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.”

 Happy Easter! Today we joyfully proclaim, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” I hope you have wonderful plans to celebrate the day with family and friends. A particular welcome to anyone reading this article who is visiting this weekend or coming from out of town or usually worships elsewhere, I’m happy that you joined us today. As for my own Easter festivities, this afternoon after Masses I’ll be heading out to my parents’ house and enjoying a double celebration as today also happens to be my dad’s birthday. Happy birthday, Dad! Not a bad way to kick off the next year of your life, you know, sharing it with the Lord’s resurrection, no big deal.

My own birthday was two days ago on Good Friday, so naturally I waited on the cake and ice cream in deference to the Triduum solemnities. But these sugary delights are for sure on the culinary docket for today’s menu. This year, I turned 38 and since I love even numbers, I’m planning on it being a great year. Every birthday I’m happy to be alive and grateful for another year of God’s patience and faithfulness to me. As at New Year, so also at birthdays and anniversaries, we remember it is a grace of God’s design to experience the cyclical passage of life, which constantly provides us with familiar and stable markers that gauge our change and growth. Maybe this is your 38th Easter, maybe it’s your 88th. For Jesus, it’s approximately his 1992nd anniversary of rising from the dead. The hope is that you and I can look back since the last go-around and see whether another year of life has made us another year wiser, another year holier, another year stronger. How much have I fed my soul on the Word of God this year? How often have I gone to battle against my sins and bad habits this Lent? Have I given up or continued to strive? How faithfully do I choose God in my daily life instead of the fleeting empty diversions of this world? What sway does the power of the Resurrection of Jesus actually hold over my soul?

As I mentioned in my homily a few weeks ago, accepting the gospel is not a club membership or a fan membership; it is a team membership, a jersey with your own name on the back. Paying dues to the club allows you to come and go as you please and requires only the commitment of your credit card. Being a fan is as easy as lip service and switching on a TV. But only the team raises a trophy. Only team members are required to make the actual sacrifices, and only the players’ names are written in the record books.

Jesus rose from the dead not because he was interested in fans and club members but because he was interested in players. The acceptance of team membership awakens a deep hunger in you that drives you to improve, to commit to your teammates and to the team culture, to contribute something valuable to the whole, a hunger to persevere no matter how long it takes or how much it costs. It gives a vision of victory over every opponent in your life that stands between you and the final trophy. So let us praise God for Easter, which offers us a spot on the team roster and gains for us the power to attain that victory. And let us continue to advance in wisdom, holiness, and strength.

Fr. Brian

There will be a Euchre Tournament on Saturday, April 26 from 5:30 until 7:30 in the Knights of Columbus Hall. Cost is $5.00 per person. All levels of experience are welcome. There will be a Learner’s Table. Bring your own snacks and beverage. Friends and families are welcome. Hope to see you there!!

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?

Thank you to everyone who has made a gift or pledge commitment to our Diocesan Services Appeal.  Our gifts to DSA enable our diocese to provide services crucial to our parish.  The programs and services funded by DSA offer direct assistance to individuals and families, and to parishes, schools, and Catholic Charities agencies.

Goal: $15,312 Pledged: $17,260.00

If you have not yet made a gift or pledge, I invite you to do so today.  Gift envelopes are available in the church or the parish office.  You may also submit your gift online at:    www.dioceseoflansing.org/appeal.   Your DSA gift will support the vital services and ministries that help bring the love of Christ to all we encounter.