Diocesan Communicator
March 2025
Publishes monthly on the second Wednesday
BRIAN MALONE l LAKE SUPERIOR PHOTO
Celebrating marriage! Diocesan and Cathedral Director of Sacred Music Benjamin O'Brien, his wife Hannah, and the youngest of their three children enjoy dinner and fellowship at the Married Couples Dinner at St. Peter Cathedral on March 1, 2025. The dinner, which celebrates the gift of marriage, is hosted annually by St. Peter Cathedral.
Welcome to the
Diocesan Communicator
The Diocesan Communicator is delivered through Flocknote. You are now able to read the information right in your email message!
If you have any thoughts or suggestions to share, please email Sara at sshusta@dioceseofmarquette.org and John at jfee@dioceseofmarquette.org.
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.
Important Dates and Deadlines
March 15, 2025 57th UPCSA Parish Payment Deadline (Administration & Finance)
March 15, 2025 Bibianne Bessette Scholarship Submission Deadline (Administration & Finance)
April 15, 2025 Deadline to Notify Michigan Catholic Conference of July 1, 2025 Benefit Changes
May 10, 2025 St. Joseph Association/Good Shepherd Sunday Collection (Stewardship & Development)
May 11, 2025 St. Joseph Association/Good Shepherd Sunday Collection (Stewardship & Development)
April 30, 2025 Diocesan Catholic Schools Collection Remittance Deadline (Stewardship & Development)
Office of the Bishop
Bishop John F. Doerfler
This liturgy is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET, at St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette. A memorandum was sent (via email) in February to the priests of the Diocese of Marquette regarding the Chrism Mass. If you did not receive a copy of the memorandum, please reach out to Mr. Terry Bailey at tbailey@dioceseofmarquette.org. 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). Please note that this year there will not be the required registration form to submit - all are welcome to attend!
GUIDANCE ON THE TOPIC OF IN VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF)
With the practice of in vitro fertilization (IVF) likely returning to a national spotlight starting with an executive order issued by the president in February, I take this opportunity to share with you a “Parish Leader Kit” that the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities has recently begun distributing.
I hope that you find its contents helpful in navigating this sensitive area, where we must clearly form the faithful to be more aware of the problems with assisted reproductive technologies and meaningfully accompany and encourage married couples struggling with the heavy cross of infertility. I would especially draw your attention to the new “Catholic Primer on In Vitro Fertilization,” which is now available as a parish bulletin insert, and the “Notes for Clergy.”
Finally, below I am also sharing a statement offered by Bishop Robert Barron and the Most Reverend Daniel Thomas, Bishop of Toledo and Chairman of the
USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, in response to the president’s executive order, “Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization”:
• https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/ivf-destroys-human-life-bishops-urge-ethical-alternatives – chairman’s statement in response to presidential executive order of Feb. 18, 2025
• https://www.usccb.org/resources/25-IVF-parish-kit-FINAL-022025.pdf - Parish Leader Kit: IVF & Other Assisted Reproductive Technologies
• https://www.usccb.org/resources/catholic-primer-vitro-fertilization - A Catholic Primer on In Vitro Fertilization – in English and Spanish
• https://www.usccb.org/resources/notes-clergy-addressing-ivf-flock - Notes for Clergy: Addressing IVF with the Flock – in English and Spanish
Please consider sharing these resources with priests, deacons, diocesan staff, educators, parish and ministry leaders who may help form and minister to the faithful wrestling with questions or experiences related to fertility.
VIDEO RESOURCES ON SCRIPTURES
In 2019, Pope Francis established the Sunday of the Word of God to be celebrated each year on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. As the Holy Father stated in his apostolic letter instituting the observance, “Devoting a specific Sunday of the liturgical year to the word of God can enable the Church to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world” (Aperuit illus, no. 2).
On Jan. 26, 2025, in observance of the Sunday of the Word of God, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, through a grant from the American Bible Society, released a “Sunday Seminar Series” of six videos about Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church. These videos, available in English and Spanish, feature bishops and biblical scholars and are accompanied by discussion/reflection questions.
The videos are available at: https://catholic.bible/sunday-of-the-word-of-god/.
You are invited to share this information in your parish bulletins, on your parish website, and through your social media platforms.
Office of the Chancellor
and Divine Worship
Rev. Daniel Moll
FACULTIES TO CONFIRM
Fr. Dan Moll has provided information regarding the specific faculties priests have in regards to Confirmation and the situations requiring the permission of the bishop to confirm. If you have any questions regarding the information provided in the document, please contact Fr. Dan at: dmoll@dioceseofmarquette.org or call (906) 227-9154. Addendum - Faculties to Confirm.
Fr. Dan Moll has provided information regarding the specific faculties priests have in regards to Confirmation and the situations requiring the permission of the bishop to confirm. If you have any questions regarding the information provided in the document, please contact Fr. Dan at: dmoll@dioceseofmarquette.org or call (906) 227-9154. Addendum - Faculties to Confirm.
TIME OF THE EASTER VIGIL
Please be advised that Bishop Doerfler has determined that the Easter Vigil (April 19, 2025) Mass times this year will begin no earlier than 9 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. CT. If you have any questions, please contact Deacon Paul Lochner at plochner@dioceseofmarquette.org.
Please be advised that Bishop Doerfler has determined that the Easter Vigil (April 19, 2025) Mass times this year will begin no earlier than 9 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. CT. If you have any questions, please contact Deacon Paul Lochner at plochner@dioceseofmarquette.org.
CONCERTS AND RECITALS
April 22 (Tuesday) - Music For A Sacred Space Concert at 7:30 p.m. St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette. Northern Michigan University Choirs with Dr. Erin Colwitz
May 9 (Friday) - Spring Sacred Music Concert featuring the Cathedral Choir & Youth Schola singing liturgical themes of Lent, Holy Week, Easter at 7 p.m. St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette
*Freewill offering (no tickets required)
June 17 (Tuesday) - Pipe Organ Recital with David Troiano at (time TBD) St. Joseph’s & St. Patrick’s, Escanaba
*Freewill offering (no tickets required)
June 18 (Wednesday) - Pipe Organ Recital with David Troiano at 7 p.m. St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette
*Freewill offering (no tickets required)
June 19 (Thursday) - Pipe Organ Recital with David Troiano at (time TBD) Holy Name of Mary, Sault Ste. Marie
*Freewill offering (no tickets required)
June 20 (Friday) - Summer Sacred Music Concert featuring Cathedral Choir & Youth Schola singing liturgical themes from the feasts of The Most Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Ordinary Time at 7 p.m. St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette
*Freewill offering (no tickets required)
SACRED MUSIC COLLOQUIUM
June 23-28 (Monday-Saturday) -- Hosted by CMAA (Church Music Association of America) at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. Extensive training in Gregorian chant, Polyphonic choral music, conducting, organ playing under a world-class faculty, with choices of chant classes for beginners to advanced. Don't miss this opportunity for choir directors, cantors, choir members, pianists/organists, priests, deacons, and seminarians!
SACRED MUSIC SYMPOSIUM
June 23-29 (Monday-Sunday) -- Hosted by Corpus Christi Watershed at Muskegon, Mich. Extensive training in Gregorian chant, Polyphonic choral music, conducting, organ playing under a world-class faculty, with choices of chant classes for beginners to advanced. Don't miss this opportunity for choir directors, cantors, choir members, pianists/organists, priests, deacons, and seminarians!
Department of Ministry Personnel
Very Rev. Timothy Ekaitis
PERMANENT DIACONATE
Deacon Retreat – March 24-26, 2025
Jesuit Retreat House – Oshkosh, Wis.
Theme: The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius & Spiritual Direction Pro Tips
See schedule attachment below.
JotForm RSVP https://www.jotform.com/form/61715981340961
2025 PRIEST CONVOCATION
- September 15-18, 2025
- Comfort Suites – Green Bay, Wis.
- Speaker: Cardinal Thomas Collins
- Topic: Praying the Psalms of the Liturgy of the Hours
See schedule below.
2025 DEACON CONVOCATION
- October 19-21, 2025
- Landmark Resort in Egg Harbor, Wis.
- Speaker: Deacon Steven DeMartino
See preliminary schedule below.
Department of Evangelization
and Education
Rev. Ryan Ford
SPRING STUDY DAY 2025
Mark your calendars for Spring Study Day: Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at St. Peter Cathedral. The topic this year is 'Equipping the Faithful.' Deacon Mike Houghton from the Archdiocese of Detroit will present practical ways to live your faith in everyday life, and strategies to share the Good News at work and wherever people gather. Deacon Mike worked 35 years in the automotive industry and now uses his experiences living and sharing the faith in the business world to help others do the same.
Cost is $15 and includes refreshments, lunch, and materials. Registration is open at: yoopercatholic.org/spring-study-day.
CONFIRMATION
The Confirmation Mass registration form is now live for Spring 2025 Confirmations. Deadlines for registrations are in April. Visit dioceseofmarquette.org/diocesanconfirmation for updated preparation resources.
Communication Services
John Fee
NEWS TO SHARE
Please remember to contact the Diocesan Communications Staff at news@dioceseofmarquette.org if your parish/school is celebrating any major milestones, events, missions or outreach in 2025.
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 email to news@dioceseofmarquette.org or mailed to The U.P. Catholic, 1004 Harbor Hills Dr., Marquette, MI 49855.
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 email to news@dioceseofmarquette.org or mailed to The U.P. Catholic, 1004 Harbor Hills Dr., Marquette, MI 49855.
EASTER MASS TIMES
The U.P. Catholic is planning to publish Easter Mass Times in the April 11 issue of the paper. Please submit Mass times using the form below no later than Friday, March 21.
Financial Services
Timothy Thomas
Please note the following wage increases in 2025:
- Effective Jan. 1, 2025, Michigan workers saw an increase in the minimum wage rate from $10.33 to $10.56 per hour.
- Effective Feb. 21, 2025, Michigan workers saw an increase in the minimum wage rate from $10.56 to $12.48 per hour.
Please see Addendum #1 for a poster outlining minimum wage laws in the State of Michigan. 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.
Local property tax assessors began contacting parish corporations regarding the tax-exempt status of their properties in February 2025. Parishes can expect to receive letters from assessors listing which land parcels will become taxable in 2025.
If you receive a letter indicating that one of the parcels transferred to your parish corporation is now taxable, it is critical to determine whether the parcel should be exempt. Property can be considered tax-exempt in Michigan if it meets any of the following criteria:
- The property is “owned and occupied by a nonprofit charitable institution” and used by the institution “solely for the purposes for which that nonprofit charitable institution was incorporated.” This includes churches, rectories, and buildings or other facilities owned by the corporation and used predominantly for religious services or for teaching the religious truths and beliefs of the Catholic Church.
- The property is owned by a nonprofit charitable institution and leased, loaned, or made available to another charitable institution, nonprofit hospital, or nonprofit educational institution.
- The property is owned by a nonprofit charitable institution and leased, loaned, or made available to a government entity.
- Property that is “used exclusively as burial grounds, the rights of burial, and the tombs and monuments in the land.” This includes cemeteries and adjacent land set aside for future cemetery usage.
Parishes should note that property leased for residential purposes is taxable, but if the leased portion sits on the same parcel as the church, only a portion of the property would be designated taxable.
If you receive a letter from your assessor claiming that property belonging to your parish corporation is taxable, please review your property records to determine if the land is being used to further the nonprofit mission of the Church as described above. If you believe the assessor has incorrectly classified one of your parcels as taxable, contact Tim Thomas or Irene McCauley with a copy of the assessor’s letter as soon as possible. Representatives of the Diocese will appear before Tax Boards of Review in the first weeks of March to dispute any property tax errors connected to parcels transferred to parish corporations.
If you have additional questions about your parish corporation’s basis for property tax exemption in the State of Michigan, please see Addendum #2 for excerpts from the current statutes supporting this status. If you have any other property tax exemption questions, please contact Tim Thomas or Irene McCauley.
UPDATED STANDARDIZED PERSONNEL POLICY COMING SOON
Following recent changes to Michigan Law, the Diocese will be releasing updated Standardized Personnel Policies to be adopted by all parishes and schools in the coming months. The policy documents promulgated by Bishop Doerfler on Feb. 11, 2025 should be disregarded, as these will be replaced by revised documents reflecting changes to Michigan Law. While these documents are being revised, we are advising parish and school entities to wait for further information from the diocesan office before adopting updated Standardized Personnel Policies. More information, including editable copies of the updated Standardized Personnel Policies, will be provided to pastors and bookkeepers as soon as possible. If you have any questions following the release of the updated personnel policies, please contact Terry Bailey or Tim Thomas for further assistance.
PARISH UPCSA PAYMENT DUE MARCH 15, 2025
As a reminder, parish UPCSA payments for the 57th campaign will be due to the diocese by March 15, 2025. Please plan to remit the balance of your 57th UPCSA goal to the diocesan office on or before March 15th to avoid penalties. If you need to schedule an ACH/EFT or make other payment arrangements, please contact Tim Thomas or Casey Banks for further assistance.
4.5% SPENDING POLICY RECOMMENDATION FOR ENDOWMENT FUNDS FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR
The Diocese of Marquette Spending Committee recommends that endowment funds withdraw up to 4.5% in assets for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. They additionally recommend that endowments use a five-year weighted average of the fund to determine the balance against which the annual spending percentage is applied. Please refer to the Diocese of Marquette Spending Policy for all Endowment Funds in Addendum #3 for more information on spending policy recommendations.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR HIRING ASSISTANCE THROUGH ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE DEPARTMENT
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.
PLANNING FOR WINTER WEATHER AND EXTREME LOW TEMPERATURES
Please see the memo from Justin Mattson at Michigan Catholic Conference (included as Addendum #4 in this Communicator) containing important reminders about how to avoid property damage in extreme cold and extreme winter conditions. If you experience property damage despite these precautions, please do not hesitate to call Gallagher Bassett Services at (833) MCC-LOSS (622-5677).
LEARN ABOUT TAX SCAMS AND CONSUMER ALERTS FROM THE IRS
The Internal Revenue Service regularly publishes information for employers and consumers to protect themselves and their businesses from potential threats. Please see more details on scams used in 2024 and 2025 in Addendum #5.
Department of
Stewardship & Development
Megan O'Connor
LOF GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR FAITH FORMATION PROGRAMS CLOSE APRIL 1
- Legacy of Faith invites grant applications that foster a deeper understanding and renewed belief in the Eucharist, as well as support religious education that aligns with the bishop's vision for forming Spirit-filled evangelizers. This vision includes three key steps: 1) Be a friend of Jesus: through personal encounter and prayer; 2) Make a friend: by building a community of love and forming welcoming parishes; 3) Introduce your friend to Jesus: by sharing Jesus with others and helping them make a personal decision to follow him in faith.
- Submit Legacy of Faith grant applications Jan. 1-April 1, 2025, at upcatholicfoundation.org/grant-information.
- Please pass this notice on to anyone in your parish who may wish to apply for a grant for Faith Formation.
PARISH UPCSA PAYMENTS DUE
Parish UPCSA payments for the 57th campaign are due to the diocese by March 15, 2025. However, to include parishioner-personalized pledge data for the 58th UPCSA campaign, information should have been submitted by Feb. 1. If received after this date, parishioners will not be reminded of their previous year's contributions in the initial UPCSA kickoff letter. For assistance with scheduling an ACH/EFT or making other payment arrangements, please contact Tim Thomas for further assistance.
PASS ON YOUR FAITH WITH A PLANNED GIFT TO THE CHURCH
- Add a link to the diocesan Planned Giving website on your parish website! New content is updated quarterly. Below is the latest for you to use in your bulletin:
- The end of the year is a good time to consider how you will pass on your faith. If you are considering a planned gift to your church, please visit the diocesan planned giving website here: https://dioceseofmarquette.planmygift.org/ and utilize the resources we have made available for you.
COLLECTION ANNOUNCEMENTS:
2026 COLLECTION SCHEDULE
Please see the Diocesan Collection Schedule for 2026 here: dioceseofmarquette.org/administration-finance. If you have any questions about the 2026 Collection Schedule, please contact Megan O’Connor at (906) 379-5057 or moconnor@dioceseofmarquette.org.
MARQUETTE DIOCESAN PRIEST RETIREMENT (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY) COLLECTION
Make plans now to promote the annual Good Shepherd Collection, which will be taken up in all parishes on May 11. This collection supports the retired priests of the Diocese of Marquette. An envelope has been provided for registered parishioners to participate in this year’s collection. You can also make a donation online at osvhub.com/dioceseofmarquette/giving/funds. We thank you in advance for your generous support of the retired priests of the Diocese of Marquette!
Collection Remittance Deadlines
Several diocesan collections are held in the early part of the new year. Please be sure to mark collection remittance deadlines on your calendar to ensure parishioner donations are transferred to individual organizations promptly for maximum impact. Please contact Megan O'Connor with questions regarding parish remittance deadlines.
Parishes held the Mission Collection on Jan. 12, 2025, to support the Black & Indian Mission, Catholic Home Mission, Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa, and the Propagation of the Faith. Collection funds should have been submitted to the Diocese by Feb. 28, 2024.
Parishes held the optional U.P. Catholic Newspaper collection on Feb. 9, 2025. 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.
The Marquette Diocesan Catholic Schools Collection 2025 was held on March 5 (Ash Wednesday) or March 9 (first Sunday of Lent). Please remit funds to the Diocese by April 30, 2025.
A TAX-SAVING WAY TO HELP THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF MARQUETTE
Please include in your bulletins: Make a difference today and save on taxes. It is possible when you support the Catholic Diocese of Marquette through your IRA! Check out dioceseofmarquette.planmygift.org/give-from-your-ira for more information!
STEWARDSHIP E-NEWS
Check out the latest issue of the Stewardship E-News here. Don’t forget to invite your parishioners to subscribe using this link: Stewardship E-News Subscription. We respect your privacy and will not share subscriber emails outside our organization.
Bishop Baraga Association
Lenora McKeen
YEAR OF HOPE WITH BISHOP BARAGA
As we enter into the 2025 Jubilee Pilgrims of Hope, the Bishop Baraga Association would like to invite you to a Year of Hope with Bishop Frederic Baraga, the first Bishop of Marquette!
PILGRIMS OF HOPE
The BBA launched its 2025 Jubilee Pilgrims of Hope- Bishop Baraga Edition Passport in January. IT IS NOT TO LATE TO JOIN US! We created a 2025 guide complete with challenges, adventures and activities to cross off, bringing us all closer to Jesus through Bishop Baraga, deepening our faith and restoring hope. ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES CAN BE DONE INDEPENDENTLY! Those who complete the entire passport and turn it into the BBA will receive a gift in January 2026.
BISHOP BARAGA PILGRIMAGES
The BBA will be highlighting Bishop Baraga's teachings and will be coordinating multiple pilgrimages this summer. Stay tuned for full details!
The BBA will be highlighting Bishop Baraga's teachings and will be coordinating multiple pilgrimages this summer. Stay tuned for full details!
Novenas, prayer cards and the 2025 Jubilee Pilgrims of Hope- Bishop Baraga Edition Passport are available by contacting the Bishop Baraga Association at (906) 227-9117 or stopping at the Baraga Educational Center and Museum (Thursday & Friday 12-5 p.m.) located at 615 S. Fourth Street, Marquette, MI 49855 or
by visiting our website at www.bishopbaraga.org
Bulletin Announcements
NOMINATE A CATHOLIC SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT
Developed in the spirit of Legacy of Faith to preserve and foster the Catholic faith in the Upper Peninsula, the Catholic Service Award annually recognizes lifetime dedication and service to the Church. Learn more about the prestigious award and nominate someone that you feel deserves this honor and recognition at upcatholicfoundation.org/catholic-service-awards. Nominations due annually by May 1.
PILGRIMAGE TO POLAND
Join Fr. Corey Litzner, and Deacon Steve & Jackie Gretzinger as the Diocese of Marquette presents a Religious & Fun Pilgrimage to Poland Oct. 14-23, 2025. We will entrust our time together to the maternal protection of our dear Lady of Czestochowa, in imitation of the great St. John Paul II. We will also have an opportunity to reflect on lives of heroic holiness in Polish saints such as St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Faustina. Our itinerary will bring us to many places important to the life of St. Pope John Paul II. We’ll visit Krakow, where Fr. Karol Wojtyla began his life as a priest and offered his first Mass. In Zakopane, we’ll explore the beautiful Tatra Mountains, where St. John Paul II spent time as a hiker, skier, and priest with youth trips. Our pilgrimage will take us to Częstochowa’s Jasna Góra Monastery and the Chapel of the miraculous icon of the Black Madonna, as well as the former concentration camp of Auschwitz, the site of martyrdom for St. Maximilian Kolbe. We look forward to being with you for this wonderful pilgrimage. The cost is $4,795.00 p.p. dbl. occ. & includes eight (8) nights accommodations at first-class hotels, breakfast & dinner daily. For full itinerary and/or reservations, visit: https://www.petersway.com/1300.html or contact: Megan at Peter’s Way Pilgrimages (516) 605-1551 / megan@petersway.com.
Addenda
Addendum - Faculties to Confirm
Addendum #1 - WHD 9904 Minimum Wage Poster
Addendum #2 - MCL Sections 211.7-Property Tax Act
Addendum #3 - Diocese of Marquette Spending Policy for All Endowment Funds
Addendum #4 - Anticipation of Extreme Low Winter Temperatures
Addendum #5 - Tax Scams and Fraud
