Happy Easter Still: As you know, the Easter Season is 50 days long concluding with Pentecost Sunday on June 3. The Octave of Easter concludes this Sunday. Easter reminds us that the Church begins with witness: lives changed by an encounter with the Risen Lord; men and women who then transform others by the power of their testimony and the authority of their example. In our Gospel Jesus appears to his disciples on the evening of Easter Sunday, his resurrection. Thomas wasn’t there. He didn’t believe Jesus had risen from the dead. Like many of us, we need to see with our own eyes before we believe. But Christ appears to him a week later and Thomas confesses, “My Lord and my God.” What a beautiful act of faith!!
Mercy Overflowing: This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday. After Jesus appeared to the apostles on Easter Sunday, he said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” He is instituting the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus appeared to St. Faustina, a Polish nun, in the 1930s asking her to spread the message of divine mercy. The message is nothing new, but is a reminder of what the Church has always taught through scripture and tradition: that God is merciful and forgiving and that we, too, must show mercy and forgiveness. But in the Divine Mercy devotion, the message takes on a powerful new focus, calling people to a deeper understanding that God’s love is unlim- ited and available to everyone — especially the greatest sinners. The message of mercy is that God loves us — all of us —no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. I will be at Holy Redeemer Parish (our parishes rotate every year) this afternoon participating in Divine Mercy, including hearing confessions.
Garage Sale: Once again our wonderful 55 and Over Club will be having a garage sale April 28 and 29 in our parish hall. I hope you can stop by. It’s amazing how many people attend this event.
St. Francis Prayer Center: Parishioner Deb Hawley is the one who helps coordinate all of our healing services. She is also the Director of the St. Francis Prayer Center on the north end of Flint. She could really use our help. This Saturday, April 29, the prayer center is having its annual auction. It’s being held at the Holy Redeemer Parish Center with dinner beginning at 5 pm, followed by a live and silent auction. Please call the St. Francis Prayer Center at 810.787.5330 if you would like to attend.
School Auction: Speaking of auctions, our school auction is Saturday, May 20, at the Genesys Conference and Banquet Center. This event is always a lot of fun. It’s open to anyone, not just school parents. I hope you can join us. Tickets can be purchased online at the school website or in the school office.
Boston: Speaking of our school, our principal’s husband, Matt Purcell, ran in the Boston Marathon last Monday. He finished in 3 hours and 49 minutes. Maybe next year he will run the race instead of walk it.☺
Our Knights: On Saturday, April 8, the Knights spent the day at four-way stops and raised nearly $6,000 for charity through their Tootsie Roll Drive. That’s tremendous! Really appreciate their effort in helping those in need. They’ve also added six new members since January 1. They are having a social meeting the evening of Thursday, April 27, to welcome them.
Euchre: This Friday evening we will have another fun night of euchre. It begins at 6:30 pm in the parish hall.
France: Fr. Gary and three of his classmates are heading to France this Sunday, April 23. He will be returning on May 3. He is going to make his five-day canonical retreat in Ars, the home of the patron saint of priests, St. John Vianney. He is also going to Lourdes, the home of the Marian apparition to St. Bernadette. Other stops include Paray LeMonial, where Jesus revealed His Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary, and Nevers, where St. Berna- dette’s incorrupt body is in the church at the convent where she spent her remaining days after Lourdes. I’ve been to all these places and they are spectacular. And the food in France is delicious too!
Alberto: A few weeks ago I mentioned in my bulletin column that Alberto had been approved for the diaconate. Well, it’s no longer happening. He is no longer at our parish. It’s been tough on Alberto, tough on the staff, tough on me. Alberto is a good man and we all miss him. Please pray for him.
May the Resurrection of Christ and His Love and Mercy for you radiate in you and fill you with abundant joy!
Msgr. Jerry
“All grace flows from mercy, and the last hour abounds with mercy for us. Let no one doubt concerning the goodness of God; even if a person’s sins were as dark as night, God’s mercy is stronger than our misery. One thing alone is necessary; that the sinner set ajar the door of his heart, be it ever so little, to let in a ray of God’s merciful grace, and then God will do the rest.”
Jesus’ words to St. Faustina regarding Divine Mercy