Category: News

Regarding Bishop Bradley’s Ad Limina Apostolorum Visit

for the Weekend of December 7-8, 2019

Beginning this weekend, Bishop Bradley will join with the other Bishops of Michigan and Ohio (Region VI) in making their canonical “Ad Limina Apostolorum” Visit“, which refers to the pilgrimage that all Bishops are required to make to the Tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul in Rome.   For centuries, Bishops have been expected at regular intervals to make a report of their Diocese to the Holy Father, as the Successor of Saint Peter.  Normally, Canon Law prescribes that this meeting occur every five years, but scheduling difficulties in Rome have delayed this visit an additional two years for the Bishops of the United States. This week-long visit includes a personal meeting with Pope Francis, Masses celebrated at each of the four major Basilicas in Rome, and a number of meetings with various Vatican offices.

In preparation for the visit, many of the faithful of the Diocese of Kalamazoo have offered Spiritual Bouquets of prayers, devotions, and sacrifices, which Bishop Bradley will present to the Holy Father in support of his Apostolic Office.  With deep appreciation to all participants in this beautiful gift to the Pope, Bishop Bradley gratefully conveys the following message:

“My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

     During this Ad Limina Visit, please know of my heartfelt prayers for each one of you dear Members of the Faithful of the Diocese of Kalamazoo. Be assured of my remembrance of all your special prayer intentions during this holy pilgrimage to Rome, and know that I am humbled to present our Holy Father with the Spiritual Bouquet that so many of you have so generously offered.  At each of the holy tombs and places I will visit, I will be asking God’s abundant blessings upon you, and all of your families and loved ones. 

     As we continue “waiting in joyful hope” for the coming of our Lord Jesus, may these hope-filled days of Advent lead us to the true joy of Christmas. 

    Praying for God’s special blessings upon each of you, and asking for your prayers for me during this important visit, I remain,

Faithfully yours in Christ,

Bishop Paul J. Bradley

Bishop of Kalamazoo”

Please join us for a class regarding 10 of the essential oils that are mentioned in the Bible.  We will be sampling the oils while reading specific Bible passages pertaining to the oils.  It is a fun way to experience oils and learn about the Bible.  It’s another opportunity to prepare for Baby Jesus!  The class is on Saturday, December 14, 12:00 – 2:00, Michigan Tile and Carpet,  99 E. Columbia Avenue, Battle Creek.  There is a fee of $10 per person which includes a bottle of Christmas Spirit foaming hand soap.  Please R.S.V.P. to Sheri Winget, 269-420-2250, for a space.  Merry Christmas!

November 24, 2019 Solemnity of Christ, the King of the Universe

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

On this Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, which celebrates our Savior’s reign over all creation, we conclude one Liturgical Year, and prepare ourselves for a new Church year, which begins next week with the First Sunday of Advent.  At this convergence of the passing of one year into another, I write to you today about a matter that is of great importance to all of us as Catholics, and the most central Mystery of our Catholic faith: Jesus’ Gift of Himself to us in the Holy Eucharist.

As you may know, in mid-October our Diocese sponsored an extremely successful Eucharistic Congress at the Radisson Hotel in Kalamazoo.  This first-ever event in the history of our Diocese was a wonderful celebration and a grace-filled experience for the more than 1,000 participants who attended from just about every parish in our Diocese.  I am confident that the graces from this event will bear fruit for our entire Diocese for months and years to come.

I believe the enthusiastic participation in the Eucharistic Congress represents a true yearning for a renewed focus on the most Precious Gift of the Eucharist.  It is in response to this deep-seated longing for communion with Jesus Christ, that I have written a new pastoral letter to all the Faithful in our Diocese which I will be sharing with all of you in the very near future.  This letter, which I have entitled: “Loving God and our Neighbor: Living the Mission of the Eucharist,” * discusses why now, perhaps more than ever before, we are being called to be Missionary Disciples of Jesus Christ our King, inspired and motivated through the spiritual nourishment given to us in the Eucharist to go forth and be models of Christ’s love for all people.

I believe that we can all greatly benefit from an extended amount of time focusing on the need for us to renew our understanding and love for this Precious Gift of Jesus’ Real Presence with us in the Eucharist.  For that reason, I am proclaiming “A Year of the Eucharist” to be observed in all parishes and institutions of our Diocese during the calendar year 2020.  Throughout this year of prayer, reflection and action, we plan to have many opportunities at both the diocesan and parish level to grow more deeply in our love for Jesus.

My dear Family of Faith, it is not my intention that this “Year of the Eucharist” be filled with a lot of “busy-ness”, or with many special programs or activities; rather it is my hope that this special Year will result primarily in a renewed love for Jesus, whose Real Presence we encounter in the Eucharist.  Through prayer and the grace of God, may that renewed love for Jesus lead us to a deeper devotion to the Eucharist and a more prayerful celebration of the Mass, while at the same time, leading us to a greater involvement with our Parish communities, and an increased outreach to those in need through our participation in the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.

As Pope Francis said during a Sunday Angelus reflection: “The missionary disciple has first of all a center, a point of reference, which is the Person of Jesus.”  Through our love for Jesus in the Eucharist, may He be our “point of reference” in enabling us to see His Presence in the poor, the immigrant, the hungry, the thirsty, the imprisoned, and in all those in need.

May our “Year of the Eucharist” be a grace-filled time in the life of our Diocese resulting in a genuine outpouring of Eucharistic devotion and a renewed sense of mission.  And may all of us experience a profound reawakening of our awareness and love for the Eucharistic Mystery that will inspire us in our faith, and propel us forward in all that we do in Jesus’ name.

Praying that our Loving God will bless you and your families in these days of Thanksgiving, and as we continue waiting in joyful hope during the upcoming blessed Advent Season of our new Liturgical Year, and asking for your continued prayers for me and for our Diocese, I remain

Faithfully yours in Christ,

Most Rev. Paul J. Bradley
Bishop of Kalamazoo

*Visit www.diokzoo.org to download a digital copy of Loving God and Your Neighbor: Living the Mission of the Eucharist

Gaudium Christi East, Friday, December 20, 7:30-9 p.m.

St. Joseph Parish Chapel, Battle Creek

Gaudium Christi (the joy of Christ) is an opportunity to spend time with Jesus Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament. Offer this time (whether it is 5 minutes or the entire time) to God so you might grow in greater intimacy with Jesus Christ. This is a time for you, in the quiet of your heart to listen and speak with the God who loves you.

On October, 19, 2019 the Diocese of Kalamazoo is hosting a Eucharistic Congress to Ignite the Faith in Southwest Michigan.  This congress will bring together about 1000 of the faithful of the Diocese of Kalamazoo to unite in prayer and dialogue to inspire more faith in Southwest Michigan.

The faithful will gather at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo.  While at the congress they will pray, be encouraged by talks, and discuss in small groups how the Diocese of Kalamazoo can accompany families, foster more priests, and encourage the growth and sharing of the faith throughout their community.

We are currently looking for sponsors to assist with the approximate $50,000 cost of the event.  Sponsors will be listed in the program and throughout the venue as well as on the diocesan webpage and social media.  The higher level sponsors also include a specific room acknowledgement as indicated below.

The four levels of sponsorship are:

Tongues of Fire: $2,000 – includes digital acknowledgment on keynote room

Burning Bush: $1,000 – includes digital acknowledgement on a breakout room

Flaming torch: $500 – includes acknowledgement at lunch

Sanctuary Lamp – $250

If you would like to help sponsor this congress, you can sign up and make payment on our website at www.diokzoo.org/ecsponsorship.  If you have any question or would like to speak to someone about sponsorship opportunities please contact Tom Dowdall at tdowdall@diokzoo.org, or 269-903-0145.

Thank you for your support of this initiative to transform the Church in Southwest Michigan.

With the Love of Christ,

Jamin Herold

Executive Director – Parish Life and Lay Leadership

Director of Eucharistic Congress

Diocese of Kalamazoo

jherold@diokzoo.org

269-903-0183

GREAT GIFT IDEA!  BUY ANY RETREAT AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOUR LOVED ONE!  

1. Young Adult Retreat 2019 – A Grown Up Look At the Virtues: Looking to get away to spend some time with the Lord during the season of Lent? Join us from Friday March 1^st at 7 pm – Sunday March 3^rd and take this time for prayer, presentations, recreation, reflection, and fellowship at Pretty Lake Camp (9123 West Q Ave., Mattawan, MI 49071). Cost is $50 per participant. Please register by contacting Tim McNamara (tmcnamara@diokzoo.org) and stay tuned for more information. God bless!

2. Diocesan Annual Lenten Retreat 2019 (Formally Diocesan Annual Open Retreat) – March 16-17, 2019 at Indian Lake Nazarene Camp (8258 Victory St., Vicksburg, MI 49097). Our facilitators are Madeline Haydon, Michelle Moynihan, and Nicole Kegley, all three who serve at their respective parish as Echo Apprentices. The retreat begins at 9:00 am on Saturday, March 16th and concludes at 11:30 am on Sunday, March 17th. There are two options available when you register – one is with an overnight stay and the second is for those who would like to commute. The cost structure is as follows (please note all rooms have two queen beds):

Single Occupancy: $120
Double Occupancy: $80
Triple Occupancy: $65
Quadruple Occupancy: $60
Commuter Rate: $40

Deadline for these prices is March 1^st. After that there is an additional $20 added on and rooms will be given on a first come, first serve basis. All registrations are due by March 8^th. To register, please visit https://imdisciple.com/lentenretreat For more information, please contact Tim McNamara attmcnamara@diokzoo.org.

3. Diocesan Women’s Retreat: Intended for any adult woman, this retreat is meant to provide intentional time for you to reconnect with the Lord Jesus Christ and to encounter other women from around the Diocese who desire to grow in their faith. This retreat will be held at Indian Lake Nazarene Camp (8258 Victory St., Vicksburg, MI 49097) on Saturday, November 2^nd – Sunday, November 3^rd. There are two options available when you register – one is with an overnight stay and the second is for those who would like to commute. The cost structure is as follows (please note all rooms have two queen beds):

Single Occupancy: $120
Double Occupancy: $80
Triple Occupancy: $65
Quadruple Occupancy: $60
Commuter Rate: $40

To register for the Women’s Retreat, please contact Tim McNamara at tmcnamara@diokzoo.org. Thank you and God bless!

MASS OF REPARATION AND HEALING FOR THE CHURCH

O C T O B E R 7 , 2 0 1 8 , 3 P . M .
S T . P H I L I P P A R I S H
1 1 2 C A P I T A L A V E N E – B A T T L E C R E E K , M I 4 9 0 1 7
DIOCESE OF KALAMAZOO
www.diokzoo.org – 269.349.8714
B I S H O P P A U L J . B R A D L E Y , C E L E B R A N T

At this critically important moment in the life of our Church we are called to
come together in prayer and devote our time for the intentions of the continued
healing of all victims of abuse and for the ongoing reparation and healing
of our Church. There will be time for Pastoral Conversation following the Mass.

DIOCESAN 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION:  A special Mass for couples of the Diocese of Kalamazoo who are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversaries in 2018 will be held on Sunday, October 14, 2018, 3:00 pm at St. Augustine Cathedral in Kalamazoo. Couples celebrating their 50^th Anniversary any time in 2018 are asked to contact their parish office rectory so that their names can be submitted for a personal invitation from Bishop Bradley to participate in this celebration.

Join us for our annual fundraiser and enjoy good food, fun, and faith.

There are activities for people of all ages. Bring the family, have a great time, and support your parishes!

The 32nd All Saints Superfest will be held September 21, 22, and 23 on the grounds of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Battle Creek.

September Good News & Brews
Married and single young adults from college through their 30s are welcome to come enjoy discussion, fellowship and music from (newly named) Jeremiah and the Hebrews and featured speaker Sr. Joseph Andrew on holiness/vocation at Arcadia Brewing Company in Kalamazoo on Sept. 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. Future dates are: Oct. 11; Nov. 8; Dec. 13.