The students at St. Mary School in Alma visited the Impressions 5 Museum in Lansing during Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 29-Feb. 4) Courtesy photo

ALMA — The students at St. Mary School thought about what makes their school special during Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 29-Feb. 4) and about what makes that single week unique. Here is what some of them wrote: (more…)

CLARE — Nine young people from St. Cecilia Parish — Emily Yob, Katie Warner, Vincent Gray, Brittany Fields, Ethan Hall, Samantha Gray, Duane Hall, Joel Wamer and Marilyn Gray — were among the more than 400 youth and adults from the Diocese of Saginaw who accompanied Bishop Joseph R. Cistone to Washington, D.C., for the March for Life on Monday, Jan. 23. In the rain, the group marched from the National Mall to the steps of the Supreme Court to protest the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

The following are what some of the St. Cecilia youth had to say about their experiences: (more…)

SAGINAW — Saginaw Area Catholic Schools Regional Superintendent and Nouvel Catholic Central High School principal Irene Hensinger has announced she will retire at the end of the 2011-12 school year.

Hensinger, who has held the dual position for three years, made the announcement Monday, Feb. 13, to allow adequate time for a replacement to be found and to offer support for a smooth administrative transition. (more…)

Fr. Edward Konieczka gives the homily during the all-schools Mass on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at St. Hyacinth Church in Bay City. Fr. Rick Varner and Fr. Rick Filary (background) listen. Sharon Pagryzinski/Catholic Weekly

BAY CITY —  The All-Schools Mass for the Bay Area Catholic Schools (BACS) was Wednesday, Feb. 1, at St. Hyacinth Church, 1515 Cass Ave.

Fr. Edward Konieczka was the celebrant with concelebrants Fr. Craig Albrecht from St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Fr. Rick Filary from St. Stanislaus Parish, Fr. Dale Orlik from St. Boniface Parish and Fr. Ricky Varner from St. John the Evangelist Parish in Essexville. Pastoral administrators Sr. Virginia Scally, S.N.D.deN., from St. Maria Goretti Parish; Sr. Gail Addis, I.H.M., from St. Joseph Parish, and Sr. Joann Plumpe, O.P., from St. Hedwig Parish, also joined the worshippers in representing Vicariate IV in the celebration of Catholic Schools Week. (more…)

SAGINAW — As part of the Planning Tomorrow’s Parishes process, Bishop Joseph R. Cistone will lead a holy hour each month throughout this year in churches located across the diocese.

The intention for the holy hour will be Planning Tomorrow’s Parishes, a strategic planning process designed to engage parishioners to assess the state of churches across the 11-county Diocese of Saginaw and develop recommendations to enhance the vibrancy of future parish life.

The second holy hour is 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at St. Elizabeth Church,12835 E. Washington Road in Reese. (more…)

Quiz Bowl teams from Bay City All Saints, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart Academy and Saginaw's Nouvel Catholic Central high schools competed in front of the staff and students from Sacred Heart Academy and television cameras, which streamed the event live over the Internet.

By Mark Haney
The Catholic Weekly

MOUNT PLEASANT — On a stage, in front of television cameras and classmates, students from the Diocese of Saginaw’s three high schools tested their knowledge of the Church and the faith.

And the team from Sacred Heart Academy in Mount Pleasant, riding the efforts of its freshman-sophomore group, won the day, with 625 points. Saginaw’s Nouvel Catholic Central was second with 415 points, thanks to a second-half surge by its junior-senior group (freshmen and sophomores competed in the first half, juniors and seniors in the second). Bay City All Saints was third with 223 points in the inaugural Quiz Bowl on Friday, Feb. 3, at Sacred Heart. (more…)

Sanford parish keeps contact with students, those in military service

By Mark Haney
The Catholic Weekly

SANFORD — When away at college, or serving in the military, there’s nothing to match a package from home.

The people who serve on the Christian Service Commission at St. Agnes Parish realize this. That is why, each January the parish offers to send a care package to parishioners’ sons and daughters away at college or serving in the military.

St. Agnes has been doing this for three years, said Ruth Diebold, a member of the Christian Service Commission. (more…)

One of diocese’s newest priests overcame his doubts thanks to Charismatic Renewal

By Debbie Oglenski
The Catholic Weekly

KINDE — Fr. Nate Harburg didn’t think he could become a priest because he thought he lacked the skills. Now he is a parochial vicar at St. Michael of Port Austin and St. Mary/St. Edward in Kinde, his first assignment since ordination in June.

“I didn’t think I was smart enough to be a priest,” Fr. Harburg said. “The Lord showed me you don’t have to be a genius to be a priest.”

Even though he already had a bachelor’s degree in literature and was certified to teach grades 7-12, he doubted he was smart enough to learn theology and deliver homilies. (more…)

By Lon Medd
The Catholic Weekly

SAGINAW — When it comes to going out for Sunday breakfast, $5 does not go as far as it used to.
That is not the case with the weekly parish breakfasts hosted by the Fr. Nouvel Council 4232 Knights of Columbus chapter in Saginaw.

Five dollars gets you scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, pancakes and coffee each week. For children ages 6-12, they only have to pay $2 and children ages 5 and under get in for free.

In addition getting all of that on your plate, the same money ends up going to local parishes as part of the local chapter’s charity breakfast program. (more…)

Sr. Janet Fulgenzi, safe environmental coordinator for the Diocese of Saginaw (left), and Cathy Cregeur, director of religious education at St. Columbkille at Sheridan Corners, discuss the Think First and Stay Safe! child lures prevention program during a recent program at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Ubly. Debbie Oglenski/Catholic Weekly

By Debbie Oglenski
The Catholic Weekly

UBLY — Those working in Faith Formation programs in the Upper Thumb recently learned more about a program to help keep children safe from predatory crimes.

During a visit to St. John the Evangelist Parish, Sr. Janet Fulgenzi, the safe environment coordinator for the Diocese of Saginaw, presented materials and explained the Think First and Stay Safe! program, which arms students with information they need to protect themselves from the common lures used by predators. The goal, Sr. Fulgenzi said, is not to scare children, but to teach them what they can do to identify lures and action to take if those lures are dangled in front of them, thereby better protecting themselves.

The program, which includes material for preschool through grade 12 students, identifies 17 categories of lures, addressing lures that occur in person and online. Among them are the lost pet, bribery, name recognition, fun and games, threats, drugs and pornography. A parent guide provides information for parents in helping to protect their children and teens from abuse and abduction.

Sr. Fulgenzi said it is an inclusive and multi-cultural from the beginning, as demonstrated by the cover on the material, with the depiction of five children, boys and girls, of various backgrounds, linked arm and arm.

In her presentation, Sr. Fulgenzi played a video showing four common lures used; did an overview of the parent guides for youth and teens; distributed the materials, including age-appropriate posters and showed an example of workbooks for younger children.

“I can mandate you do it; but adapt it to your need,” she told those in attendance.

The program is mandatory throughout the Diocese of Saginaw. It has been used since 2003 in all the Catholic schools. Until recently, it was understood that the Michigan Model for Health Education used in public schools was providing this training to children. Sr. Fulgenzi recently learned that not all public schools were offering this training annually, so faith formation programs have been mandated to do so.

“Every parish should begin this year,” Sr. Fulgenzi said.

The Think First and Stay Safe! Program was written by Ken Wooden, a practicing Catholic. The father and grandfather, who has appeared on several television programs, interviewed convicted child predators to determine what lures they used on their victims. Wooden, a former teacher and investigative reporter, offers concrete, practical information and terminology to adults to use in talking to their children and in educating children.

“It is a well-researched program,” Sr. Fulgenzi said.

For example, younger children learn it is against the law for anyone to touch you in your bathing suit area — exceptions include a doctor’s visit with a parent or guardian present or bath time for young children; the difference between fake love and real love; and not keeping secrets from your parents involving other adults.
In addition, the Diocese of Camden, N.J., has a faith formation component that complements Wooden’s materials. The material includes an opening prayer, Scripture, saint or hero, closing prayer, suggested music and a Church teaching.

If a parent doesn’t want a child to participate they may sign a date a letter indicating such. Sr. Fulgenzi said since 2003, when the program was first implemented in the diocese, only one parent has opted out.

For some in attendance, who were not teachers by profession, a big question was how to handle a situation if a child comes up to them in catechism class and says someone has done something to them. The answer, Sr. Fulgenzi said, is to report it immediately to Child Protective Services.