Capital Campaign: Thanks to all who picked up their pledge packets thus far. If you haven’t been able to pick up your pledge packets, you will have an opportunity to do so this weekend. Thank you for prayerfully considering giving a pledge to the Witness to Hope Campaign. (Please see our website for more information on Witness to Hope Campaign.)
CRHP: This weekend 32 women are on the Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) retreat. Thank you to all who participate in this endeavor in the midst of your busy lives. All of us are called to witness to one another the amazing things God has done for us. The CRHP retreat is a wonderful opportunity for team members to share their journey of faith with others.
Priest Convocation: Fr. Gary and I spent a few days with about 90 other priests from our diocese at the priest convocation in Bay City from October 3 – 6. We both enjoyed the time with our brother priests. Our presenter was Fr. Jim Greenfield. He is a priest of the Oblates of St. Francis DeSales. His talks focused on human formation. He mixed some humor (see below) and some good solid information. He encouraged us to renew the joy of that first encounter with the Lord and draw from that joy a renewed strength and fidelity. We also had a dinner to celebrate the anniversaries of our priests. And every year before one of our Masses we read the names of all the deacons and priests who have died from our diocese. When I first became ordained, I hardly knew any of them. I know a lot more of them now.
A little humor: Father told a couple of stories which I found a bit humorous. One of them was when someone asked a woman what they did for their 25th anniversary, she replied, “I went with him to his home country.” And then this person asked the woman what they did for their 50th anniversary. She said, “I went and brought him back.” The other was a true story from the priest. He was on a flight sitting in a seat behind a mom and her young daughter, who was on her first flight. The little girl said excitedly, “Mommy, are we in the air yet?” And the mom, said, “Yes, we are. Look, you can see the clouds.” To that the little girl said, “I hope we get to see Jesus.” The mother replied, “I hope we don’t!”
Diocesan Assembly: Next weekend, October 21 and 22, about 25 people from our parish will be attending the Diocesan Assembly titled “Called by Name” near Lansing. What is the gathering about? The whole purpose is evangelization, to discuss ways to encourage people who have left the faith to return. During the Masses next weekend everyone at every parish in the diocese will be invited to think of (and write down) someone they know who has left the Catholic faith. And then we will pray about how to invite them back. Why is this so important? Because the mission of the Church is the Church, Christ’s Body and Christ’s bride.
Right to Life Dinner: This Tuesday evening, October 18, Fr. Gary, Alberto and I will be attending the Right to Life Dinner at the Captain’s Club. The guest speaker is Louis Brown. He is the Director of the Christ Medicus Foundation (CMF), which is a Catholic Living Health Care Ministry. It offers alternative health care to organizations. I’ve known Louis for about 13 years beginning with his time as a student at Michigan State University. Please don’t forget that our parish is going to pray in front of the abortion clinic near Flushing on October 29 for 40 Days for Life.
Benefit Dinner: This Thursday evening, October 20, I am attending a benefit dinner for one of our parishioners, Ellen Joseph, who has cancer. Please pray for her.
7th graders: This week our 7th graders will be attending a couple of days at Camp Tamarack. Our seminarian Alberto Nickerson will be going and Fr. Gary is having Mass with the group.
Msgr. Jerry
Saint quote of the week:
“My God and my Savior Jesus, what return can I make to you for all the benefits you have conferred on me? I make a vow to you never to fail, on my side, in the grace of martyrdom, if by your infinite mercy you offer it me some day.”
This quote comes from St. John De Brebeuf shortly before his death. He was one of the missionary priests from France sent to Canada in the early 1600s to bring the Catholic faith to the Indians. In 1649 the Iroquois attacked the Huron village in which John was living. They brutally martyred him and his companions. Their suffering is indescribable: bludgeoned, burned with red-hot hatchets, baptized with boiling water, mutilated, flesh stripped off, and hearts plucked and devoured. His feast day is October 19.