The Diocese of Kalamazoo is proud to provide learning opportunities for all parishioners in the diocese. The Institute of Missionary Discipleship is a new offering by the Diocese of Kalamazoo to assist Bishop Bradley in promoting the Diocesan Priorities as well as providing training for those who would like to be a missionary disciple in their own parish. For those who serve their parish in many ways, there are educational opportunities that are ministry specific. There are also options for those who want to strengthen and share their faith in others. Our first offering is listed below...

We are in need of one aide for our Monday evening Good Shepherd Program which is geared for kindergarteners and one or two substitute teachers. If this might be of interest to you, please give us a call or email us at religiousedoffice@att.net. Classes are held at LMCE from 6:00 to 7:15 pm. Thank you and God Bless!

Join us on Sunday, Sept. 2nd, starting at 2 pm in the Downtown Church. We will pray 20 decades of the Rosary. As usual we will pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3:00 pm. All are welcome to attend. If you have questions, please call the Bakers at (269) 429-1295.

Our Knights of Columbus Parish Council MI State (Tootsie Roll) Drive collected $5,750 for persons with intellectual disabilities. This was recognized by the State Council of Michigan for being #1 in the Diocese for dollars collected per Knight. After 20% of the funds are distributed by the State Council of Michigan on the state level we have $4,600 that will be distributed to local charities that serve Berrien County. The charities we are supporting with our drive are: Therapeutic Equestrian Center, We Can Ride 4-H, Best Friends 4-H, Special Olympics SW Michigan and the Autism Learning Center. Thank you everyone for your donations! On August 16th, we will be presenting these organizations with funds from the proceeds of our drive. This will be happening at the Community Pint Night at the Livery in Benton Harbor. Stop by between 5 pm and 8 pm to find out more about the Knights of Columbus and these Berrien County organizations that support our community. Join the Knight of Columbus for their Donut and Bagel Breakfast after all Morning Masses in the LMC MS/HS Cafeteria on August 19th.

We will begin with 8:00 am Mass at the St. Joseph-Downtown. After Mass, we will move over to the Rose Center for brunch and a guest speaker, but the highlight of the day will be a talk from The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration at 11:00 am. There will be an opportunity to speak with the Sisters afterwards. The Newman's Bookshop will be on site in the Rose Center from 8:00 am-Noon. Come for all or even some of the events, but please come! RSVP for the brunch and speakers to Adam & Tina Kohler at kohlers7@gmail.com, (269) 369-8916, or (269) 369-5257, Please have your name and number of guests to help with our headcount. (But don't let it stop you from coming if you forget!). Hope to see you there!

A Pilgrimage to Ireland featuring a 2 night Belfast Pre-Tour. October 20-29, 2019. Please join us at 6:00 pm August 16th, at La Cantina Restaurant in Paw Paw for a presentation on this trip. Plus information on the Oberammergau in 2020.

Through the Monsignor Sears Tuition Assistance Fund, St. Joseph Parish is able to help our parish families in financial need so that their children can attend Lake Michigan Catholic Schools. In doing this, we not only help those students receive a faith-filled education, we also help to strengthen our parish community. Please prayerfully consider making a donation to this worthy program. Donations should be made out to St. Joseph Catholic Parish Noting: Msgr. Sears Fund in the memo line. Thank you for your support.

"And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are." (John 17:11). Life gets busy, and we so often forget that we are not made for this world. This month, may we remember God's desire to unite all mankind to himself and that our eternal home is heaven.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, through the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, has announced a Novena for the Legal Protection of Human Life, to take place on the nine Fridays from Aug. 3rd through Sept. 28th. Catholics and people of good will are urged to participate by prayer and fasting, and to pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for the intention of the selection process for the U.S. Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice Kennedy. We pray that this change in the membership of the Supreme Court will move our nation closer to the day when every human being is protected in law and welcomed in life. People can sign up at www.usccb.org/pray to receive a weekly email or text reminder to pray and fast along with a fact sheet about Roe v. Wade that can be shared with others.

When you are called from your prayers or the Eucharistic celebration to serve the poor, you lose nothing, since to serve the poor is to go to God. You must see God in the faces of the poor.

Catholic Charities is planning their annual Ark in the Dark 5k on August 18th, 2018 at 8:00 pm on the grounds of the Ark Shelter and Hackett Catholic Prep! The goal is to raise awareness and needed dollars to end youth homelessness and trafficking in Southwest Michigan. For more information, please check out www.ccdok.org.

Good News & Brews features live music from Jeremiah and the He-Brews, dynamic speakers, engaging topics on popular issues, and fellowship for marries and single young adults from college through their 30s. We will meet on the second Thursday of each month. Our next offering is August 9th from 7 - 9 pm at Arcadia Brewing Company (701 E. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007). Our speaker is Bishop Paul Bradley. Please find the flyer linked above. Please feel free to invite a friend, enjoy the awesome atmosphere, and have a good time out! God bless!

Birthright of St. Joseph, Auxiliary thanks you for your generous support of the 2018 Baby Bottle Campaign. The combined parishes of SS. John & Bernard and St. Joseph, collected $5,616.00. It is never too late to turn in your Baby Bottle! Just drop it off at the Birthright office; 2700 Niles Avenue, St. Joseph, Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm. Your donation helps to provide free, confidential services to women experiencing problems with pregnancies, letting each woman know that someone cares about her.

The Catholic parishes of Berrien county will be having a Catholic Information Booth at the Berrien County Youth Fair. We need volunteers to help plan for, and greet, visitors at the booth. The fair runs from Monday, August 13th through Saturday, August 18th and we need three helpers for the following shifts per day: 11 am - 3 pm, 3 pm - 7 pm, and 7 pm - 11 pm. Please sign up for a time slot to help put a smiling face on our parishes. To volunteer contact Wendy Golob at (269) 983-1575 or go online to https://doodle.com/poll/qezx9k3b9hqpzcre.

On Thursday, August 23rd, at 7:00 pm in the St. Bernard Parish Center, Julie Griffin, from Hospice will be our main presenter on Advance Directives. What is the difference between a Living Will and an Advance Directive? Do Advance Directives expire? Who can be a witness to an Advance Directive? Come and find out the answer to these questions and more. For more information contact the parish office at (269) 925-2425.

This event will be offered at St. Bernard starting September 12th. For more information and to receive a discounted membership to the class, please contact Elizabeth Appleton at (269) 487-8425 or email at elizabethjaneclark@gmail.com.

The Church is leasing (8) parking spots to the owners of the apartment building. Those with a sign marked "A" are reserved for the apartment tenants only. Pleas do not park in those spots when you come to Church. Thank you.

Any parishioners interested in becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, we will be holding two training sessions in August. The first will be on Thursday, August 9th at 6:00 pm and the second will be on Tuesday, August 14th at 9:00 am. Both sessions will be held in the Downtown Church. You will only need to attend one of the sessions. We do ask that you call the parish office and let us know which session you will be attending.

There are 2 common questions that come up during vacation season. First, is the Sunday obligation waived if we are away from our home parish? And second, are there circumstances that can lessen our culpability if we miss Mass? The Sunday obligation is one of the Precepts of the Church, duties that the Catholic Church requires of all the faithful. These aren't mere guidelines, but rather a list of...

"Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity." -St. Vincent de Paul