Grieving the death of a spouse? Or do you know someone who is? Your life has changed forever. The daily emotions and challenges can seem so hard to bear. Find help at a Loss of a Spouse seminar sponsored by St Catherine of Siena Parish. This 2-hour seminar will take place on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm virtually on Zoom. There is a $5.00 cost for the book which may be ordered online. For more information or to register, go to https://www.griefshare.org/loss/events/3546 and click on the "Register for this event" box in the upper-right corner of the page. Questions?? Contact Paula White at 269 330 3762 or pwhitentc@mac.com.

Dear Parishioners, It has been so nice these past few weeks to see many faces in church that I haven’t seen in a long time. Glad to see that more and more are able to receive the vaccine. Even in this most unusual time, our parish depends heavily on volunteers! From the ladies who put up and took down all the Lent and Easter decorations/flowers, the ushers who seat you at weekend Masses, those who assist with the counting of the collections, our sacristans who help us set up for Mass or others who help with the outdoor work around our campus—I am extremely grateful to all our volunteers! I want to thank our staff also who worked hard these past few weeks to make sure that everything was ready for Easter. It makes my work as pastor so much easier. Spring is here and it’s time for me once again to announce the Bishop’s Annual Appeal (BAA). Yes, BAA 2021 has started. Our goal is pretty much the same as it has been in years past. However, we have returned to the “normal” format that, as a parish, we need to make the entire goal before we see a refund back to the parish. Last year’s special BAA campaign was a one-time campaign that was meant to help out the parishes during the time of pandemic and the loss of financial support during uncertain times (after we reached half of our goal, the rest came back to the parish). I do appreciate all who contributed to BAA 2020 during these difficult times as we were able to benefit greatly from this arrangement. As we once again seek to support the works of the greater Church, I prayerfully ask you to consider a pledge to the Bishop’s Appeal 2021. Your pledge supports the work of the Church throughout our diocese and not just at the parish level. Please watch your mailbox for your personalized pledge card and additional information on this annual appeal. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for reading! Fr. Mark

The 2021 Bishop's Annual Appeal (BAA) has begun. Father Mark has prepared a special video about the 2021 Bishop's Annual Appeal. Please click on the article title to view the video or visit https://bit.ly/FrMarkBAA2021. Also, please read Bishop Bradley's letter about the 2021 BAA campaign (visit our website: http://bit.ly/2021BAALetter). For more information about the Bishop's Annual Appeal, individual parish goals, what the BAA funds, how parish goals are determined, and a link to the BAA Online Giving page, please visit: https://diokzoo.org/bishops-annual-appeal. All registered families should receive a letter and a pledge card for the 2021 BAA in the mail soon. This weekend, April 17-18, is "Commitment Weekend". Please complete and return your 2021 BAA Pledge Card to the parish when you come to Mass this weekend (you can drop it in the collection box in the Church or put it in the drop box outside the Front Office). Not attending Mass in person? Please return your 2021 pledge card to the parish as soon as possible, even if you are not able to contribute this year. We hope to hear from 100% of our parish! You can also make your pledge and future payments online: https://www.osvonlinegiving.com/867. Questions? Please contact Alan DeMars (ademars@stcatherinesiena.org or 978-2338) or Linda Reaume (lreaume@stcatherinesiena.org or 978-2346). Thank you for your on-going financial support of our Diocese and our parish!

As a Church, we pray for one another that the Lord continues to bless, guide, strengthen, and console us. One incredibly beautiful and ancient way we can pray for someone is to have a Mass offered for that person. It is a holy and devout practice to have Masses offered for a loved one, living or deceased. Masses may be offered on any day, but many offer them on a birthday, anniversary, or for a special need. To learn more about Mass Intentions, or to schedule a Mass Intention online, visit our website at https://stcatherinesiena.org/massintentions. Please click on the article title to view the Mass Intentions for April 17-25, 2021.

If you picked up a Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl this Lenten Season, please bring them back by Sunday, April 18. Visit http://www.crsricebowl.org for resources for families and parishes. If you have any questions regarding the Rice Bowl program, please contact Marianne at mverner@stcatherinesiena.org.

Is a small, in-person classroom with a caring teacher the right place for your child to grow in knowledge, faith, and character? Enrollment is open in the Catholic Schools of Greater Kalamazoo for preschool (age 3+) through high school. Learn more about St. Augustine Cathedral School, St. Monica Catholic School, and Hackett Catholic Prep at https://www.csgk.org or find us on social media by searching for @csgkkzoo. Schedule a tour or apply today to join our family of schools. We can’t wait to meet you!

Are you grieving the loss of a loved one? There is help! GriefShare is a 13 week program for grieving people that helps one cope with the jagged journey of grief.The weekly sessions address different grief-related topics and include a video, group discussion and a workbook with additional materials. We meet virtually on Zoom on Thursdays from 12:30 - 2:30 pm beginning on May 6th. The cost is $20 for the workbook. To register go to: https://www.griefshare.org/groups/132507. Then click on the “Register for this group” box in the top right corner of the page to sign up. When you sign up, you will be offered the opportunity to purchase the book online or you may purchase it from St. Catherine's by contacting Paula White. If you have questions, please contact Paula White, 269 330 3762 or pwhitentc@mac.com.

“When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore, the readings from the Word of God are to be listened to reverently by everyone, for they are an element of the greatest importance in the Liturgy. Although in the readings from Sacred Scripture the Word of God is addressed to all people of whatever era and is understandable to them, a fuller understanding and a greater efficaciousness of the word is nevertheless fostered by a living commentary on the word, that is, by the Homily, as part of the liturgical action. “ (General Instruction of the Roman Missal [GIRM], no. 29) Lectors proclaim the Word of God at Mass and other liturgical services. Lectors prepare by understanding what they will proclaim, by prayer, and by practicing. Please prayerfully consider joining our Lectors Ministry as your schedule allows. If you are interested in becoming a Lector, please contact Alana Murray at FrontDesk@stcatherinesiena.org.

As we continue to welcome everyone back to in-person Masses, we need more Ushers and Sacristans to help us with all Masses. We are so appreciative of all of the Sacristans and Ushers who have continued to serve the parish week after week during these challenging times! We literally couldn't do it without you! (Our Priests have had to Usher or serve as Sacristan several Sundays to help out, often times before the Mass they are presiding!) If you are able to help on a weekend or two a month, please contact our Front Office at FrontDesk@stcatherinesiena.org or call 327-5165. Thank you for considering helping us!

Today, Tuesday, April 13, 2021, beginning at 10:55 am, we will stream the Mass of Christian Burial for Matthew Andrews live on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/stcatherinesiena/), on our website (https://www.stcatherinesiena.org/funeralmasses), and on our YouTube channel (https://bit.ly/stcatherinesienaYouTube). The Mass will be recorded and the video will be available to view in all three locations following the Mass. You can find Matthew's obituary here: https://www.langelands.com/obituary/Matthew-Andrews. Please continue to keep Matthew, his family, his friends, and all who loved him in your thoughts and prayers!

As spring arrives and our plants and gardens start to grow again, we are looking for parishioners to sponsor different areas of the church’s grounds. We hope to get families, individuals, high school students (especially those who need volunteer/service hours), or parish groups to take care of weeding different small areas. You will be assigned one area of your choice to adopt. For instance you could adopt an island in the parking lot, the entrance to Marian Hall, different areas of the Mary Garden, or the gardens in front of the church. If you have an interest in adopting an area or just assisting us in keeping our Church grounds beautiful, we would love to have you. If you are interested in adopting a garden or have any questions, please contact Marianne Verner at mverner@stcatherinesiena.org or 978-2340. Thank you in advance for praying for this ministry and its helpers.

Grieving the death of a spouse? Or do you know someone who is? Your life has changed forever. The daily emotions and challenges can seem so hard to bear. Find help at a Loss of a Spouse seminar sponsored by St Catherine of Siena Parish. This 2-hour seminar will take place on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 from 6:30 -8:30 virtually on Zoom. There is a $5.00 cost for the book which may be ordered online. For more information or to register, go to https://www.griefshare.org/loss/events/3546 and click on the "Register for this event" box in the upper-right corner of the page. Questions?? Contact Paula White at 269 330 3762 or pwhitentc@mac.com .

This past weekend we celebrated the Sunday of Divine Mercy. God’s greatest desire is to forgive us, pouring out His infinite mercy upon us so that we may be healed.  Since the legalization of abortion in our country, millions of women, men, and families have been hurt by abortion. By the age of 45, as many as 1 in 3 women have had an abortion, and a similar number of men and family members have been involved.  Many inaccurately feel that abortion is “the unforgivable sin.” They need to hear that God forgives every sin of a repentant heart, even the sin of abortion. Project Rachel is the abortion healing ministry of the Catholic Church in the US. It provides an integrated network of services, including pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, support groups, retreats, and referrals to licensed mental health professionals. For more information, visit https://www.dioceseofkalamazoo.org/project-rachel or take one of the pamphlets that are available in the information rack in the Narthex.

We wish to extend a warm welcome to our Parish family to those baptized in the month of March. Welcome, and Congratulations! Please click on the article title to see the list of March Baptisms.

Dear Parishioners, On April 22, 2001, the Universal Church officially began celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday. This year is the 20th Anniversary of this celebration. In every age of the Church, God shows His love. Almost 100 years ago, the Lord revealed Himself in the figure of the Divine Mercy for the Church and the world to contemplate. This was right before the start of World War II and the many crimes that were committed against human life. God saw the choices that the world and society were making. He knew we needed to see His constant love revealed to us in His Divine Mercy. The Divine Mercy chaplet has become a popular devotion prayed each day, especially at the 3:00 pm hour, so that we can be reminded of the love of the Lord and the need that each one of us has to be forgiven for our sinfulness. In the weeks after Easter, this is when we normally begin to talk about the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. As you read this, you may have a puzzled look on your face. Didn’t we just have a special edition of the Bishop’s Appeal a few months ago? Yes, we did! Last year was an exceptional year in all ways, including when the Bishop’s Appeal started and ended. I am extremely grateful for the support that was given to this and the fact that we did receive money back to help the parish at a time when we really needed it. However, this year we will be back to the normal format and our goal will be very similar to what it has been in the past. As we prepare to officially begin this, I ask all of you to prayerfully think about how you can support the work of the Church once again, in the midst of trying times, so that the good works of the Church can continue. More information about this will be arriving over the next few weeks. Thanks for reading! Fr. Mark

We would like to extend a warm St. Catherine's welcome to our newest member for the month of March 2021. We're glad you're part of our St. Catherine's Family. Please click on the article title to see the March 2021 new members.

As a Church, we pray for one another that the Lord continues to bless, guide, strengthen, and console us. One incredibly beautiful and ancient way we can pray for someone is to have a Mass offered for that person. It is a holy and devout practice to have Masses offered for a loved one, living or deceased. Masses may be offered on any day, but many offer them on a birthday, anniversary, or for a special need. To learn more about Mass Intentions, or to schedule a Mass Intention online, visit our website at https://stcatherinesiena.org/massintentions. Please click on the article title to view the Mass Intentions for April 10-18, 2021.

Don't forget - our Mary Garden Spring Clean Up is tomorrow, Saturday, April 10th at 9:00 am. Please meet in the front Mary Garden area. Bring your gloves, rakes, and energy with you. This is a great opportunity to get the family involved. If you have any questions, please contact Gary Townsend at (269) 341-1205.

This weekend is Divine Mercy Sunday. We are encouraged to pray the novena for nine days in preparation of a celebration of a feast day. At the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Novena is recited perpetually at the Hour of Great Mercy — the three o'clock hour. To learn more about the Divine Mercy Novena, please visit https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/novena.

Thank you to all who helped us with Holy Week and Easter Masses, and all the details in between that make our Easter Season a success. We appreciate all you do for us!