The cooler weather has certainly arrived, hasn't it?
As fall approaches and brings with it the Upper Peninsula Catholic Service Appeal, I look back on the extraordinary last six months and gratefully count the many ways the Church has accompanied us all during that time.
Our priests have offered us online Mass, outdoor Mass, and outdoor confession, and kept us informed as restrictions lifted.
Catholic Social Services has provided telehealth and kept residents safe at the Alpha Omega homes.
Our Catholic schools along with parish faith formation went online and are now providing a safe space in which to continue Catholic teaching.
Seminarians have provided online daily meditations and our parishes have reached out by phone and email to keep us connected.
Our Diocesan Finance department partnered with parishes in securing federal loans to keep parish staff working, while the Stewardship office provided a way for all parishes to receive gifts online.
Your donations to UPCSA helped put all these extraordinary tasks into place. Please prayerfully consider your gift to UPCSA along with this message from Bishop John Doerfler.
Gratefully,
Terri
Got 58-seconds? Click here to watch the new UPCSA seminarian video – just one of many programs supported by the appeal.
A beautiful farewell Mass was celebrated at the Sault Tribe Cultural Center on Aug. 24, 2020, for Brother (Father) John Hascall OFM Cap. Many at the Mass spoke fondly of the priest, including Bishop John Doerfler of the Diocese of Marquette. The Capuchin priest and pastor of the missions of St. Isaac Jogues in Sault Ste. Marie, Holy Family in Barbeau and St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Bay Mills, is a native of Sault Ste. Marie, is a medicine man who celebrates bilingual Masses in English and Ojibwa. He was ordained a priest in 1967. Due to health concerns, he's moving to the Capuchin St. Fidelis Community in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Livestreaming Mass! Just one of the many ways the diocese, parishes, and priests have accompanied us during the pandemic. Check out all the new communication tools, like this newsletter, we are using to keep in touch here.
Bishop Baraga Days Goes Virtual! It was a difficult decision but the 2020 Bishop Baraga Days went virtual this past weekend. The good news? You can access all the fun at your own leisure, any time you want, from the comfort of your own home. Click here to get started.
Here's a photo showing building progress on St. Ignatius’ construction of their new Faith Formation and Evangelization Center. This, in the midst of a pandemic!
In February 2020, St. Ignatius Loyola received approval for a 1:1 Catholic Extension matching grant of $50K toward the construction project of their new center. What a blessing!
The Perpetual Profession of Vows Ceremony of Sr. Laurie Sullivan, FSPA of Perkins was held on September 12th, 2020 at Viterbo University's San Damiano Chapel. You can enjoy the full liturgy in this video.
Monsignor Michael Steber (St. Peter Cathedral, Marquette) will be presenting Part 1 of a very special "Witness to Hope" this Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7 pm on WNOA Radio, 103.9 FM. He'll be talking to Fae and Tim Presley about the origins of WNOA, Catholic Radio for the U.P. You'll learn about the inspiration for the project and the process of taking the idea from the drawing board to the airwaves.
Bishop John Doerfler has offered a 2020 Voter Guide on our Catholic responsibility to vote and participate in the public square. It can be found on the Diocesan website here along with other links to Catholic election information.