From the Pastor's Desk

Hello parishioners of Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake! My name is Mason Abbott and I am very much looking forward to being with you all this summer. I grew up in Lansing, at Church of the Resurrection parish. I was born into a Catholic family of four boys, of which I am the third. We originally were at St. Martha’s in Okemos, but switched over to Resurrection when I was in 2nd grade and we have been there ever since. I have been in Catholic school my whole life.   I fir

Dear Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake,                  Many Blessings on this Divine Mercy Sunday.  A trick question I like to ask our school kids or those in faith formation is if they know what the unforgivable sin is.  It is a trick question because that sin doesn’t exist.  The only sin that God can’t forgive is the one that I don’t give to Him to forgive.  May this Divine Mercy Sunday remind us of that great truth.  If there is any sin we have been carrying around,

Dear Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake,                  Blessed Easter!  My encouragement this Easter is simply to live it.  Live the graces of this past Lent and live the freedom already given us by the Resurrection.  The promise of Easter isn’t just something far off, to be received only at the end of our earthly lives as we enter eternity.  We should see and enjoy the fruits of victory over death and sin right now.  Many little dying’s and being raised to new life lea

Dear St. Mary on the Lake and Sacred Heart,                  A Blessed beginning of Holy Week to everyone.  Our job is a simple one this week—be taken up into the great arc of our Salvation.  May this week remind us that there is nothing abstract or distant in any part of it.  Jesus is not just redeeming people in a broad sense.  He is redeeming me.  He is saving me.  I would encourage you to come to as many of the Holy Week liturgies as possible- Holy Thursday, Good Friday,

Dear Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake,                  Many blessings on Sacred Heart School this weekend as we have our Open House following the 11am Mass.  (Our original Open House was rescheduled due to a snowstorm.)  Please come by the school for a visit and a walk through.  The Czeiszperger family will be making fresh crepes in the school basement and who doesn’t like fresh crepes!                   I am so proud of our school, our teachers, our staff, and our stud

Dear Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake,                  The 18 th  grandbaby (a little girl) for the Koenigsknecht clan is due anytime now.  Having failed in the family betting pool regarding the right day and time 17 times previously, I have the evidentiary misguided hope that I will win this time!  I have been gone for Mary’s feast day, the Annunciation on the 25 th  so hopefully I will be able to celebrate two things that day. It is hard to believe how quickly this s

Dear Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake,                  I am very happy to welcome Fr. Matthew Bonk this weekend.  We parish-swapped for the weekend—I am up in Flint covering his parishes so he can be with us to celebrate Mass and invite everyone to the Lenten mission each evening Sunday-Tuesday.  A reminder that Fr. Matthew is also going to be celebrating a bonus Mass followed by breakfast, with a time for Q & A on Monday morning at St. Mary on the Lake, at 9:30.  His p

Dear St. Mary on the Lake and Sacred Heart,                  We now have Votive Candles at both Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake.  What is the meaning of Votive Candles?  “Votive comes from the Latin votum, meaning promise, dedication or simply  ‘ prayer. ’  It reinforces the idea that the candles represent our prayers before God.  As humans, we are body and soul and our prayers often need to be expressed in a physical, tangible way. … Similar to incense, the light of th

Dear Sacred Heart and St. Mary on the Lake,   Lenten Mission : Our Lenten mission is coming up if you don’t already have it on your calendar!  March 8 th , 9 th , and 10 th  at 6:30pm at Sacred Heart with a bonus Mass and Breakfast at St. Mary on the Lake on Monday, March 9 th  at 9:30am.  Confessions will be available on Monday, March 9 th  at the evening Mission service.   If you have already stumbled in your Lenten resolutions please don’t give up!  I always think that thi