Dear Friends in Christ,

Sanctuary Project

This weekend marks a joyful milestone in our parish life—it is our final weekend celebrating Mass in Danner Hall! While it has been tough to be away from our church, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Cheryl, Meghan, Kim, and our entire parish staff, who made this transition possible. I’m also deeply thankful for our ushers, Mass coordinators, and dedicated parish volunteers who helped make our time in Danner Hall as seamless, prayerful, and reverent as possible. Your flexibility made all the difference.

Now, we look forward with excitement! Our Dedication Mass with Bishop Walkowiak will take place on Saturday, April 5 at the 5:30pm Mass. Please note that this liturgy will include a significant use of Incense as part of the dedication. If you are sensitive to incense, I’d encourage you to consider attending one of our Sunday Masses instead. On Sunday, April 6, we will celebrate at all the Masses and continue the joy of returning to our newly renovated sanctuary. I cannot wait to pray and worship with you in our beautifully restored church!

CSA

A quick reminder about our annual Catholic Services Appeal (CSA): Our parish goal this year is just over $214,000. I would love for us to meet our goal as soon as possible, and I’m so grateful for the generosity you’ve consistently shown over the years. The CSA supports essential diocesan ministries such as seminarian education, youth ministry, marriage preparation, Catholic school support, communications, evangelization, and care for those in prison or in need. When we support CSA, we are truly building up the Church in West Michigan. Thank you for your prayerful and generous response.

A Liturgical Clarification…

Lastly, I want to clarify a liturgical detail that some of you may have noticed. Even though we are currently in Liturgical Year C, we are using the Year A readings for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of Lent. These readings coincide with the Scrutinies—three special rites of prayer and purification for those in OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) who are preparing to receive the Easter Sacraments. While the scrutinies are typically celebrated at one Mass, the pastor may choose to use the Year A readings at all the weekend Masses—which is what I’ve chosen to do. These readings, including the Woman at the Well, the Man Born Blind, and the Raising of Lazarus, powerfully highlight themes of conversion, healing, and new life—perfect for the Lenten journey. I hope this explanation is helpful, especially for those of you who pray with the daily readings during the week.

In Christ’s Love and Friendship