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The Corporal Works of Mercy are kind acts by which we help our neighbors with their everyday material and physical needs. Visiting the imprisoned is the next Corporal Works of Mercy I’m reflecting...

This week several hundred parish young people will participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Can they trust that the adults of St. Gerard will be doing the same as part of their preparation for Easter? The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a participation in the very mercy Jesus bestowed on sinners during his public ministry. God’s mercy is boundless and is ever available to those who take responsibility for their sins, express sorrow, and ask...

At all the Masses this weekend we will listen to a message from Bishop Boyea inviting us to participate in DSA 2016. The DSA supports more than 100 diocesan ministries that enrich parish life, strengthen families, inspire and educate future generations of our faith. The many services and ministries supported by our...

You may notice a few things are a bit different this weekend at St. Gerard. In celebration of Catholic Schools Week, we have invited our students to wear their uniform to Mass this weekend as a visible sign of our kick off celebration! You will see students taking up gifts, greeting parishioners, speaking at the Masses and even singing at 9:00 am (children’s choir)! We have great things planned for this week to celebrate the many gifts of attending a Catholic...

On April 15, 2015 Pope Francis announced an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. It began on December 8, 2015 and will close on the Feast of Christ the King, Nov. 20. 2016. Seeing a great need for mercy and healing in the world, Pope Francis called for the Year of Mercy as a time for the Church across the world to focus on forgiveness and healing in a special way. Pope Francis has asked us as individuals and as a Church “to be a witness of mercy” by reflecting on and practicing the corporal and spiritual works of...

At St. Gerard our Adult Faith Formation mostly falls into 2 categories: ALPHA and BETA. Alpha is a program that involves a meal, presentation and discussion to help you explore the Christian faith in a relaxed and fun setting. There is no cost, no commitment and no strings attached! Beta is a not a single set of programs. Beta is a community of small groups focused on being disciples of Jesus. Each semester there will be different opportunities for small groups to participate in the deepening and strengthening of this call...

Today, Sunday, December 13, 2015, at 2:00 pm, the parishes of the Lansing area will join together for two celebrations of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Both will take place at 2:00 pm, one at St. Gerard, Lansing and the other at St. Thomas Aquinas, East Lansing. There will be 12-15 priests at each site to assist with the...

Last March 2015 Pope Francis announced an Extraordinary Jubilee, a Holy Year of Mercy. It is to commence on December 8, 2015, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and conclude on Sunday, November 20, 2016, the Feast of Christ the King. In announcing the Holy Year of Mercy the Pope said: “I am confident that the whole Church, which is in such need of mercy for we are sinners, will be able to find in this jubilee the joy of rediscovering and rendering fruitful...

The season of Advent begins next weekend. Are you ready to make the most of this season that invites us to prepare for our celebration of his first coming (Christmas) and his coming at the end of time. As a minimum, I hope all of us make time to pray...

This Thursday, is our national observance of Thanksgiving Day. Though a secular observance, the day surely draws most of us to the highest form of prayer, Prayer of Thanksgiving. As we approach Thanksgiving Day I am grateful to God for the people of St. Gerard...

This fall St. Gerard has hosted a program called Alpha. Alpha is a series of 10 sermons that explore the bases of the Christian faith. The sessions include a wonderful meal, a short talk, and a discussion where you share your thoughts with other participants. Alpha is for anyone who is curious, is searching, and/or is seeking to live...

nday, November 2, is All Souls’ Day, a day of remembrance and prayer for the faithful departed. It is our custom at St. Gerard to have a Mass of Remembrance at which we specifically remember parishioners who have died since the last All Souls’ observance. At this year’s All Souls’ observance, more than 80 deceased parishioners will be remembered. Their names will be listed on scrolls...

All Saints’ Day, a holy day, falls on a Sunday this year, therefore our Sunday Masses will observe the feast of All Saints’. This feast day reminds us that we are all called to holiness, we are all capable of being saints. In anticipation of next Sunday’s All Saints’ Day observance, call to mind the saintly people who have been part of your life. Who comes to mind? In your life has there been a parent, grandparent, teacher, sibling, godparent, fellow parishioner, partner or friend who has lived...

This Friday, October 16, is the feast of St. Gerard Majella, our patron saint. Born in Muro, about fifty miles south of Naples, Italy, in April 1726, St. Gerard accomplished much in his short life. He died on October 16, 1755 at the age of 29. As a young man, Gerard was an apprentice tailor. His father had died young so Gerard was charged with providing income to support his mother and three sisters. He divided his earnings between his mother, the poor, and Masses for the deceased. Gerard felt called to religious life. After various failed attempts to become a Franciscan friar, he was accepted into...

The first Sunday in October is observed as Respect Life Sunday in Catholic parishes around the country. We are urged to review our commitment to upholding the sanctity of human life at every stage, from conception to natural death. When Pope Francis was in the United States...

St. Gerard Parish always observes the last Sunday in September as Stewardship Sunday. In the homily I will reflect on the Catholic notion of stewardship. At the end of each Mass I will present the annual financial report detailing our income and expenses for the fiscal year that ended June 30...

Many of us wrestle with the questions: “Is there more to life than this?” What is the meaning and purpose of life? What is the best way to live a quality, fulfilling life. ALPHA seeks to help us probe the answers to these questions. Is Christ the one who is at the core of the answer? Whether you are a practicing Catholic, a lapsed Catholic, or someone searching for more in life, ALPHA is for you. This Tuesday’s gathering will begin with a great meal, include an inspiring and thought provoking video, and follow with a discussion that will help you determine...

Bishop Boyea will be at St. Gerard to confirm ninety young people from our parish on September 20th at 2:00 pm. Please pray for those soon to be confirmed. When I interview Confirmation candidates in anticipation of being Confirmed, I ask then to name the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude/Courage and Fear of the Lord)...

On Tuesday, September 22nd, at 6:30 pm St. Gerard will host a dinner to introduce parishioners and non-parishioners alike to ALPHA, a practical introduction to the Christian faith. Active parishioners are invited and welcome, but we would also like to reach out to the less active, and fallen away among us including the unchurched. To this end I encourage parishioners to invite their family members, neighbors, co-workers, and friends who are lapsed or disconnected from the church or who have no particular church home. Better yet, don’t just invite them, offer to come with them. The September 22nd gathering will begin with a great meal (no charge) and then a video presentation on the relevance of Christianity. Based on their experience ...

After a summer of vacations, reunions, summer camps and more, households and families typically return to more regular routines as fall approaches. As school opens for our young people in elementary and high school and colleges and universities, so parish programs kick back into high gear. St. Gerard Parish typically hosts an early Fall Parish Picnic to gather us together as we celebrate a new year of St. Gerard School, Religious Education and Youth Ministry...