Fr. Todd 2/22/25

Dear Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake,

Lenten Mission: Our Lenten mission is coming up if you don’t already have it on your

calendar!  March 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th at 6:30pm at Sacred Heart with a bonus Mass and Breakfast at St. Mary on the Lake on Monday, March 9^th at 9:30am.  Confessions will be available on Monday, March 9^th at the evening Mission service.  

If you have already stumbled in your Lenten resolutions please don’t give up!  I always think that this is part of the grace of the season.  Lent is not about how good we can be at our resolutions (which is just our pride) but learning to walk more closely with Jesus and relying on Him, not ourselves.  That happens no better than when we let Him pick us up to keep going. 

DSA:  With the beginning of Lent, it is time for the annual DSA (Diocesan Services Appeal).  This goes to support many worthy missions in the Diocese.  Seminarian formation, marriage preparation, and Catholic Charities just to name a few.  At this time every year I always need to say thank you for your support of DSA.  Through it you supported me as a seminarian.  Over the past eight years we have had nine current and soon to be priests pass through our parishes as seminarians.  Thank you for the part you played in their formation and all the many services the DSA supports.

St. Mary on the Lake Parish Goal: $20,217

Sacred Heart Parish Goal: $33,266

Estate planning:  We have recently been blessed by generous gifts from the estates of William and Marjorie Hartley and Dee Bellman at Sacred Heart.  They are just two of the most recent families who over the years have remembered both of our parishes and school in their estates.  First, a sincere thank you.  In their honor and legacy, they continue to bless us and further our Missions. 

If you are interested in including either Parish, Sacred Heart School, or the Fr. Paul Ruddy Endowment in your estate, we have blue folders available at both parishes that walk you through it.  You can also reach out directly to Lisa Brown, who works for the Catholic Foundation helping people set up these gifts for particular parishes or causes.  (For those who came to our advance planning workshop a couple years ago you may remember her joining us.)

Lisa Brown: Charitable Giving Advisor517-253-8738lbrown@catholicfoundationoflansing.orgDeacon Don: Deacon Don has officially been transferred by Bishop Boyea, from St. Anthony’s in Hillsdale, to serve at Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake.  Deacon Don, it is good to have you serving with us. God Bless, Fr. Todd