of this Hope Jesus brings to our lives. Light. Jesus is the light of the world. We have hope that even in the most challenging and darkest days of our lives, Jesus will transform our suffering into a joyful dance. Psalm 23:3-4 reminds us, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake”. Jesus is our Hope for better days to come. Water. Jesus, just like the water, is the font of life. Through the Waters of Baptism, we have been cleansed from our original sins and have become children of God. On our Baptismal day, we also received the Holy Spirit. Jesus has given us hope that we can be made new in Him and through Him. Life. Alleluia, He is risen!! Jesus has conquered death. Easter Season is the time to see the Risen Jesus and understand His profound love for us. He has not abandoned us. He is alive and with us. “I am with you until the end of times” Mt. 28,20. Attending Mass and receiving Him in the Eucharist is the best way to remain in Christ and to be filled with His life. Happy Easter, and remember, Jesus lives! Jesus is our source of hope. Jesus is with us yesterday, today and forever. Alleluia! May Jesus, the Light of the world, bring life and hope to each of us. Blessings, Veronica

Dear friends in Christ, Last month, I was blessed to spend time with my family and friends in Guatemala. While there, I visited a few churches and prayed for our community and needs. A candle was lit for our intentions, especially for those who need healing, whether it is physical, mental or spiritual health. I appreciate your prayers that kept me and brought me safe home. Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent. The Lenten Season is an opportunity to get to know Jesus better and to walk with Him during His last days on earth. Matthew Kelly poses to the readers in his book Rediscover Jesus the question: “How well do we know Jesus?” We might think we know Jesus well, but is this true? How do we get to know a friend better? We make time for them; we talk and share our feelings, thoughts, fears, successes, and more. We call them, we visit them, we might write a letter or send a gift. The more time we dedicate to our friendship the stronger it could become. So, how can we strengthen our friendship with Jesus? We need to spend more time with Him. Watching a movie about His life or the Saints can help us learn more about His love, His care and His Divine nature. Reading the Bible or a religious book can help us deepen our faith. Visiting Him more often in the Eucharist or in Adoration and spending quiet time with Him. It will require for us to set time aside for Him, and away from the noise of our work, our home, our TVs, our computers and social media. Just like Jesus went into the desert to be away from the noise, we need to need to quiet down our minds to be able to hear His voice. To help us prepare for this “quiet time” and to spend more time with Jesus, we are offering Adoration at 11 am on the following Fridays: March 1, March 15 and March 22 at St. John’s Deaf Center. Friday, March 8 adoration will be from 3:30-4:30pm before the Fundraiser Spaghetti Dinner. Day of reflection with Fr. Mike on March 9 from 9:30 am -4:30 pm (see flyer for registration information). Please see the Holy Week Schedule announcement and plan on join us, and Jesus, for these events. Stay blessed, and let us “be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am Holy." (Leviticus 19:2) , Veronica

Dear Detroit, Catholic Deaf Community, It has been just a few weeks since we celebrated Christmas and the New Year, and this month, we are starting the Lenten Season. Can you believe it? Ash Wednesday, February 14, marks the beginning of Lent. Fr. Ken will celebrate three different Masses: 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. at St. John’s Deaf Center and 4 p.m. at St. Valentine’s School Chapel. This day and every Friday of Lent are days of Fasting. Please refer to the chart included in this newsletter for more information about fasting and abstinence. During Lent, we are called to make concrete adjustments to our lives, to focus on more simplicity and less reliance on worldly goods in our lives, to become representatives of Christ to those around us, and to strengthen our faith through prayer, fasting and acts of charity. Pope Francis has designated 2024 as the year of Prayer, and we are still commemorating the Eucharistic Revival until 2025. I invite you to join us at St. John’s Deaf Center at 11 a.m. every Friday during Lent for Adoration and Prayer. Lastly, Pope Francis reminds us that acts of charity include taking care of our environment. He calls us to examine our lifestyle: how we use natural resources and minimize our carbon footprint. During this Lenten season, consider creating healthy habits to protect our planet, like sharing a ride, taking shorter showers, buying fewer packaged goods, recycling, and reusing more. Our actions today are already affecting future generations. “Inasmuch as we all generate small ecological damage”, we are called to acknowledge “our contribution, smaller or greater, to the disfigurement and destruction of creation”.… For “to commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God.” (Laudato Si' Note 8) Please pray for me and my family while celebrating my nephew’s wedding in Guatemala. In my absence, please contact Paul Kuplicki ([email protected]) for any emergency. Stay blessed, and let us be “…the light of the world." (Matthew 5:14) , Veronica

From Veronica's Desk: "Dear Detroit, Catholic Deaf Community, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2024! I pray that we continue to be the joy and the light of Jesus for those around us. And just like three Wise men brought Jesus the gifts of myrrh, gold, and frankincense, we can share the gifts of forgiveness, hope, justice, and charity with our loved ones and those in most need of these.."

From Veronica's Desk: Dear Detroit, Catholic Deaf Community, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and a wonderful time with family and friends! We are starting the last month of the year and, with it, celebrating the Advent Season. Advent is a time to prepare our minds and hearts for the coming of our Savior, not just on Christmas day, but...

From Veronica's Desk: Dear Detroit, Catholic Deaf Community, November is the month of Thanksgiving! This is one of my favorite holidays. Although I try to be thankful every day for the blessings I receive from God, it comforts me that on Thanksgiving weekend (or any other weekend this month), we come together as a family and friends to celebrate and count our blessings...

From Veronica's Desk: October is an extraordinary month for me! This is the month of Our Lady of the Rosary. I grew up near the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, and while in high school, I stopped by this church for my morning prayers. During this month, there are street vendors, music, prayer groups, and ..

From Veronica's Desk: Dear Detroit, Catholic Deaf Community, September and a new school year is here! Soon, we will be seeing beautiful Fall colors all around us. The leaves' changing colors are a perfect reminder of the beauty of change. In a similar way, conversion, or personal change, requires us to let go of our old ways to give room to new life! Just like we enjoy the stunning Fall colors; we need to enjoy the conversion that being in communion with Christ brings to our lives. As we start this new school year together, let us pray ...

From Veronica's Desk: Dear Detroit Catholic Deaf Community, Last month was Fr. Mike’s last letter as the director of St. John’s Deaf Center and this is the first one from me. As you know, I will be taking over this role on August 16, when Fr. Mike officially moves to Maryland. First of all, I want to thank Fr. Mike for all his years of service for the Detroit Catholic Deaf Community. Although I was only able to collaborate with him the last three years of his thirteen years with our community,

From Fr. M.D.'s Desk: Dear Detroit Catholic Deaf Community, I realize that this will be my last letter after writing a letter every month for 13 years. The farewell party was amazing, and I was deeply touched by how many people came to the Mass. God is very good, and I am thankful to Him for sending me to Detroit 13 years ago. I want to give a big “thank you!!” to the committee who planned the party. And another big “thank you” to all who came to the Mass & party.

From Fr. M.D.'s Desk: Dear Friends, June is here already! I feel as if the month of May had lasted only two weeks! Among the highlights in the month of May one was definitely our recent pilgrimage to Basilica & National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio. It was beautiful to hear the Franciscan brother, our tour guide at the basilica explaining various miracles which people had recently received after praying at that place. Needless to say, celebrating Mass in the original chapel was an inspiring experience for me. It was beautiful to see so many Deaf people from Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton together in one place.

From Fr. MD's Deask...Dear Friends, I hope this letter finds all of you doing well! Know that I am appreciative for all those people involved in making Holy Week and Easter Vigil celebrations very special. Many, many thanks!!! We had a good number of Deaf people from OLL and SJDC attending the Chrism Mass at the cathedral. For those went to the Mass, know that I am grateful for your presence. Without questions, many people noticed us at that Mass.

From Fr MD's Desk: Dear Friends, It is hard to believe that we are about to complete Lent next week. Needless to say, I look forward to celebrating Easter. As in the past, I encourage people from both OLL and SJDC to attend Chrism Mass at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral on Thursday, April 6 at 10 AM. Veronica has reserved two pews for the Deaf Catholic community. Please come to the Chrism Mass! I can’t stress how important it is for the Archbishop, auxiliary bishops, and people working in the Curia to see Deaf people there.

Dear Detroit Deaf Catholic Community, From Fr. MD's Desk: By the time you read this letter, you might already know that I will move to Maryland in August. It was not an easy decision for I have grown attached to the Deaf Catholic community in the Archdiocese of Detroit and Deaf Catholics in the Dioceses of Toledo and Lansing. Many of you have a deep and beautiful faith...