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The current Communicator, as well as past issues, are available on the Diocesan website at https://dioceseofmarquette.org/communicator.

Aug. 12, 2023      National Church Collection (Administration & Finance)

Aug. 13, 2023      National Church Collection (Administration & Finance)

Aug. 17, 2023      Catholic School Principals' Meeting (Education)

Aug. 31, 2023      Parish Annual Financial Report Deadline (Administration & Finance)

Sept. 1, 2023       Supplemental Personnel Policy Change Deadline (Administration & Finance)

Sept. 15, 2023     Deadline to send Signed Parish Corporation Bylaws, List of Board Members, and Minutes from Initial Board Meeting (Administration & Finance)

Sept. 30, 2023     Parish Governance Report Deadline (Administration & Finance)

Sept. 30, 2023     Parish Annual Administrative Report Deadline (Administration)

Oct. 10, 2023       Parish and Secretary Bookkeeper Workshop (Administration & Finance)

I highly encourage your support and participation in the event.  Carmelite prayer and contemplation focus on the welfare and fruitfulness of all those engaged in the work of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.  As they continue to support the people of the Upper Peninsula through their prayers, I ask for your support of this event to assist them in carrying on their spiritual mission.  Your efforts to sell or purchase tickets for the Carmelite Fall Festival would be greatly appreciated.

The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Disciple of the Sacraments have confirmed three new Liturgical texts.   Please click on the names to get the specific prayers:

Please direct all questions to Deacon Tom Foye at tfoye@dioceseofmarquette.org or 906-227-9126.

The newly translated Divine Office Hymnal has been approved and recently published for optional liturgical use.  Its exclusive publisher is GIA and it is available in a pew edition for $25 and a Piano and Organ accompaniment book for $100.  Please click this link for more information or to place an order:  http://www.GIAmusic.com/divineoffice

St. Mary Magdalene in Cooks is in need of a church organ. If there is a parish that has a functioning organ that they don't use, please contact Fr. Jamie Ziminski at frziminski@yahoo.com.  He will determine whether it might work at St. Mary's.

MILESTONE WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Couples celebrating their 25th, 30th, 40th, 45th, 50th or above anniversaries, as well as newlyweds are invited along with their families to the annual Milestone Wedding Anniversary Celebration. Golden anniversary couples are additionally invited to submit information and photos for publication in The U.P. Catholic Newspaper. The celebration will be at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, beginning with Mass at 3:30 p.m. ET. 

PRIESTHOOD SUNDAY 2023
Priesthood Sunday is celebrated this year on Sept. 24.  The U.P. Catholic Newspaper plans to publish our Priesthood Sunday issue on Sept. 15 (ad requests are due Aug. 18.)

Please visit: https://form.jotform.com/231725001606141 to place an advertisement of appreciation for your pastor and/or other priests.

Contact Deacon Steve directly at 906-863-7460 or ads@dioceseofmarquette.org if you have additional questions.

The U.P. Catholic newspaper has launched a new electronic newsletter.  Published twice monthly, it will be an easy way to find links to photo albums and videos, local stories and more.  If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please send them to news@dioceseofmarquette.org.

To sign up, visit:   www.dioceseofmarquette.flocknote.com/TheUPCatholic, fill in your name and email address, and you’ll be all set.

Join Bishop John Doerfler, Deacon Steve & Jackie Gretzinger on an incredible pilgrimage to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Ind., from July 16-21, 2024. Speakers include Fr. Mike Schmitz, Chris Stefniak, Sister Miriam James Heidland, Bishop Robert Barron and many others! For information/registration on motorcoach transportation from the Upper Peninsula and lodging, visit: https://tinyurl.com/EC2024Flyer.  Reservations are due Sept. 1, 2023, and space is very limited. First come/first served!

Bishop Doerfler has asked all parish corporations to submit copies of their signed bylaws and minutes from the initial Board meetings to the Diocese by Sept. 15, 2023. If you have any questions concerning these initial meetings, please contact Tim Thomas or Irene McCauley for additional assistance. 

Parishes and schools are encouraged to contact the Administration & Finance department for hiring assistance. The diocese uses Stang Decision Systems to help find the right individuals for open positions. The primary cost of the services are paid by the diocese. Parishes/schools would pay for advertising (beyond free sites) and candidate testing. Stang Decision Systems is a world leader in customized hiring and development processes and helps employers select for targeted skills, aptitude, and cultural fit. Those interested in hiring assistance should contact Tim Thomas at tthomas@dioceseofmarquette.org or 906-227-9114.

All parishes in the Diocese of Marquette will take up the 2023 National Church Collection on Aug. 12-13, 2023. The National Church Collection supports the following outreach ministries to the Universal Church: the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the National Retirement Fund for Religious, and the Catholic University Collection. Parish bookkeepers are advised to divide unspecified National Church fund donations evenly between the three individual collections using the Collection Counting Sheet. Bookkeepers may then complete their Combined Collection Transmittal forms to include with their payment to the Diocese. These collection resources can be found at dioceseofmarquette.org/forms. Please make checks out to “Diocese of Marquette-National Church Collection.”

Please see the Bulletin Announcements section for an announcement that can be placed in your parish bulletins to promote this collection.  Parishes may also print and use the Addendum #1 National Church Collection flyer as an optional bulletin insert. Please email imccauley@dioceseofmarquette.org to request a copy of this flyer in JPG format. We appreciate your attention to this very important matter.

The 2023 Parish Annual Financial Report is now available online on the Diocesan website at dioceseofmarquette.org/parish-annual-financial-report. PAFR submissions will be due to the Diocese by Aug. 31, 2023 and must include a Statement of Financial Position/Balance Sheet, Statement of Revenue & Expense/Income Statement, and 2023-2024 parish budget attachment for each parish submission. 

The 2023 PAFR will also require parishes and missions to include a list of the officers on the board of directors for the parish/mission and note the date of the board’s first meeting. If the meeting has not occurred before Aug. 31, 2023 or minutes are not yet available, please submit the report and send a copy of the board meeting minutes separately to imccauley@dioceseofmarquette.org as soon as possible. Please contact Irene McCauley with questions on PAFR submission requirements or for general form assistance. 

The Governance Report is due Sept. 30, 2023 and has been included in Addendum #2. Completed reports or questions should be sent directly to Irene McCauley.

All parishes and missions are reminded that changes to the supplemental portion of the Standardized Personnel Policy are due to the Diocese by Sept. 1, 2023. Any parishes planning to make changes to benefits administered by Michigan Catholic Conference (including short-term or long-term disability benefits, as well as health, dental, vision, or life insurance coverage) should also contact MCC by no later than Sept. 1 to ensure that these changes are processed for Jan. 1, 2024. Please call 800-395-5565 to report offering changes to MCC Benefits. 

If you are unsure whether your parish submitted changes to its supplementary personnel policies, please contact Irene McCauley to verify that your policy was received and approved. All parishes must submit parish supplemental policy drafts to the Diocese before implementing new policies at their parishes. Once the diocesan staff approve supplemental policies, copies will be returned to the parish for approval by the pastor and parish finance council before taking effect. 

Parish bookkeepers are also reminded that all parish employees must also sign policy acknowledgment forms to be recorded in employee personnel files.  

Please plan to join us for the Workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 10, for a day of education and fun. This year it is being held at St. Joseph’s Parish, 1889 Prairie Avenue, Ishpeming. More information will be sent out soon. You can check out the website at any time for last year’s workshop information and for this year’s upcoming details. We hope to see you there! Thanks for all you do.

There are four more weeks of summer activities at the Baraga Educational Center and Museum (615 S. Fourth Street, Marquette)!

StoryTime continues on Tuesdays from 1-2 p.m. with a story, snack, games and a craft. The last one of the summer will be Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Music on the Porch is every Thursday evening from 6-7 p.m. through Aug. 31.  Bring your lawn chair and enjoy some food, fun, fellowship and great music.

You also have time to register for Baraga Days which will be held in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.  Friday evening, Sept. 8 there is a Vespers Cruise from 5:30-7:30 p.m. followed by snacks and fellowship at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church.

On Saturday, Sept. 9 there are activities throughout the day, culminating in the Baraga Days Mass at 4 p.m. at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church followed by a banquet in the gymnasium of St. Mary Catholic School (directly across the street). For more information and to register please visit our website at www.bishopbaraga.org or contact the Bishop Baraga Association at 906-227-9117.  

This collection combines four special causes that aid the Church in America. 

In the United States, one in eight people lives in poverty. With this collection, you support programs that address the root causes of poverty and provide a sustainable future for those struggling across the country. In addition, 25 percent of funds collected remain in our diocese to fund local anti-poverty projects. Last year local grants were given to the St. Francis Connection Center and Catholic Social Services’ Re-entry and Recover Facility in Escanaba. Please prayerfully consider how you can support this collection and those working on the margins. Learn more at: usccb.org/cchd/collection. 

Like many Americans, religious communities face rising retirement and healthcare costs and often struggle to provide for elderly members. Please support the Retirement Fund for Religious collection at Mass. Learn more at: retiredreligious.org. 

Your contributions will strengthen the work of our top scholars. Located in Washington D.C., the University provides an education based in Catholic intellectual tradition. Please support this institution in preparing students to impact the Church, the nation, and the world. Learn more at: collection.catholic.edu.