Saginaw Bishop Joseph R. Cistone (right) personally greeted the guests as they arrived Friday, April 27, for the annual Bishop’s Charity Ball at the Horizons Conference Center in Saginaw. Mark Haney/Catholic Weekly
By Mark Haney
The Catholic Weekly
SAGINAW — From start to finish, the annual Bishop’s Charity Ball was about service.
From the silent auction that funneled the proceeds to various service agencies and projects, through a mealtime video about work being done for those in need through the diocese to the giving of the Bishop Murphy Award to Edna Kujawski of St. Agatha Parish in Gagetown, the theme on Friday, April 27, was all about service.
Even the parting gift — a small box of chocolates — bore a tag with a message from Matthew’s Gospel: “And the King will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me’” — was in keeping with the theme.
LANSING — The Catholic Lawyers Guild of the Diocese of Lansing is has elected new executive officers for 2012.
Robert J. Andretz will replace retired judge Thomas E. Brennan Jr. as president. Andretz is in private practice with the Barone Defense Firm in Birmingham. He is active in the Knights of Columbus Council 11694 and is chairman of the board for the Greater Lansing Catholic Education Foundation.
SAGINAW — Joseph R. Cistone recently made clerical and parish assignments, effective July 1.
In announcing these appointments, Bishop Cistone indicated that, due to the pastoral planning process currently under way, as few changes as possible have been made so parishes may benefit from their current leaders during the planning process. A number of priests and pastoral administrators have agreed to remain in their present assignments for an additional year, even though their terms have come to an end or they are eligible for retirement. Furthermore, any assignments at this time will be temporary, contingent upon the results of the planning process.
Fr. Nick Caffaro leans into a pew to point to a student who was answering his question: “What did Fr. Nick give up for Lent?”
Students at St. Michael School in Pinconning learn Polish to delight their priests
By Mark Haney
The Catholic Weekly
PINCONNING — Kathy Krzysiak and the students of St. Michael School planned a surprise for the four priests who came to celebrate Mass with them on Tuesday, April 24.
That’s right, niespodzinkę.
That’s Polish for “surprise.”
The four priests — Frs. Nick Caffaro, Jerzy Dobosz, Richard Jozwiak and Chester Pilarski — were coming to do a Polish Mass for the children and those adults who could attend. What Krzysiak planned was for the children to respond in Polish to the priests at various points in the Mass.
LANSING — Nate Brickner, an eighth-grade student from St. Gerard School, is one of the 10 finalists of the America and Me Essay Contest, sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance. His essay placed fourth in the state.
The top 10 essays competed against more than 5,000 other students from more than 400 Michigan junior high and middle schools to win their top positions.
Pinckney teacher to retire after 27 years
By Jeff Wack
Special to The Catholic Times
PINCKNEY — Throughout the decades, Margaret Torongo says her students have kept her young at heart.
The kindergarten teacher has worked at St. Mary School in Pinckney for the past 27 years, joining the newly reopened school in 1985. She’ll be retiring at the end of the school year.