Generation Christ - Ann Arbor at 530 Elizabeth Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 US
| 12-04-2009 |
~ The Weekly Update ~
Memorial of St. John Damascene (OF) / Feasts of St. Barbara & St. Peter Chrysologus (EF)
Greetings GenChrist,
This week, our Sunday evening hour of adoration will resume in the parish hall at 7:00 p.m. Fr. Bill Ashbaugh will be leading our meditation.
We will not have a Sunday evening holy hour this week but will resume meeting next Sunday night.
Please see below for the many activities and cultural events which are happening in our region this season. Have a blessed Advent!
In Christ,
Paul Schultz
News in Brief
December 4: Friday Adoration - beginning after 7:00 a.m. Mass
December 4: Nigerian priest, noted author, to speak at Hatcher Library - 4 p.m.
December 4: Sacred Heart Seminary Concert - 7 p.m.
December 5: First Saturday Mass & Breakfast
December 5: Parish Advent chant lesson - 12:30 p.m.
December 5, 6: Handel's Messiah.
December 6, 8, 12, 13: Fr. McGivney Musical
December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception - Holy Day of Obligation
December 9: Parish Life Night
December 10: SCH Mass & Dinner
December 11: Berlioz's Requiem
December 12: Early Music Ensemble
December 13: Parish Christmas Concert: The Winter Rose
GenChrist notes: March for Life Scholarships; Pope Benedict's December prayer intentions; Catholic news
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News
Fr. Uwem Akpan to Speak at UMich
Nigerian Jesuit and University of Michigan alum, Fr. Uwem Akpan is in town today to speak about his well regarded collection of short stories, Say You're One of Them. Umich press release.
He debut work in the New Yorker was published in June 2005. His writings have been discussed favorably in America Magazine (1 and 2), whose literary section need not be avoided. Recently his work has received the endorsement of a major American media personage.
He will speak at 4:00 p.m. today in the Library Gallery at Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library.
Free.
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Seminary Concert
Tonight, the Sacred Heart Seminary Choir, Schola Cantorum and Concert Chorale, together with the Michigan Sinfonietta, will present a concert - Rejoice In The Lord - at 7:00 p.m. in the Seminary Auditorium.
Free.
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Saturday Mass and Breakfast
Who - First Saturday Mass and Breakfast Club.
What - 8:30 Mass at Old St. Patrick followed by breakfast at a local eatery until about 11:30.
Where - 5671 Whitmore Lake Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.
When - Saturday, December 5th
Why - To promote the young Catholic community, and fellowship with your Catholic brothers and sisters.
How - If you're interested, please RSVP via this Facebook page.
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Parish Chant Lessons
All members of the parish are invited to another Advent chant lesson - where Organist Timothy Tikker will re-introduce chants and hymns from the Church's treasury of sacred music. We will all be singing these in the seasons ahead, particularly at the 12:30 Mass on Sundays, which regularly features English and Gregorian chant.
The lesson will be:
Saturday, December 5th, at 12:30 p.m.
The lesson will be held in the parish hall. Free sheet music and handouts will be provided. Light refreshments will be served. A few copies of a new resource - The Parish Book of Chant - will be available for purchase.
The Vatican Kyriale (pdf) is a songbook which is a collection of eighteen Masses. Each Mass consists of a Kyrie, a Gloria, a Sanctus and an Agnus Dei. The focus of the Advent lessons will be the Gloria from Mass XV (which Mass is known as "Dominator Deus"), as well as some Advent hymns.
Advent, like Lent, is a penitential season. Therefore, we don't sing the Gloria during Advent. The Gloria returns at Christmas Midnight Mass because we follow the example of the angels who, on that night so many centuries ago, gave glory to God in the highest. This Christmastide, we hope to utilize the Gloria from Dominator Deus for our celebration of Christ's birth!
Come to this Saturday's lesson. No experience is required and everyone is invited. Sheet music and some mp3s are presently available at www.saintthomasmusic.org - in case you would like to learn the music ahead of time or will not be able to attend the lesson.
No RSVP is required but, if possible, we would be appreciate if you could let us know how roughly how many plan on attending. Please direct all information and inquiries to Paul - (734) 646-0430
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Handel's Messiah
UMS Choral Union
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Fr. McGivney musical
An original musical production based on the life of Fr. McGivney - the founder of the Knights of Columbus will begin on December 6th at Assumption Grotto in the old school gym. It will feature an orchestra (which includes members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Assumption Grotto Choir). The music was composed and will be directed by Grotto's Pastor, Rev. Eduard Perrone. It is produced and directed by Grotto parishioner, Joe Maher.
Other dates are December 8th, 12th, and 13th. These musicals are usually limited to the stated performance so get your tickets now. Please consider attending one of the earlier performances where attendance is somewhat lower. On the last day, be prepared for parking and seating challenges, so get there very early.
YouTube Introduction
Sunday: December 6th at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday: December 8th at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: December 12th at 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: December 13th at 7:00 p.m.
Ticket Prices:
$35.00 Family
$12.00 Adult
$10.00 Teen
$5.00 Child
Children 5 and under are free.
No charge for Clergy or Religious
10% discount for Knights of Columbus!
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Immaculate Conception - Holy Day of Obligation
Mary was prepared as the New Eve to receive Christ the Savior of the World and the New Adam of the New Creation. Mary is saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. In the providence of God, the free gift of Jesus' saving sacrifice was applied to Mary at the moment of her conception, because she was to the Mother of the Messiah.
To assist us in our obligation to attend Mass on this Tuesday, St. Thomas' Mass schedule is: 7:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m, 12:10 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
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Parish Life Night
Theme: Priests and the Eucharist
PARISH LIFE NIGHT
Wednesday, December 9th
Join us for a delicious Roast Beef Dinner and a fun-filled evening. In celebration of the year of the priest, we are honored to have Linda Tedrick from the Apostolate for the Eucharistic Life at the Bread of Life Retreat Center in Ann Arbor come to speak to us about God's Hero: Archbishop Fulton Sheen (died 12/9/1979 - in the process of canonization)
If you haven't attended a parish life night yet, consider this a personal invitation! Join the fun and experience the fellowship of your parish family.
Dinner will be served from 5:15-6:30 p.m. If you are able to donate a dessert to complete the meal, please contact Mary Ann Thelen if you are able to help. There is some chance that an additional chant lesson will be scheduled after PLN, for those who are interested.
See you Wednesday, December 9th!
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SCH Mass & Dinner
St. Catherine House will be continuing their monthly open-dinners, this Thursday, the 10th. These dinner are open to all the women of Generation Christ.
The afternoon will kick-off with Mass in the SCH chapel at 6:00 p.m. followed by dinner. Afterwards, there will be a talk.
If able, please rsvp to Amy (anicholas at fgrhsaa dot org), so that the House and Sr. Mary Ann can get a headcount for food; otherwise, feel free to just show up.
SCH Mass & dinners will be on the second Thursday of each month.
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Berlioz's Requiem Mass
"Interested participants are invited to attend a rare Ann Arbor community event: a live performance of the Berlioz Requiem. Kenneth Kiesler will conduct this setting of the Latin Mass, with chorus, multiple antiphonal brass choirs, harps and timpani. There will be a pre-concert lecture at 7:15 p.m."
Performance: University Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Choir, University Choir
Date: December 11, 2009, 8 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Hill Auditorium (more info)
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Early Music Ensemble
Date: Saturday December 12, 2009
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: E.V. Moore Building (North Campus)
Room: Blanche Anderson Moore Hall
This performance will include both sacred and secular pieces and will feature the works of de West, Bryd, Couperin, Frescobaldi, Lawes, Telemann, J.S. Bach, Leclair and others.
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Parish Christmas Concert
Save the Date: Sunday, December 13th, 3:00
The St. Thomas Choir will be presenting Joseph Martin's The Winter Rose
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GenChrist Notes
Scholarship for the March for Life
The Respect Life Committee is offering two $100 scholarships for a bus trip to Washington, DC for the annual March for Life on January 22, 2010.
Members of the St. Thomas community who wish TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP for the March for Life bus trip: Please write a brief essay describing the importance of the pro-life movement in your life and your reason for wishing to attend the March. Pleace you essay in the Respect Life mailbox in the parish office. The Application deadline is Sunday, December 6, 2009. High school and college students are eligible and are encouraged to apply!
Now is not too early to make plans for the trip. Right to Life of Michigan is CURRENTLY taking REGISTRATIONS for its charter bys trip that departs Thursday, Jan. 21 at 5:00 p.m., arriving in DC early on the morning of Jan. 22 (the day of the March), and arriving back in Michigan between 5 and 6 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23. The cost is $90 for students and seniors, $95 for adults. For further bus trip info, call Karen at RTL of Michigan (734) 930-7474
Pope Benedict's Prayer Intentions
Each month, Pope Benedict XVI announces his special prayer intentions--particular things that he wishes all Catholics to pray for that month. (When, for instance, we pray the rosary and say the prayers at the end for the intentions of the Holy Father, these are the intentions for which we're praying.) Pope Benedict offers two intentions every month, one general, and one for a particular Catholic missionary activity.
His general prayer intention for December 2009 is "That children may be respected and loved and never be the victims of exploitation in its various forms."
Pope Benedict's mission intention is "That at Christmas the peoples of the earth may recognize in the Word Incarnate the light which illuminates every man and that the Nations may open their doors to Christ, the Saviour of the world."
