Dear Parishioners, During these days of November, the Church encourages us to pray for our dearly departed loved ones and friends. It could be as simple as remembering them in our prayers, or it visiting the cemetery and their grave. This ancient Church tradition reminds us of our central belief and hope in the Resurrection and what set apart the early Christians from those around them. Let us remember our dearly departed with this simple prayer: May their souls, and the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace.
As we find ourselves nearing the mid-point of November, unfortunately, it is time to talk about snow again! I like watching the forecasts for the winter months, looking at the Farmer’s Almanac, the NOAA forecast, and other local forecasts. Having done this for quite a few years, it’s amazing the differences between the forecasts. In other words, we still don’t know for sure what the weather will be like this winter. Now it’s time for my yearly reminder about weather cancellations. Remember that the parish changed and updated what had been done in previous years. St. Catherine’s will always be open for Mass, both daily and Sunday. One needs to use their best judgment about their safety in traveling here to go to Mass. Luckily, Fr. Jacob and I only need to make it across the parking lot for Mass and we will celebrate Masses regardless of the weather. However, this will be the first time Fr. Jacob will be seeing a Michigan winter. Hopefully, there will be no more ice storms! For group activities, group leaders will need to send out reminder emails or other contacts to let you know that meetings or classes are cancelled. Please use your best judgment when traveling during these upcoming winter months.
Everyone is invited to join us for our St. Catherine Fall Festival today, Sunday, November 12th after the 11:00 am Mass in the Stanley Centre. Food, fellowship, and games will be part of our time together. I hope to see you there!