Dear Friends:
As our Advent wreath gets a little brighter this week, we hear Saint Luke write about the great prophetic words of Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the Lord...” Most of us are making lots of preparation right now. We are preparing for Christmas. Perhaps we are putting up our Christmas trees and other decorations. Or maybe we are writing out our Christmas cards, planning a menu for the big day, or attending Christmas gatherings. In the midst of all of this, we need to be careful that we do not forget preparing our hearts for the coming of the Lord. As I said in my homily last weekend, we mark two “comings” during the season of Advent. We await the commemoration of the coming of the Lord at Christmas, and we are reminded that the Risen Lord will come to us at the end of time... whenever that might be. So, in the midst of tinsel and turkey, don’t forget our hearts and souls!
Speaking of Christmas parties, it has always been my tradition to hold celebrations in the rectory for our many volunteers, such as members of our councils, choir, lectors, ushers, staff, etc. But this year, I’ve decided to hold off since many people understandably remain concerned about COVID and all of the news we hear about it. It just doesn’t seem as appropriate this year. But we can look forward to it next year... we hope!
Last week, the Diocese released new COVID precautions and guidelines for employees in any of our parishes. For example, the staff is now required to (once again) wear face masks when they are in the building... unless working alone in their own office.There are a number of other guidelines as well. The good news is that we are pretty much following all of the guidelines already. As of now, there are no new guidelines for those who come to Mass.We continue to sanitize the pews each week, everyone (except the priest) must wear masks in the sanctuary, those who are distributing communion must wear masks, etc. We’ve seen more and more people wearing their masks once again, which is perfectly fine and understandable. Those who are especially concerned about the virus have been sitting in the smaller front pews away from others, which is great. And while I know many wish to receive Holy Communion on the tongue and not in the hand, it might be a good idea... for the time being... to refrain from that for the sake of others (and, frankly, the safety of your priests,too). While I am not permitted to require it, I offer it as a suggestion. Another option for those who wish to receive on the tongue may be to sit towards the back and be the last ones to receive communion. Anyway, we must remember to take care of ourselves... but don’t forget others, either.
I regret that I had to postpone my Advent series because of a funeral I needed to celebrate out of town. It might have been wise, too, because we weren’t sure if many people would come given concerns about COVID. Since it is a two-part series, it makes sense to hold off on any presentation this week as well. But, the Advent Penance Service will still be held a week from Thursday on December 16 at 6:30 PM. This year, it will be celebrated at St.Bernard’s.
Many thanks to those who have made such a positive response to our Advent decorations this year. I wanted to step it up a bit. If you liked those, just wait until Christmas... I hope!
Finally, I want to emphasize what our Winter policy is regarding meetings and events when the snow flies. With the exception of confessions and Mass, when the Lake Michigan Catholic Schools are closed because of snow, then all meetings and events are canceled for the same day, and the parish office will be closed as well. While people are welcome to come to the adoration chapel, we will repose the Blessed Sacrament on those snow days so that people do not feel obligated to go out in the bad weather. By using the school open/closed as a measure, it’s not hard for everyone to know whether or not something at the parish is going on. I hope this policy is helpful.
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
Happy New Year! That likely sounds odd, but it’s true. Today, we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent and it begins a new liturgical year. Today, like we do every New Year’s Day, we can take the opportunity to make a New Year’s resolution. But instead of the ones we often make on New Year’s Day in this case we can think about our spiritual life and make spiritual resolutions. What kinds of resolutions can these be? Perhaps we can think about more sincerity in our prayer. Or maybe we can make a commitment to attend mass once in a while during the week. Or we resolve to make sure we are always attending Sunday Mass. We also might think about spiritual reading that we can do. There are lots of different ways that we can make spiritual resolutions. Perhaps today is a good time for us to make a resolution and then keep it!
Because of the way the calendar falls, the Mass schedule at Christmastime is a little different. So, this weekend I am making my column brief so that we can list the schedule. Please note which days are... and are not... Holy Days this year. Also, remember that December 8 is a Holy Day, so I am including that as well.
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
It’s hard to believe, but Advent begins two weeks from today! Have you noticed that some people still have their rotting jack-o-lanterns out; some have Thanksgiving decorations in the yard, and others are putting up their Christmas trees! As you know, Advent begins a new liturgical year. But before that comes, we have today and next week to end the year. You will notice at Mass that the readings become “eschatological,” meaning that they focus on the end times. The readings remind us of the end of our lives, and the end of time when the Risen Jesus will appear in all of his glory. That’s why we hear, for example, Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “...of that day and hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." During these final weeks of the liturgical year, we should think about our lives and what we can be doing to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ... at Christmas and at the end of time.
Have you noticed the opportunity provided to help those who are less fortunate than we are? In the vestibule, there are many envelopes on the cornucopias at both churches, where people have the opportunity to make donations. As Thanksgiving approaches, this is a great way to remember those who are often forgotten about in society. As always, thanks for your generosity.
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
Today’s Gospel made me focus on Jesus’ words about the poor widow, “…from her poverty, (she) has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood." So, it made me think, what is one’s livelihood? Quite simply, it means the “necessities of life.” Sometimes we think the “necessities of life” focus on money alone. Instead, we should be thinking about how we can find ways to make a sacrifice for what we have. That can include our money, or goods, or even one’s humility. A good reflection today might be to ask what we might be holding onto… and that it is time to give it up.
Despite the cold, blustery winds off of Lake Michigan last week, the All Souls Day Mass at Resurrection Cemetery was a wonderful way to remember the souls of those buried there, as well as all those who have died. The Mass was celebrated right where former Pastors of our parish are buried; most recently our beloved Msgr. Sears. After Mass, I went around to various graves to give them a special blessing. There was a nice turnout, and I’m grateful to those who were there in prayer with us. I intend to have Mass celebrated there every Memorial Day and All Souls Day.
Of course, during the month of November, we remember all those who have died; especially those who have died in the last year. At the main door of each of our churches, there is a “Book of the Dead” where people can write in the names of loved ones who have died, and we remember them, especially during the month. ,
Many thanks to those who reacted so positively regarding my recent letter to the parishioners. I am grateful to those people who expressed their appreciation for the transparency and explanation as I summarized our parish finances. You can be assured that I will send a letter like this every October. Please remember that on November 17 at 7 PM, there will be an opportunity online to hear me summarize the financial statement. More information will come as we grow closer to the date.
Last weekend, we completed our annual “October Count” when we count the number of people who attend each Mass every Sunday. I’m told the number is down considerably from years past, which isn’t a big surprise given COVID. Since I have only been here just under a year, I don’t have anything to compare it to. Let’s pray that, as people get their vaccines and are more comfortable returning to church, our numbers will increase once again.
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
It isn’t uncommon for someone to come to confession and they start with “I’m not sure what to say.” It’s not that difficult; sometimes we just need a tool to help us think of where we have fallen short of our relationship with God. One of these tools can be examining the Ten Commandments. A person can go through them one by one and ask God if any of them apply to him or her. Another way is to simply ask the question, “where have I failed to love God, myself, or others?” A third way is what we hear in the First Reading, and was repeated by Jesus in the Gospel. “…you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today." In other words, we can examine our conscience to see where we might have failed to love God with all that we are. Using one of these tools, or a few of them can help us make a good sacramental confession.
A number of you have asked how my “plan” is coming for the future of our Lake Michigan Catholic Schools. I’m happy to say that the plan is coming along nicely, and I’ve had good input from many people and leaders who are directly… and even indirectly… involved with our schools. I hope to make my plan public very shortly, so I ask for your special prayers these days. I assure you, there are some very bold moves that I believe will strengthen our schools, and will inspire more and more people to invest themselves and their young people in our schools.
We should continue to pray for an end to the COVID pandemic. Sadly, the wife of one of the Deacons in the Diocese died last week, and the Deacon himself has been fighting the disease. I’m relieved to know that I have had the vaccine as well as the “booster” shot and, although there are always possibilities of “breakthrough” cases, I hope more and more of us will be open to getting the vaccine. Of course, we know that the decision is a personal one. And we always have to consider what is best for us as well as care for our neighbors. As Jesus said in the Gospel today, “love your neighbor as yourself.” From there, each person must make an important decision.
This coming Tuesday I hope to begin a new tradition in our parish, and it is one that every parish is asked to consider if they own a cemetery. I will celebrate a special All Souls Day Mass on Tuesday at our Resurrection Cemetery. I plan to celebrate the Mass near the grave of past pastors of our parish; including Msgr. Sears. I know it could be cold… and colder than “usual” because of the proximity to Lake Michigan. Even so, I hope to celebrate this Mass at 10:00 AM. If you’d like to be there, everyone is more than welcome. I suggest bringing a lawn chair to use if you’d like to sit. Otherwise, everyone will stand throughout the Mass. Unless it is raining, we will celebrate this Mass regarding any other weather conditions.
Speaking of celebrations reminding us of those who have died, there is a special Mass at the Cathedral in Kalamazoo, and all are invited. For this Mass, we especially pray for the clergy of our Diocese who have died. I’m not able to be there this year, but everyone is invited. The Mass begins at 5:00 PM in the Cathedral.
Finally, some people may have heard of “no shave November,” which reminds us of those who have suffered and died from Prostate Cancer and encourages men to be checked regularly. So if I start to look a little shabby, you’ll know why, as I intend to participate.
Have a great week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
One has to admire the persistence of the blind man in today’s Gospel. His faith in Jesus was unwavering. He called out to Jesus and when others tried to silence him, he called out all the more. Sometimes it is the case that we find ourselves “calling out” to the Lord and we don’t seem to get an answer. Or, even worse, others try to discourage us in our faith, whenever we profess it. The blind man clearly teaches us to be persistent when it comes to our faith. If we do, we can guarantee that we will be healed!
In the coming days, you will receive in the mail a letter from me along with a financial report for the fiscal year 2020-2021. Once you receive the letter, it is very important to read it carefully, as I do my best to explain the numbers. For example, one thing you will see is that we were very fortunate to receive some one-time donations and bequests this year. However, our Sunday collections did not meet the budget, even though there were a few generous parishioners who made special donations solely to assist in raising our Sunday collections. And, of course, it is the Sunday collection that pays the bills during the month. This and other information are explained in my letter. The letter and report will be sent to all of our registered parishioners, and hopefully, you will receive them in the mail before the end of the month. In addition, I will be setting a date for an online opportunity for me to explain the parish finances and budget. Between the report and the online communication, everyone should be clear on what our parish finances are, and what projects we need to consider for the near future.
Looking ahead to November, there are a couple of things to be aware of when it comes to our liturgies and masses. Now is the time to mark your calendars! First, please be aware that November 1, All Saints Day, is not a holy day of obligation this year because it falls on a Monday. So, there will be only the usual Monday morning mass at 8:00 AM. Next, we will celebrate an additional mass on All Souls Day, Tuesday, November 2. In addition to the usual 8:00 AM morning mass, I will celebrate a 10:00 AM Mass at our Resurrection Cemetery. Many parishioners have the tradition of celebrating mass at their parish cemetery, if they have one. While I know it may be cold… particularly with Lake Michigan behind us… I still plan to celebrate the mass. I’ll explain more in next week’s column. On Sunday, November 7, Fr. Tran will lead his monthly “healing service” at 1:00 PM in the downtown church. The first one this month was quite successful and we hope it will grow over time. The only other calendar thing to mention right now is that we will celebrate our usual 8:00 AM Mass on Thanksgiving Day, which I hope people will consider making part of their celebration that day. After all, the word “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving!”
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
Today’s Second Reading should be very comforting for us. We all face times of trouble and various challenges in our lives. Sometimes we feel that God has abandoned us. Other times, we may think that God does not understand what we are going through. But Saint Paul teaches us otherwise. He says, “… we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” That seems simple enough, but we know that can be hard to understand. This is where faith comes into play. God “gets it.” We need to remember that, and be confident when things seem to go sour in our lives!
As you know from last week’s bulletin cover, Deacon Mike Gallagher has retired from his “public” responsibilities. Of course, once a deacon, always a deacon. He has lived this ordained life of service for 22 years, which is no small task! I was happy that we could honor him at the end of the 10:00 Mass last weekend, and he received hearty applause and after Mass, lots of people expressed their congratulations and best wishes for the future. We wanted to have a more “formal” celebration but a variety of factors made that difficult. If anyone has a personal note they’d like to give to him, feel free to drop it into the collection basket and we will make sure that he gets it.
It has been great to see so many people returning to mass every weekend. There is always a noticeable drop in attendance when there is a Notre Dame, Michigan, and/or Michigan State game (whether home or away). But it’s nice to see that most people aren’t “skipping” that altogether.
Along those lines, though, we have a special request. We have seen a fair number of people leaving mass early or arriving late. At one mass last weekend, I asked the ushers to count how many people came in late. We were shocked to see that 50 people came in late for that particular mass. Of course, there are occasionally some circumstances that force someone to be late. But 50 is a lot of people. Also, there are those who receive Holy Communion and then walk out the door. Right after receiving communion is a time for prayer in thanksgiving for being able to receive the body and blood of Jesus. Please know that it is distracting to many when people leave early or arrive late. All I ask is that people give it some thought and prayer. Of course, attending mass is the first priority, but this is something to consider.
For those who don’t know it, during the month of October we conduct an “October count” for us, and for the diocese. We count how many people are attending every weekend mass throughout the month. So, if it looks like an usher or somebody is staring at you briefly, they probably are. The results of this count help gather data on how many people are attending mass now, compared with last year and previous years. Of course, last year the attendance was quite low due to COVID. So, it will be interesting to see how that has changed. I’ll be sure to let you know what those numbers were some time in the near future.
Speaking of data, I am working on my annual letter to the parish regarding our finances. While our collections are down, we have been fortunate to receive some one-time donations, as well as bequests that have helped us tremendously. Of course, those have little to do with consistent Sunday giving. Anyway, I look forward to sharing that information with you.
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
Much like last week, the Gospel we hear today is challenging. We hear Jesus say, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
then for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” One can't help but ask ourselves, “am I rich?” One measure of this could be to examine if we are helping out where there is a need. Additionally, to see if our gift is sacrificial. In other words, does our generosity (1) help others and (2) make it harder for us to do something else we’d like to do but our giving makes that more difficult? I think that this would be one way to ask if we are helping the people or places that need financial help. Or, if we truly cannot give of our wealth, maybe our gift of time would be sacrificial. We are all busy people. But one treasure we can all give is some of our time. Time for helping the church, or the poor, or volunteering in other places. All of these examples can help us define what being “rich” means in the eyes of God. And we should remember to include this in our prayers. We can ask the Lord if we are giving enough where it is needed. The chances are good that we might find the answer.
As you know, I have made it very clear about my passion for the success of Catholic school education. For the last several months, I have been working on a comprehensive plan for the future of our Lake Michigan Catholic Schools. Recently, I have worked “behind the scenes” with a small group of staff, teachers, and parishioners about various aspects of my plan. As I continue to “tweak” it, I want to share with you the seven areas that are part of my plan. When the appropriate time comes, I look forward to sharing all of the parts of my plan.
In my mind, this is a three-year plan, with the hopes that many of it can be put in place well before 2024. The seven areas where I am focusing are on our school governance structure, strengthening our Catholic identity, building upon our already-strong academic offerings, adjusting our school finances, adopting a concept called “enrollment management,” increasing our efforts in the area of financial development, and taking a hard look at improving our facilities at both the elementary school and the middle/high school. I am excited about the future of our schools, all the way through 12th grade. To make our plans succeed, we will need the full support of our parish community. There will be much more to talk about later, but I wanted to share this with you to encourage you to keep our schools in your thoughts and prayers. As the Gospel says today, with God all things are possible. We need to be, the means, by which God helps make it happen!
This week, I look forward to a conversation with our two Deacon candidates, Jason Schmidt and Matt Derby. These candidates are required to perform various pastoral duties in the parish. Remember to keep these men in your prayers. Also, I look forward to meeting with our parish council. There have been so many things going on, and so many special circumstances (like COVID restrictions,) we finally have a better chance to evaluate and strengthen our parish pastoral council and our finance council. As this develops, I’ll be sure to keep you updated.
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ… now and forever!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
It’s not hard to see how our readings today make us think about the Sacrament of Marriage. The First Reading and the Gospel are challenging to hear… especially if someone is in a troubled marriage or has been divorced. Of course, in the Catholic Church, when a marriage is a true Sacrament, that marriage bond is unbreakable until death. In fact, marriages between a man and a woman outside the Catholic faith are considered invalid by the Church. That’s how serious marriage is. Sadly, marriage seems to be taken less and less seriously over time. Some studies show that in the United States, 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce… although that number appears to be dropping as people are waiting until they are a little older to get married.
Many people don’t realize that when a couple divorces, that in and of itself, is not a sin. But, the Catholic Church continues to recognize legally divorced couples as remaining in a sacramental marriage. I’ve known several divorced Catholics who feel that they cannot go to communion. That is the case, if they are in another relationship, or attempt to “re-marry” outside the Catholic Church. Then, in the eyes of the Church, that person is committing adultery, which of course is a violation of the Ten Commandments. Jesus affirms that in the Gospel today.
So especially, we reach out to those who are aspiring to marriage, those who are in troubled marriages, or those who are legally divorced. For those who aspire to marry, we make sure there is a clear understanding that the sacramental marriage bond is unbreakable, regardless of the circumstances. For those who are in troubled marriages, make every possible effort to reconcile. Seek professional counseling; talk to a priest about the bond you once made, and never cease praying for your marriage. I’ve learned before that these are a great formula for success. And for those who are legally divorced, but have not sought an annulment from the Church, consider talking to a priest about it… especially if you are in a relationship now, or hope to in the future. The Church welcomes you, and wants to help!
Here we are… a new month already! Much like May, October is often considered a month that is dedicated to the Blessed Mother. Recently in the theology class, which, I teach in our Catholic high school, we talked about how Mary is sometimes called the “Ark of the Covenant” because she contained the very person of Jesus Christ. Consider for a moment how the Blessed Mother is close to us when we receive Holy Communion. In a way, Jesus “becomes” part of us when we receive his body and blood, soul, and divinity. When we receive communion, we, too become an “Ark” of the Lord. That should cause us to pause and ask ourselves how we are treating this “Ark.” Do we see that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? And how can Mary teach us more about this? That might be a good reflection this October.
Some have asked me how long we will continue to celebrate the Sunday morning Mass outside, at St. Joseph South. One person shared that a good measure will be when we see the first frost. That seems like a good idea. So we will keep an eye on that. When the frost starts outside, we will begin celebrating Mass indoors until the Spring arrives. By the way, many thanks to those who volunteer in a variety of ways to help us provide Mass outdoors. There is a good deal of work that is done to make that happen. In many ways, that is a ministry in itself as it helps us provide the opportunity to celebrate Mass.
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
Today’s Gospel is very challenging. We have heard it before: Jesus says that if our hand, foot, or eye causes us to sin, “cut it off.” The obvious question is asking if Jesus is literally asking us to take out a kitchen knife and cut off whatever causes us to sin. No, Jesus isn’t saying that. Instead, he is saying that to avoid sin—and the near occasion of sin—we may need to do something radical. In other words, we might have to make a significant change in our lives in order to avoid certain sinfulness. So how do we discern this? First, we ask God to help us identify what our greatest sinfulness might be. Second, we ask God to help us discern how to try and avoid sin. Then we need to decide. At the very least, perhaps we try something we have never tried before in order to avoid certain sins. But we should never be discouraged if we fall short… or find ourselves terribly challenged to let go of certain sins. Instead, we continue to rely on God’s grace to be able to help us fight against our sins.
Many thanks to those who have participated in our weekly “Harvest Table.” This is about the time that we have more zucchini, squash, and other goods than we could possibly eat. If you find yourself having an abundance of food from your garden, remember to bring some of that to church and place it on the table at the door for other parishioners to take and enjoy!
As you know, we are in the early weeks of the “Jubilee Year of the Holy Spirit” as established by Bishop Bradley for our Diocese. At the end of the weekend masses, before the closing prayer, all the parishes in the diocese pray the prayer that you will find inserted in your hymnal at church. There are other activities and events that are “in the works,” and I’m grateful to those who have been mapping out the plans as suggested by the Diocese. More on that to come.
This week, I look forward to our quarterly meeting of the Parish Finance Council. As I mentioned in a previous column, our collections have been down once again. (Last week, it was particularly low for some reason). Fortunately, due to special donations, bequests, and others, we are financially sound. On top of that, we do our best to stay within budget when it comes to our expenses. One of the things, we will begin to talk about are some significant projects that really need to begin to happen soon. For example, we need to start thinking about the age and appearance of the carpeting in the church. Both the carpeting in the church and the front steps need some significant work. The stains are quite bad and are past the point of simple cleaning. Another project is in one of the offices of the Morlock Center, where part of the ceiling caved in last week. We also discovered that the heating coils in the church sacristy and adoration hallway are burned out. In the rectory, the heating pump went out and had to be replaced (or your priests would be wearing winter coats in their beds). Anyway, working with the Parish Council and Finance Council, we need to start looking at some repairs and improvements that need to be made. Of course, this will rely on the generosity of our parishioners, so it is something to begin to pray about.
Speaking of parish finances, our registered parishioners can expect a financial report in October for the fiscal year that began July 1, 2020, and ended June 30, 2021. I feel it is very important to be as transparent as possible to our parishioners about the temporal assets and needs of our parish.
Finally, congratulations to Jason Schmidt and Matt Derby, who were installed into the ministry of lector by Bishop Bradley this weekend. This is another step in their progress towards ordination to the permanent diaconate. Technically, their installation as lectors is different from those who read at Mass. We use the word “lector” when the word “reader” is more appropriate for our parish volunteers. Anyway, we continue to pray for them as they grow closer to the altar and their eventual (please God) ordination!
Have a good week and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John