MANY THANKS to our parishioners who have already responded with a gift or a pledge to the Catholic Services Appeal. Gifts to the Catholic Services Appeal provide significant support for candidates who are preparing for the priesthood at the college and graduate seminary of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Our own Chris Muer, who is studying for the priesthood at Sacred Heart Major Seminary directly benefits from our CSA support.

At the CYO Finals 6th grader Courtney Kennard took first place in both 100 meter dash and the 200 meter dash. Kennard won with the times of 12.6 and 26.9. Elizabeth Calcaterra place third in the 100 meter and 200 meter runs. She turned in times of 13.1 and 27.5. Other CYO Final highlights were Olivia Miller fourth palce in the High Jump (4’ 4”). Kris Granderson took fourth place in the Shot Put. Other strong performances were turned in by Ashton Pongratz, Finn Boyle, Brendan McNamara, Matthew Calcaterra, Emma Kuhr, Kailey West and the 4 X 800 relay featuring Joe Roarty, Michael, Roanan Lowell and Luther took a 6th place medal.

Engaged couples across the Archdiocese of Detroit have been preparing for summer weddings through marriage preparation programs. Catholic marriage is a calling from God to a shared vocation of life and love. Your gifts to the Catholic Services Appeal allow the archdiocesan Office for Marriage and Family Life to assemble marriage preparation programs designed to help couples build a foundation for this sacred union.

Please join us at 11:00 a.m. Mass on June 8 to recognize some special St. Clare parishioners. We will recognize noteworthy St. Clare volunteers who helped build, maintain, and strengthen St. Clare as a strong Catholic parish. Marie Ciarmaitaro, Dave Knox, Joan and Bob Louwers, Pat McKeever, Thomas Ricard, Delores Serra, Ursula Stieber, and Deacon Larry Ruehlen are St. Clare parishioners who have volunteered in a wide variety of functions at the parish over the past 50 years.

The St. Clare Christian Service Commission and H.A.R.T. continue to collect signed bricks and donations this weekend as we close in on our goal of 500. Join our May Mobilization Plan and bring your brick and donation to Masses on May 24-25. Maria has a table set up in the Mack Ave. vestibule. Checks may be made out to H.A.R.T. Our donations will support building supplies to erect St. Jude’s Church walls. Donations may also be dropped off at the Parish Office or in the collection basket at any time. Please join us during the month of May in supporting this project.

The St. Clare Christian Service Commission and H.A.R.T. passed out “Bricks and Donation Packets” last weekend at all Masses. Join our May Mobilization Plan and bring your brick and donation to our Masses in May. Checks may be made out to H.A.R.T. We are off to a great start with 179 bricks and counting! Thank you. Our donations will support building supplies to erect St. Jude’s Church walls. I am proud to share with you our parishioners, Dr. Art and Susie Post, will be joining the 2014 Summer H.A.R.T. Mission to Haiti. Please join us during the month of May in supporting this project.

Our St. Vincent de Paul Conference is very grateful for the support of our parish community. We want to provide another brief update on Tameka and her family—as you may recall, they lost their home and everything in it when the Jason Manor Apartment Building burned to the ground on Ash Wednesday. Through the generosity of St. Clare parishioners, we were able to provide them with a refrigerator, stove, washer, dryer, microwave, and new beds and bedding. We have also given Tameka the gift cards you donated so that she can replace clothing and other household items. Our conference provided debit cards so she can shop for additional items in the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores, and a nice supply of groceries to re-establish her kitchen pantry. We still have a “nest egg” from the cash donations you provided, and we will be checking back with them in a few weeks to find out what is still needed

As part of the Knights of Columbus’ Marian Prayer Program, a copy of the painting of The Immaculate Conception from the Basilica-Cathedral of Notre Dame de Quebec was at St Clare of Montefalco between Wednesday April 30th and Tuesday May 6th. Each week the image will be at a different parish. The image went on to Old St Mary’s (Greektown) for the next week. The Knights have had similar traveling image the past 16 years with images of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Czestochowa, Our Lady of Pochaive, Our Lady of the Assumption, Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Charity.

Too frequently the causes of poverty can be found in the structures of society. To reduce poverty we need to change those structures. We make change by advocating for change, change in public policy, change in legislation.