Dear Parishioners, A special thanks to Fr. Benedict for all he did this past week. He was asked by the Bishop to provide any emergency assistance to the Catholics of Kalamazoo County, as well as celebrate daily Mass. The Bishop asked all priests of the diocese to have five days of retreat last week, at St. Paul Retreat Center, in Detroit. As all our priests are now in the final week of our special year of prayer for priests and more vocations, we thank you for your prayers for us and hope that our prayers for vocations bear fruit. Bishop Bradley ordained one of our seminarians as a transitional deacon this past weekend; and next weekend he will ordain one of our seminarians to the priesthood. We give thanks to God for calling these men to the priesthood and ask His blessing upon them. Both Fr. Benedict and Fr. Ben only have a few more weeks with us. When I introduced Fr. Benedict a few months ago, his assignment was only temporary. He will be traveling in a few weeks to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles where he will be working for a time. Fr Ben is entering into his final month with us before he begins his sabbatical assignment. As to how many priests will be with us at the parish in the future, I’m waiting to receive word from Bishop Bradley as to what this will look like. Finding ourselves in this upcoming time of transition, I ask that you pray for our priests! Even though we had these ordinations, I think most of us realize how the numbers of our priests are not what they used to be in past years. Please don’t stop praying for vocations! Thanks for reading! Fr. Mark