Rome: My trip to Rome was short but very memorable—despite some rainy weather. The highlight of the trip was the diaconate ordination of Brian Lenz at St. Peter’s Basilica. Brian, along with 38 other seminarians from the United States (and one from Australia), was ordained deacons by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. Perhaps you remember Brian. He spent a summer at our parish a few years ago. Below is a picture of us shortly after celebrating Mass in the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Rome. The apostles St. James and St. Phillip are buried there. Deacon Brian, along with Deacon Peter, will be ordained priests at St. Mary Cathedral in Lansing on Friday, June 10, 2016.
Installation: Next Sunday at the Noon Mass Bishop Boyea will install me as the pastor of our parish. Most of my family is attending. Anyone is welcome to attend. During the Mass I will recite the Profession of Faith and make the Oath of Fidelity, indicated by Canon Law for those who assume an ecclesiastical office.
Synod on the Family: We are right in the middle (October 5 – 19) of the extraordinary synod of the family gathering in Rome. A synod is a council convened to address the pastoral needs of the Church. The aim of this synod is to examine how to best proclaim the Gospel of the Family within the context of today’s diverse challenges and considerations. Please keep the synod in your prayers.
Homebound: We are very blessed to have so many parishioners who take Holy Communion to the homebound of our parish—either at their homes or the hospital. Beginning this weekend we are making a slight change on how we do this process. Instead of individuals coming forward with a pyx in the Communion line, we are asking the Eucharistic Ministers who take Communion to the homebound to fill up their pyx in the sacristy before Mass. Those pyxes will be brought forward during the offertory and then distributed after Communion.
War Room: A few weeks back, Fr. Gary, Deacon Peter, seminarian John and I went to watch the movie War Room. We all enjoyed it and highly recommend seeing it.
Halftime: This weekend marks the middle of the 40 Days for Life. Thank you for all of you who are participating in the cause for Life.
Big game: Speaking of halftime, who is going to win the Michigan State at Michigan football game next Saturday?
In today’s Gospel, we hear how “Jesus looked on him and loved him.” Please know that this gaze of love from Jesus is for all of us individually. With prayers for you,
Msgr. Jerry
Saint quote of the Week:
“My Divine Heart is so in love with people that it can no longer contain the flames of its ardent charity. It needs you to spread them. It must manifest itself to people and enrich them with the precious treasures that I will reveal to you. These treasures are the graces of salvation and sanctification, necessary to rescue people from the abyss of perdition.”
Words of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673. By Jesus’ request, St. Margaret Mary began devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Her feast day is October 16.