Greetings in Christ!
I want to start off with something important, but for it to make sense, I need to give you some background.
By Church law, priests can only offer sacraments if they have what the Church calls “Faculties” from the Bishop.
For example, if I want to pray my niece or nephew’s wedding and it’s not within the diocese of Lansing, I have to get permission from the Bishop of the area where the wedding is, and I have to be given faculties. Every priest knows this; it is pounded into our brains from day one. If a priest is working or praying sacraments within a diocese without faculties from the local Bishop, it is a very serious matter.
I type all of these things because I’ve been contacted by a few parishioners in our area who have been approached by Fr. Joseph Birungi about donating to his ministries in Africa. When I contacted our diocese to check about it, it was made clear to me that he has not at any point received faculties from the Bishop or permission to raise money within our diocese.
Now, on to more pleasant things…
Our School Year starts on Tuesday and I am so excited. Please pray everyday for our little school. We are blessed beyond measure to be able to offer a Catholic education to all and a place that is safe, both physically and ideologically, to learn about God’s Creation and how it all works within.
Your financial support is what makes this possible and on behalf of our school employees, students and their parents, I offer a big and sincere thank you.
God bless you all, I just love being your priest.
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