Pilgrimage: On Monday morning, August 8, I leave for Montreal and Quebec as the chaplain for a group of 55 pilgrims. In Montreal we are visiting the minor basilica Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. Founded in 1904, it is the largest shrine in the world dedicated to Saint Joseph. Its founder is Saint Brother André Bessette. A little about Saint Andre. As a young man Andre entered the Congregation of the Holy Cross (they have a beautiful residence on the campus of Notre Dame). However, Andre was almost dismissed because of his poor health. But he was allowed to stay. Because he was frail and uneducated, the community assigned him as the doorkeeper. There he welcomed people and encouraged sick people to pray to St. Joseph. People eventually came from all over to visit him. He quipped, “My superiors showed me the door, and I stayed there for forty years.” Brother Andre’s example certainly shows the importance of the ministry of hospitality in our life. In Quebec, we are visiting many Churches, but the highlight will be the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. This Church is dedicated to St. Anne, the mother of Mary. I’ve visited thousands of Churches over the years; St. Anne is definitely one of the most beautiful. I will be praying for all of you. We return on Friday evening, August 12.
Capital Campaign: Enclosed in our bulletin is the summary of the findings of our capital campaign survey. I hope you enjoy reading the results.
School Cleaning: Summer is a time of getting ready for school. I really appreciate the custodial staff of Kathaleen Kammer, Bobby LeRoy and Byron Rohde and their incredible hard work and dedication in cleaning the school. The school floors look splendid. Too bad we have to walk on them!
Golf Outing: Speaking of the school, the Athletic Boosters are having their annual golf outing on Saturday, September 10, at the Atlas Country Club. The proceeds help fund the school’s athletic teams and their needs. If you are a golfer, I hope to see you there.
Violence in our city: Many of you by now have heard of the shooting and murder of two women at an apartment complex in Grand Blanc on July 26. The day after the shooting I was invited to say a few words at the apartment complex as about 300 people attended a candlelight vigil service. When I arrived, I felt like they were like, “sheep without a shepherd.” They were very welcoming and appreciative that I came. Afterward, the mother of one of the young women shot asked me if I would go to the hospital the next day to pray over her 20-year-old daughter, Lyric. She was on life support at the time. Before she died I had the privilege of baptizing her.
Advocates: Three people from our parish have become advocates for people seeking annulments. We are having an informational meeting for parishioners to learn more about the annulment process on September 27 at 7 p.m. in the parish hall.
Vocations: Alberto Nickerson, our seminarian, is enjoying his time here. Next Sunday, August 14, Fr. Gary is driving to the retreat center in DeWitt to be with our seminarians for a discernment dinner for those who may have an interest in the priesthood. If you are interested in attending, please let Fr. Gary know.
Party: Although my mom’s 90th birthday is at the end of the month, we are celebrating her birthday this Saturday, August 13, in the afternoon. Should be a fun time.
Be assured of my prayers for you. Have a blessed week!
Msgr. Jerry
Saint quote of the week: “And when night comes, and you look back over the day and see how fragmentary everything has been, and how much you planned that has gone undone, and all the reasons you have to be embarrassed and ashamed: just take everything exactly as it is, put it in God’s hands and leave it with Him.”
– St. Edith Stein. (Born in a Jewish family, Edith was a high-powered academic in Europe. She became Catholic and entered the Carmelite Monastery. She was arrested by the Nazis on August 9, 1942, and executed a week later at Auschwitz).