I LOVE A GOOD ROAD TRIP. It all began from the time I was growing up and my folks, with six children in tow, made cross-country treks to visit extended family — my paternal grandmother in New Mexico and my mother’s aunts and uncles in Massachusetts. It was always an adventure.
And no matter what our destination was, my mom always made sure to scout out the closest Catholic church and figure out when Mass was. Quite a feat considering this was before the digital age when such information is now just a click away.
Those times celebrating Mass in places unknown are ensconced fondly in my brain. Like the time my brothers and sisters and I sat on wooden benches in the woods in the middle of a campground or happened upon a Mass being celebrated in Polish and fielded stern looks from my mom trying to stifle our giggles.
Finding new Catholic churches is something I’ve carried into my own travels as an adult. Some of my favorites include the Our Lady of La Leche Shrine in St. Augustine, Fla., and the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas in Galway, Ireland. Each time I enter a new Catholic church I make a point to light a candle for a special intention.
A “journey” is an often-used analogy when describing our faith life. For good reason. It’s ripe with adventure, surprises and an understanding only possible when we push ourselves to places unknown.
It’s both inspiring and heartwarming to experience being able to walk into a Catholic church in any part of the world and recognize the sacred art and, even if you don’t understand the language, participate in Mass.
And you don’t need to go far to experience this. What’s great about being a part of the diocesan Church in Southwest Michigan is the opportunity to visit any one of the 59 parishes throughout the nine counties of our diocese and know you are connected. Headed to the lakeshore? Why not stop by St. Joseph Parish in St. Joseph, thought to be the very first Catholic parish in our diocese dating back to when French fur traders still wandered about hundreds of years ago. Or maybe you’re taking a drive through Barry County. Stop by St. Rose of Lima in Hastings, which celebrated an impressive 150 years last year, and marvel at the church’s unique stone structure.
You’ll also find this same theme of journey and discovery throughout our featured stories this issue. Bishop Bradley reminds us of those early days of the Church leading up to Pentecost (pg. 4); our resident marriage columnist, Socorro Truchan, offers some advice to couples on how to get the most of the “summer season” of your relationship; and Father John offers some gentle reminders on why it’s important to get to Mass on Sundays.
We also have the joy to bring you some of those faith journey stories from our two Caring Network Mom Mentors (pg. 12) to Jesus Hernandez, our featured cover story, a young adult working to deepen his faith.
May your summer be filled with new discoveries and blessings.