If someone were to ask you, “Why should I be Catholic? Or, what is Catholicism?” What would you say? If you were asked right there on the spot and had two seconds to respond to a complete random stranger, what would you say to pique their interest? Or to get them interested enough to keep asking questions and doing more research. Explaining the faith should not be difficult. Why? Because we simply talk about the one who saved us from death. We share with them the greatest love story ever told. We want to introduce them to a person we are absolutely infatuated with, because He has gifted us with a gift that is infinite.

As Catholics and disciples of the Lord, we should all be prepared to have an answer to questions like this. We must be ready to share the great news of salvation. Think of this entry as a personal invitation to join Fr. Brian and me as we deepen our understanding of the one we love, God. Every Tuesday evening, beginning October 6th, we will be having a Catechesis series called Credo. This series will help all of us understand more about who God is (the Creed), why we worship Him the way we do (the sacraments), the importance of communal life (morality), and our own spiritual lives (prayer).

Our faith is not just an academic course. It’s infinitely more than that. We teach catechesis and religious ed to children because it is important for them to have a good moral foundation for living their lives, but if a child thinks that Catholicism is just another subject to be learned like math and science, then we have failed. Our faith cannot be reduced to a series of intellectual thoughts and ideas to be mastered or fully comprehended. It is actually the exact opposite. God is a mystery. His saving work in Jesus Christ is a mystery. How the Holy Spirit sanctifies us and how God dwells in us is a mystery.

As disciples of Christ, we are not Sherlock Holmes trying to figure out what makes God tick. We do not try to confine God to a box and conduct experiments on Him in order to fully comprehend Him. Rather, we look at His mysteries of love with awe and wonder at His mercy and goodness. We approach the faith with an eager longing to always want more from this infinite spring of wisdom.

Our intellectual truths of the faith are supposed to lead us to one thing, and one thing only: an encounter. This encounter with love itself is the sole purpose and reason why we are able to respond to the invitation which Christ extends to all of us, just as He did to His disciples two thousand years ago: “Follow me.” The more we know about the one who extends the invitation, the more likely we are to respond with a yes and keep following Him. Where does this invitation lead? Straight to Calvary. Eventually, we will all have to face our own Calvary. But this Calvary does not have to be scary. There is a reason why Jesus says “Do not be afraid” so often: because without the source of love and wisdom, it feels as if we are alone. However, if we remember exactly who God is and what He has done for you and me, we embrace our cross and desire to always be with Him, no matter where He leads us.

Join us as we begin to learn more about this tremendous and majestic love story that leads to the greatest adventure any person can embark on.

On Sunday, October 4, all parishioners are invited to the outdoor St. Francis of Assisi Pet Blessing after the 11:15 a.m. Mass. Fr. Brian will offer a blessing for all pets present! This custom is in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures. Bring your dogs, cats, birds, fish, hamsters, turtles, horses, ducks, etc. for a holy water blessing. For safety please keep your pet on a leash, in a cage, crate, or other container. If you do not have a pet, please share your presence and witness this special celebration!

Happy Twenty-Fourth Sunday! Well, for those who have been in the loop on the latest school news, this past week we launched our new school website, which, after many months of hard work, felt like an exciting relief. If you haven’t seen it yet, maybe take a peek at the fresh new look! It will soon be joined by an updated church website, which is currently in the final stages of completion. We live in a digital-native world, so the gospel often needs to meet people at our virtual doorsteps to invite them to our physical doorsteps. May God bless all the families out there looking for a safe harbor to educate their children.

Speaking of news, I have a personal update on the progress of my hand injury. Two weeks ago, I went to my follow-up appointment at OrthoMichigan. My doc said that the visual inspection of the skin and newly growing nails looks good. The x-rays look generally unchanged from a month prior. So, the bones still “look” broken.  Given the fact that I haven’t experienced any pain or pressure sensitivity, I was a bit surprised (and a little bummed) by that. I’ve been so careful and safe! But the doctor did not seem too concerned.

It turns out that especially in the case of finger bone tuft fractures, the visual evidence of bone healing on x-rays lags far behind the functional healing of the bone.  Unmineralized cartilage and tough fibrous tissue will form at the fracture sites to stabilize the bone initially. But since these connective tissues lack calcium, they do not block x-rays or show up on the film. It routinely takes six to twelve months for the bones to fully re-mineralize and appear healed on film.

It’s also possible that, long term, the bones will retain a fibrous union without mineralizing. This is a common outcome for tuft fractures, and is still considered clinical healing, with no need for surgery. But my hobbies involve a lot of finger dexterity, so I’m hoping and praying for full bone healing! I’ve started taking a daily Calcium+Vitamin D combo supplement to ensure that I’m doing my part to help the cause. I still have some mild skin tightness and discomfort surrounding the scar tissue of my middle finger, and a few localized spots of slight numbness. So, if you ever think of it, keep these digits in your prayers!

All of our Scriptures today link mercy with judgment, and the rules of the gospel are pretty clear about it. If you want eternal mercy for yourself, you can’t keep the receipts of injustice and withhold forgiveness from others.  It can be a truly fearful proposition. But the good news is that the exchange rates are in our favor. Keep uncovering all the moral bills we’ve conveniently thrown away without opening, and eventually we come to terms that we owe far more unjust debt than is owed to us. In light of God’s offer to cancel it all, will we hold up our end of the bargain? That’s up to each of us. Just reverently recall that at the end of life, all debts are rendered. What will Jesus find on your final balance sheet?

From Fr. Brian

Men of the parish are invited to come and enjoy growing in their spiritual walk with others. We will meet in the Knights of Columbus Hall from 6:30—7:30 on Wednesday, September 23 for our next Cor Meeting. We always have snacks and refreshments! Invite a friend or family member. We look forward to seeing you!

See what men are saying about it in the film below:

The mission of the Cor is to refocus Catholic men on Jesus Christ and to form and strengthen them in faith and virtue through a brotherhood committed to prayer, formation and fraternity.  The goal of each Cor gathering is to provide the opportunity for men to encounter Christ, to pray together, to be formed in their faith, and to strengthen their bonds of brotherhood, preparing them for courageous leadership and the mission of Evangelization for their families and communities.

The next meeting and breakfast will be held on Saturday, October 10 at the Family Worship Center in Montrose from 6:30—8:00 a.m. Breakfast at 7:00 p.m. All men are welcome to attend.

There will be a Euchre Tournament on Wednesday, October 7 in the Good Shepherd Knights of Columbus Hall at 6:30 pm. Cost is $5.00 per person. All levels of experience. Bring your own snacks and beverages. Pizza is available for purchase. Friends and Family welcome! 

Hope to see you there!!

*They will be held the first and third Wednesday of the month.