Pastor’s Corner — March 29th, 2025
Special Announcement This Weekend
It’ll be at the end of the Masses. Hint: it’s related to a recent special announcement.
Introducing the NEW St Pat’s Shamrock Festival (June 11-14 2026)
This weekend we are introducing the St. Patrick Shamrock Festival, taking place on the St. Patrick School and SELCRA grounds on June 12–14, 2026, with a soft opening on June 11th for our parish and school families and volunteers. This new festival is a joyful, family-friendly celebration that brings together our entire parish and school community while welcoming the broader Brighton area. Reviving a cherished tradition, this new festival replaces Oktoberfest and reintroduces the spring raffle, with a renewed focus on fellowship, community spirit, and shared mission. Featuring carnival rides, games hosted by school classes and ministry groups, live entertainment, food, and activities for all ages, the event is made possible through the collaboration of parish ministries, the school, and dedicated volunteers, along with support from local partners. Proceeds from the festival and raffle directly support parish and school operations—ensuring the continued growth and vitality of our faith and learning community. This is a Save the Date; more information to come!
Given the sheer size of this event, we are in need of many volunteers. Please go to this website to sign up to volunteer for the festival, which promises to be an incredible event for the parish and the entire community!
Sadness: Our Music Director Steve Royal is Moving to Missouri
In another announcement, albeit a sad one, here is a note from Steve Royal our Director of Music:
After months of thoughtful prayer with family and prayer partners, my family and I are planning to move to St. Louis, Missouri, to live near our daughter and her husband who have settled there. Since it is best for the parish to have plenty of lead time to seek a new Music Director, I have submitted a resignation now so I can help with the initial search for a new music director. Our hope is to hire someone by summertime. While this is not a goodbye yet--I will say more when I leave--my family and I are truly grateful for the friendships, prayers, and excellent musicians and techs I have had the privilege to work with. We will miss everyone.
As he says, this isn’t a goodbye quite yet. But I know this is tough news for us. Steve’s been talking about this for some time now and I have been very edified by Steve and his wife’s prayerfulness in their desire to know God’s will in all of this. I’ll say more about Steve in the coming months when we honor him properly, but I am very thankful for his willingness to give us some time and help us search for a new Director of Music at St Pat’s. He has VERY big shoes to fill.
If you know someone who might be interested, please have them go to the Diocese of Lansing Careers website to apply. Please say a prayer that we get some good candidates to apply!
“We Cannot Remain Silent:” A Plea to Pray for the End of the War in Iran
As I write this there seems to be some hope that the U.S/Iran are engaging in talks to end the war in Iran. Regardless of whether you believe this war is just or not (I’ve seen Catholic arguments on both sides) we must pray for the end of the war.
Pope Leo had this to say in his March 22 Angelus Address
With dismay I continue to follow the situation in the Middle East, which like other regions of the world is torn apart by war and violence. We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many defenseless people who are victims of these conflicts What hurts them hurts all of humanity. The death and pain caused by these wars is a scandal for the entire human family and a cry that rises to God! I strongly renew my appeal to persevere in prayer, so that hostilities may cease and paths to peace may finally open up, based on sincere dialogue and respect for the dignity of every human person.
Come Holy Spirit, bless the people of all the people involved in the war. Protect them with love and give the peace of Jesus in their hearts. Lord Jesus, have mercy on all the victims of violence in the war and please end this war. Amen
Holy Week: A Week to Walk with Jesus in His Suffering
Please do what you can to maintain a prayerful disposition so we can walk with Jesus in his suffering this week. Please see the bulletin for our times for the Holy Triduum and Easter liturgies.
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias