A Newsletter of St. Mary Magdalen Parish

October 2015

Volume XXII Issue 10

TRUNK AND

TREAT

Come One, Come All...

Saturday October 24

7 - 9 pm

in the back

parking lot

TRUNK AND TREAT REFRESHMENTS

AND.. .

Come One, Come All ...

to the

The Vis ionar y

HAUNTINGLY GOOD FUN ! ! ! Saturday, October 24 7 - 9 pm

Our Barn and back parking lot will be transformed into a Halloween ex-perience. The Youth Group will be creating “The Haunted Barn” for you to experience; the back lot will be “Trunk & Treat” and refreshments will be in served. We are inviting people to commit to a parking space with their car and give out treats to the visiting munchkins. Your costumes and decorations are optional but will add to the fun. There will be more information forthcoming in the weekly bulletin. Sign -up sheets for adults & teens can be found at the Community Life Table in the Gathering Ar-ea. Mark your calendars and please come! You, your family & your friends are invited.

Our modern world has few equivalents of Harvest Time. While a few industries may have busy seasons, there is no real "harvest time" for most of us. Perhaps the only thing even remotely similar to a harvest time is April 15. On tax day, we can truly see how much we have received as income and then we figure out what percentage of it will be given to the government as taxes.

Perhaps it would be better to ask our parishioners to look at their financial stewardship in April rather than October. But real stewards are not motivated by a law like tax pay-ers. Real stewards are motivated by gratitude and a genuine desire to return to God a portion of what has been received. So during harvest time, we are asked to look again at how much we have received and how much of that is shared with others for the love of God.

The Scriptures ask us to return a tithe to God, a tenth of the time, talent and treasure that has been received. As Catholics, we define the ideal of a tithe as giving 5% to the Church and donating the other 5% to worthwhile charities. Early next month all our parishioner will receive a letter from me along with a commit-ment card which we ask every household to fill out and return to the parish. The infor-mation helps our Finance Council to budget for the coming year. But more importantly it is a statement of what will be returned to God in thanks for all we have received.

While most use weekly envelopes, many parishioners at St. Mary Magdalen now make their offering electronically. If you would like to use electronic transfer (EFT), look for an EFT form in the Gathering Area, or go to our website, www.saintmarymagdalen.org, click on ABOUT / REGISTRATION / scroll down and “Print Sunday Offering Electronic Transfer Form”. You may drop it in the collection basket on the weekend. You can also use a credit card to make your donation by clicking on “ONLINE GIVING” on the homepage of our website www.saintmarymagdalen.org

from the PASTORAL COUNCIL

Our Pastoral Council met on Wednesday, September 16, after the Mass of the Little Angels. The agenda was full. Jodi Williamsen, the new chair, introduced Ken Surminisky to council. Ken and Ralph Hazen have

been working on the PR Project as a part of our pastoral plan. Ken showed us the work he had done on brochure from Charity & Justice to promote their efforts. Ken plans to meet with all the councils and ministry teams to re-work their material as well to give it a more professional look.

Last Lent, Pope Francis proclaimed a Year of Mercy that will begin the First Sunday of Advent. The council will discuss ways in which we could observe and celebrate the special character of this year here at S. Mary Magdalen.

The council discussed a proposal from the Finance Council to raise the price of a space for the burial of human ashes at the Shrine of the Cross and in the Resurrection (bell) Tower. The Pastoral Council decided to keep the prices as they are until the landscaping and other work is completed around the tower. Fr. Dave reminded us of the letter from the bishop announcing a feasibility study of a diocesan wide fund drive in the fall of 2016 until the spring of 2017. We will meet with the study group in October. Lastly, the Pastoral Council decided to make Magdalen’s Preschool a full part of parish programing. (When the pre-school first came, they were told they needed to self sustaining.)

The Members of the Pastoral Council

from the FINANCE COUNCIL July 2015- June 2016

For Month Ending August 31, 2015

Actual Actual Fiscal Annual Fiscal INCOME Aug 31 Year to Date Budget Church 112,544 215,786 1,486,350 Capital Campaign 23,556 51,995 175,000 Religious Ed/Preschool 4,680 14,228 109,000 TOTAL INCOME 140,780 282,009 1,770,350

EXPENSES Church 62,683 117,492 881,400 Building Mortgage 44,551 83,603 501,700 Religious Ed/Preschool 8,355 31,054 387,250

TOTAL EXPENSES 115,588 232,148 1,770,350

INCOME/(LOSS) 25,191 49,860

REMAINING BALANCE 10/1/15 - Building Mortgage - $3,405,064

The Members of the Finance Council

from the TIME & TALENT COUNCIL

Our Time & Talent Council is working on the Fall Ministry Fair for task related ministries. We did not meet in September .

The Members of the Time & Talent Council

Emily Wolfe Eileen Denhard Ralph Hazen Lauren Trapp

John Robison Greg Milosek Douglas Fekete Clarence Kroll

Rob Cooney Peter Kelly Jodi Williamsen Mike Rhoads

Tim Mulcaster Debbie Dehanke, Secretary Sr. Maryetta Churches Fr. David F. Howell

Don Powell Eileen Denhard John Finn Katie Panczak

Kristin Turner James Chevalier Mary Kay Edoff David Rychlick

Dianne Hardy Diane Agius Elaine Tripi Eric Silvestri

Mary Ellen Wassenberg Mary Beth Potrykus Father David Howell

Cary Schmidt E Loniewski Edward Loniewski Dominic DiCicco

Marsha McBride Bob Henderson Holly Moltane David Williamsen

Debra Barker Dianne Hardy Matt Uphoff Jim Panning

Bookkeeper, Dave Wisniewski Fr. David F. Howell

RELIGIOUS FORMATION from Mary Mahar

IMPORTANT DATES FOR PARENTS/FAMILIES: First grade Parents: October 7/8 all First grade parents are asked to stay during class times for a short meeting. Class times are Wednesday 4:30-6:00 and 6:30-8:00 and Thursday 5:30-7:00. First Eucharist Families: Rite of Acceptance Saturday, October 10, at 4:30 followed by light dinner and Parent meeting/sign up with Fr. Dave for First Eucharist Liturgies. Solemn Penance (4th grade): Sunday, October 11, at 9am we will celebrate the Rite of Acceptance for those in intentional preparation for Solemn Penance. Parents and youth are asked to attend. Pancake breakfast to follow! 9th grade Confirmation Candidates: Sunday, October 11, at 11:00 Liturgy we will celebrate the Rite of Acceptance. Parents and youth are asked to attend. Pancake breakfast to follow! The Rite of Acceptance lets our parish community know that our families and youth are starting on their journey towards First Eucharist, Solemn Penance, and Confirmation. This Rite is the acknowledgement of our youth and their families of the first step in the journey towards celebrating the Sacrament they are preparing for. We as a parish will affirm our support and pray-ers for them. The candidates will be signed with the cross on their foreheads, ears, eyes, lips, heart, shoulders, hands and feet by their parents and then receive a blessing from us all. This Rite is the way we begin serious preparation towards sacraments and it is so the youth say yes, they are ready to find out more! Reminder about parking lot drop off: We have one lane in the circular drive for drop off only, please do not have your car waiting in the other lanes. We also have two of the cross walks blocked off to allow little ones and their families to get into the parking lot safely (please do not move the cones or drive down these lanes). Please be patient, and be sure to watch for little ones in the parking lot as you come and go. I would like to thank our Lead Catechists for this year. They have worked very hard to get our catechists into the classrooms and have helped get everything set up for this new year! I know that many of our families are facing difficult times. If you have not registered for classes for financial reasons, please call me.

October Dates to Remember: 3 Parish Hoe Down/ and Chili Cook Off! 6:00 7/8 1st Grade Parent Mtg. During Class Times: Wed. 4:30 & 6:30, Thurs. 5:30 10 4:30 First Eucharist Rite of Acceptance, Parent /Candidate dinner meeting right after 11 9:00 Rite of Acceptance Solemn Penance 11:00 Rite of Acceptance Confirmation Grade 9 2:00 Blessing of Pets 24 TRUNK OR TREAT AND HAUNTED BARN! 25, 28/29 NO CLASSES - Classes Resume Sunday, Nov. 1

MAGDALEN’S PRESCHOOL from Kathie Anderer GREETINGS FROM PRESCHOOL!

It is great to be back! We hope everyone had a good summer! Our Open House is over. The Children arrived to meet their new teachers and classmates with great anticipation. We are busy getting to know one another and learning about our new surroundings. We have many fun activities planned for our first month of school. We will be learning/talking about Back to School, Fall, apples, pumpkins, Colors, and of course Halloween. School Pictures are scheduled for Octo-ber 6th and 7th.

Our first field trip of the year is scheduled for October 8th and 9th. We will be going to Spicers Orchards and picking Apples and picking out pumpkins. We will have a hay ride and play in the play area and see the farm animals. It should be great fun!

Our staff this year will be Mrs. Amy Baerwalde, Mrs. Wende Cofield and Mrs. Sherry Mick with our three year olds. Mrs. Abraham will be teaching our 3 and 4 split class and our four year old Lion class will be taught by Mrs. Michele Anderer, and Mrs. Kathy Riccardi. We have room for more students in our (Mon) Wed/Fri classes if you are in need of a preschool or if you know of someone looking.

We are looking forward to another fun filled year. It was a beautiful summer but it’s great to be back! There is Fall in the air and with that, all of the beautiful signs of the season to enjoy and explore.

from Sr. Joyce Hoile, OSF

CHILI COOK OFF AND WESTERN HOE DOWN Saturday, October 3, meet us at the barn after the 4:30 pm Mass, for a Chili Supper and Country Dancing. This is an event of all ages. So don your western wear and dancing boots for the event. We ask for persons to make their fa-mous Chili that participants will vote on. Prizes for the winners will be a Gift Certificates. Richard Maurer will again be our Dance Caller for the evening, promising Line Dancing and Square Dancing options. Please bring a dish to share. See the sign up at the Community Life Board.

For Senior’s 55 + The Area Agency on Aging is providing two work-shops that will be hosted here at St. Mary Magda-len. Cost is $15 per workshop. Pre-registration is required. See the Adult Formation Board for infor-mation — REGISTRATION FORMS are in Sr. Joyce’s Office. Space is limited.

Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls Workshop 8 Tuesdays, October 6 – November 24, 1 – 3 pm.

D-Path: Diabetes Personal Action Toward Health 6 Mondays, October 19 – November 23, 1-3:30 pm

Regional Seniors 50+ Thanksgiving Mass November 5 11 am Mass 12 Noon Lunch Freewill offering Please bring an unwrapped gift for a Senior Citizen for Christmas.

LANSING DIOCESE FOURTH ANNUAL CATHOLIC WOMEN’S CONFERENCE Theme: Dance in His Vineyard Saturday, October 24, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Causeway Bay Hotel & Convention Center, Lansing Ladies, this is a must-do day for you and your daughters, Moms, in-laws, sisters, & friends. About 20 women from our Parish have attended in the past and wish everyone could have this experience. The day includes motivational & inspirational speakers, lunch, Mass with Bishop Boyea, prayer opportunities & more. Early Bird Registration discount before September 26. See Pink ½ Sheet Registration Forms at the Adult For-mation Board.

Befriender Ministry “Taste the Wine of Healing” Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7p.m. Befriender ministers are trained members of St. Mary Magdalen who listen with compas-sion , accept people as they are, and offer one to one caring support in a strictly confidential, safe setting. There is a healing power in telling one’s story. Current Befriender leaders are Debbie Ruf, Mary Serio, Tom Hargrave, and Ted Zahrfeld. As part of the Befriender’s mission, Befriender Ministry will host Todd Borek, Funeral Direc-tor, who will discuss, “what to do when someone you love dies.” The talk titled “taste the wine of healing” will instruct and inform about the one universal need everyone has at the time of death – – to begin healing. The event will take place in the community room.

School for Discipleship “God, Religion and the Last Things” Fr. David Howell Mondays, 7-9 pm October 5, 12, 19, 26 & November 9 & 16 “Theology of Marriage” Deacon Devon Wolfe Thursdays, 7-9 pm October 8 – November 12 Childcare will be provided but pre-registration for them is required.

Family Caregivers Expo Saturday, October 17 9 am – 2 pm Suburban Collection Showplace 46100 Grand River Avenue, Novi For everyone concerned about anaging or disabled loved one. Educational Seminars, 100 Exhibitors, Re-source Specialists, Great prizes and giveaways.

ON THE JOURNEY from Diane Kubus

We continue to invite people to Faith Inquiry . . .

Inquiry is the first phase of the process for anyone who is thinking about becoming Catholic and is interested in finding out more about the Catholic faith. All inquiring minds are truly welcome!! Our sessions are on Monday evenings in the East Room at 7pm. The children’s session (for children 7 years of age and older) is in the Library from 7 – 8pm. Please call me in the office if you have any questions about Inquiry or about the process of becoming Catholic.

So what exactly happens in “Inquiry”? For part of the time in our sessions “Inquirers” ask their questions. Some of these questions are: “Why do Catholics pray to saints?” and “What do Catholics believe about Mary?” We answer these questions and while we discuss God,

Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church, what Catholics believe, etc, the Inquiry series also depends on our understanding of God speaking to us, being with us, loving us, here and now among us, in this place, at this time. So in our conversa-tions, we express concerns and we share stories. Inquiry ultimately helps us to recognize God’s activity in our lives. We become more aware of God’s presence and when we do this, we realize that being “in relationship with God” makes a huge difference. When we want to discover more and desire to deepen our relationship with God, we find that life changes. We turn our attention to God more often and we pray, recognizing that prayer is essential. There’s a change in our attitudes and even in our actions. This is what Inquiry is all about and it’s not only the inquirers who do this. We all do it. Inquirers are embarking a journey that we are all on... this never ending, always changing, often surprising, journey of faith! Blessings on the journey! To find out more about the process of Christian Initiation, visit the page on our website: http://www.saintmarymagdalen.org/RCIA.html

Medicare Part D Enrollment

OPEN ENROLLMENT Medicare's Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D) open enrollment is Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2015 with coverage starting January 1, 2016. It is important to research the different plans, even if you are currently enrolled in 2015, as plans change or your medication needs may have changed. You may also qualify for extra help with the monthly pre-miums or a lower co-pay. Last year, LCCC Medicare/Medicaid Specialists were able to help seniors save over $100,000 total during the enrollment period!

For assistance with selecting a plan and filling out the application or for more information, please contact Linda or Penny, Medicaid/Medicare Specialists, at Livingston County Catholic Charities at 800-489-6107. In addition to scheduling appointments at LCCC, Pen-ny and Linda have select dates to meet clients at the Brighton, Pinckney, Hamburg, Hartland and Fowler-ville Senior Centers. Appointments are necessary – call today!

MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS God is speaking to you, but are you listening? Here is a class that will teach you how. Our parishioner, Darlene March, will offer a class for those who wish to learn cen-tering meditation in silence and emptiness. Please join her in the Rectory Basement on Thursday October 23, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm or that evening 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm. You don't need to bring anything; just wear comfortable clothes. No sign up necessary-- just come. If you have any questions, you can reach Darlene March at: ddmarch56@gmail.com.

(Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion) If you missed the sign up in August and wish to serve as a Eucharistic Minister at the Sunday Liturgy , please call Diane Kubus in the parish office: 810.229.8624 ext. 128 or email: liturgist@saintmarymagdalen.org. There are still openings on teams for the coming year. Each minister chooses their Mass time and serves once every 4 weeks. A one-time formation is required. A Catholic who is confirmed and registered in the parish may serve in this ministry.

“We have communion with our living, loving, and nourish-ing God. It is a gift to be a Eucharistic Minister – to share the Body and Blood of Christ with another,”

THANKS & PRAISE from Sr. Maryetta Churches, OP

Sisters Joyce and Maryetta give thanks and praise for all those who have worked diligently on making the duplex look beautiful. All of their hard efforts have made them look like they belong in HOUSE BEAUTIFUL! Thank you, thank you, thank you! We also give thanks and praise to all those who volunteered at the ministry fair. Sharing your time and talents is a real gift to Saint Mary Magdalen Parish!

COUNCIL COMMENDATIONS The Pastoral Council would like to commend the Commu-

nity Life Ministry Team for all the work they put into making our parish picnic a huge success. These wonderful peo-ple organized the food, games, face painting, and much more! Thank you for EVERYTHING!!!

YOUTH NEWS from Margaret Callaghan

Spooky plans are just about underway for our annual haunted barn! If you are interested in helping out with the con-struction of it, providing snacks, or to be a chaperone please contact Margaret Callaghan at yminister1@gmail.com. We are back in full swing now meeting on Sunday evenings from 7-9pm in the youth room. Our first item of interest is the high school diocesan wide Jamboree. It’s a daylong event that takes place in Lansing and gathers nearly 900 teens from across the area. There is live music, a national speaker, Liturgy with the Bishop, workshops and fun!! We end the day with a dance and fun fest. Registration forms are available in the youth room, out in the gathering area or online by visiting http://www.dioceseoflansing.org/sites/default/files/files/Jamboree2015_brochure8%205x11.pdf.. It’s Sunday November 1st and the early bird cost before Oct 11 is $55. Be sure and check out the link. It takes you right to the registration form where you can read workshop descriptions and see the day’s agenda.

I am looking for anyone interested in helping with food for our hungry teens every Sunday evening as many of them come right from religious ed class that starts at 5:30. Ideally I would like someone to help with getting volunteers and food ideas and to work with me to create a list of parents to contact. Please contact me at the above email address if you can help.

This month we will kick off a community service project we are working on with our Charity and Justice committee. We will be collecting new or gently used gloves, mittens, socks, sweaters, coats and any other winter wear for the Closet at the Center of Hope in Flint. These items can be to the youth room. On Saturday October 31st, (yes, Halloween) in the morning we will visit the Center of Hope in Flint to drop off the collection, take a tour of the facility, learn what they do for the com-munity there and perhaps do some work. It is our hope that collections like this and service work will be something we can offer every month to benefit others in need. If you are interested in helping to lead our youth in organizing service opportuni-ties please contact me.

Asking for help again…..years ago I had a small committee of adults who met with me about once every 4-6 weeks to talk about the Youth Ministry. I am looking to organize a group of adults again who are willing to meet, share ideas, and to offer help with the youth ministry program. If you are interested in being a part of the committee, please, contact me at yminister1@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you and to share my vision of what this committee could be. On Monday Oct. 19th at 7pm there will be an informational meeting about this committee. Please let me know if you will be attending. We will meet in the youth room.

EDGE (all 6-7-8 Grade Students) We are back! If you were unable to attend our open house or our first meeting, please don’t let that stop you from coming to our Oct meetings!! Our meetings for Oct will me Monday the 12 and on Mon the 26th we will meet offsite at Spicer’s for our annual Fun with Fall EDGE Night Out. We meet still 7-8:30 but drop off and pick up will be at Spicer’s off Clyde Road in Hart-land. The cost is $15 for a hayride, the corn maze, cider and a donut. It has always been great fun and I hope you will plan on being part of the fun!! Permission slips and information will be available at the Oct 12th meeting .

Nicole & Nate Stead Cole & Leah Brighton Amie & Vince Duffy McGreal, Brennan & Quinn Brighton

Mylisa & Matthew Bombard November, Avalon, Xavier, Violet & Haven Brighton Lori & Peter Smith Michael & Annabelle Howell

Nadene & Larry Mach Hartland Kirsten Fisher & John Skope Brighton Angela & Stephen Galloway Logan, Troy & Mason Brighton

THE DEACONS BENCH from Dave Scharf

There is a scene in the movie Return of the King, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s saga The Lord of the Rings, in which Aragorn gives the dead soldiers who had deserted their king a chance to regain their honor if they would help to defend the City of Kings which is under attack by evil powers. He enters a cave through a small crevice in the mountain. It is dark and the sound effects make it clear that this is not a pleasant place. He steps over piles of dry bones heaped up against the walls of the cave. Suddenly, in the center of a large room, these skeletal creatures begin to threaten him, even though they are not really alive. Aragorn offers them a chance to redeem themselves by making good on their pledge to defend the good against evil, and to be a part of a community that will restore the kingdom.

We live in a world that is filled with death. We kill each other in acts of murder, abortion, euthanasia, execution, war and terrorist activities. We kill ourselves through suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, overwork, stress, bad eating habits, and physical neglect. We watch calmly as others die from poverty, hunger and malnutrition, homelessness, unemploy-ment, poor education, disease, child abuse, arms proliferation, discrimination, pollution, and destruction of the environment.

The most important question we need to ask ourselves is; am I ready to face my death? A strange question and its truthful answer are found in the sacred scriptures of the Hindus. “What is the greatest wonder in the world?” The answer is: “All of us know that we will surely die, but each of us foolishly thinks that he or she will not die any time in the near future." Let us not be foolish; let us be wise and well prepared and ever ready to meet our Lord with a clear conscience when the time comes. Sorry to be so morbid this month, but thinking about the ones we have lost over this past year (and some maybe your age) have caused me think about my own mortality and what will God hold me accountable for when I stand before him. How about you?

THE OTHER BENCH from Jim Chevalier

Because God is love, He wants all of us to be with him forever in paradise; but since we have been given a free will, the choice is ours. So when we sin, our faith tells us that we must be reconciled, through confession, so as to achieve our salvation. Our church-our priest, cannot forgive sin without Christ, therefore we must confess our sins to him (through our priest), and look to him for forgiveness. The Church cannot forgive the sin of one who has not repented, who has not been touched by Christ; Christ will not forgive the sin of one who despises the Church. God has joined Christ and Church together, and we must not separate. So if God is love, and we are His Church, (Where two or more are gathered, etc.) why do we sin?

SERVANT OF MANY from Gary Prise

I regularly look at events, good and bad, and try to make sense of them, and ask, where is God in them. Recently a friend shared a few excerpts from a book entitled “Mister God, This Is Anna”. It is a story about a young girl and her relationship with/perspective on God. One of the thoughts the friend drew from the book was that human beings have points of view, and God has viewing points. In early August I injured my lower leg. Initially I was required to use crutches, then a cane. Through the process of recovery, which is on-going, my ability to walk was significantly compromised. I became very much aware of differences in surfaces; minor changes in grade for example became very apparent. A crack in the pavement became a poten-tial hazard. I’ve been required to slow down which has given me time to reflect a lot, to notice little things that I rushed by in my haste to get to a destination. Life has become much richer; things I took for granted, like being able to run or even walk quickly, has become a gift. I could blame God for the set back or I could give thanks to God for this opportunity to see things from another perspective, a deeper broader perspective.

THE KNIGHTS CORNER from Gene Golbiw, St. Mary Magdalen Council 12295

It has been a busy September with our first pancake breakfast after a break over summer, on September 20. We also set up the outside altar and cooked up the hot dogs for the annual picnic. Additionally, a number of knights have volunteered their time on updating Sr. Joyce’s place. It took a lot of coordination and effort to make this happen. Finally, the semi-annual Mom-to-Mom sale was successful. Being a knight is more than just raising money for good causes. We visit VA hospitals to show our apprecia-tion to the men and women of the armed services; we help, aid, and assist our parish with our time. If you

have a little time and charity in your heart, this fraternal organization is the one to look into. In these upcoming months we have another pancake breakfast on Sunday, October 11 where eggs, pancakes, bacon and sau-sage will be served (did I mention bacon?). November 21 will showcase our spaghetti dinner, starting with sauce made from scratch by our own expert cooks. We even provide a meatless sauce for our vegan parishioners.

OF FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE from Devon Wolfe

During this Year for Marriage, we have talked a lot about the beauty of sacramental marriage and the importance of strengthening the marriag-es and the families in our parish.

But the reality is that even among Catholics, many marriages experience divorce or separation. The Catholic Church recognizes its obligation to minister to our brothers and sisters whose lives have been turned upside down by bro-ken marriages so that they can experience God’s mercy and care as they seek to heal their emotional and spiritual wounds. To help with this, the Church offers several different programs to minister to those in such difficult situa-tions. For separated couples, or for those who have experienced a major crisis in their marriage, the Retrouvaille program offers healing and hope. It is similar to the Marriage Encounter program, but the difference is that the couples who present the weekends are those who have also experienced separation or crisis in their own marriages. For those who have divorced or have filed for divorce, Deacon Jim and Sr. Maryetta along with Livingston County Catholic Charities offer Divorced & Beyond: Recovery and Healing. This series examines what happens to most spouses going through marital breakup. It helps participants understand what they are going through and that oth-ers have gone through the same things. And, it suggests activities for making divorce a growth experience. Di-vorced & Beyond is offered periodically; check the bulletin for future dates. Finally, as many have heard in the press, Pope Francis has recently streamlined some of the procedures for granting annulments. The Pope’s motivation is to extend mercy and reconciliation to those who have experienced the pain of divorce so that they can be free to move on in their lives and in their faith. If you have been divorced and would like to begin the annulment process, please contact Sr. Joyce Hoile at the parish office.

CHARITY AND JUSTICE from Ken Kuna

Charity is the response to an immediate need; Justice seeks to end the need.

CROP WALK Every October, the churches in the Brighton area sponsor a CROP Hunger Walk. Parishioners from St. Mary Magdalen will join people from Brighton High School, and other local churches on Sunday, Oct. 18 to help raise money to feed people locally and internationally. You can walk with us or if you can’t walk, pledge mon-ey for those that can. Sign up or pledge on Oct. 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18 in the Gathering Area. You can also pledge online at www.cropwalkonline.org.

FAITH IN FLINT The Parish is starting several projects for our Faith in Flint program. Repeatedly,

the groups we meet ask first for us to pray for their work. So we also ask all parishioners, in your daily prayers, to include the work of the staff and volunteers at the NEW Life Center and Center for Hope in Flint and for the people of Flint. One of these projects is HOPE in a Box: The Center of Hope in the former St. Michael’s church, local veterans groups, Right to Life, gleaners, the migrant camp and human trafficking groups all would appreciate your donations of

shampoo, deodorant, bar soap, dish soap, laundry soap, toilet paper and feminine care products. Donations of these products are all welcome. And, each month, we will feature a special item. The featured product for October is toothpaste and tooth-brushes. November is dish soap. Help fill up the box. We are also supporting the prison ministry at these centers. We are committed to provide the prison returnees with a backpack filled with these personal items, information on local resources to build a better life and a message of encouragement. We are looking for volunteers for this project who are willing to spend an hour or two each month filling the backpacks and delivering them to the two centers in Flint. If you wish to as-sist in this area contact the Charity and Justice team (Ken Kuna or Bob Jacobs) through the parish office.

St. Vincent de Paul Clothing Drive will take place on Nov. 14/15. Charity & Justice volunteers will hand out plastic bags on Nov. 7/8 to help gather usable clothing you can donate. A container will be available in the parish parking lot to take your donations.

The groups discussing the Pope’s new encyclical have begun meeting. The Pope acknowledges that the issues of stewardship of creation are complex and controversial. His most persistent proposal is for forthright and honest debate and these groups foster that. The groups have been encouraged to devel-op personal actions to take and to recommend activities the Parish can take to keep the spirit of the en-cyclical alive.

October 3 (Saturday) THE HOE DOWN AND CHILI COOK-OFF After the 4:30 Liturgy in the barn! Square Dancing and more! Bring your jackets, a lawn chair and a dish to share!

October 11 (Sunday) THE BLESSING OF PETS Fr. Dave will lead this prayer asking God’s blessing

on our pets at 2 pm under the canopy at the entrance.

October 11 (Sunday) PANCAKE BREAKFAST!! Our Knights of Columbus will be cooking up Break-

fast! Pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon and more will be served in the Community Room from 9:30 to 12:30!! A great meal at a great price for all!!

October 11 (Sunday) BLOOD DRIVE 9:30am—3:30pm. Give Blood. Save a Life!

October 24 (Saturday) TRUNK and TREAT and HAUNTED BARN ! A family Halloween party in the back parking lot, Community Room & Barn from 7–9 pm

November 1 (Sunday) This wonderful holy day celebrates all those who are with the Lord in glory. We will celebrate the Feast at

the weekend Liturgies. Adoration will take place after the 11am Liturgy and will end at 4pm with Even-

ing Prayer. Come spend some time in prayer in the presence of the Lord. We especially pray for our rela-tives and friends who have died.

November 2 (Monday) This Feast is a day of prayer for all those who have died. We pray that, if the dead are not already with God, the Lord might bring them into His glory. Our deceased relatives and friends will be commemorated at 9am and 7pm.

PASTOR Fr. David F. Howell pastor1@saintmarymagdalen.org

PASTORAL MINISTER Sr. Maryetta Churches, O.P. pastmin2@saintmarymagdalen.org

DEACONS H. David Scharf deacon1@saintmarymagdalen.org James Chevalier deacon2@saintmarymagdalen.org Gary Prise deacon3@saintmarymagdalen.org Devon Wolfe deacon4@saintmarymagdalen.org

FORMATION & EVANGELIZA-

TION- ADULTS Sr. Joyce Hoile, O.S.F. pastmin1@saintmarymagdalen.org

RITE OF CHRISTIAN

INITIATION (R.C.I.A.),

LITURGY & TECHNOLOGY Diane Kubus, Director rcia@saintmarymagdalen.org liturgist@saintmarymagdalen.org

EDUCATION & FORMATION-

YOUTH Mary Mahar, Director mmahar@parishmail.com Karen MacDonald, Admn. Asst. sect2@saintmarymagdalen.org

SECRETARIES Diane Whiton sect5@saintmarymagdalen.org Debbie Dehanke sect3@saintmarymagdalen.org Sandi Phillips sect4@saintmarymagdalen.org

BOOKKEEPER Dave Wisniewski bookkeeper@saintmarymagdalen.org

MAGDALEN’S PRESCHOOL Kathie Anderer, Director preschool1@saintmarymagdalen.org

YOUTH MINISTRY Tom & Margaret Callaghan youth1@saintmarymagdalen.org

PASTORAL MUSICIAN Steven H. Schulte steve@colleengleason.com

MAINTENANCE Dan Tuthill maint1@saintmarymagdalen.org Mark Wolf Kathleen Gehring

PASTORAL STAFF Office Hours Mon - Fri: 8:30 - 4:30pm

SAINT MARY MAGDALEN PARISH

2201 S. Old U.S. 23 Highway

Brighton, MI 48114-7609

(810) 229-8624 Fax (810) 229-6471

www.saintmarymagdalen.org