“Look at Jesus as a little child would, and be as open to Him,” Fr. John Maksym urged Michigan Area members at the Area’s March 1 First Saturday Mass.

Drawing on Mark 10:13-16, the Gospel reading for that day’s Mass, Fr. Maksym noted how Jesus welcomed children, “the best friends of Jesus Christ,” over the objections of his disciples.

“We impede children [coming to Jesus] when we don’t take them to Mass,” said Fr. Maksym, noting that even among Catholic school students, only a small percentage of children attend Sunday Mass. Part of being “men and women for others” is to bring children to church, he added.

The First Saturday took place at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in St. Clair Shores, where Rev. Mr. Dominick Pastore, KM, serves as deacon. Concelebrating Mass with Fr. Maksym was Msgr. Michael LeFevre, ChD, chaplain to the Michigan Area.

In keeping with the traditional First Saturday devotion, the event also included recitation of the Rosary and the opportunity for Confession.

Doug Nelson, KM, led the recitation of the Rosary. The Mass readings were proclaimed by Thomas Larabell, KM, and Stanley Sedore, Member in Formation. Deacon Pastore offered the Prayers of the Faithful. Michigan Area Chair Andy Smith, KM led the group in the Daily Prayer of the Order at the end of Mass. The breakfast was provided by St. Joan of Arc Parish.

In keeping with the Michigan Area’s First Saturday practice, the group engaged in Lectio Divina, led by Msgr. LeFevre; the text was Luke 6:39-45, from a passage in Luke’s Gospel known as the “Sermon on the Plain.” The discussion focused on impediments to living out and proclaiming the Gospel.

That afternoon, as part of the Area’s “Into the Fire” ministry, John Juriga, KM, and Associate Lisa Juriga were joined by Tom Larabell, Stanley Sedore, and Santiago Smith, son of Andy Smith and Andrea Smith, DM,  to distribute bag lunches to people living on the streets of Detroit (see related article, “Michigan Area’s ‘Into the Fire’ ministry takes God’s love to Detroit streets”). The food was provided by Auxiliary Rosanne Brugnoni; John and Lisa Juriga; Marcia McBrien, DM; and St. Edith Catholic Parish, Livonia.

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