The National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 1. Please join us at the Montrose Township Hall at 12:00 noon to pray for our country and community. There will be hot dogs, chips, and beverages following the prayer service. Hope you are able to join us!
Happy Divine Mercy Sunday! Today we complete the octave of Easter with both a joyful reverence and somber remembrance of the recent passing of Pope Francis this past Easter Monday. The deaths and elections of popes are always major moments in the life and history of the Church and times of special prayer. “The Pope” describes both a person and an office, and it finds its origin in the special call of Christ given to his apostle Simon whom he named Peter (Mt 16:18). In the apostolic evangelization of the pagan world, Peter traveled to the center of western civilization, Rome, to establish there a new Christian community and lead it until his martyrdom under Nero in about 64 AD. Second century writings from St. Irenaeus tell us that Linus followed in Peter’s stead, then Anacletus, Clement, and onward. In an unbroken succession down through the ages, Francis was, most recently, the 266th bishop of Rome. May he rest in peace. You will notice that in the liturgy, we will have the rare experience of naming no pope during the Eucharistic prayer until a new one is elected.
I was in seminary and studying in Rome when Francis was elected. I remember the experience well because I watched it all unfold in person; certainly, a moment that you can’t plan for but one that you never forget. There was the announcement of Pope Benedict’s resignation, his final Wednesday audience, the arrival of all the cardinals throughout the world for the opening conclave Mass, then the papal conclave itself… I stood in St. Peter’s Square as the white smoke first billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel announcing a successful election. All the church bells throughout the city rang out as Rome came to a halt and oceans of people began flooding the Square and the Via Conciliazione all the way back to the Tiber River. I heard his papal name first pronounced by the Cardinal protodeacon and watched him step out onto the Loggia and into the public for the first time. I served at Francis’ Mass of Installation, and again as a deacon for him at Easter morning Mass in 2016. The various papal audiences, his personal visit to the American seminary, there’s a whole rolodex of memories with Pope Francis in the back of my brain from my time in Rome. Thanks be to God for all these blessings.
Please remember to pray for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul and pray also for the Cardinal electors who will soon ask God to guide their hearts in choosing the next successor of St. Peter. Easter teaches us that, in Christ, even the mysteries of suffering and death shall give way to the promise of new life. We will witness that promise fulfilled for the universal Church just as we witnessed the promise of new life fulfilled here in our own parish. At last week’s Easter vigil I was blessed to baptize, confirm, and/or give first Holy Communion to seven sisters in Christ who are now all fully fledged, fully initiated members of our Catholic family. Congratulations to Brianna, Carin, Morgan, Sue, Amy, Rachel, and Kayleigh! If you’ve never been to an Easter vigil, ten out of ten would recommend, you should put that on your bucket list at least once in your life. If you’d like to celebrate them, enjoy a bowl of ice cream this week in their honor, and for the glory of the Lord. It’s Easter season after all, and we’ve got 50 days to celebrate!
Fr. Brian
The Knights of Columbus will host the Blessing of the Bikes on Sunday, June 8, 2025 after 11:15 a.m. Mass. Be there by 12:00 pm. There will be a Poker Run, Food/Drinks, T-shirts and Raffle. Bikes and Cars Welcome. $25 per driver/ $15 per passenger and includes a meal, soft drinks and cash prize drawing at the Last Stop After Party at 5 pm at the Montrose Pub, 10174 Vienna Road, Montrose. All are welcome to attend the party. The cost is a $5 donation, $15 with a meal (for non-riders). There will be live music by Reziliance. All proceeds will go to support local veterans.
On Tuesday, May 6 Religious Education children are invited to participate in our May Crowning. Children arrive at 6:15 p.m. to receive their flower to honor Mother Mary and to line up for the Mass procession. This is the last children’s Mass. An Ice-cream social for families will follow the Mass in the Family Life Center.
Special thanks to these K-8th catechists, aides and substitutes throughout the 2024-25 year: Sue Monnett, Deb Hamilton, Julie Kane, David Smith, Kayla Henige, Connie Tripp, Kathy Harrison, Bill Stroup, Rachel DeHate, Theresa Pollard, and Lisa Briggs.
Thank you parents and families for a beautiful year of Religious Education of your children at Good Shepherd.
Adorers are needed to spend an hour with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament at St Robert Church to pray for the intentions of those gathered at the retreat. All are invited to intercede in this most important and powerful way, especially family members and friends of those on the retreat. Please sign-up online to ensure the Lord is not left alone:
Saturday, May 3: https://signup.com/go/eQWUgQe
Sunday, May 4: https://signup.com/go/FtDLtei
Contact Renee at: theshaws7@hotmail.com or 810.964.7597 if you need help signing up.
At the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil on April 19, Rachel DeHate, was received into the Catholic faith. She was confirmed and celebrated her First Holy Communion as a Catholic.
Her journey to this joyful day began many years ago.
“I didn’t take it (my faith) as serious when I was young,” said Rachel. “Now that I’m older I wanted to dig into the meaning of it and make more of a commitment. I am thankful to receive the sacraments and be a full Catholic in God’s family.”
When Rachel Forshee was a child in second grade she and her family (mom, dad, sister, and brother) went to a Lutheran Church. “I was confirmed and then after high school I fell away,” she said.
God was definitely working in her life; she just didn’t see it so clearly at the time. God always knows what He’s doing.
After college and getting her nursing career going, she met a Catholic, Tony DeHate, who would become her husband on February 23, 2019. Soon they began building a family, and together they have three children: Natalie, 4, Hailey, 3, and Jillian, 7 months old.
Rachel recalls a conversation she had with Tony when they were dating. “He was so strong in his Pro-Life beliefs,” she said. “I remember these topics coming up in the news and his Pro-Life argument was so impressive. I realized his Catholic background gave him the ability to argue and stand up for human rights. He came at it from a human rights point-of-view and I realized Catholics might be the only real Pro-Life religion. Even my former Lutheran teachings seemed wishy-washy.”
She began to educate herself. She listened to Lila Rose – a young Pro-Life, Catholic podcaster. Her heart was becoming open and her interest in getting her children baptized stirred her to inquire about the process on October 29.
“We came to the Good Shepherd Atrium Open House,” she said. “I asked questions about becoming Catholic and I was put in touch with Bill Stroup, Order Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) Coordinator, who accompanied me to St. Robert Parish on my journey to becoming a Catholic. As Good Shepherd’s only candidate, she decided to join the OCIA sessions at St. Robert Parish. “I like attending the classes,” she said. “I enjoy hearing everyone’s conversion stories. I’m learning so much and I know it’s a lifetime of learning, and I’m excited.”
With three children to educate in faith and morals, the couple began discerning their role as faith educators.
“We just started going back to Church—we have children now and I saw the importance of it. We wanted to make a good foundation for the children,” said Rachel. “Natalie attends the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program and she was learning things in the atrium that I didn’t know about – so now, I’m learning with her. I’m not good at some of these things, but I know the Church is, and the Holy Bible is.”
One aspect of her preparation for her reception into the Catholic faith most meaningful to her is the Eucharist. “I have faith, and now I feel I have a formula to follow on how to live it out,” said Rachel. “Catholics have beautiful sacraments such as confession and Eucharist. I am looking forward to participating in the Eucharist and remembering the sacrifice that Jesus made for me.”
Back when she dated Tony she noticed the “Pray to End Abortion” sign in the yard of his parents –Good Shepherd parishioners, Matt and Deneen DeHate. She liked their display of their Catholic beliefs. Her mother-in-law, Deneen DeHate, a former Director of Religious Education at Good Shepherd, served as Rachel’s OCIA sponsor. Rachel is grateful to be able to ask her questions about the faith.
The young DeHate family plans to further their involvement in the Catholic faith. “We are going to have our marriage convalidated and get our three daughters baptized.”
Do you long for something more in your life?
Does it seem that if you weren’t so busy you would be happier, healthier, more fulfilled, more effective, and maybe even a better person?
During the weekend of May 3-4, the men of St. Robert’s and Good Shepherd will be sponsoring a Men’s WELCOME retreat. The retreat will be held at St. Robert Bellarmine. There is no cost, and all meals will be provided. The prayerful, but relaxed sessions, the engaging witness talks, and the opportunity for meaningful discussion with other men could mean the deepening of your spiritual life.
If you would like to register, please contact the St. Robert Parish Office at 810-659-2501 or email: parishsecretary@srbcatholic.com.
Come to the next WELCOME Weekend! It’s an incredible experience that will help you discover what’s missing in your life and what to do about it.
Becoming a Knight of Columbus can transform your life. As a Knight, you have the opportunity to support our parish, give back to our community, grow in your faith.
The Knights of Columbus Council 8669 is more then a fraternal organization. Imagine being part of an organization that fills your heart and your mind with the joy of giving to others and the feeling that comes with making a difference. We’re involved in the community. We support Good Shepherd Catholic Church and its priests, activities and events. Knights serve the church as ushers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, Altar servers, Catechists and take care of the ground maintenance.
Will you join us?
Pope Francis opened the Jubilee Year of Hope for the universal Church on Christmas Eve 2024 in Rome. Pope Francis released a papal bull proclaiming the Holy Year 2025. The Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year is entitled Spes non confundit (“Hope does not disappoint” and can be found here). In addition, the Apostolic Penitentiary has published this decree.
The Jubilee of Hope Opened in the Diocese of Lansing on December 29, 2024,
The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
To Strengthen & Share Hope
A central aspect of the Jubilee Year is the Jubilee Year Indulgence.
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY
INDULGENCES FOR JUBILEE YEAR 2025
A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remove the temporal punishment due to sin.
The indulgence applies to sins already forgiven. A plenary indulgence cleanses the soul as if the person had just been baptized. Plenary indulgences obtained during the Jubilee Year can also be applied to souls in purgatory with the possibility of obtaining two plenary indulgences for the deceased in one day.
To obtain an indulgence, the usual conditions of detachment from all sin, sacramental confession, holy Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the pope must be met. (Usually, an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be).
Holy Doors are to be opened at the Papal Basilicas of St. Peter, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls (no. 6) and at the Rebibbia Prison in Rome. The Dicastery for Evangelization notes that the distinguishing mark of the Jubilee Year is not the Holy Door, but rather the Jubilee Indulgence, received through the Sacrament of Penance and acts of charity and hope. The various ways and many places where this indulgence may be obtained are summarized above and are outlined in the Apostolic Penitentiary’s Decree on the Granting of the Jubilee Indulgence issued May 13, 2024.
Click here to learn more:
+Find out conditions for how to obtain the Jubilee Year Indulgences
+Diocesan Events for the Jubilee Year
+Places of Pilgrimage in the Diocese of Lansing
+Questions Regarding Indulgences