We are taking nominations for a member at large for parish council.  The term is for three years.  The member at large represents the parish at council meetings.  The council meets the 3rd Tuesday of the month.  If you are nominated you will be contacted to see if you would be willing to serve.  There is a box for your nominations by the two church entrances or your may call the parish office or send an email to:  goodshepherdofmontrose@gmail.com.

Happy Twenty-First Sunday! With much anticipation, this past week was filled with little voices in the school hallways and little arms and legs running across the playground. We’re back to the school bell schedule, and it’s a joy to have the kids around again. If you ever need a pick-me-up, just walk into a kindergarten classroom. You’ll be instantly swarmed by tiny hugs and entertained by funny stories about whatever is on their minds: I lost my tooth, I went on vacation, I have two dogs, where do you live, my dad knows you, I also lost my tooth, look at my new pencil, look at my shoes, can you play with us…all the important things. Visiting the classrooms? Definite perks of the pastor’s J.O.B.

I wrote two weeks ago that I’d give an update about our diocesan campaign in support of Catholic education, and I’ll probably spend the next several weeks walking through this. Let me begin with the grand scheme by putting the ‘why’ of this endeavor into my own words. Next week I’ll give the big-picture rundown of the ‘how’. After that, we’ll move into the details of parish participation and individual household participation.

One of my heroes, St. John Paul II, said: “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.” He spent much of his pastoral ministry as pope defending the sanctity of marriage and family life, and promoting and defending the nuclear family as the fundamental cell of the Church and of society. He believed in the Church’s mission to evangelize the world hinged on its evangelization of the family. He saw that the greatest evils perpetrated against humanity were those that most directly distorted, divided, or destroyed the family. There is no doubt in my mind that his teaching on the family is prophetic for our times. And it answers the overall question: “Why are we having a diocesan capital campaign for Catholic education?” Because the evangelization of the family is at its heart, and such is our mission.

Dioceses and parishes evangelize families principally by discerning the local priorities that best support the vocations within the family: husbands and wives in their vocation as spouses, moms and dads in their vocation as parents, and children in their vocation as sons and daughters. This is where Catholic education enters the equation. Wherever it is offered, Catholic education blesses all corners of the family. It presents a practical gospel vision for the identity, formation, and mission of the human person. It protects our children from cultural headwinds and trains them in faith, knowledge, and skills to change the world for Christ. It assists moms and dads seeking to raise their sons and daughters in the faith. It provides stability to Christian communities across generations.

Catholic education is a powerful arrow in the Church’s quiver, and its mission deserves every generation’s care and concern. So here we are. What we’re aiming for in the grand scheme of this campaign is to ensure our diocese’s Catholic schools have the material resources necessary to bless and evangelize our families for future generations. Check back next week as I discuss in detail how the campaign will do this. Peace and blessings on your week!

Fr. Brian

Entry One: Intro

I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to God, our Almighty Father, for everything He has done in my life—for calling me to be His priest, to serve His Church as a visible sign of Jesus Christ, our High Priest, here on earth and particularly here in Flushing, MI. This calling, which I am unworthy to have received, can only be lived out if I continually allow the Lord to work through me. Only when my heart remains open to God’s love and the workings of the Holy Spirit will God’s work be accomplished. Essentially, I need to get out of the way and allow God to love His people through me. This is something I never thought was possible, and yet here I am—praise God.

I also want to thank all of you at St. Robert and Good Shepherd. Thank you for graciously welcoming me to your parish community. It is not easy moving to a new place and meeting new people, especially when you do not know anyone. It is also not easy welcoming someone you do not know into your parish, but I have certainly felt welcomed, and that is such a great gift for which I am grateful to all of you. I can certainly tell that the Holy Spirit is working and guiding us here at St. Robert and Good Shepherd. He has incredible plans for all of us, and I am excited to see what He does next.

For my bulletin entries, which will occur once a month, I want to provide you all with a glimpse into my own life. During prayer, I had a thought that it might be interesting to reveal what goes through the heart of a newly ordained priest as he transitions from seminary to living his life as a priest—to help you understand all the joys and sorrows, the successes and failures, the moments that lead to elation, and the moments that lead to heartache that a new priest experiences during his first year of priesthood.

My life is very different from what it used to be. I used to attend daily classes, hang out with my closest friends, study with them, and pray with them every single day. Now, I am with the Lord in Flushing, assisting Fr. Brian, and serving all of you. My community and surroundings have certainly changed, and yet there is consistency in the Lord, in whom I place my trust. No matter where I go, I place my trust in Him who loves me and has saved me.

My goal with these entries is to ultimately show you that a priest, even though he may have a different vocation, is not all that different from you. I am still a man, I am still a disciple of Jesus, and I am still a person in need of community, friendships, hobbies, and support. I too must always surround myself with other disciples who seek to give their lives to God.

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” I pray my time here will contribute to our Lord’s wishes—that all our hearts may burn with the fire of divine love. Happy 20th Sunday in OT and have a blessed week.

The Knights of Columbus 4th degree assembly 2211 is collecting goods for the residence of the Aleta V. Lutz Veterans Hospital in Saginaw. This is a veterans’ nursing home. We ask you to please be generous as a lot of the residents have no family nearby.

Items Requested

• Body Wash • Combs & Brushes • Toothpaste • Toothbrushes in original packaging, Non-alcohol Mouthwash • Razors • Shaving Cream • Men’s t shirts, sweatshirts, & sweatpants sizes M- 6X • Men’s briefs size M – 3X •Men’s socks size 8 – 13 Men’s shoes sizes 8 – 13 (10 & 10.5 most common) • Coats for the current season

Women’s t shirts & undergarments – all sizes • Laundry Detergent (name brands only)  
Gift cards (Meijer, Walmart, Mastercard prepaid, gas) – $10 – $50.

– NO FOOD ITEMS, THANK YOU.

 Questions? Call Adam Lupo, Chief of Voluntary Service, (989) 497-2500 ext. 13369

There will be a drop box for your donations at the front entrance of the church and in the Family Life Center.