Pastor’s Corner — March 10th, 2024
St Pat’s Day Celebration (Parish Party) at the PLC: March 17th at 6pm
On Sunday March 17th, we’ll be celebrating the Solemnity of St. Patrick with a special parish party. Our celebration will have music and free food and beer. We will have some entertainment along with a visit from a “special guest.” While we would appreciate if you would fill this out so we know how many people to plan for, it’s not necessary to fill this out in order to come and celebrate. I hope to see you there!
Following up: Diocesan Services Appeal 2024
Thanks for all of those who have given to the DSA this year. Since we share in the mission of works of the gospel in the Diocese together, I’d like to invite all parishioners who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation and older to participate in the appeal. Please go here for more information and to donate. Last year we ended up with around 980 gifts. It would be great if we reached 1000 gifts for the first time to this good appeal.
Email on Parish Mission
You should have received an email about the parish mission this week with a link to our parish mission webpage, which has book and video recommendations and the basic outlines of the talks. The mission webpage can also be accessed from the homepage of the website.
Welcome Carlene Demers, Our New Liturgy Coordinator!
I am very happy to announce that we have hired parishioner Carlene Demers as our new Liturgy Coordinator. As an active parishioner who has been involved in ministry in significant ways the past few years, Carlene brings to the team her passion for the faith, her attention to detail, and sincere love for people. She started this week. Here is a note from Carlene about herself:
“My name is Carlene Demers and I am very excited to have the opportunity to serve St. Patrick’s as the new Liturgy Coordinator. Let me tell you a little bit about myself.
My husband Leon and I have been married for 36 years and have been blessed with five beautiful children: Victoria, Carl, Jacob, Marc and Genevieve. I have four beautiful grandchildren: Augustine, Philomena, Lena, and Tesslyn. I had the privilege and blessing to be able to homeschool my youngest two children, Marc and Genevieve.
I worked for 25 years as a nurse in many different areas of healthcare and during that busy time I had many opportunities God opened for me to grow closer to Him. I became a certified catechist and then became the coordinator for VBS at the parish we attended as my children were growing up.
My desire to learn more about my faith, my Church, and God led me to the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. I had the privilege of completing this four-year course on the bible with my dad. After we completed that we both signed up for the Encounter School of Ministry. Unfortunately, we didn’t complete this together because my dad passed away unexpectedly on my son Carl’s birthday January 7, 2020. Returning to Encounter was difficult due to my grief and covid preventing the school from meeting in person. But it was an opportunity to heal from my loss. I since have completed both years of Encounter and am thrilled that my son Marc and my husband Leon are also completing year 2 of Encounter together.
At the height of covid, I felt called to return to nursing in a local nursing home. Here I had the opportunity to bring comfort to those who were dying alone, as family members were not allowed to visit, and bring Jesus in the Eucharist to the residents who desired to receive. Spending even five minutes in prayer with these beautiful souls was one of the best things that happened to me in 2020.
Since joining St. Patrick parish back in 2020, I have had the opportunity to lead adult formation classes, participate in Alpha as a table leader, become a sacristan, and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and bringing Jesus to the homebound. As a family at home, we find joy in praying the Liturgy of the Hours, family meals together, and often go for hikes when the weather permits.
I look forward to seeing where God leads me in this new role in the parish. I am open for Him to continue to mold me into the Christian I am called to be.”
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias