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If you have any thoughts or suggestions to share, please email Sara at sshusta@dioceseofmarquette.org and John at jfee@dioceseofmarquette.org.

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

Jan. 13, 2024   Mission Combined Collection (Administration & Finance)

Jan. 14, 2024   Mission Combined Collection (Administration & Finance)

Jan. 25, 2024   Rite of Election Registration Deadline

Feb. 10, 2024   The U.P. Catholic Newspaper Collection (Administration & Finance)

Feb. 11, 2024   The U.P. Catholic Newspaper Collection (Administration & Finance)

Feb. 14, 2024   Diocesan Catholic Schools Collection (Administration & Finance)

Feb. 18, 2024   Diocesan Catholic Schools Collection (Administration & Finance)

Feb. 18, 2024   Rite of Election, St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette

This liturgy is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. EDT, at St. Peter Cathedral.  A memorandum from the bishop will be sent to the priests of the diocese by email and will include a registration/attendance form to be completed online. Each pastor of a parish or group of parishes may invite one delegate to represent their parish or to represent the group of parishes that are linked (one delegate per pastor). All are welcome to attend. Please look to your email for the memorandum in February 2024.

A diocesan prayer calendar is available for 2024, which contains the names of our priests, deacons, women religious, seminarians, parishes, and general intercessions.  Join us in praying for our dedicated religious, as well as the parishioners of our parishes. The calendar may be found on our diocesan website with the following link: 2024 Diocesan Prayer Calendar.

Just a reminder:  Any parish that has more Mass intentions and Mass stipends than they can satisfy in a year should send the Mass intentions and corresponding Mass stipend check to the diocesan office c/o:  Terry Bailey, Office of the Bishop, 1004 Harbor Hills Drive, Marquette, MI 49855. You will receive a letter acknowledging our acceptance of the responsibility to see that the Mass intentions are celebrated. The Mass intentions and stipends will be distributed to senior priests of the diocese who celebrate Masses or may be distributed to parishes who need Mass intentions. (Canon 953 No one is permitted to accept more offerings for Masses to be applied by himself than he can satisfy within a year).

The Fellowship of Catholic Scholars has made available to clergy a website features periodic newsletter, free of charge.  Each monthly installment of Teaching the Faith makes use of the scriptural readings for a given Sunday in order to provide clergy with assistance in preparing homilies on doctrinal topics, difficult and perhaps controversial subjects of current importance, and themes in Catholic prayer and spirituality. The website may be found at: https://www.catholicscholars.org/TTFlist.php

Just a reminder: Reproducing the daily and Sunday readings in parish aids or bulletins requires licensing from the USCCB. It is being encouraged to become a licensee if your parish is not already. The current rate is from $200 per year for up to 250 copies per Sunday to $1,500 per year for 1,500 copies or more per week. (Fees are assessed separately for English and Spanish.) To license the readings properly, your parish can simply contact Mary Elizabeth Sperry at msperry@usccb.org. Improper licensing creates a risk of undermining the ability of the Conference to enforce its rights against commercial endeavors that use these Scripture translations in for-profit manners.

Please continue to input your weekly weekend Mass attendance counts (for all Vigil and Sunday Masses combined) each week.  The weekly Mass Attendance counts will give us a baseline for our Mass attendance as we work together to increase Mass attendance through evangelization efforts discussed in Bishop John’s Pastoral Letter on Evangelization, entitled: “Transforming Fire: A New Pentecost to form Spirit-Filled Evangelizers.”  If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Bishop at (906) 227-9115.  Weekly Weekend Mass Attendance Counts Form Link. Mass Attendance (jotform.com)

St. Francis de Sales in Manistique has 14 extra Lector Workbooks available for $5 each if anyone in the diocese is interested. Please contact Julie in the parish office at (906) 341-5355.

The updated Mass Coverage Help-Out Roster includes Associate Pastors, Active Priests, Senior Priests, Priests in Neighboring Dioceses, and Missionary Organizations.  Please contact Carmen Hammes for a copy of the list chammes@dioceseofmarquette.org.

CHILDREN'S SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING 

Children's Safe Environment training numbers are due by Jan. 31. Please have your instructors present the safe environment materials to all of your students by Jan. 31. These materials, located on the diocesan website, must be presented in the classroom and not solely sent home with the students for the parents to review. Children absent from class on the date materials are covered should have the materials reviewed with them as soon as the child returns to class. All children are to be trained in Safe Environment, per the Diocese of Marquette Safe Environment policy. Please see the Diocese of Marquette website, Protecting Children page, for materials, policy and reporting Jotform links. If you do not have a Faith Formation program at your parish, please send me a quick e-mail.  Questions can be directed to Martha Tomasi mtomasi@dioceseofmarquette.org.

2024 Safe Environment Internal Audits will be sent via email by the end of January. These audits provide important information required for the national audit. Please ensure that your Local Safe Environment Coordinator, LoSEC, receives the email and responds in a timely manner. Parishes with pastors who have not delegated a LoSEC will be responsible for completing the audit.

Questions can be directed to Martha Tomasi mtomasi@dioceseofmarquette.org.

The Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024 at St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette at 3:30 pm ET. Registration for this event is open and must be completed/submitted by Jan. 25, 2024.

Please fill out this form even if your parish will NOT be attending. Register at https://form.jotform.com/DioceseofMarquette/rite-of-election-2024.

Inform any catechumens or candidates in your parish to put this date on their calendars and plan on attending.  Please direct any questions to Mark Salisbury at (906) 227-9127 or email msalisbury@dioceseofmarquette.org.

Don’t miss this special opportunity to hear from one of the USCCB's National Eucharistic Preachers!

Spring Study Day is March 21, 2024. Our presenter this year is Fr. Luke Ferris, a National Eucharistic Preacher and currently pastor of the Kaukauna Catholic Parishes in Kaukauna, Wis.  Fr. Ferris was named a National Eucharistic Preacher by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops last year.

Fr. Ferris will speak about Encountering Jesus in the Eucharist, the Experience of Encountering Jesus in the Eucharist, Obstacles to Jesus’ Eucharistic Presence, and Encountering Jesus in Mass and Adoration.

Cost is $15; morning refreshments, lunch and materials are included.

Click here for more information and/or to register:

Registration for Spring Confirmations is now open.

The Masses have been scheduled as follows:

Diocesan and St. Peter Cathedral Vicariate Confirmations (combined)

St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette               3:30 p.m. ET         April 21, 2024

Holy Name of Mary Vicariate

St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Ignace,               3 p.m. ET              April 28, 2024

St. Mary Norway Vicariate

American Martyrs, Kingsford                  3 p.m. CT              May 5, 2024

The Diocesan Confirmation is open to all adults, youth younger than grade 11 who have permission from the bishop to be confirmed, and youth from vicariates other than St. Peter Cathedral Vicariate, St. Mary Norway Vicariate, and Holy Name of Mary Vicariate. 

If you have any questions please contact Mark Salisbury, (906) 227-9127 or msalisbury@dioceseofmarquette.org.

SAVE THE DATE
The upcoming principals' meeting is Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 from 10 a.m. to noon via Zoom.

SCHOOL COUNCIL MINUTES 
All schools are reminded they are to submit all agendas and minutes from school council meetings and supporting committee meetings to our office after each meeting.  Minutes and agendas should be sent to Sara Shusta at sshusta@dioceseofmarquette.org.

ASH WEDNESDAY COLLECTION
On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14, or the first weekend of Lent, Feb. 17-18, the annual Catholic School Collection will occur.  Funds from this collection support all nine of our Catholic Schools in our mission to assist students and families to encounter Jesus Christ, to form disciples of Christ and provide an excellent academic formation.

SACRAMENTS AND RCIA PHOTOS
Please send photos of First Communion, Confirmation and RCIA groups for publication in The U.P. Catholic’s annual Sacraments and RCIA issue. Be sure to list names (left to right) front row, second row, third row, back row, etc.  Photos may be sent by e-mail to news@dioceseofmarquette.org or mailed to The U.P. Catholic, 1004 Harbor Hills Dr., Marquette, MI 49855. 

Contact information is critical to ensure all diocesan communications are being sent to the correct staff.  We often do not hear about staffing changes until a communication is missed, so we’d like to try to capture changes as they happen versus just annually on the Parish Annual Administrative Reports.  To help us keep you all up to date, please begin using the link below - Parish Staff Update Form - to let us know when there are changes in administrative staff, bookkeepers, faith formation coordinators, etc.  Please note the fields on the form will expand as you type.  Direct any questions to Sara Shusta sshusta@dioceseofmarquette.org. Thank you!

The U.P. Catholic publishes wedding, baptism and death notices of parishioners in each issue that are submitted by parish secretaries. Please see the links below to submit any of these for your parish(es).  If you have any questions, please contact Sara Shusta, sshusta@dioceseofmarquette.org.

The 2024 Priest Accountable Reimbursement Report Form with the mileage

rate of 67 cents, effective Jan. 1, 2024, can be found in Addendum #1 of this Communicator. The form is also available on the Diocesan website under Administration/Policy Manuals/Diocesan Policies/Administration and Finance/Forms & Resources. If you have any questions, please contact Irene McCauley.

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Michigan workers will see an increase in the minimum wage rate from $10.10 to $10.33 per hour. Please see Addendum #2 for a poster outlining this minimum wage law. These posters can also be found on the Michigan Catholic Conference’s website at http://www.micatholic.org/risk-management/information-and-forms/ and are updated routinely. For more information regarding employment posting requirements, please contact Michigan Catholic Conference’s Risk Management department at (800) 395-5565.

The maximum 403(b) contribution for 2024 is $23,000 unless the employee is age 50 or over. Members over 50 years of age will be allowed an additional “catch-up” contribution of $7,500.

Parishes may take the optional U.P. Catholic newspaper collection on Feb. 10-11, 2024. Parishes should retain the proceeds of this collection to offset the expense of providing the newspaper to their parishioners. Please do not mail a check to the diocesan office for funds collected. Please find a bulletin insert for this collection in the Bulletin Announcement section of this communicator. 

Parishioners can also donate to this collection online by visiting osvhub.com/dioceseofmarquette/giving/funds/the-u-p-catholic-newspaper-collection. 

Parishes may hold the Marquette Diocesan Catholic Schools collection on Feb. 14 (Ash Wednesday) or Feb. 18 (the first Sunday of Lent). Please find a bulletin insert for this collection in the Bulletin Announcement section of this communicator. Parishioners can also donate to this collection online by visiting osvhub.com/dioceseofmarquette/giving/funds/marquette-diocesan-catholic-schools-ash-wednesday.

While not a diocesan collection, parishes are also encouraged to participate in the CRS Rice Bowl Lenten initiative in 2024.  Materials and information can be found at crsricebowl.org. 

Please see the Diocesan Collection Schedule for 2025 included in Addendum #3. This schedule and corresponding sample envelopes have been mailed to parish-identified envelope companies.  If you have any questions about the 2025 Collection Schedule, please contact Irene McCauley.

Diocesan staff will begin transferring properties to new parish corporations this month. Parishes will receive a summary of all land parcels transferred to the corporation and copies of the deeds recorded with local County Clerks/Registers of Deeds. Please file these documents with other parish incorporation records at the parish office once received and look out for additional instructions on transferring parish assets and liabilities in the coming months. If you have any questions about the parish incorporation process, please contact Tim Thomas or Irene McCauley for additional assistance. 

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released a new IRS determination letter supporting the tax-exempt status of parishes, schools, and other Catholic entities in the Diocese of Marquette last month.  Please find the new proofs of your tax-exempt status (including the determination letter, a memo from USCCB Counsel, and pages from the latest edition of the Official Catholic Directory) on the diocesan website here. This information is also available as Addendum #4 of this Communicator.

Looking for financial assistance with your college education?  Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Bibianne Bessette Scholarship Fund. The scholarships aid graduating high school seniors who are pursuing a college or vocational education at an accredited degree-granting institution. Consideration is based on academic achievement.  Applicants must complete the online application found at dioceseofmarquette.org/awards-scholarships and either mail an Official Transcript and ACT/SAT scores (via postal mail) to: Bessette Scholarship Fund, Diocese of Marquette, 1004 Harbor Hills Drive, Marquette, MI 49855 or email transcripts to Irene McCauley at imccauley@dioceseofmarquette.org

The Legacy of Faith Board of Directors invites all Diocese of Marquette parishes, missions, and ministries to apply for grant funding for faith formation programs taking place during the 2024-2025 fiscal year.  This year’s Faith Formation grants should focus on proposals that promote a deepened understanding and a reinvigorated belief in the Eucharist, as well as on proposals that encourage evangelization and growth within the Church. Be sure to visit our website at https://upcatholicfoundation.org/grant-information/ for resources relating to this year’s grant cycle and to access the grant application.  The application deadline is April 1, 2024 for programs to be implemented between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

PARISH ENDOWMENTS
Parish endowments through the Upper Peninsula Catholic Foundation enhance ministry and provide opportunity for parishioners to support the parish forever. Please visit our website at www.upcatholicfoundation.org for more information.

YOUR GIFT MATTERS
Link the diocesan Planned Giving website on your own parish website.  New content is provided quarterly. Here is the latest article:

The Baraga Educational Center and Museum is open on Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. through the end of March.  We are happy to schedule additional days/times for you to visit the Museum and shop from the Gift Shop.  Please contact us at (906) 227-9117 if you would like to schedule a tour outside of our Seasonal hours.

Save the date for our Annual Virtual Snowshoe Walk in honor of Bishop Frederic Baraga.  From Jan. 19-31, 2024, we invite you to snowshoe, walk, ski, or hike in honor of our beloved Snowshoe Priest. Keep track of your miles; the adult and youth participants who logs the most miles in honor of Baraga will receive a gift from the BBA.  Winners will be announced Feb. 2, 2024!  Please submit your mileage and tell us a little bit about your adventures to lmckeen@bishopbaraga.org. Find more information at our website www.bishopbaraga.org/snowshoe. 

In addition, attached in the addenda is the poster as well social media post/supporting graphic. Please feel free to use any of these pieces. 

Support your parish by supporting The U.P. Catholic Newspaper collection on Feb. 10-11, 2024. Your donation goes to your parish to help pay its portion of the subscription cost for the diocesan newspaper, which is mailed to all registered Catholic households. If your parish does not participate in this collection, you can still contribute by placing your donation in an envelope marked “The U.P. Catholic Newspaper” and dropping it in your parish collection basket or at your parish office. You can also donate to this collection online by visiting:

osvhub.com/dioceseofmarquette/giving/funds/the-u-p-catholic-newspaper-collection. 

The Marquette Diocesan Catholic Schools collection is Feb. 14 (Ash Wednesday) or Feb. 18 (the first Sunday of Lent). Funds from this collection support all nine of our Catholic Schools in their mission to teach our Catholic Liberal Arts curriculum, which forms our children both spiritually and academically. Your support provides critical tuition assistance for families who might not otherwise be able to send their children to a Catholic school. An envelope has been provided for registered parishioners to participate in this year’s collection. You can also donate to this collection online by visiting osvhub.com/dioceseofmarquette/giving/funds/marquette-diocesan-catholic-schools-ash-wednesday. We thank you in advance for your generous support of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Marquette!

NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS 

July 17-21, 2024/Indianapolis, Ind.

The Diocese of Marquette has purchased 75 tickets to the National Eucharist Congress thanks to a Legacy of Faith grant.

If you’d like to register for one, visit: https://petersway.com/1049.html and click the “Make a Deposit” button before Jan. 31.

If you don’t need to reserve a hotel room (at the reduced price listed) you won’t have to enter your credit card information. The 75 free tickets are available first come/first served. If you have trouble with the website, call Megan at Petersway Travel at (516) 605-1551 ext. 18 or email her at megan@petersway.com