Annual Ministry Reports
as printed in the 2023 Christmas Bulletin
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 families requests. For more information please contact Sheila Kumke at dozenhuskers@gmail.com.
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 are delighted to welcome and serve not only our parishioners but the community at large, with gifts and books that inspire faith for every occasion. The shop was established in 1991 to create an opportunity for evangelization while providing items for Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Weddings,Bereavement, etc. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 9am-4:15pm and after our weekend Masses. Anna, Roseann, and I are looking forward to seeing you, stop in soon! ~Shawn Spagnuolo, Manager, bookshop@holyspiritrcs.org
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 was established in 2005. It is governed by the Cemetery Board, making 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 138 of the 600 original plots. There are 155 souls interred in the cemetery. The older section has been purchased fully, even though some graves remain unoccupied. The cemetery is home to 43 veterans. A flag on a standard is placed next to each veteran grave and gets replaced yearly.
The Cemetery Board continues to analyze expansion of in-ground plots with space east of the cemetery being considered for development. An additional 300+ spaces are contemplated. The ambiance of trees located in that area would add to the peaceful atmosphere of our cemetery.
Columbarium: There are 4 columbaria, each with a different saint standing protectively on top. Each holds 12 niches. Of the 48 original niches, all are purchased with 37 souls buried in the niches. This year, the Board purchased two additional columbaria, each with 32 niches (16 on each side), giving us 64 additional niches. The two columbaria have been ordered and we expect delivery sometime this winter. The foundations have already been poured.
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. ~Chuck Dumiller & Jerry Warren
COURAGE/EnCOURAGE: Courage is an international apostolate of the Catholic Church which ministers to persons with same-sex attractions. EnCourage is a ministry within Courage 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. Please contact me for dates and time of meetings of the Brighton, Michigan chapter. ~Fr. John, 810-231-9199 x202
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!
DIACONATE: This last year has seen quite a few changes in my diaconal ministry at Holy Spirit. For most of the year,
and for the last 18 years, Ronnie and I lived full time in Brighton and helped out occasionally in our old parish, Our Lady of the Wayside, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Early in November we sold our townhouse in Brighton and have taken up residence in Arlington Heights. We intend to be back in Michigan for an “extended weekend” every month. This will permit me to continue the ministries I have done for the last several years and that I really find fulfilling: preparing couples for marriage, an occasional annulment, working with the school and listening to people. The latter ministry often provided unexpected fulfillment when parishioners and others would share their struggles and their joys. I will be back often enough that we can schedule a meeting if you would like, and I am always just a phone call away. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas season. God bless. ~Dcn. Jerry Brennan
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 7:30-9pm. ~Todd Borek, todd@borekjennings.com
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 pfobrien52@gmail.com 810-923-0478
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION serve God and Holy Spirit Parish by lovingly and reverently distributing the Most Precious Body and Blood of Christ to the congregation during Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion arrive 15 minutes before Mass to check in and pray with Fr. John. Schedules are made quarterly and on average, Eucharistic 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 attends 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, charbillc@live.com
FACILITIES: With the year 2023 coming to an end, we have much to reflect on and be thankful for. I personally am very thankful for the addition of our newest facilities employee and husband of our parish office secretary, Joe McGrath. Joe recently retired from a long career as an engineering technician and his expertise on many things will enhance our maintenance/facilities. I would like to thank Adam Curtis who joined us for a short stint of cleaning the school and helping out before leaving us for a career in the HVAC industry. I would like to also thank Lilli Borek who joined us for the summer to cut grass and weed-whack before leaving for college. Many thanks to Roma Metcalf for helping earlier in the year with school cleaning duties. I can’t say enough about the return of Kristie Ylen as she takes such good care of keeping the school exceptionally clean and sanitized for the students. Many thanks to Ewa Kucharski who takes on much around the church. Not only working in our front office, but helping me out with tasks like keeping the facilities well stocked and in order. Lastly, I can’t thank the St. Joseph Guild enough. I let them know every week I couldn’t (wouldn’t) do it without them. Here are just a few things we have accomplished over the past year: grass cutting is the No. 1 priority from April to October; leaf pickup in the fall; the rectory basement was completely gutted and revamped (paint, carpet cleaning, new ceiling and lighting); along with weekly maintenance of carpets, floors and small electrical issues. Highlights this year include our new (maintenance free) island in the front of the church, painting of the Bell Tower (and container) – thank you Nate Santoni of Trinity Painting. We are also in the process of adding a generator to keep the church open during power outages. Roof repairs (thank you C.E.I.) and a new water cooler in the church hallway (a big thank you to the Ostlund family). In conclusion, we can’t wait to see what is to come in 2024. God bless and thank you!!! ~Carl Kayden, Facilities Manager
FAITH FORMATION: This has been another busy year for Faith Formation. Our year began with nearly 80 people attending our presentation of Fr. John Riccardo’s The Rescue Project. This amazing course was only possible through the help of many volunteers who cooked for the large crowd, facilitated conversation at tables, beautifully decorated tables and cleaned up after each of the nine-week sessions. My heartfelt thanks once again for all those who helped make this such a success! Other classes during the year included the women’s Walking With Purpose Bible study and the Eucharist in Scripture class. Following many months of study on their part, we joyfully welcomed our Catechumen, Joe Sparks, and our Candidates Tara Masson and John Murray into full communion with our Catholic family at the Easter vigil. Our parish also baptized seven children, married one couple, had 12 First Communicants and Confirmed 14 of our youth. Last July our VBS program was ‘Stellar’ with 75 children attending (with a wait list) and 20 amazing youth and adults helping to run the program. We had a blast all week with Bible stories, crafts, games and videos. Fr. John topped off the week by organizing a real rocket launch! VBS is always a really fun week, but it cannot run without many volunteers. If you can help this year (third week of July) or would like to help with planning, please contact me! This year our RCIA class has three people attending with their sponsors – one Catechumen (who will receive Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation) and two Candidates who will be completing their Sacraments of Initiation (Eucharist and Confirmation). We are so looking forward to formally welcoming them into the Church at the Easter Vigil! Additionally, we have someone who has already received all the sacraments but is attending classes to learn more about the faith. We are so happy to have her, and everyone is welcome to join us on Sundays from 12:15-1:30 in the conference room. The new year will begin with an Apologetics class starting Tuesday, January 16 at 9 am, and the women’s Bible study will resume Thursday, January 18 at 8:30 am with a class on the Eucharist in Scripture. Sign up sheets will be in the hallway. Our Religious Education program has been going strong since September. This spring 11 children will receive their First Holy Communion and 10 youth from the parish will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. As always, I am so grateful to walk together with the people of Holy Spirit on our journey to heaven. There are so many good people here, and I have learned a great deal by getting to know many of you. I hope that, in time, I will get to know and be of help to all the souls God has drawn here to Holy Spirit Parish. Feel free to call, email or drop by my office with your comments, questions and suggestions. I would be happy to help you in any way I can in 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 ministry is responsible for watering plants, buying and arranging seasonal flowers/plants or décor for the altar area. We are still in need of plant/flower care team member(s) to water plants and flowers throughout the year and help the coordinator as needed. 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.
HEALTH MINISTRY: The mission of the Health Ministry is to carry out the healing mission of Jesus by promoting the health and wellness of mind, body and spirit to the Holy Spirit Parish Community. This is accomplished through prayer, counsel, education, referral and service by working collaboratively with each other, St. Joseph Mercy Health System and the community we serve. All medical information is held in confidence as a volunteer of this Health Ministry Team. Volunteer nurses offer free blood pressure checks in the Lending Library after all Masses on the third weekend of the month. Doctors have long called high blood pressure “the silent killer” because a person can have high blood pressure and never have any symptoms. If left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to life-threatening medical problems such as stroke, heart attack or kidney failure. Watch the bulletin for periodic good-health articles and announcements for CPR/AED Classes offered here at Holy Spirit Parish. ~Nancy Wheeler
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. 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, borektodd@gmail.com
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, dozenhuskers@gmail.com
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 Livestream. 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. John is informed if they are in need of confession and/or anointing. A short questionnaire has been created to ensure that those we visit are properly disposed to receive the Eucharist. Thanks to a crew of faithful and reliable Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, we were able to provide regular visits to 8 – 11 homebound parishioners during each month of 2023. Three of our homebound parishioners passed away this year and our prayers are for eternal rest and peace for their souls. One parishioner moved to another location in Michigan, and we were able to provide our service for a few months to a woman from Florida who was visiting relatives in our area. A parishioner who previously would only agree to outdoor visits agreed to indoor masked visits during the winter months. Eventually, masks were omitted and since October she has been attending Mass on her own! Our ministry also provided a raffle basket for the annual parish picnic in September. The Holy Spirit Adult Choir went Christmas caroling on December 11th and were able to visit 4 of our homebound parishioners. Trusting in Our Almighty God we will continue to serve the homebound of Holy Spirit Parish during 2024! ~Marie Schlepers
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 which 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. Our Council received the Star Council Award for 2022-23, the highest award given to Councils for community and charity works throughout the year. 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. ~Russ Villerot, gk7891@mikofc.org
LECTORS: Lectors serve God and Holy Spirit Parish by reading the opening announcements before Mass and by reverently proclaiming the readings of the day to the congregation during Mass. Schedules are made quarterly and on average, a Lector will read 2-3 times per quarter at a Mass time of their preference. Training is provided. If you are a Catholic in good standing 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, charbillc@live.com
LENDING LIBRARY: Merry Christmas from the Holy Spirit Lending Library! Through many wonderful donations and purchases, our collection has grown to over 3400 books, DVDs and CDs which are available for use in the library, in Church or to sign out and take home. You will find resources in categories such as Apologetics and Evangelization, Bible Studies and Meditations, Children and Young People, Dating, Marriage and Family Issues, Divine Mercy, Heaven Hell and Purgatory, Saint Biographies and Writings and Religious Vocations, just to name a few.
During this Joyous Season, you might want to check out some of our Christmas selections. Our books include Scott Hahn’s “Joy to the World”, “Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce”, and “Celebrating a Merry Catholic Christmas”. For children, the library has “The Grumpy Old Ox” and “Little Star” both by Anthony DeStefano. In CDs, you will find The Vienna Boys’ Choir’s “The Little Drummer Boy”, “The Best of Bing Crosby: Christmas Collection” and “The Three Tenors Christmas”. The DVD collection includes “The Story of the Nativity”, “The Star of Bethlehem” and Veggie Tales “Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving”. Stop in the Lending Library and check out all the many resources it has to offer. May God bless you all in the New Year! ~Karen Lynch
LOVING CARE MINISTRY: The Loving Care group sends out cards, makes phone calls or visits Holy Spirit parishioners who need some loving support when they have lost a loved one, are facing a serious illness or are lonely. Fr. John has provided us with some names, but if you know of someone who could benefit from our group or if you want to join our group, please give me a call. We meet once a month in person or by email depending on the weather or other attendance reasons. Please call Lori McNutt at 517-376-2043 if you would like to join us or have a friend from church that needs our loving touch.
MISSIONARY: Merry Christmas and thank you for all of your love and support! This past year and a half of serving in the Dominican Republic with Building Bridges of Hope (BBOH) has been an incredible and challenging experience. Creating and maintaining our youth outreach program here 100% could not have been (nor continue to be) accomplished without a large support system of people. A major part of that group are the Holy Spirit parishioners and staff. Thank you all for your generosity in so many ways! This youth outreach program, which started as an idea in the mind of our American and Dominican directors years ago, has now grown into a Christ-centered dance program which serves children - boys and girls - between the ages of 4 and 18. Outside of weekly classes, we have been able to host two performance type events a year - open to all in the community - and held summer camps for students this past summer. We are also working towards branching out to another community to start catechism classes with the hope of being able to work with the local parish in bringing the sacraments to those in this community. God has truly blessed these efforts and allowed our program to triple in number of students from our beginning last year. I am humbled and in awe watching it all unfold and am so grateful to be a small part of something much bigger than any of us. God bless, ~Olivia Kumke, BBOH Youth Outreach Director
MUSIC: As the Director of Liturgical Music here at Holy Spirit, I would like to wish everyone a blessed, restful, healthy and safe Christmas. No matter what you do or don’t do—whether you are surrounded by family and friends, or not… the thing that is beautiful at Christmas, for me, is the story of Jesus coming to us humbly as a baby and living His life as one of us (except without sin and the fact that He is God, of course!). In the book of John, Jesus is quoted as saying, “...I have called you friends…It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you…” John 15:15. What is amazing to me is that we worship each week with people whom Jesus has chosen to be His friends! When we are out and about, many people, including some of our own families, do not share our belief—so it is a blessing to come to church to sing hymns, go to communion and have fellowship with our “chosen” family. What an honor that our God should call us friends! Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. ~Leo Lemery, Director of Liturgical Music
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, KarolineHeldtGFCC@gmail.com 810-923-9811
PADRE PIO ‘CASA USA’ PROJECT: Our Church, along with other parishes of the Livingston County Vicariate, in conjunction with Catholic Healthcare International (CHI) have been involved in the early stages of planning for a proposed hospital modeled after one founded by St. Padre Pio in Italy, in 1956. As St. Pio built the first Casa on a foundation of prayer, so too is CHI. Through our first-ever Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration Program, adoration warriors around the globe have committed to pray over 280 hours per week in front of the Blessed Sacrament in their home communities for the work of the Casa USA. Three Padre Pio Prayer groups have started in the Diocese of Lansing, and a replica of the chapel where Padre Pio received his stigmata is being planned on a prayer campus in Howell. The chapel will be surrounded by miles of prayer trails, inspiration from Saints and St. Pio’s favorite image: Our Lady of Grace. Unfortunately, we have not been welcome by the neighbors in the township where we want to build the prayer campus. It is currently under litigation and we hope and pray and try not to worry about a day sometime soon when we will be able to proceed with our hopes and plans. To join the Adoration team, for more information and to follow this miraculous journey, go to www.CHI-USA.com
PARISH OFFICE: The Parish Office coordinates many activities that keep the Parish running. This year has been a very busy time with events and sacraments along with our usual duties which include preparing the weekly bulletin, media and parishioner communications, coordinating ministry services (kind of like being a switchboard operator) and scheduling the facilities - which includes updating the automatic door lock schedule as needed, and making sure all donations are properly deposited and recorded in a timely manner. We are also responsible for accurately recording sacraments that take place at our Church and attended a sacramental records training class that was held by the Diocese. 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. Most recently, Andrea attended Parish and Diocesan Strategic Planning sessions to help define our mission for the coming year and established working relationships within our new Deanery grouping (Holy Spirit, St. Patrick, St. Mary & Old St. Patrick). Special thanks to our videographer Mike R. for your devotion in Livestreaming our weekend Mass. 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, amcgrath@holyspiritrcs.org and ~Ewa Kucharski, parishoffice@holyspiritrcs.org
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL: The Parish Council is the primary consultative ministry representing the Parish Community. It provides the Pastor with information, recommendations and feedback in order to facilitate his decisions and it acts as a point of contact to the Parish community for addressing issues attendant to the Parish. In addition, the Council sponsors the St. Joseph Pasta Table Dinner for new parishioners and the Parish Picnic. Council meetings take place at 7:00 pm on the second Thursday of each month. All are welcome to attend. For more information, please contact Reg Nizol at jagody48@gmail.com. ~Reginald Nizol, Chairperson
PRAYERLINE: The Prayerline consists of a team of over 50 faithful people who are contacted when someone is in need of prayer. Only one phone call is needed to the coordinator (248-437-3676) who in turn contacts all members via an email and a call to the top tier of the ‘phone tree’. Prayerline members then include the intention in their daily prayers. When someone contacts the Parish Office requesting prayers, the person is asked if they would like to be placed on the Sick List in the bulletin and Fr. John and the Prayerline 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 his or her name being listed. The power of prayer can work miracles! ~Charlette (Char) Curtis, 248-437-3676
RESPECT LIFE: The Respect Life Ministry was very blessed again in 2023. Through the Baby Bottle Drive our Parish raised $5,307.33 for the Pregnancy Help Clinic in Brighton and we were able to recognize the gift of motherhood with flowers on Mother’s Day. We organized another successful “National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children” annual event at the Serenity Court on the second Saturday in September. We also had a spot at two of the Brighton Farmers Market events. While there, we met many people and were allowed to share information about end of life issues, adoption, help for expecting moms, abortion recovery programs and other respect for life issues. We will continue to share the Church teaching about the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. 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, or contact me at 810-335-4935 or jameshynes717@gmail.com. Thank you for your support of our ministry. Merry Christmas. ~Jim Hynes
SACRISTANS: We are a dedicated group of volunteers called to serve Our Lord and Fr. John 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. On Mondays, a few women clean the Sanctuary, Baptismal area, Shroud Room, confessional area, back of the church and Sacristy. Part of our group also cleans and irons the linens each week. It is a team effort and an ongoing commitment to keep things up and beautify our church. If you would like to get involved in this ministry, please contact me via the Parish office at 810-231-9199×200. ~Theresa (Tee) West
SCHOOL: Annual Principal Report. As 2023 comes to a close, I praise and thank God for the opportunity to serve as principal of Holy Spirit Catholic School. My one-year anniversary for starting in this role will be January 9, 2024, and what an exciting and blessed year it has been! With God’s guidance and grace, our entire learning community – teachers, staff, families, parishioners – has worked together to realize and bring about several significant accomplishments and valuable learning opportunities for our students.
A first major achievement this year was Holy Spirit School’s fulfilling the requirements for continuing accreditation. The teachers, staff, and I spent weeks preparing for Holy Spirit School’s site visit in April, and we were pleased to learn of our continued accreditation by the Michigan Non-public School Accrediting Association.
In addition to receiving accreditation, other highlights this year include:
Welcoming seven new students and six new families to Holy Spirit School
Bringing Catechesis of the Good Shepherd back to Holy Spirit Church and School with one Level 1 catechist already trained and three currently in Level 1 training
Partnering with Dynamic Catholic to offer the Holy Moments School Pilot Program
Reinstating the After-School Program
Forming a new school library
Reestablishing the Holy Spirit School Student Council
Offering after-school extra-curricular learning opportunities for students, including Writers’ Club, Arts & Crafts Club, and Archery through SELCRA
Organizing successful fundraising efforts with Parish and School support: Spring Raffle, Ham Sale, Charleston Wrap, Chili Cook-Off, Gift Wrapping Services Fundraiser, and Panera Fundraiser
Restoring the much-loved School traditions of Mass buddies, all-School morning prayer and announcements, and combined lunch/recess periods with all grades, K-8
Offering tuition assistance to families who would not otherwise be able to attend Holy Spirit School without financial assistance
Indeed, we have much to be thankful for this year. We do ask for your continued prayers as we look to fill a permanent teaching position in grades 3 and 4 and begin another enrollment period for the 2024-2025 school. We currently have 58 students and have room to welcome more! We are confident that God has wondrous plans for our small, yet mighty school. Thank you for your ongoing support as we together grow as saints and scholars with our students.
~Kimberly C. Pavlock, PhD, Principal
SHROUD OF TURIN EXHIBIT: Located in our ‘Family’ room, 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 that have caused wonderment for hundreds of years. We invite you to stop by and sit, study and meditate on this most mysterious and important religious artifact. Group demonstrations and lectures can be arranged by calling Fr. John or the Parish Office at 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, svdp@holyspiritrcs.org
ST. MONICA SODALITY: 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 third Monday of each month at 1:00pm 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.
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 Fr. John Rocus 810-231-9199 x202.
TRINITY TRAIL: We have some beautiful trails on our property on which we have erected shrines to some famous saints, particularly heroes of the faith in Michigan, most recently Bishop Baraga the “Snowshoe Priest”. This is a good summertime activity and for all you heartier souls, a nice walk in the winter as well. 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 are the first persons to greet you and be of service to all. All visitors and parishioners should feel welcomed and comfortable at our Parish. Ushers should have a kind word and smile to give to all. Ushers should be of service whether it be taking up the collection, guiding all to communion, showing visitors where the bathrooms are, or aiding the handicapped or sick. The schedule consists of 2-4 teams depending on which Mass you attend. One team per Mass is scheduled per month and then they are rotated to a different month. We have some who usher every month because we are lacking people to join our ministry. Holy Days are on a volunteer basis. We are taking this opportunity to ask for more parishioners to sign up for our ministry. Please contact Andy Patrick at andypatrick8266@gmail.com or 734-330-3821. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
WOMEN’S GUILD: All women of the Parish are eligible to join the Women’s Guild. We provide spiritual support and fellowship for Holy Spirit Church by giving our time, talents, and financial support to the various needs of the Parish through service projects and fundraisers. A few of our ministries are the Pastie Sale, bake sales, prayer shawls, homeless mats and providing funeral luncheons. Meetings are on the second Tuesday* of the month at 9:30am for coffee and fellowship, followed by a 10:00am meeting. NOTE: NO meeting in JAN/FEB/JUL. Members receive email messages for upcoming meetings and volunteer opportunities. Annual dues are $10. Hope to see you soon! ~Mary Dwyer, President 248-763- 4673
*WOMEN’S GUILD NOTICE: In accordance with ARTICLE IX of the Women’s Guild By-Laws, a change has been proposed to move the monthly meeting from the first Tuesday of the month to the second Tuesday of the month starting March 12, 2024. This was voted on and approved at the December, 2023 meeting.