Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
To speak of many things:
a) We had the drawing of the Parish Raffle on Friday, March 23, the last night of the Parish Fish Fries. The following parishioners were the winners:
Diane Kreslins….$2,500 Missy Penning…$1,000 Mike Fehsenfeld…$500
Thanks to all parishioners who bought tickets for the Raffle. All proceeds go into our regular parish budget for all the ministries and activities of the parish.
b) The six weeks of the Fish Fries served an average of a 1,000 meals each night! I want to thank all the volunteers, almost 100 of you, who helped serve, set-up, clean, cook, and prepare each week! And thanks to all those who brought deserts each week as well. Special thanks to Steve and Cindy Hodges, Dave and Cathy Cavera, and Bob Thiel who all co-chaired the Fish Fries this year: an outstanding job! As with the Raffle, all the earnings from the Fish Fries go into our regular parish budget.
c) I am happy to announce that our Music Director Search Committee has completed its task. We have hired a new Music Director who will be coming to St. Al’s on June 1, 2018. Her name is Carol Fedewa. Carol has been Director of Music and Liturgy for the past three years at St. John the Baptist in Howell, Michigan. Before that she served seventeen years at St. Francis of Assisi in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Carol is a native daughter of St. Al’s here in Grand Rapids and attended grade school here at St. Al’s. So Carol is coming back to Grand Rapids and back to St. Al’s! I am confident that Carol will bring her wonderful talents to St. Al’s and enhance our weekend liturgies. In the meantime our cantors and other musicians will continue the giving of their talents……please support them and thank them.
d) With all the happenings in our nation and in the world, amidst the fears and negativity and hurts and pains, it would seem only proper for us who call ourselves Christians and who believe in the Resurrection of Jesus, that we would be people who bring His peace and hope into all the lives around us. I am so tired of negativity and the put downs and the snipping at others who are different from us or with whom we may disagree. We don’t need that in our nation. And we certainly do not need it in our parish. Let’s pray for and with one another and see the goodness in each other, seeing the Presence of the Risen Lord in each other! Alleluia!
Joyfully, Fr. Pat, C.Ss.R.
