Pastor’s Corner — December 8th, 2024
Commitment Weekend: S3 Campaign
This weekend, which is Commitment Weekend, parishes across the diocese are celebrating what God is doing in our Stewardship for Saints and Scholars Campaign. To date, our parish has raised around $2.1M of our $2.96M target.
Thanks to everyone who has made a gift or pledge to support this historic effort. While we have raised a very significant amount here at St. Pat’s -- for which Bishop Boyea is truly thankful and humbled - we still have some work to do and we need everyone’s help. This Commitment Weekend is a great opportunity for those who have not yet made a gift to join those parishioners who are helping to leave a legacy for future generations of Catholics in Michigan. Our goal is 100 percent parish participation. Let us give thanks in prayer at Mass today, for all his gifts to us and our goal of forming the next generation of Catholics.
Bishop’s Dispensation for Holy Day for Immaculate Conception
Bishop Boyea has dispensed everyone in the Diocese of Lansing from the Holy Day of Obligation on Monday (Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary). In other words, the Immaculate Conception, which was transferred to Monday, is NOT a Holy Day of Obligation for us this year. With that said we will still celebrate one Mass for the Solemnity in our ordinary 8:30am Mass slot.
Audio/Handouts Available from the Nov 20 “Sharing Your Faith with Confidence” Workshop
A couple of weeks ago we had just shy of 120 people from four parishes in our parish grouping attend the November 20th “Sharing Your Faith With Confidence” event. I think people were unexpectedly moved by the event, so much so that some were in tears as they practiced sharing their testimonies of how God had worked in their lives. There is no doubt that grace is released in our conversations when we share what God has done in our lives with others. I think most people left this workshop confident to use a new simple tool of sharing their testimony as a compelling way of sharing their faith with others, without having to know all of the answers.
While we weren’t able to video record the workshop, we recorded the audio and have the two handouts I provided for everyone. Both are available here. As you’ll hear as well, St. Pat’s parishioner Tony Greathouse did a great job sharing the testimony of his own conversion.
Video of Deacon Josh’s Seminar on Bad Habits and Addiction
Last Saturday Deacon Josh gave a fantastic presentation on how to break free from bad habits and addictions. He both outlined the biological, psychological and spiritual aspects of bad habits and addiction and offered helpful tips on how to grow in freedom. His presentation ended with a prayer exercise in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. To watch his presentation and access his detailed outline with great resources, please go here.
From Fr Joshua: Worshipping the King and An Invitation to Restored
What would you have done if you were present there in Bethlehem, the night our Savior was born, shoulder to shoulder with the shepherds, gazing in wonder at the newborn King? Perhaps, like them, you would have fallen on your knees in worship, responding to the refrain of the timeless Christmas hymn, “O Come, let us Adore Him.” And while we missed by two millennia the chance to be beside the manger that silent night, we have not missed the opportunity to give Him our praise and adoration!
I would like to invite you to come and worship the Lord this upcoming Saturday, December 14th to Restored at 7pm (new time) in the Church. Restored is an evening of prayer where we adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and sing worship music led by local musicians that takes place on the second Saturday of each month. The evening concludes around 8:15pm with light refreshments and socializing. Come, let us adore our King as we prepare for Christmas.
New Study: How to Raise Your Kids into Faithful Adults
Recently I was talking to parishioners, who are parents of young kids, about whether they were going to let their kids be involved in a lot of extracurriculars outside of school time for the following school year. The concerns of the parents? How much these activities are currently impacting valuable family time. Their (unpopular) intuition to cut down on the number of sports and other extracurricular to protect family time next year turns out to be exactly in-line with one of the key ways to raise faithful Catholics according to a new study.
Based on its work with the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, the Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life (which I wrote about in August) found a few keys to raising kids to be faithful Catholic adults. Yes, it is very possible today. Dr Greg Popcak of the Institute published How to Raise Your Kids into Faithful Adults, which describes some of these keys. One of them is family time.
If I was a parent, I’d make my spouse read this article. I strongly encourage all parents and grandparents to read this article and consider becoming familiar with the great work of CatholicHOM (Catholic Households on Mission) for parents.
We know that raising our kids to become faithful Catholic adults is more important than them landing a good job after college. Sure, we can aim for both, but it’s clear which is the higher priority. Getting the message out about how to do this is part of our job as a Church.
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias