Dear Parishioners,

What’s new at the rectory? There are plenty of things that have happened over the past eight, almost nine, months since the tornado: a new roof, gutters, walls, lights, electrical wiring, floors, fresh paint, plumbing work, carpet and flooring, siding, handicap ramps, a connected garage, new appliances, and replacement furniture and cabinets. With all the severe damage left by the tornado, the upper floor of the rectory almost seems like an entirely new house. It’s going to seem quiet for a bit as most of the contractors have finished their work until we get some spring weather and the need to do outside work. 

I have spent the past week unpacking things and seeing what came back from the items that were put into storage from the company that took things offsite right after the tornado. I have also been setting up my room again. It’s almost like I have had to move to an entirely new parish and rectory, but that certainly is not the case because I never left. 

Thank you for your patience during the majority of 2024 and into the first month of this year. My ability to be available for evening meetings and appointments has been limited due to the fact that I had to commute back and forth and the same goes for Fr. Joseph. I hope to be settled back in soon and certainly fully settled in by the start of Lent 2025, which begins next month.

I still seek your patience this month because you may have heard that Fr. Joseph is on vacation in India for most of February and will be returning the final week of the month. I do have a couple of visiting priests that will be assisting me with daily Mass and one Sunday Mass each weekend, but it has become very difficult to find substitutes. We buried several of our retired priests this past year and there are only two available now to help in Kalamazoo County. Our parish is also staffed differently as we had a number of priests available when I first arrived. The parishes in the Kalamazoo area are some of the larger ones in the diocese and none of us have more than two priests assigned to them. Just a reminder to all of us to continue to pray for and encourage vocations for the future.

As of the time that this goes to press, I haven’t received a date or time from the Bishop on when he will be able to join us for a Mass of Thanksgiving or re-dedication of the rectory.

Thanks for reading! 

Fr. Mark