Christ the King Catholic Church

Due to the current health circumstances, we are all facing, public services are now open with limited seating and health and safety precautions and protocols in place.  Thank you so much for your individual and group cooperation and patience.   
Public Mass:  Limited and Live Streamed.     Welcome!

Fr. Philip Schmitter will be celebrating (Live Streaming) all Masses on his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/philip.schmitter.3
Facebook link on header-top of our website ~ right edge

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BISHOP BOYEA'S FRIDAY MEMO

Friday, September 25, 2020
Feast of  Saint Cleopas

 
Dear Friend,

This week I had the privilege of offering Holy Mass upon the Feast of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, September 23, at the site of a proposed Catholic hospital complex near Howell in Livingston County which is inspired by Padre Pio’s example of caring for the sick and dying (such is providence, on the very same day the relics of the great 20^th century Italian saint were also being publicly venerated in our cathedral in Lansing!). 

Known as Casa USA, the hospital project is a collaboration between the Diocese of Lansing – we have donated the land – and Catholic Healthcare International who tell me that the project will be a “beacon of light of faithful Catholic healthcare delivery for all Catholic providers of care and medical education in the U.S.”.

The initiative is modeled upon the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza or “Home for the Relief of the Suffering” in the Italian town of San Giovanni Rotondo which was established by Saint Padre Pio himself back in 1956. The Howell project has the full blessing of the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloysius_O%27Kelly#/media/File:Mass_in_a_Connemara_Cabin_by_Aloysius_O'Kelly_(1883).png


For all their grand designs and notable achievements thus far, the tone and demeanor of those behind this ambitious project struck me as being one of humility not hubris. Rightly so, as the readings at our woodland Mass confirmed: 

"The only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world,” (Saint Paul to the Galatians, 6: 14)

It was the sanctity given to Padre Pio which has brought the Casa USA project to where it is today. It is God’s own grace in our lives which makes us open to that same sanctity. It is the generosity with God’s own gifts to us that we have accomplished our baby steps. So, both in the beginning and the end it is all grace; it is all God. Thus, we do not boast except in God. 

Rather, we give thanks for the worthy life of Padre Pio; we give thanks that we are able to make some small tribute to his holy life in hopes that it will lead to the conversion of many others; we give thanks that we may be able to bring a more divine light into the lives of those who dedicate themselves to the medical care of others.  

Brothers and sisters, the realization of the Casa USA will not be easy; it will truly be the Cross of the Lord.  All we may be able to do is plant a seed. Hence, let us not boast about that seed but only pray that God will give the increase as we boast in his fidelity to us. Saint Padre Pio, pray for us!

Assuring you of my prayers, I am sincerely yours in Christ, 

+ Earl 
Bishop of Lansing

P.S. Thank you to all of you who have given so generously to the Diocese of Lansing Mission Co-operative Appeal 2020 which has been running in parishes for the past two weekends. Your money will go to help almost 30 missionary projects across the globe. There is still some time remaining to donate. Click here to do so. 

In the meantime, to give you just one example of where your money goes, here's John Drake of the Lingap Children’s Foundation which runs an orphanage for abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned children in Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines: https://dioceseoflansing.flocknote.com/note/8896658/video/453682810

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Watch: This week saw the relics of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina complete a seven-day tour of the Diocese of Lansing.
One of the parishes visited was Saint Robert Bellarmine in Flushing. 

In this short video, Father Jonathan Perrotta, Pastor of Saint Robert, explains why he was so excited that the relics of Saint Pio
were touring the Diocese of Lansing and why he is so personally devoted to Padre Pio: 

https://dioceseoflansing.flocknote.com/note/8896658/video/453682813


Watch: How do we discern the will of God in your daily life? That’s the big question discussed in this Diocese of Lansing Podcast featuring Dawn Hausmann of the diocesan Vocations Department. 

Dawn is the organizer of a 3-day retreat entitled “Discerning the Will of God: The Ignatian Guide to Christian Decision Making”
led by Father Timothy Gallagher O.M.V. It starts today!   

Father Gallagher has been described as “America's preeminent writer on Ignatian spiritual direction and discernment”.
That means discernment based upon the tried and tested methods of Saint Ignatius of Loyola,
the 16th century Basque founder of the Society of Jesus or Jesuits. 

Asking the podcast questions is the diocesan Director of Communications, David Kerr. Please keep those participating in the retreat (over 100 at last count) in your prayers this weekend.  

https://dioceseoflansing.flocknote.com/note/8896658/video/453682815


    https://faithmag.com/index.php/        Faith Magazine

Read: In this month's FAITH Magazine, the official publication of the Diocese of Lansing, Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles meditates upon the centrality of the heart to Christian living and, in particularly, the importance of attempting to imitate the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our everyday lives. 

"When we move into the space of Jesus’ heart – loving what he loves, sorrowing over what he sorrows over, rejoicing over what he rejoices over, feeling compassion for whom he feels compassion – we are dwelling in the holy temple of God," writes Bishop Barron. To read more click here.

https://faithmag.com/heart-jesus-holy-temple-god


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