105: As I mentioned last weekend at some of the Masses, our oldest living parishioner, Jean Dunn, passed away at 105 years old. She was Fr. Bush’s secretary and the Church organist when our parish started in 1946. We have to figure out who the oldest living parishioner is now.
AL: Pope Francis recently sent out a post-synodal apostolic exhortation titled Amoris Laetitia (AL) meaning “The Joy of Love.” Our Holy Father recommended reading it slowly; I’ve just started reading it and I hope you get a chance to read it too. I’ll share some thoughts in the coming weeks.
Faith Fest: On June 25 the Diocese of Lansing and the St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt are putting on the first annual Faith Fest. The event includes food and music, with the highlight being Matt Maher whose songs are constantly played on Christian radio stations. Tickets are $30 each. For more information please contact www.faithfest16.com.
Vocation Mass: Bishop Boyea is visiting our parish to celebrate Mass with 7th graders from around the diocese on Thursday, April 21, at 9:30 a.m. His topic will be our vocation to follow Christ stemming from our baptism and where that leads us.
Concert: Hope to see many of you at our “Year of Mercy” concert this Saturday, April 25. I know that Dr. Simon Lee and the different choir members are really working hard in preparation.
Christian persecution: Continue to read about our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted in Iraq and Syria. A priest named Father Bazi had his teeth knocked out, his nose smashed and his back broken with a hammer—simply because he was a Christian and a Catholic priest. The number of Catholics in Iraq has dwindled from once a population of three million to 180,000.
Confirmation/First Communion Interviews: This week I we are continuing the interviews with those preparing for the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Thanks to all the teachers and catechists who have done a great job in preparing them.
John Vinton: This past Thursday, April 14, some of our staff met with Fr. VanDecker from Sacred Heart Major Seminary to go over the year with our in-resident seminarian John Vinton. John hopes to attend Sacred Heart in the fall and God willing, become a priest in 2020. Speaking of seminarians, Alberto Nickerson will be joining us for the year beginning in May.
CRHP: Please pray for our 27 men attending the CRHP retreat this weekend. May God continue the grace he has begun in them.
Have a blessed week! Please know of my prayers and love for you.
Msgr. Jerry
Saint quote of the week: “And he departed from our sight that we might return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed, and behold, He is here.”
Trip to Rome
It is good to be back at Holy Family! I had a wonderful trip to Rome with some of my siblings as we went to visit our brother Lee and I wanted to share a few graces from the trip. The first grace was being able to make the trip with my family. We had a blast exploring the city – we also got lost at least once every day and have some fun stories from trying to use the Italian rail system! A second grace was being able to celebrate Mass at the various Churches we visited. A few highlights were celebrating Mass at the tomb of St. Gregory the Great in St. Peter’s Basilica, at the tomb of Blessed Bartolo Longo in Pompeii, and at the altar containing the relics of the Eucharistic miracle in Orvieto. It was an incredible privilege to celebrate Mass at each of those places. A third grace was being able to attend Mass with the Pope on Divine Mercy Sunday and then going through the Holy Doors that afternoon. Jesus was very generous! Please know that I kept you all in my prayers as I visited the various Holy sites. Again, it is good to be back!
God bless,
Fr. Gary