St. Alphonsus Liguori

Saint Alphonsus Liguori was born near Naples, Italy September 27, 1696.   He was a hard-working student and received his degree in law at age 16. Shortly after, he became a famous lawyer. In 1723, he lost a case and, in spite of parental opposition, he decided to become a priest.

He preached with zeal and in 1732 God called him to found the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists). Alphonsus wrote numerous books, worked relentlessly through missions and offered spiritual direction and peace to people through the sacrament of Reconciliation.  Although he was sickly for much of his life, Alphonsus’ final years were marked by very serious and debilitating physical ailments; especially arthritis, which caused him great pain, left him permanently bent forward, and confined him to a wheelchair.

He died August 1, 1787, was canonized in 1839, and was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1871.

This Sunday the Redemptorist order across America, will be offering the first-ever national ‘Blessing for Arthritics’ after each and every Mass at their parishes and retreat centers across the country.

The blessings will be held on this particular Sunday because August 1 is the feast day of our founder, and Patron of our parish.  In addition to being a doctor of the Church, St Alphonsus is also the patron saint of those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis since he, himself, suffered from severe arthritis for the last forty years of his life!

“This is the first blessing of its kind, as far as we know, on a national scale, for people who suffer the chronic and debilitating agonies of arthritis, fibromyalgia and other serious physical conditions,” said the Very Reverend Thomas D Picton, CSsR, provincial superior of the Denver Province. “We hope this is the beginning of an annual tradition that brings people to our churches to ask for the blessing and intercession of our great saint on his feast day and to beseech Our Father in Heaven to grant these suffering souls deliverance from their pains.”

Fr. Bernie Carlin, C.Ss.R.

A Message from Fr. Denis

Dear Parishioners,

Some four weeks ago, after returning from New Orleans, I drove to Chicago to see my surgeon because there was something just not right about my leg.  Go figure!  When I saw him he asked when I wanted to be operated on because the retinaculum was torn again and he was going to have to repair it.  I was waiting for a date out about a week and he gave me three hours and an appointment in his OR.

Later that day, while speaking on the phone with a friend I needed to adjust my position and asked for a pause in our conversation.  As I tried to move I could not because there was something wrong with my leg.  Much to my surprise (aka shock), there was a very large cast on my leg that ran from my big toe to my hip. I then realized the cast and I were going to be friends for three weeks, no matter what.  Fortunately, they modified the cast so I could walk with it.

Learning to walk with a cast on your leg is not easy and puts a hitch in one’s giddy-up.  I learned to walk with a distinct hitch as I pulled the weight of the cast forward with my leg.  Wednesday, July 7^th, the cast was cut off of my leg to the great joy of my friend and surgeon.  My leg had not atrophied as expected and the surgical site looked great.  Henry looked at me and said: “I think we have finally come to a point, Denis, where our professional relationship may be at an end.  Thank goodness.”

Dr. Henry Finn is a world class surgeon, meticulous to a fault, and greatly frustrated by the set of circumstances that has kept our professional relationship alive from January 5^th until now.  Our friendship and love for each other has grown deeply through all of this.  Leaving Weiss Memorial the other day was like leaving behind a family of wonderful friends and caretakers just like all of you.

The cast was replaced with a Velcro brace.  The amazing thing about this brace is that it doesn’t weigh anything near what the cast weighs, but there is still a hitch in my giddy-up.  I have learned how to walk with the cast on and now I have to learn how to walk with the brace.  A whole new set of muscles and a whole new set of motions, there is much to laugh about and many great lessons to learn.  Just like in life, we learn in every direction we turn.

It is strange, because through all of this I have experienced a wonderful peace.  I am not a great patient, nor do I like being taken care of, but I have had to surrender to a process that would bring me to wellness and it was rather DIFFICULT.  Never once was I alone through all of this: from Henry and his team of physicians and nurse anesthetists, to the floor nurses and therapists who cared for me as if I was one of their children, to a team of doctors here in Grand Rapids who literally saved my leg from amputation, to all of you who lifted up my spirits and held me in your hearts.  Just like in the poem Footsteps, “…you carried me when I felt most alone.”

By the way, the new knee works just fine and I have realized I have a lot to be grateful for, God is good!  Here’s to a summer of gratitude and hopefully some golf.

Blessings and prayers, Fr. Denis

A Message from Brother Andy

Dear Parishioners,

As July continues to fade, I think of how good God is and how He provides not only what is necessary, but lots of goodies that are extras, wrapped in beauty along with doses of nourishment.  Just look around you and see all that is in bloom, even an ugly beet; a vegetable that nourishes.  I quote a wise person, “Stop and smell the roses.” Do we? In our rush of daily activities we can plod along day after day seeing only what touches us instead of reaching out and touching.  When we reach out and connect, we become more alive. It shows in our smile and our steps are a little lighter.  Why?  We take what is otherwise just out there and add the flavor of ourselves.  Let’s not chase the seasons.  We wait for summer, and then rush through it looking to what the next season might bring. But, if we pause, we then open ourselves to the gifts that are free for the taking. It becomes the energy to get us through the rough and tumble parts of life. If we don’t accept the extras that God provides, we often sing the song, “Is that all there is?”   No, it is not all there is. Live this summer, begin enjoying the extras God is providing. When we do that we get a small but important insight into how generous and loving God is.  Let us accept his gifts and then we can give the perfect gift, our gratefulness and sharing this love with neighbors and friends.

Peace be with you. Now go enjoy, but don’t forget to share.

Brother Andy

The Good Samaritan

Dear Parishioners,

In our Gospel this morning we hear the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus uses this story to help us understand who our neighbors are and how we relate with them in the course of our lives. Hopefully, we approach and treat all people with respect, understanding and care. Hopefully, we deal with all people the way we wish to be dealt with by others. Hopefully, we are the good Samaritans of today.

To help our reflection on this theme, permit me to go back quite a few years to my neighborhood at the time of my growing up. I lived on a normal suburban street with houses on either side of my parents. Looking at our house from the front, the house on the left hand side was home to what became life long friends of our family. The family in the house on our right side, we hardly knew and rarely interacted with them. Both were neighbors, but they really weren’t. With one family we did things and got to know them. With the other we didn’t. We didn’t dislike them; we just didn’t do anything with them. We never knew them.

I think that most of us could have similar stories to tell. We associate with people all the time. We become friends with some and some we never know. So what does the gospel story for today really tell us? Who are our neighbors? Do we have to like all equally, be friends to all? Go out of our way to be there for all we come into contact with? I think Jesus is saying that we do. And boy is that ever so difficult. Is God expecting too much from us? Can he be serious? Isn’t there some way to modify or explain what he really means? No, I think not. Jesus, I think, wants us to do it, with him, and to do it the very best that we can. Being good Samaritans isn’t easy but it’s not impossible.

Let’s go with God and with Jesus be good to all. Let’s help each other out the best we can along the way. See you later, neighbor.
 
Fr. Andy

4th of July

Dear Parishioners,

The other night as I was trying to fall asleep the sound of fireworks kept exploding outside my window. It reminded me of fireworks on the beach each Fourth of July as I was growing up in Rockaway. My childhood was steeped in patriotic American traditions that filled New York City as we celebrated our Independence as a Nation from England, each Fourth of July.

Another prominent memory that is prompted by the Independence Holiday is when I was an American GI serving our country in the late sixties, early seventies. Viet Nam was not a popular war and American servicemen were not always graciously accepted for who they were: Young Americans defending our Country’s rights and liberties.

Today is a greatly different story as American Corporations honoring our men and women who serve and protect this country and its rights with advertisements honoring our troops. My favorite is the Anheuser Busch add showing our troops parading through an airport to great applause. In my eyes, this is how it should be. Our G.I.’s should be applauded everywhere they go. THANK YOU should be the words that easily roll off our lips for what they are giving up, to undertake and to protect.

On this Fourth, while the hot dog eating record is being contested on the streets of Coney Island, to the Boston Pops playing John Phillip Sousa on the banks of the Charles River, to the National concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, to fireworks exploding over Lady Liberty in the New York Harbor, let us, a grateful nation take great pride in our men and women.

So celebrate this Fourth of July in a special way. If you see a G.I. thank them for what they are doing and risking. Begin your Fourth by saying a prayer for their safety, and in gratitude for the gift they give to each of us, our national freedoms protected by these American Men and Women: they are our children or just maybe, the kid next store.

May God watch over and protect them and bring them home safely to us.

God Bless America, Happy Fourth of July

Fr. Denis, C.Ss.R, USAF

Fr. Bill Wright, C.Ss.R. – 50th Anniversary

Dear Parishioners,
 
Summertime, baseball, hotdogs, weddings, ice cream, graduations, beer and wine. The list can go on and on, depending on your style/preference or likes and dislikes. All of those things listed above help us to describe or think about celebration. And, who doesn’t like to celebrate? We all like a good party. We all like to be around happy and joyful people. We all like to commemorate those important dates and occassions in our lives. And, why not?
 
This Sunday we celebrate priesthood. We commemorate 50 years of priestly committment by Rev. Bill Wright, C.Ss.R. and rejoice with him, his family and God in his service to the Church. You might not know him but I bet you know someone like him. Our parish has had so many young men leave from its pews and dedicate their lives to Christ by serving Him here in this diocese or around the world. We come together this day to celebrate God’s gracious love and His generosity in giving to us those men who serve. We thank God for his calling them and sustaining them.
 
In writing the above paragraph, I would be so deeply remiss and shortsighted if I didn’t mention also the many young women and men who have left these same pews to serve God in Religious life. Our parish has so generously given of its youth and future to the Church and we thank God and their families for their willingness to serve as well. God has truly blessed this parish of St. Alphonsus and I dare say, God will continue to bless us.
 
Hopefully, our celebration of this committment to serving God and his Church, will inspire to and encourage others to follow in his footsteps. Hopefully, as we commemorate this and other anniversaries during the summer, we as a parish rededicate ourselves to following Christ in his service no matter where and how that call leads us.
 
Thank you, Fr. Bill! Thank you, God!
 
Fr. Andy

The Gift That Never Dies

My dear Father died on October 25, 1987.  I was stationed in St. Louis at the time with our students who were considering Redemptorist Religious Life as a Priest or Brother.  My sister called me in the middle of the night so I immediately began making arrangements to go to Omaha to be with my Mother and family.  Since I left home to go to the seminary when I was just 14 years old, I did not feel the immediacy of my Dad’s death in the same personal way that the other members of my family did who related to him every day. The reality that he was gone really struck me when I returned home for Christmas that same year.  I remember expecting to hear my Dad walk down the hallway and come into the kitchen.  It took me a little while to adjust to this painful void, the rest of my family had a bit of a head start!

I was only nine years ordained when my Dad died.  While very proud of all of his sons and daughters, he was in a certain way particularly proud to be able to say that he had a son who was a Priest.  One of the many gifts he has given to me is a deep and abiding love for our faith and the Church.  My Mother and Father always had a strong devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help and they have passed this on to their family.  From my youngest years I can remember my Dad leaving the house at all hours of the (Saturday) night to keep his assigned hour as a Member of the Nocturnal Adoration Society at the Cathedral.   He was a member of the Serra club and worked and prayed daily for vocations.  Suffice it to say that my parents were very supportive when I said I wanted to go to the seminary.  But, they also assured me, that if I ever decided that this was not the life the Lord was calling me to that the door was always open and I could return home anytime.

Like all of us, my dad had his faults, but he was truly a gentle man with strong conviction.  I really don’t know if he had any enemies, I’m sure there were some people he disliked for various reasons, but I am sure that he had many, many friends.  I was somewhat blown away and humbled by the attendance at his funeral, at which I was the celebrant and homilist.  The church was packed and there were, by the police escort count, 85 cars in the procession to the cemetery.  My dad had the gift of being able to make friends with everybody and if you were fortunate enough to be considered one of his “close” friends, he would be very devoted to you.  Of course there was only one person who could claim the title of “closest” and “dearest” friend and that is Margaret Rose, his wife of 47 years and my mother.  Husband and wife, yes, but truly best friends as well.  They loved being together, doing things together, looking for opportunities to help each other.  It was not unusual to see my dad in the kitchen fixing a meal or doing household chores like vacuuming and dusting, moving the laundry along, whatever needed to be done, he would do. 

Dad has been gone for 23 years now but I miss him as much now as I ever did.  On this Father’s day 2010, I thank the Lord for the gift of my Dad and for the years that we did have together.  I hope I learned well all the life lessons that he so patiently taught me, not so much in words, but in his actions and the way he lived his life.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, DAD AND GOD BLESS ALL OF OUR FATHERS!

Fr. Bernie Carlin, CSsR

Goodbye

Dear St. Alphonsus family,

As most of you know, soon I will be moving to Trenton, MI to take up pastoral duties as associate pastor in St. Timothy and St. Joseph parishes. I hope to be able to help out in the care that involves the many things that are part of my mom and dad’s lives.  I knew many months ago, that, although I didn’t think it was very possible, if I did not at least ask for permission to help my parents, I would regret it for the rest of my life.  Well God must have thought it was a good idea because all the permissions came through!  I am grateful to the Redemptorist leadership of our Province and the Archdiocese of Detroit for working out a plan of ministry for me as a missionary.

During my 18 months in Grand Rapids, I have learned much and grown in the faith.  I am grateful to all of you as well, for your witness of the faith which is so precious and important for us.  I ask your prayers for the three of us Redemptorists, all members of the St. Alphonsus community, who are ministering in the Detroit area.  Pray for Fr. Rich Luberti who is associate pastor at St. Joseph’s in Maybee, MI and ministers to the deaf community in Atlanta, GA and elsewhere.  On July 3rd, Deacon Fawaz Kako will be ordained to the Catholic Chaldean priesthood, an eastern rite of our Catholic Church. He will be associate pastor of Our Mother of Perpetual Help parish in Warren, MI, which is part of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle. Fr. Fawaz is biritual and will be celebrating Mass in the Chaldean as well as our Roman rite.  Pray for him. Lastly, I ask for your kind prayers for me in my ministry in Trenton, as well as prayers for my parents.

God bless you and keep you in His Love, Fr. Ed Vella, C.Ss.R.

Sr. Bert

Dear Parishioners,

This past Sunday after saying Mass, I got in my car and headed out for West Branch to visit a sick friend, one you all know and love.

Before Sunday, there is much of Michigan that I have not seen, but this trip to West Branch certainly took care of that.  I drove through so many nooks and crannies that there were times that I questioned whether I was still in Michigan.  What was supposed to be a two hour trip turned into a three hour journey.  After traveling on what seemed like a lot of back roads, I was able to see some beautiful countryside. The trees were full and the lakes that I got a glimpse of were so wonderful. 

Finally, when I arrived at the hospital in West Branch, I was ready to go in visit our friend.  Sister Bert was sitting up in a chair and was so happy to see me.  Sister Bernadette and Sister Jean were also with her and also welcomed my familiar face.

After her surgery, Bert is doing well.  It was too soon after the surgery to figure out, but they are waiting for tests results to come back after the holiday weekend.  After speaking with her for awhile I said I was going outside to let the others come in to visit with Sister.  Bert grabbed me by the wrist and said: “You better not leave without giving me a blessing, or a hug, (a pause), and a kiss.”  That is when I knew she is going to be ok because of this wonderful twinkle in her eye and a devilish smile on her face.

Please keep our wonderful friend in your prayers for a promising diagnosis and a quick return to good health.

Congratulations to all of our graduates who will be moving on to a new journey this fall.  We here at St. Al’s are proud of you all and pray for much success in your endeavors whatever they might be.

On another hand, I will be leaving for New Orleans on June 6^th to give a nine day Novena in honor of St. Jude.  I just didn’t want anyone thinking that I was back in the hospital.  My deepest thanks for all the prayers and well wishes I have received.

Blessings, Fr. Denis

Feast of the Holy Trinity

Dear Parishioners,

There are certain things in this world that defy description. There are physical and spiritual wonders that boggle the mind. They are truly impressive and life would never be the same without them. We can and do stand in wonder of them, often times going miles out of our way just to look in awe and amazement.

Sometimes, those wonders are miraculous and right in front of our faces, yet we don’t see them and if we do, certainly don’t understand them. This Sunday, the Feast of the Holy Trinity is one of those inexplicable wonders of our faith. Three distinct and equal persons, but one God. Each of the three connected in ways we will never understand but separate in ways they touch and love us as God, the Father/Creator; Son of God/Word made flesh; and Sanctifier/Unifier of love. We don’t understand but we believe. We believe and aspire to join them and live with them for all eternity.

This Monday we commemorate and remember all those who have given their lives in defense of and in service to our country. We thank them for responding to the call of military service and for making the supreme sacrifice. We honor them, remembering their dying in our prayers as we ask God to bless and hold them in His loving embrace forever.

What a wonderful weekend. We remember, we celebrate and we believe in a God who loves us without end, as we commemorate those who have given their all for their friends, family and country. As we ponder God’s Trinitarian presence and love, we thank God for giving us these brave men and women. It truly defies all description.

Love and Peace, Fr. Andy

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