Pastor’s Corner — November 24th,2024
New Catholics and Confirmations This Weekend (Saturday, November 23)
For the past couple of years we have been bringing people into the Church multiple times a year: some on the Solemnity of Christ the King and more at the Easter Vigil. This weekend at the 5pm Mass, eight candidates in our Order of Christian Initiation for Adults will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation and will be welcomed into the fullness of the Catholic Church. We have four people coming into the Church and three Catholics being confirmed. Those who are coming into the Church are:
Ryan Kunst
Lauren Marie Maude
Jamie McGillivary
Tara Uhl
Three are completing their sacraments of initiation:
Christopher Jones
Isaac Fair
Miles Fair
Please join me in praising and thanking God for the gift of faith they have received and their perseverance in their journey. Let’s also thank God for the gift of the witnesses of friends and family who may have encouraged them to consider becoming Catholic. Amen!
One Mass on Thanksgiving Day (Confessions Canceled)
There will be one Thanksgiving Mass on Thursday at 9am. There will be no Thursday 12:10pm Mass and the confessions at 4:30pm are canceled for Thanksgiving day
Two More Opportunities to Give This Week
During this time of the year, many service organizations are raising money for the good work they do all year round. In addition to the Livingston Catholic Charities appeal highlighted last week, this week I highlight two additional opportunities:
1) The Diocesan Catholic Social Teaching Collection: Each year on Solemnity of Christ the King, the parishes take up a collection for the Diocesan Commission on Catholic Social Teaching. (We have two parishioners who serve on this Diocesan Commission). According to the Commission’s website:
“To equip the faithful to understand and put into practice Catholic teaching in light of the challenges of important social issues including the sanctity of human life, the dignity of the person, religious liberty, marriage and family, poverty, solidarity, and care for creation, Bishop Boyea has inaugurated a diocesan collection that will support small grants to applying parishes and Catholic entities within the Diocese of Lansing. This grant is designed to fund programs that combine catechesis with hands-on endeavors to advance Catholic social teaching within the diocese. Grant recipients will be selected by the Diocesan Commission on Catholic Social Teaching. The Diocesan Catholic Social Teaching Collection supports catechetical projects which inform and inspire our practice of the Church’s teaching in the world. This is distinct from the mission of Catholic Charities, which provides direct assistance to people in need.”
In light of the unfortunate politicization of Catholic Social Teaching, I am glad the Diocese is doing what it can to help us think as Catholics and thus serve the needy in a Christian way. If you want to give, please use the envelope you’ve received and put it in this or next week’s collection.
2) Annual St Vincent de Paul Society Collection: During the 9am Thanksgiving Mass, our St Vincent de Paul Society will take up a collection for their great work of helping individuals in need who approach the Society throughout the year. This ministry is on the front lines of those who are in need of basic necessities in our area. I’m proud of the men and women of the parish who serve in this beautiful ministry. If you want to give, please use the St Vincent envelope or give during Mass on Thanksgiving.
Thank you, Kevin Bailey!
Below is a note from Kevin Bailey who is our part-time Director of Discipleship:
It has been a privilege to minister with and to many of you over the past five years, however my role in building the church here at St Patrick is changing. After prayer and discernment, I have decided to step down from my position as Director of Discipleship. I will remain a parishioner, as my family has been very blessed with our move to Michigan and we know God is doing great things here. I am looking forward to serving the church in new ways and to sharing what next steps God has planned.
A few months ago, Kevin went down to working part-time working for the parish and he picked up working half-time for Encounter Ministries as an online class facilitator. Having worked with him closely for years, his decision to move on from working at the parish wasn’t at all that surprising to me, especially given his gifting and his desire to eventually move beyond working at a parish. I’m very glad he and his family will stay here and be involved here at St Pat’s. You may still see him at our men’s ministry, That Man is You, or involved in other ministries around the parish.
I am very thankful to God for what he has done for us through him and I am confident that God will continue to bless the Church through his ministry. Please thank him for his service if you see him!
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias