Annual Ministry Reports
as printed in the 2025 Christmas Bulletin
(personal contact info removed from website. Please contact the Parish Office at 810-231-9199 x200 for more info)
ALTAR SERVERS: We have a wonderful altar server ministry here at Holy Spirit, open to both boys and girls of our parish 3rd grade and older. It’s a fantastic opportunity for young people to be part of a ministry in the church and to learn more about Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist. There is a training session in May/June for new servers and then practice serving during the summer months at the weekday Masses before beginning to serve on the weekends and other special Masses throughout the liturgical year. Servers are scheduled quarterly and according to your family's requests. For more information please contact Sheila Kumke
BONFIRE CATHOLIC MEN’S GROUP: Through monthly meetings, participating in prayer, praise & worship, scripture, meditation, listening to God and fellowship, men become more aware of God’s presence in their daily lives. Meetings are usually held on the last Wednesday of the month and include a delicious dinner. Contact David Struppa at 734-678-7280 or visit bonfirecatholic.com for more info. CHALLENGE: Invite at least one other man to participate. We need each other now more than ever.
BOOK & GIFT SHOP: Merry Christmas from the staff at Holy Spirit Book & Gift Shop! We look forward to continuing our ministry of evangelization begun in 1991 into 2026. We hope you will stop in and let us assist you in finding that special book, gift and card that inspires faith for every sacramental and other special occasion.
Current hours of operation are: Tuesday 9am- 6 pm, Wednesday – Friday, 9am-4:15 pm, Saturday evening after the 4pm Mass, and Sunday after the 9 and 11am Masses. We are currently closed on Monday. Shawnie has retired from her management position but thankfully, she continues to help Anna and myself in the shop. We look forward to seeing you soon! ~Roseann Krul
BUSINESS MANAGER: I joined the team here at Holy Spirit Parish in July. My wife (Mary) and I became members when I was hired, in order to fully participate in the life of the parish. We've found Holy Spirit to be very welcoming, absolutely filled with folks who are willing to unselfishly serve their brothers and sisters in the Lord, offering their time and God-given gifts to ensure the parish has all it needs to meet the spiritual and temporal needs of all who come through our doors.
Having hired a part-time accountant (Connie Clark) to assist me in handling the day-to-day financial needs, I am enabled to help our Pastor in a variety of ways. This year we are focused on a number of smaller facilities projects, as well as creating a long-term plan (5 to 10 years) for major renovation(s) and large-scale projects. These include:
Sanctuary Renovation: Beginning stages of planning for the renovation as part of our Stewardship for Saints and Scholars Campaign
Rectory: Assessing the condition of the structure and determining next best steps for its renovation and/or reconstruction
Gymnasium: Planning when and where to build a gymnasium utilizing the St. Rita Fund
St. Michael's Safety Team: Creating a team of volunteers trained to respond to all types of safety & security scenarios
Wayfinding Signage: Developing a plan to replace the signage on our campus to aid parishioners and visitors
I am excited to share in the life of our parish and look forward to years of service to this parish family and to the Lord. ~John Recznik
CATHOLIC MATERIALS TO FIND ONLINE: Did you know that Holy Spirit Parish has a FORMED.org account, and IT’S FREE FOR YOU TO USE! View Catholic faith formation for all ages! Watch inspiring movies and video series, read best selling Catholic eBooks and listen to audio presentations from the Church’s most compelling speakers, all of which you can stream for free! Register or log-in at formed.org. Enter our zip (48116) and select “Holy Spirit”.
CEMETERY: Holy Spirit Parish’s Cemetery, established since 2005, is governed by the Cemetery Board and makes decisions regarding issues that may arise. We strive to maintain a religious environment by creating a peaceful and meditative atmosphere for the memorialization of the beloved dead.
Cemetery Plots: All records are digitized as well as plotted on a map for visual conception. Current plots available: approximately 69 of the 700 original plots. Interred individuals: 168 in the cemetery. The older section has been purchased fully, but some graves remain unoccupied. The cemetery is home to 50 veterans. A flag on a standard is replaced annually next to each veteran grave.
Columbarium: There are 4 columbaria, each containing 12 niches with a saint standing protectively over each one. Of the 48 original niches, all are purchased with 43 souls buried in the niches.
Our two new columbaria, each with 32 niches (16 on each side), offer 64 additional niches. There are currently 5 burials in the new niches along with 10 additional purchased niches.
The Cemetery Board has completed the expansion east of the access road leading to the pavilion. This will become Section 7. There are 324 in-ground plots. There will be no occupancy until the road is completed leading into the area. The ambiance of larger trees located in this area would complement the peaceful atmosphere emanating from our cemetery.
Angelus Memorial: Located at the end of the driveway separating the two sections of the Cemetery proper, the Angelus Memorial holds the remains of babies lost to miscarriage. Grieving parents are able to memorialize their infant by placing the baby’s name on a plaque. Kim and Lou DeLellis have compassionately adopted administration of this ministry, as well as providing counsel to grieving parents. ~Sue Hansen, Cemetery Office 810-231-9199 x204
COFFEE & DONUTS: Served each week after both Sunday Masses, it is a great time for fellowship and to meet other Parishioners. Volunteers are normally scheduled for one Mass per month to brew coffee, cut donuts, pour milk and clean-up the kitchen and Activity Center afterward. The K of C is scheduled to serve on the 5th Sunday of the month after the 9am Corporate Communion Mass and they periodically cook up Pancake Breakfasts in place of Coffee & Donuts. WE NEED HELP after the 11:00am Mass and on the 2nd Sunday of the month after the 9:00am Mass. Please contact the Parish Office if you can help. ~Chuck Dumiller
DEVOTION TO ST. PHILOMENA: Our parish has a devotion to this little-known saint. We have seen many an obstacle overcome in the building of our Parish and School community and have even witnessed miraculous healings from Covid-19. Read our story at holyspiritparishbrighton.org/our-patroness!
DINE WITH JESUS: A beautiful interactive sculpture which draws parishioners and visitors from miles around to come and have lunch on our beautiful campus. It is one of only five “Last Supper” replicas by internationally renowned artist, Timothy P. Schmalz, in the United States and is currently listed on Michigan’s Roadside America map which draws travelers from all across the United States.
DIVINE WILL PRAYER GROUP: Have you noticed the weekly inspiration at the top of page 3 of our bulletin? Our group was formed to assist the faithful in growing and learning about the Divine Will, through prayer and study of the writings of Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta, and those quotes are from her. We meet in a prayer group setting where reading and sharing in discussion is achieved in community on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays from 6:30-8pm. (No meeting on January 1, 2026). ~Todd Borek
EnCOURAGE: EnCourage is a ministry dedicated to the spiritual needs of parents, siblings, children, and other relatives and friends of persons who have same-sex attractions. Standing by the true teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, EnCourage members support one another and their loved ones through discussion, prayer and fellowship. To find out more about this apostolate and their current meetings, please contact Fr. Jonathan, 810-231-9199 x202
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: God’s blessings to you! As we begin the new Liturgical Year we have a great opportunity to spend some time with Jesus in the form of Eucharistic Adoration which is available every Friday! Please consider setting aside time to visit Him. The schedule is in 1 hour increments beginning at 9am and ending at 9pm although any amount of time is time well spent with our Lord. Consider setting up a rotation with family members and/or friends. Unable to commit to a schedule? Stop in for 10 minutes or however long you wish. If it has been awhile or you have never been, this is the perfect time to start anew. If you have any questions please contact me. May you have a Merry Christmas and peace throughout the New Year. ~Pat O’Brien
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION serve God and Holy Spirit Parish by reverently and joyfully helping the Priest distribute the Most Precious Body and Blood of Christ to the congregation during Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion arrive 15 minutes before Mass to gather and pray with Fr. Jonathon. Schedules are made quarterly and, on average, Extraordinary Ministers serve 1-2 months per quarter at a Mass time of their preference. Training is provided. If you are a Catholic in good standing, who has received the sacrament of Confirmation, and regularly attend one of the weekend Masses here at Holy Spirit Parish, please consider joining this awesome and rewarding ministry. You will find the service a wonderful blessing! ~Charlette (Char) Curtis
FACILITIES: 2025 has been a very busy year. Let's start with the big projects completed. The Atrium is finished and is being used by the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The roof on the church has been repaired and new shingles applied. The old crank-out windows in the church have been removed and replaced with new ones. WOW! I would like to thank my partner Joe McGrath for all his hard work and input. Thanks to Kristy for keeping our school pristine for the students. Thank you, Ewa, for keeping maintenance supplies well-stocked. Thanks to Andrea for keeping us updated on schedules. And to the St. Joseph Guild, my gratitude for all you do for Facilities and the church. Our biggest accomplishment was leaf removal around the whole campus, especially the cemetery. God Bless you all. Carl Kayden and Joe McGrath, Facilities Team!!
FAITH FORMATION: Holy Spirit parish welcomed 8 people into the Catholic Church this year through our OCIA program. These people spent nine months praying, studying, and responding to the Holy Spirit’s call. We have another three Catechumens (unbaptized) and three Candidates (baptized) preparing to receive sacraments at the Easter Vigil. In addition, we have seven youth Candidates who are attending special classes so that they may complete the Sacraments of Initiation. If you know someone considering joining the Church or who would just like to learn more about the Catholic faith, have them contact me about joining our program!
There are other children at Holy Spirit preparing for sacraments as well. In our school and religious education programs, we have 12 children preparing for First Communion and 14 preparing for Confirmation.
This year we welcomed 10 babies and children to God’s family through the sacrament of Baptism.
Holy Spirit is adopting a new marriage preparation program developed by the Diocese, and we are blessed to have a wonderful parish couple who will be coordinating it. We are excited to see how the mentorship component will provide support, friendship and connection to engaged couples.
Our summer VBS program was a hit again this year. Through the Catholic True North program, almost 70 children spent a week in July learning about Jesus and the Catholic Church.
Some formation programs offered this year were a women’s Bible study, an evening Bible study, and an apologetics class. We welcomed speakers on a variety of topics including gender issues, how to hear God speak, and how to share your faith with confidence. The Catholic Bible School of Michigan and Ray Guarendi both presented retreats. Among other events, our Marriage and Family ministry, the Guardians of Grace, hosted a very popular St. Nicholas Day celebration for families.
We are working on more faith-building events for 2026 – please watch your bulletin for more info and join us!
I am so grateful to walk together with the good people of Holy Spirit on our pilgrimage to heaven. Feel free to contact me anytime - I would be happy to help you in any way on your personal journey toward a closer relationship with Jesus.
~Mary Anne Bastian, Director of Faith Formation
FLOWER MINISTRY: Behind-the-scenes details enhance and beautify the Church and Mass setting. This year we focused on cleanup and planting the hill area outside the back door/east window side of the church, focusing on perennials and laying down mulch. This ministry is responsible for watering plants, buying and arranging seasonal flowers/plants or décor for the altar area. Average time commitment is 1-2 hours per week, more during the Easter and Christmas seasons. Can work as a team with others, alternating seasons if you wish! Please prayerfully consider joining this ministry. Contact the Parish Office for more information. 810-231-9199 x200.
GUARDIANS OF GRACE: Guardians of Grace has had a very blessed year! We started our year's events with our St. Valentine's Couples Dinner and it was a full house! In March we brought Dr. Ray Guarendi to share his wisdom and wit with us and we had a great time on the marriage mini-retreat. We held our annual dinner and a movie night in July. In October, Katy Faust came to speak to our parish on the important topic of children's needs coming before adult's desires. This was an amazing event, and we were privileged to have her come! Our group has been very blessed this year to have a parish couple come forward and ask to host family gathering events in the coming year. What an answer to prayer! We have been wanting to do more social gatherings but just haven't had the time. Katie and Richie Garpiel hosted their first event on December 6, a St. Nicholas Day party, and it was a great success. The families enjoyed yummy food and the kids were awed when St. Nicholas himself came to visit! As we look forward to 2026, we are planning on hosting our annual events - Valentine's Dinner, Marriage Retreat, etc - as well as bringing in one or two speakers on important topics. Thankfully, we will also be adding in more social family events as well, planned around particular liturgical feasts of the year. Look for more information on marking the Chair of St. Peter, the Most Holy Trinity, the Feast of the Archangels and a rocking Liturgical New Year's Eve party at the end of our liturgical year next November. If you are interested in helping with this ministry, please contact Jason or Samantha Negri. Thank you for your support of our ministry, and please pray for us!
HEAVENLY GRACE PRAYER GROUP: Also called the Saturday Morning Men’s Prayer Group, we meet every Saturday at 7:30am in the Shroud of Turin Room. Our group was formed in response to a request from the Blessed Virgin Mary through the mystic, Carolyn. The messages that have been received through her are all available at www.HeavenlyGrace.org. The messages are recorded in the book ‘Return to the Father, Wisdom From God and His Saints Given to the Heavenly Grace Prayer Group’, available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/49FRoXJ. We encourage everyone to visit this website and read or listen to the audio recordings of these amazing messages, which have in many cases been “life-changing” for those who have decided to live them. We typically have a period of fellowship, followed by prayer of the Rosary which includes the offering of personal intentions before we pray. This allows us to learn about each other and carry those intentions out of the prayer group and into our daily lives. And finally, we listen to a recording of one of the purported messages from the Blessed Mother. Following the prayer group, most of us also stay for the holy sacrifice of Mass at 9:00am. Carolyn also shares her annual message from the Blessed Mother, and sometimes it is Jesus Himself, each year on October 24th at Holy Spirit Parish. Listen to this year’s inspirational message on our website under “Media”, “Homilies & Talks”. ~Todd Borek
HOME EDUCATORS: I’ve been a home educating mom for over 20 years and am happy to assist anyone who is interested in learning more about home educating or just needs to make some contacts in the area. ~Sheila Kumke
HOMEBOUND MINISTRY: The Homebound Ministry goals and objectives are to bring Holy Communion to parishioners who are homebound due to illness, age, etc. We help them stay connected to parish activities by bringing the weekly bulletin and other information about parish events. For those who have internet access we encourage use of the parish website, Facebook and live stream. We also provide prayer cards/booklets for their use and request their prayers for the intentions of the parish, school, our country and the world. Fr. Jonathon is informed if they are in need of confession and/or anointing. Thanks to a crew of faithful and reliable Eucharistic Ministers of the Holy Eucharist we were able to provide regular visits to 12 - 15 homebound parishioners during each month of 2025. Seven of our homebound parishioners passed away this year and our prayers are for eternal rest and peace for their souls. Three parishioners have joined our ministry and have been commissioned by Fr. Jonathon. Thank you so much for stepping forward and being of service! The Holy Spirit Adult Choir is planning to go Christmas caroling and visit some of our homebound people during Advent. Trusting in Our Almighty God we will continue to serve the homebound of Holy Spirit Parish during 2026! ~Marie Schlepers
INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY: Building Bridges of Hope (BBOH) is a 501c3 charity founded at Holy Spirit Church in 2004 by parishioner Rose Marie Smillie as part of our International Ministry. BBOH works with FUMSIL, a non-profit under the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican Republic. FUMSIL was founded in 1996 by an elderly nun, Sr. Roselyn Nichols, and a young Dominican intern, Dr. Angel Valdez, to bring medical aid, food, education, and hope to the people in the remote region of the Dominican Republic near the border of Haiti.
In 2006 Jessica Coffelt, a young Aquinas college student, made her first mission trip to the Dominican Republic to work with BBOH. She fell in love with BBOH. Jessica and her husband, Adam Carlile, and now their 6 children, live in the DR full time as co-directors of BBOH. The difference they have made in the lives of the Dominican and Haitian people is amazing.
You can help by:
Praying for BBOH and its missionaries.
Donating money or needed supplies to BBOH to help with the mission.
Going on a one-week mission trip to the Dominican Republic with them to help hands on.
Donating money to help support the Missionary family. Jessica and Adam Carlile rely solely on donations to support them and their children. They have a deep trust in God that He will take care of them.
For more information on BBOH, including information on making donations visit: www.bbohdr.org.
You can also contact the following members of Holy Spirit for information:
Olivia Kumke
Charlette Curtis
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: The Holy Spirit K of C Council 7891 supports clergy, seminarians, Holy Spirit Parish and School as well as other charities. Members attend monthly meetings, volunteer for fundraisers and gather with our families for corporate communion at the 9:00am Mass on the months that have a 5th Sunday. General membership meetings are on the 1st Wednesday of every month and officers meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month. Activities include Parish Pancake Breakfasts, Blood Drives, Christmas Wreath Sale, Intellectually Disabled Tootsie Roll Drive, Keep Christ in Christmas poster contest, Lenten Soup Suppers, Christmas Pierogi Sales and other Parish events. If you are a man at least 18 years old and want to support Holy Spirit Parish and K of C charitable works, please join us. ~Ken Marquette, gk7891@mikofc.org
LENDING LIBRARY: Merry Christmas from the Holy Spirit Lending Library! Our library continues to grow through many wonderful donations and purchases. There are over 3700 books, DVDs, and CDs available for use in the library, in Church or to sign out and take home. Thanks to Bill and Vince from the St. Joseph Guild, two new sets of shelves were added in January. The additional space has provided more room for some of the fuller collections and has allowed for the display of new additions to the library. Also, you will see items that might be of interest during various times of the liturgical year. Right now, you can find many of the Christmas resources as well as books and DVDs that reflect December’s Feast Days. Another new feature is the addition of a set of “free book” shelves that will be on your right as you enter the library. They will frequently have new selections available so be sure to check them often. Visit the Lending Library all through the year and enjoy the many resources that it has to offer. May God bless you all in the New Year! ~ Karen Lynch
LOVING CARE MINISTRY: The Loving Care Ministry provides compassionate support to members of Holy Spirit Church who are experiencing loss, facing serious health challenges, or feeling isolated. Our ministry reaches out through holiday cards, phone calls, and home visits to parishioners in need of comfort and connection. If you are interested in joining our ministry or know a fellow parishioner who would benefit from our care, please contact Lori McNutt.
MUSIC: Hello Everyone… Merry Christmas! It's been a busy December…
The Choir, under the direction of Sheila Kumke sang at the Hamburg tree lighting on December 13. It was a great outreach opportunity as we joined musicians from St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and St. Paul's Lutheran Church. By the time this article goes out, they will also be singing carols to those from Holy Spirit who are unable to attend Mass. Thanks to all of the volunteer singers who make this ministry possible. We are blessed to have some new members in our choir…Kate Dewan, Harper Heldt and Paul Mazur are welcome alto, soprano and tenor additions! Also, we've been blessed with a much-needed cantor in Mary Recznik!
Under the leadership of Dr. Terry Braciszewski, the students of Holy Spirit School presented a beautiful concert honoring the life of Mary and the Christmas Story. Each week students also take turns in groups of 2-4 in 5th through 6th grades to lead worship for the daily Masses on Wednesday thru Friday. They are learning to announce hymns, prayers…singing Mass parts and hymns.
I am retiring, as you all know, on my 66th birthday 12/31/2025. I have to say it's been a huge blessing to have been the Music Director here I could not have done it without so many people helping me. A little-known fact is that Karoline Heldt has been scheduling cantors for years! Our librarian, Karen Lynch, reports copyrighted materials we use when using slide presentations! Karen Nizol and Annabelle Clinger have been making sure our Worship supplements are up to date….
I'm thankful to Fr. John Rocus, who had faith in me when I was hired in 2016. And for Fr. Jonathan for putting up with me!
God bless you all…I know that God will provide the right person/people to continue the Music Ministry's mission and vision to provide music for worship that helps us to come into God's presence each time we gather to worship. I could write a lot more…but there's no more room...
Thank you to our Cantors and long-time music committee members, Marie Schlepers, Karen Nizol, Michaelene Farrell, Sheila Kumke and Jason Negri for everything! Two others…Beth Nofs and Connie Walters have been instrumental in my being hired twice! Thanks to Andrea, Ewa and Marie Lelko for endless support in the office.
And…thanks to my wife, Kathy, who is a cantor and has been so flexible and supportive as I have tied up most of our weekends and Holy seasons of the year as Music Director. I’m probably leaving people out, but I did have to mention these! God bless and thanks for everything! ~Leo Lemery
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING (NFP): is a way of achieving, avoiding or spacing pregnancies in a way that respects the unitive (love-giving) and procreative (life-giving) aspects of the conjugal act. It embraces God’s design for marriage and the dignity of each human person as a great good. There are several methods available to couples. The effectiveness of modern NFP methods have come a long way from the calendar (rhythm) method of just 2 generations ago. Pope Paul VI in his encyclical, Humane Vitae, urged the scientific community to find moral and ethical methods of family planning for married couples and from this was born the methods we have today. I am trained as a FertilityCare Practitioner to teach Creighton Model FertilityCare, and I work with Groesbeck FertilityCare Center which serves our Diocese. Creighton Model has a 97% effectiveness rate to help couples avoid pregnancy and up to an 80% effectiveness rate to help couples experiencing infertility to achieve pregnancy in a way that is totally in line with Church teaching and respects the dignity of human life. This method of NFP is particularly helpful to women experiencing health issues or in coming off of a form of hormonal contraception (like the pill). I’m happy to help or connect women and couples with resources within our Diocese. www.GroesbeckFertility.com ~Karoline Heldt, RN, BSN, CFCP
PARISH OFFICE: The Parish Office coordinates many activities that keep the Parish running and parishioners informed. These include updating our website, weekly email, bulletin and learning new communications such as the electronic road sign and the slideshow monitor in the hallway. This year we have a new business manager and accountant, and we are cross-training on donations and deposits and have learned to blend our ideas and theirs to develop efficient procedures. We assist Fr. Jon and the School with door locking policies to keep our children safe, have helped various ministries advertise and get the word out to other parishes about their events, and coordinated facility usage for weekly meetings and regional events. We continually update our parishioner records as we are billed on some services based on the number of families that are registered – keeping the numbers accurate helps keep our costs down. We also routinely review various purchasing sources to help keep costs as low as possible. We would like to thank Mike R for his devotion to Livestreaming our weekend Mass so that it is available to our homebound and out-of-state parishioners. Please call us at 810-231-9199 x200 if you have any questions or concerns. We are very happy to serve the Holy Spirit family in any way that we can. ~Andrea McGrath and ~Ewa Kucharski 810-231-9199 x200.
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL: The Parish Pastoral Council serves as a consultative body that supports Fr. Jonathan in fostering, strengthening and guiding the spiritual life of our parish community. Its purpose is to offer insight, recommendations and constructive feedback to assist Fr. Jon in planning, decision-making and addressing the needs of the parish. The Council also acts as a communication bridge between Father and the parishioners, helping bring to light concerns, ideas and opportunities for our parish. In addition to its advisory role, the Council also coordinates the annual Parish Picnic, a long-standing tradition that brings our community together in fellowship. Council members for 2025–2026 are: Fr. Jon, Gerry Olinik (Chairperson), Mike Scott (Co-Chair), Todd Borek, Annabele Clinger, David Fleury, Dale Mackmiller, Karen Maddick, Reg Nizol, Beth Nofs, Paula Rais and Mike Rzeppa. Council meetings are held at 7:00pm on the second Tuesday of each month, and all parishioners are warmly invited to attend. For additional information or questions, please contact Gerry Olinik or any member of the Council, and be on the lookout for our new "Council Connect" article that will appear periodically in the bulletin. ~Gerry Olinik, Council Chairperson
PRAYER LINE: The Prayer Line is a team of over 50 faithful people who join in prayer when someone is in need of prayers. Only one phone call is needed to the coordinator (248-573-1888) who in turn contacts all members via an email or phone call. Prayer Line members faithfully include your intentions in their daily prayers. The Parish Office can also be contacted to request prayers. When calling the Parish Office, you will be asked if you would like to be placed on the Sick List in the bulletin, and Fr. Jonathon and the Prayer Line are notified. Names remain on the Sick List in the bulletin for 4 weeks unless continuing prayers are requested. Due to privacy considerations, it is required that the person being prayed for be aware of their name being listed. The power of prayer can work miracles !! ~Joanie Jones
RESPECT LIFE: During January and February, through the Baby Bottle Drive and the generosity of our parishioners, we were able to raise $6,999.61 for the Pregnancy Help Clinic in Brighton. The Pregnancy Help Clinic helps new and expectant moms through their pregnancy and for years afterward.
On April 23, we hosted a “Preparing for Heaven” event in our activity center. Fr. Jonathan, Jason Negri and Todd Borek spoke to parishioners from Holy Spirit and surrounding parishes about how to prepare for heaven from a legal and Catholic perspective. We had a turnout of about 40 people and received a lot of positive feedback and gratitude for the information. During the summer, we again hosted a booth at the Brighton Farmers Market.
While there, we met many people and shared information about end-of-life issues, adoption, help for expecting moms, abortion recovery programs and other respect for life issues. In September we hosted an event, at the pavillion and cemetery, in conjunction with the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children. In November some of us attended the March for Life in Lansing. There was a good turnout and good speakers, including Bishop Boyea and Ann Bolin. If you know of any expectant mothers who need help, please have them contact the Pregnancy Help Clinic at www.pregnancyhelpclinic.com or 810-494-5433. Thank you for your support and Merry Christmas from the Respect Life Group. ~Jim Hynes
SACRISTANS: We are a dedicated group of volunteers called to serve Our Lord and Fr. Jonathan in this most important role of preparing for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is a grace-filled role and humbling to be permitted to do so. Besides the weekly Masses, there are Holy Days of Obligation, Feast Days, Funerals and other Special Events and Religious Services. We are responsible for setting up and cleaning after each Mass, care of the altar linens, candles, inventory, ordering supplies and Liturgical Seasonal changes to name a few. Two sacristans rotate the cleaning and ironing of the linens each week. It is a team effort and an ongoing commitment to keep our church beautiful. If you would like to join our Sacristan ministry, please contact me. ~Theresa (Tee) West
ST. MONICA GUILD: A monthly meeting to pray as a group for those loved ones (family/friends) who have left the Faith. St. Monica, with patience and persistence of intercessory prayers, witnessed her son, St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church, return to the Faith. We meet on the second Monday of each month at 1:00 pm in the Shroud Room for just one hour. Join us and grow closer to God – God works in His own way, and we have seen fruit from our supplications. All are welcome. Amen. For more information, please contact the Parish Office 810-231-9199 x200.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: A Catholic lay organization inspired by Gospel values which leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Frederic Ozanam, and patron saint, Vincent dePaul. Members of the Holy Spirit Conference respond to requests for assistance from those in need in southern Livingston County by meeting with them and discussing their problems. We often provide monetary assistance to help with needs such as shelter, utilities, food or transportation and help the callers with referrals to other agencies to obtain additional needed assistance. Members typically respond to more than 500 phone calls annually, visiting about 350 households, and helping more than 1,200 individuals. During home visits we always offer to pray with them before we leave and are rarely denied. The conference coordinates the Giving Tree at Christmas and Lenten Food Drive as well as collecting household items that can be sold at the SVdP Thrift Store in Lansing. Members meet twice per month - on the evening of the second Wednesday of the month and after the 9:00am Mass on the fourth Sunday of the month. Prayer and spiritual reflection are always included. Each week, a rotating team of two members monitor calls for assistance, visit the callers and coordinate the assistance they receive. The time required depends on the number of calls. No special training is needed to join the Society; initial and continuing formation is conducted while assisting all members to grow spiritually. New members are always needed and welcome! ~Sheila Love, President
SS. SIMON & JUDE HEALING MINISTRY: The Sts. Simon and Jude Healing Ministry is called upon to pray for those who suffer in body, mind and spirit. We gather for a healing Mass on the first Tuesday of every month and to administer the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick as well as to pray over those with particular individual needs. For more information, contact Pat Evon via the Parish Office 810-231-9199 x200.
SCHOOL: Just two weeks into my role as principal at Holy Spirit School in November 2022, I attended a workshop for principals and pastors from across the Diocese on the renewal of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition in Catholic schools. This was my introduction to the Diocese of Lansing's efforts to revitalize Catholic education through a new three-year initiative in partnership with the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (with “liberal” coming from the Latin word liber, meaning free). The workshop served as the initiative's launch and inspires my vision for a Catholic school where students recognize their identity as beloved children of God and grow in knowledge, wisdom, and virtue through the pursuit of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, ultimately deepening their relationship with Jesus Christ.
In his encyclical Divini Illius Magistri (The Divine Teacher), Pope Pius XI (1929) highlights the mission of Catholic education when he writes: In fact, since education consists essentially in preparing man for what he must be and for what he must do here below, in order to attain the sublime end for which he was created, it is clear that there can be no true education which is not wholly directed to man’s last end, and that in the present order of Providence, since God has revealed Himself to us in the Person of His Only Begotten Son, who alone is “the way, the truth, and the life. (para. 7)
It is Christ and this essential and all-important goal for educating the young that remains the primary focus in all our daily and long-term planning at Holy Spirit School. As the welcome sign in our school office reminds us, “Be it known to all who enter here that Christ is the reason for this school He is the unseen but ever present teacher in its classes. He is the model of its faculty and the inspiration of its students.”
To that end, we praise and thank God for the many blessings we have received this year:
Growing enrollment – 70 students currently enrolled
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, facilitating children’s encounters with and contemplation of God
Beautification projects - new furnishings in the parish conference room/school library and specials room; new Catholic sacred art hanging in the school hallway
Eucharistic processions – one during Catholic Schools Week and one at the start of the new school year
Teachers’ Diocesan and school-based professional learning focused on teaching practices that foster students’ love for learning
Hiring of Mrs. Kayelin Higdon, new grades 3 & 4 teacher, joining Holy Spirit School’s remarkable faith-filled and talented teaching staff
A tremendously successful Growing Catholic Fall Fundraiser, blessing our students and teachers with new classroom furniture, maps, library books, indoor recess games and activities, classroom and craft supplies, professional learning funds, and more!
New curriculum across subjects and grades, including Heggerty’s phonemic awareness and literacy programs based on the Science of Reading in grades K-3
My participation in the ICLE School Leaders Academy, a 10-month mentorship and formation program supporting school leaders across the country engaged Catholic school renewal
Of course, without God’s loving care and guidance and the prayers and support of this generous parish, Holy Spirit School would not be growing and thriving as it is. The teachers, staff, school families and I offer our heartfelt gratitude.
Brightest blessings to you and yours this Christmas, ~Kimberly Pavlock, PhD, Principal
SHROUD OF TURIN EXHIBIT: Located in our ‘Family’ room in the church, you will find a life-size photographic negative of the purported burial cloth of Christ. This replica stands encased within a frame and will clearly show the viewer the many details of the most studied artifact in human history. What is scientifically known about it points powerfully to the events of Jesus’ suffering, crucifixion and resurrection. We invite you to stop by to sit, study and meditate on this most amazing and important religious artifact.
TRINITY TRAIL: We have some beautiful trails on our property on which we have erected shrines to saints, and also heroes of the faith in Michigan. Prayerfully walking our Trinity Trail is a good warm-weather activity. We are currently looking for someone who is passionate, and willing and able to be the coordinator for the trail. Please contact the Parish Office if interested. Take a virtual tour at holyspiritparishbrighton.org/trinity-trail
USHERS: The Usher ministry is one of the first ministries you see when you attend Mass. Ushers are a welcoming ministry, and often the first persons to greet you and be of service to all. We endeavor that visitors and parishioners feel welcomed and comfortable at our Parish. Ushers take up the collection and help guide all to communion, but also render service such as showing visitors where the bathrooms are, or aiding the handicapped or sick. In general, we try to look after things so that those attending Mass can give attention to their worship. We are taking this opportunity to ask for more parishioners to sign up for our ministry. The regular schedule consists of 3 teams for each weekend Mass. One team per Mass is scheduled per month and then rotates every three months. Special Holy Days and some events are on a volunteer basis. We have some who usher every month because we are lacking people to join our ministry. Please contact Andy Patrick Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
WOMEN’S GUILD: The Women’s Guild is a group of women from our Parish that provide fellowship by volunteering our time and talents in support of various needs of the Parish. We meet once a month to discuss service projects and fundraisers. A few of our ministries are pasty sale, bake sales, prayer shawls, prayer chain, homeless mats, and coordinating funeral luncheons. All women of the Parish are eligible to join. Annual dues are $10.00. Members receive email messages for monthly meetings and volunteer opportunities. Meetings are on the second Tuesday of the month at 9:30AM for coffee and fellowship, followed by a 10:00am meeting. Please stop in and check us out. NOTE: NO meeting in JAN/FEB/JUL. Hope to see you soon. ~Mary Dwyer, President