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You know that feeling when it’s just easier to do something than not do it?” For most of us, that probably means everything from completing a mundane chore to answering an email. For Theresa McFall, that was the simple explanation for why she volunteered her nursing skills at one of the nation’s COVID-19 hotspots, for the Congregation of Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Assisi (commonly known as the Felician Sisters).

When Kevin and Jane Sutton heard a priest mention Catholic Charities’ food distribution ministry, they knew it was just the help they were seeking.

Stewardship. The word conjures immediate images. For some it’s synonymous with fundraising. For others the word’s meaning is rooted in the three “t’s”: time, talent and treasure. And for others, it’s careful attention to all the gifts entrusted to us. For Marci McCarthy stewardship is a way of life — one that can’t be explained by a single idea, sentence or pithy meme or quote.

Diocese Honors Bishop James A. Murray (1932 – 2020)

El pasado 5 de junio del 2020 el Obispo James A. Murray murió y fue al encuentro de Nuestro Señor. El Obispo Murray nació el 5 de julio de 1932 en Jackson, Michigan. Se graduó de St. Mary High School en Jackson, Michigan y obtuvo su grado universitario de Bachiller en Artes del Seminario el Sagrado Corazón en Detroit. Sus otros títulos académicos fueron Bachiller en Teología del Seminario San Juan de la Universidad Católica de América y Licenciatura en Derecho Canónico de la Universidad Católica de América.

Bishop Murray had a great heart for the Hispanic community. He was the one who started the Masses in the migrant camps. Each summer he celebrated several Masses in the fields and welcomed the farmworkers who each summer come to the nine counties of the diocese for the harvest. He always had a great smile and simplicity for the families.

March 2020 certainly lived by the old adage and “roared in like a lion.” What followed only amplified as the faithful grappled with all the challenges of the pandemic, which impacted all aspects of daily life from how we get groceries to how we do our jobs. And of course included on that list is how we practiced our faith. We’ve highlighted just a few of the many ways Bishop Bradley, diocesan staff, priests, deacons, parish staffs and Catholic Charities continued the work of the Church:

My dear friends, as we all are painfully aware, we’re living in a very tumultuous, anxious, and greatly divided time in our country. Tensions are high, anger is great, peaceful protests against racism and social injustice are widespread, and sadly, some of those protests have turned violent, and destructive, including here in our own community. I’m reminded of St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians, and us, to “mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor. 13:11).

It’s a rare block of uninterrupted time on Don Bouchard’s calendar when we sit down together at Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo’s offices. The busy physician not only guides the agency as its Executive Director, but he also runs his six-year-old practice, Holy Family Healthcare, and serves in his diaconate ministry for St. Augustine Cathedral Parish, Kalamazoo. It’s a demanding schedule that keeps him busy with stops all around Southwest Michigan, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Each Easter Vigil thousands of people across the world enter into full communion with the Church through the sacraments of initiation. Southwest Michigan Catholic interviewed Jessica Woods, a 27-year-old Ferris State University pharmacy student and parishioner of St. Mary Parish, Marshall, who was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic Church last year.

Kathy finds healing at Rachel’s Vineyard retreats Kathy Dey had been on a hero’s journey through death and shame, until a spirit led her to a life of love and greater joy than she ever imagined. As with the best adventures, this one revolves around an unlikely hero.

Living the Mission of the Eucharist - For a group of neighborhood children, living the mission of the Eucharist meant turning an otherwise ordinary summer day into a way to help other children.

Living the mission of the Eucharist - Last month, Bishop Paul J. Bradley began the first of 26 pastoral visits to the 26 Parish Collaboratives in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. The first stop on the “Loving God and Your Neighbor” pastoral tour was on Feb. 28 when Bishop Bradley visited St. Mark Parish, Niles. The day began with a series of meetings with Parish and Finance council members as well as the clergy serving St. Mark’s. The day also included the celebration of the Vigil Mass followed by a parish dinner featuring a talk by Bishop Bradley. The pastoral visit concluded with Benediction.

Living the Mission of the Eucharist - Volunteering is nothing new for Kathy Keagle. The St. Ambrose Parish, Parchment Parishioner has been generous with her time since her days as a Girl Scout leader and volunteer at her parish while raising her three children. Recently the retired medical technologist was invited by a close friend who was a volunteer for Ascension Borgess to give volunteering at the hospital a try.

 La Diócesis de Kalamazoo les da la bienvenida a las Hermanas Delia Aurora Ibarra, Paubla Jaritza Garcia, y Daysis Evangelista Uriarte de la Congregación de las Hermanas Siervas del Divino Rostro. Ellas son una comunidad joven, fundada en Nicaragua por la Madre Teresita Ortez para servir en la Iglesia a los más pobres, a los niños abandonados.

The Diocese of Kalamazoo welcomes Sister Delia Aurora Ibarra, Sister Paubla Jaritza Garcia and Sister Daysis Evangelista Uriarte of the Congregation of the Siervas del Divino Rostro (Servants of the Divine Face). They are a young community, founded in Nicaragua by Mother Teresita Ortez to serve the poor and abandoned children in the Church.

​​​​​​​On any given day, you may encounter Angelica Valdes dropping her 10-year-old daughter Alexa off at school; or volunteering at the migrant camps; or participating in a Bible study with her fellow “Women of the Word” parishioners at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Portage; or helping to run the diocesan San Agustin Institute for Hispanic Lay Ministry Formation Program.

En cualquier día, encontrará a Angélica Valdés dejando a su hija de 10 años, Alexa, en la escuela; o como voluntaria en los campos migrantes; o participando en el estudio Bíblico con sus compañeras del grupo de “Mujeres de la Palabra” en la parroquia de St. Catherine of Siena; o ayudando a coordinar el programa diocesano, Instituto San Agustín Programa de Formación Pastoral y Liderazgo.

When the calendar announces that December has arrived, we immediately feel that it is the season for celebrations, feasts, and, especially, meditation on who are the real protagonists of this season: Baby Jesus, the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the Magi and the simple shepherds of Bethlehem.

Cuando el calendario nos anuncia que llegó Diciembre inmediatamente sentimos que es un tiempo que nos lleva a pensar en celebraciones, fiestas, tradiciones y especialmente nos lleva a meditar en los verdaderos protagonistas de este tiempo, el Niño Jesús, La Virgen María, San José, Los Reyes Magos y los sencillos pastores de Belén.