BRIGHTON — Two women will be the featured speakers for the Professional Pastoral Ministers Association’s Spring Event from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Friday, April 15, at St. Patrick Parish, 711 Rickett Road.
Sr. Mary Finn will present “Enjoy the Manifestations of God” during the morning session. (more…)
BAY CITY — An estimated 450 men from the throughout the Diocese of Saginaw gathered Saturday, March 19, at St. Hyacinth Church for the sixth annual diocesan men’s conference, “Respond to a Higher Calling in Jesus Christ: Being a Man After God’s Own Heart,” and to hear from Bishop Joseph R. Cistone, Frs. Graham Keep, Joe Krupp and Tom Forrest and from Peter Herbeck.
The conference, sponsored by the diocese and the Saginaw chapter of the National Fellowship of Catholic Men, kicked off with fellowship and song, followed by Mass with the bishop. (more…)
By Mark Haney
The Catholic Times
KALAMAZOO — Jane Knuth just wanted to buy a rosary. Instead she met a couple of saints.
So she wrote about them. And the result is “Thrift Store Saints,” a book published by Loyola Press telling about Knuth’s discoveries as a volunteer at the St. Vincent DePaul Society store in Kalamazoo.
All because Knuth, then a part-time math professor at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, wanted a rosary.
“Because there is no other place in town to buy a rosary,” said Knuth, 52, “I had been trying to get into this little thrift shop that is on the seedy side of town. So I walked into this thrift store kind of disgruntled and unhappy. I was just at the end of my rope and at the end of the semester and I was not very nice. I was not awful, I just was not putting out to try to make myself pleasant. (more…)
This is the third in a series of Lenten reflections.
By Paul Kuczynski
Special to The Catholic Weekly
Lent is a change from what I am used to. The transition between Ordinary Time and Lent often seems to happen quickly. The happy, blessed season of Christmas is over and winter brings the responsibilities of life back to full speed. Just when schedules are being once again established, work seems to be piling up and responsibilities begin to occupy my time, the Lenten season sneaks up on me and forces me to readjust once again.
This change of liturgical seasons seems to be especially sudden. The colors in church change, the flowers are gone and the atmosphere is different, as well. The church is quieter, filled with the spirit of reverent prayer and repentance. Time seems to slow down, giving me a break from the hectic life that awaits me outside. (more…)
This is the third in a series of Lenten reflections.
By Marnee Wohlfert
Special to The Catholic Times
To reflect on Lent can mean none other than to reflect on the central mystery of this season: the life and death and resurrection of the Person of Christ. Asking “Why do we have Lent?” begs the question “Why do we have Good Friday and Easter?” and that brings us to the crux of our faith, to Jesus. As we prepare for the Pascal Mysteries, we will be experiencing something quite different than Jesus did as He prepared, but that is okay, because God has a sacrificial mission that is unique to each one of us and He prepares us for that in a unique way. The questions we need to ask ourselves, as we contemplate the figure of Christ, is “Who am I, in relation to Him?” and “How is He calling me to pick up my cross and follow in His footsteps?” It will probably not come in a lightning bolt, but will be a process of learning and growing in grace, which is what this season is all about. (more…)
By Mark Haney
The Catholic Times
CHELSEA — To learn more about the father-son relationship, ask a father.
Or, rather, ask Father. As in Fr. William Turner.
Fr. Turner, pastor of St. Mary Parish, has just seen the second of three books about the father-son relationship printed. “In My Father’s Footsteps” examines the relationship Baby Boomer men had/have with their fathers and how that is reflected in their own relationship with their sons. It is the second in the three-book “Fathers and Sons” series being printed by MCS Media of Chelsea. The first book, “In My Father’s Steps,” offered nine stories of fathers and sons, with each side of each father-son relationship examined. (more…)
Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s hockey team took its first-ever state championship in a 7-2 win over Calumet in the Division 3 finals on Saturday, March 12, in Plymouth. Donald Sund posted a hat trick for the Cougars while Cam Kwaiser scored two goals. Zach Schaap and Josh Berry each scored one. Goalie Andrew Stec made 26 saves. The team ended the season with a 24-5 record. Courtesy photo
By Tiffany Boorsma
Special to The Catholic Weekly
GRAND RAPIDS —With the Lenten season in full swing, many already have become quite engulfed in the Easter spirit. Due to the American-grown commercialism of the holiday, with stores selling everything from egg-painting kits to giant stuffed Easter bunnies, it has gotten harder and harder for many Catholics to remember the true importance of the Lent and Easter season.
Many people fall into celebrating the season with the festive pastel colors of the “Easter bunny holiday” rather than the fasting, prayer and alms giving of the true holy holiday. But the commercially celebrated aspects of the season don’t have to remain completely separate from the Catholic traditions of the holidays. (more…)
The second in a series of Lenten reflections.
By Sean McCormack
The Catholic Weekly
For the average Catholic, this may be our second, third, or fourth dozen Lent we have endured.
We have maybe started taking church a little more seriously, “given up” things, restrained from eating meat on Fridays, and other out-of-the-ordinary actions during these uncountable 40 days we have been through. Although we may find struggles in breaking the monotony of the Lenten season, we look to our soon-to-be-Catholics for that strength. (more…)
By Patrick Lawrence
Special to The Catholic Weekly
The Lenten season began Wednesday, March 9, and it has come upon us faster than we were be ready. As a college student, when I finally take the time to look up from my books and take a reflective breath between work meetings and club activities, Fat Tuesday is here with extra doughnuts at the cafeteria and I still have no idea what I’m doing special for the season. Identifying what changes my life can use to grow closer to God requires thinking, time and patience. If you’re like me, then often you don’t know where to begin. Perhaps the best thing to do first, then, is reflect on the reason for Lent. (more…)