Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Brighton will host a Healing Mass on May 2 at 7 p.m. These Masses are normally held on the first Tuesday of the month. If you would like to receive prayer for your healing, please ready yourselves by attending confession, Communion and prayer. Confession is available from 6 to 6:30 p.m. on the day of the Mass.

A special Daddy Daughter Dance will be held at St. Mary-Pinckney on May 5 from 7 to 9 p.m. Cost is $10 per person, with $25 maximum per family Admission includes DJ, free unlimited photo booth, snacks and refreshments. 

On May 6, St. Mary Church in Pinckney will host a very special Emmaus Night, complete with praise, worship, adoration and prayer ministry. The event begins at 7 p.m.

St. Mary Church in Pinckney will host its next Men’s Club Breakfasts on May 7 and June 4 from 8:30-11 a.m.

Brighton’s Holy Spirit Catholic Church will host a Family Adoration time on May 12 from 6 to 7 p.m. Join Deacon Jerry and Ronnie Brennan for a meal in the Activity Center, then proceed to the Church for a "Holy Half Hour" before the Holy Eucharist. The dinner is free and all families are welcome!

A special Mother Son Dance will be held at St. Mary-Pinckney on May 12 from 7 to 9 p.m. Cost is $10 per person, with $25 maximum per family Admission includes DJ, free unlimited photo booth, snacks and refreshments. 

Holy Spirit School in Brighton will host a Fundraising Raffle on May 20 at 6 p.m. Purchase tickets via the School Office by calling 810.900.9050 prior to May 5. 

The Men's Club at St. Mary, Pinckney will host a Euchre Night on May 20. Registration begins at 6 p.m., with play beginning at 7 p.m. There’s a $100 grand prize, and your $10 fee covers food and beverages. Must be 18+ years to participate.

St. Mary, Pinckney will end its school year with a Family Prayer Night on May 23. Come for food, fellowship and family fun. Event runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Brighton will host a St. Pio Birthday Festa Celebration on May 25. If you love St. Pio or want to learn more about this great saint's charism of health care delivery, please come! Register to attend at CHI-USA.com. Plenty of parking. Tickets are free! A 5 p.m. outdoor Mass will be followed by a program at 6 p.m. and an Italian meal at 7 p.m. 

St. Peter Catholic Church in Eaton Rapids, Michigan will host its annual St. Peter Catholic Church Ox Roast Festival and Carnival from May 18 to May 21. This fun-filled weekend includes Polish live bands, including the local favorite SeaCruisers; fantastic food including our “Ox Roast Sandwich”; a beverage area; carnival rides provided by Schmitt Amusements; a 50/50 raffle; and so much more! For information, please contact the Parish Office at 517.663.4735 or spceatonrapidsoffice@gmail.com.

Days of prayer & healing for post-abortive women – The “Entering Canaan” team in Brighton walks together in prayer and fellowship with women on their journey from the emotional and spiritual pain suffered from abortion to the freedom of God’s mercy, forgiveness and healing. Join us Saturday, May 20 for Mass, adoration, a witness talk, confession, lunch, small group sharing and more. The suggested donation of $20 should never be an obstacle; all are welcome to attend. Contact Eileen Craig, MA, LPC, for meeting location or questions and to RSVP. Text or call 810.373.2966, or email enteringcanaanbrighton@gmail.com. All requests are strictly confidential. 

Holy Redeemer Church in Burton will host a Family Fun Day from 12 to 7 p.m. on June 4 in its church pavilion. The event features kids’ games, big raffles, concession food, a Tootsie Roll booth, crafter and vendor areas, a bake sale, a Tia Helita’s dinner, euchre and cornhole tournaments and more. Learn more at holyredeemerburton.org/FFD23 Please contact Beth Clark at 810.244.1692 or email Bethclark522@gmail.com if you have questions.

St. John the Baptist, Howell is now accepting registrations for 2023 Vacation Bible School. This year’s theme is Around the World with the Saints. Each day, campers will “travel” to a different country and learn about a different saint. Grades K-5 should plan on joining us June 19-23 from 9 a.m. to noon. Fee required.

The Theology Department at the University of Notre Dame will host its annual conference on preaching June 26-28. This year’s event, entitled "Visions of the Reign of God: Preaching and Catholic Social Teaching," will seek to build bridges between two realms of Catholic life that are too often not well connected: preaching and social action. How can we preach the social teachings of the Church? How might Catholic preaching be enriched by reading both the scriptural text and the contemporary world through the lens of Catholic social teaching (CST)? And how might the understanding of CST be enriched through reflection on the Church’s mission to preach, teach and evangelize? This conference is an opportunity for fruitful dialogue and mutually enriching collaboration among those who engage in the Church’s ministry. Learn more at rb.gy/96njy.

Post-abortion healing. Rachel’s Vineyard weekend retreats are designed for women and men experiencing the emotional and spiritual pain of past abortions. A unique and creative process for psychological and spiritual healing, the weekend will help your soul find a voice and transform the pain of the past into hope. Upcoming retreats and contacts include: 

• Ann Arbor/Detroit: July 7-9 & Sept. 29-Oct. 1 (contact Beth Bauer at 734.879.0427 or toheal4give@outlook.com)
• Detroit (in Spanish): June 23-25 (contact Alejandra Medina at 248.840.3376 or vinedoraqueldetroitespanol@gmail.com)
• Lansing: Aug. 11-13 (contact Della Seeley at 989.828.6002 or nlcrachelsvineyard@gmail.com). All requests are strictly confidential.

St. Joseph Parish in Dexter hosts its 45th annual Festival this July 21-23 at the Country Church on the corner of Mast Road and North Territorial Road. Free admission, many family activities and events, a classic car show, superb food and music and guided tours of the Country Church are available. Call 734.426.8483 for more information.

RETREAT CENTERS

On May 6-7, a Marriage and the Blended Family Retreat will be held at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt. Typical marriage education programs and ministries are not sufficient for couples entering into blended family marriages. The Remarriage Retreat is a way for couples to come together in a non-threatening setting to learn about the challenges that will be experienced when entering into a stepfamily. Registration fee is $320 per couple. 

Silent Ignatian Retreats at St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt – 3-Day Ignatian Retreat: (May 26-28) or 5-Day Ignatian Retreat (May 26-31). Come away from the noise of the world for a three- or five-day silent retreat to learn more about how God talks to you through the Scriptures and in the movement of your own heart. Expect daily talks, time for silent and guided prayer, opportunities for Mass, confession and meetings with spiritual directors. The retreat will be facilitated by Dawn Hausmann and Karen Ervin. The cost of the three-day retreat is $225 and the cost of the five-day retreat is $575. To register or find more information, please visit www.stfrancis.ws/ignatianretreats. 

FORGED Retreat for Young Men at St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt – June 12-14. FORGED is a three-day/two-night outdoor adventure retreat for young men aged 13-16 of the diocese. Participants will gain important outdoor skills such as plant identification, how to pitch a tent and how to chop wood and start a proper campfire. Mass will be celebrated daily with the opportunity for adoration. Challenging and entertaining talks will center around the lessons learned from male role models and the need for authentic Catholic gentlemen in our society. Cost is $250/person and includes a basic survival kit for each participant to keep. To register or find more information, please visit www.stfrancis.ws/forged.

ASL and SPECIAL NEEDS MINISTRIES

• Our next Special Needs Mass is May 21 at 2 p.m. in the St. Francis Retreat Center Chapel located at 703 E. Main St. in DeWitt, followed by light refreshments in the Dining Room. Please RSVP by May 14 to Cathy Blatnik, coordinator of the Special Needs Ministry of the Diocese of Lansing, at blatsie63@yahoo.com or517.381.1410 if you would like to attend. 
• The ASL-interpreted Masses at St. Gerard Parish in Lansing are the 4:30 p.m.  Masses on May 6 and May 27. 
• The first, second and third Sundays of the month, Masses are ASL-interpreted at 9:30 a.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Ann Arbor.
• Every Sunday, the 11 a.m. Mass is ASL-interpreted at Holy Redeemer Church in Burton. 
• We have FREE monthly Mass Propers for those who are blind or low vision. Please contact Cathy Blatnik, coordinator of the Special Needs Ministry of the Diocese of Lansing, at blatsie63@yahoo.com or at 517.381.1410 to find out how to receive a copy.
• The annual Mass for Persons with Disabilities with Bishop Boyea is June 4 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Cathedral in Lansing. Luncheon follows in the St. Mary Cathedral Hall. No RSVP required to attend the Mass. RSVP is required by May 24 to Cathy Blatnik, coordinator of the Special Needs Ministry of the Diocese of Lansing, at blatsie63@yahoo.com or at 517.381.1410 if you would like to attend the luncheon.