Dear Holy Redeemer Family, to the homebound, and visiting friends, the end of this wonderful year 2023 offers me an opportunity to thank you as you deserve it. Thanks for welcoming me at Holy Redeemer and in the Diocese of Lansing. Thanks for participating on October 28 at my installation as your Pastor of Holy Redeemer by our local Bishop, Bishop Earl Boyea Thanks equally for your time, talents and financial contributions to Holy Redeemer, the Outreach and all other important missions. Be assured, like St. Paul: “We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray” (Col. 1:3)
I am aware that this year, especially June 2023, has definitely been difficult for most Parishioners after the announcement of Rev. Father Steven Anderson’s retirement as Pastor of Holy Redeemer. This might have been even more difficult as your new Pastor was coming from the Southern hemisphere (Africa). I believe this transition was, and it is still difficult for some of you who need a longer time to adapt with newness. I would like to reassure you, time is a healer and we all need to journey together, praying and trusting God’s guidance and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
So, as we step into this new year 2024, I would like us to entrust our Parish under the control and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female
servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit” (Joel 2:28-32) How I wish this prophecy may come to pass in our parish!
Henceforth, the coming year will be marked by fostering spiritual life and stewardship campaigns, evangelization, and Catechesis in all its aspects: these include seekers, youth, and adult formation.
1) Spiritual Life
Every day without fail we now offer the highest sacrifice of the Mass for our Parish and for the whole world. We pray the rosary daily before every mass and on Weekend’s masses, that is 3:20PM on Saturdays, 8:20AM and 4:20PM on Sundays. Every Friday at 3:00PM we are going to have the “Golgotha Hour” with the Divine Mercy chaplet or the Most Precious Blood of Jesus’s prayer for the conversion of sinners and for our salvation. This will start on Friday January 5, 2024. We will also give priority to Thursdays solemn hour of adoration (Power Hour) from 6:00PM to 7:00PM and we indeed foster and encourage you to come to Encounter on every first Friday at 6:30PM and we will be offering on every third Friday, a Healing Service at 6:30PM. Our first healing service will be on January 19, 2023. We pray that God, the Healer (Exodus 3:15) may heal our sickness and any kind of wounds in our families throughout this year 2024.
2) Stewardship Campaign
At the end of this year 2023, we have been involved in various diocesan strategic meetings on how to be effective in evangelizing our parishes. Our smart goal is to make all parishioners fully active participants in the work of evangelization in the parish. For this reason, we would like to embark on a stewardship campaign starting on the second week of January 2024. Stewardship will enable every parishioner to live out their commitment of self-donation, to be truly Christ-centered. Stewardship calls for profound gratitude to serve the divine plan by giving back to God (three-Ts) your Time, your Talents and your Treasure. The Campaign will be run by a stewardship committee which will be headed by Dcn. Ken Preiss. Stewardship is the key to make us all servants and participants in building God’s kingdom here at Holy Redeemer.
3) Outreach Campaign Programs
One of the very important parts of our faith is to reach out to the vulnerable and the poor, and the homebound whom Jesus identifies himself with. I thank you for taking responsibility and financially supporting our outreach here at Holy Redeemer. Thanks indeed for your monthly contributions. It is our way of becoming apostles of Jesus’ mercy.
Please do contact the office at any time whenever you find yourself homebound and in need of a visit.
With the Finance Council, we have discussed some ways we can extend the outreach to the Divine Mercy Foundation for the construction of the orphanage and the tuition of poor children, as well as assisting in the formation of Pallottine seminarians in Cameroon. What a joy to contribute in one way or in another to the formation of a priest! In our next insert, we will have more clarifications on this topic.
Like St. Paul said in Philippians (4:7), “I pray that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” so that you will experience God's peace, joy, happiness, healing, and the favor through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Have a spirit filled and prosperous new year 2024!
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC
The Holy Family
How beautiful it is to celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Today, we emphasize the importance of family. The family is a beautiful space for our growth. It is the domestic Church. Let us pray for the restoration of healthy families in our country.
In the first reading, God promises that Abraham and Sarah will have a son. God is the author of all life. He is the beginning and the end of our story. Our life is sacred. Our lives are part of God's gracious plan. Let us pray for the sanctity of life from conception to death.
The family must build its life on faith, love, and charity. This is why the second reading recalls the story of Abraham and Sarah who put their faith in God. God is faithful, he has fulfilled his promises in Jesus Christ. May we learn to trust God in all situations of our life.
Let us be like Joseph and Mary who did not fail in their duty as parents. They take the baby Jesus to Jerusalem for the purification ritual. There they meet Simeon and Anna, who both talk about Jesus' future and how he will fulfill all our hopes, desires, and needs. May we as parents take seriously the spiritual education of their children.
Happy Feast of the Holy Family!