These articles were included in the bulletins of all three parishes on the dates indicated.

January 2, 2005

• that the average age of Catholics at Blessed Sacrament is 35 and at Assumption and Saint Brigid is 36?
• that about 2,500 (about 25%) of the registered Catholics are age 18 and under?
• that about 60% of the young people are registered in faith formation and youth ministry or attending one of the two Catholic schools?

December 26, 2004

• that there are over 10,000 registered Catholics in the three parishes?
• that Mass attendance is about 4,200 on any given weekend?
• that Mass attendance has been declining over the last few years, not only in our parishes, but in general?

December 19, 2004

• that there were 132 infant/child baptisms in the three parishes last year: 64 at Blessed Sacrament, 28 at Assumption, and 40 at Saint Brigid?
• that 173 people were confirmed in the three parishes: 106 at Blessed Sacrament, 35 at Assumption and 32 at Saint Brigid?
• that 139 celebrated First Eucharist in the three parishes: 80 at Blessed Sacrament, 28 at Assumption and 31 at Saint Brigid.

December 12, 2004

• there were 52 marriages in the three parishes last fiscal year (26 at Blessed Sacrament, 9 at Assumption, and 17 at Saint Brigid)?
• there were 67 deaths in the three parishes last year (30 at Blessed Sacrament, 11 at Assumption, 26 at Saint Brigid)?

November 28, 2004

• that the Cluster Project Committee still meets and is working with our consultant, Dominic Perri?
• that we are identifying and determining (from the volumes of materials provided from the comments, dreams and suggestions from Cluster Gatherings at Valley Plaza) topics of concern and establishing Task Forces to assist with the on-going consultative process?

November 21, 2004

• that still today, on Ojibway Island, under the inspiration of the 2nd Bishop of Saginaw Stephen S. Woznicki and the generosity of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, there is a dedicated marker to the memory of Father Henry Nouvel, SJ?
• that Father Nouvel (sometimes spelled Nouvell) was the first white man to visit this section of Michigan and he had the honor of offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on the banks of the various rivers and tributaries (as early as 1675) in mid-Michigan?

[These facts are gathered from the "Centennial Edition" of The Catholic Weekly: Sunday, May 25, 1952. A complete history of early Catholic missionaries can be found in the archives of The Catholic Weekly's office in Saginaw, MI]

November 14, 2004

• that the first roots of Catholicism in this area lay dormant for almost 200 years?
• that the first roots were in the Indian missions established by Jesuit Henry Nouvelle as early as 1673?
• that eventually, French voyageurs (plying their fur trade with the Chippewa Indian Tribe along the banks of the Tittabawassee in the early 1800's), with various people, places and circumstances that intertwine, reclaimed our earlier roots of Catholicism in what came to be known as the "mid-land" and resulted in the formation of a community and ultimate erecting of a Catholic Church?

November 7, 2004

that the Diocese of Saginaw has "birthed" to the Roman Catholic Church three priest-sons as bishops?

They are + James Cardinal Hickey (1967), + Bishop Kenneth J. Povish (1970) and Bishop Joseph V. Adamec (1987 and is a former "assistant pastor" of Blessed Sacrament Church).

+ = Deceased

October 31, 2004

that having convened parishioners from all three Catholic parishes in Midland for the September 19th and October 24th Cluster Gatherings over 600 people participated and joined their voices together in the process designed to think, pray, hope and vision our future?

A special note of Thanks from the Process Committee for all those who took the time to attend one of these Cluster Gatherings!

October 24, 2004

• that this year Lay Ministry in the Saginaw Diocese is celebrating its 25th year?
• that Lay Ministry is having its 25th Anniversary celebration early in November, here in Midland at the Ashman Court Hotel?
• that there are presently 31 lay ministers in the three Midland parishes?
• that there are several others in the first, second, third, and fourth year groups of candidates for lay ministry.

October 17, 2004

• that for many, many years the Sisters of Mercy (from Farmington, MI) staffed Saint Brigid Catholic School?
  
• that for many, many years the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters of Michigan (Farmington Hills, MI) staffed Blessed Sacrament Catholic School?
  
• that for several years the Sisters of Saint Dominic (Adrian, MI) staffed Regina High School?
  
• that there are many women and men from all three Midland Catholic Parishes who have entered religious life and are serving several different religious communities of priests, brothers and sisters throughout the United States?

October 10, 2004

• that October is designated as "Vocation Awareness Month"?
  
• that since the establishment of the Diocese of Saginaw the following "Midland Sons" have been ordained to the Priesthood in service of the diocese (and beyond)?
  

1946: +Cardinal Hickey (from Saint Brigid Parish who later became Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw, Rector of the North American College, Rome, Bishop of Cleveland and Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC)
1948: +Monsignor Olin Murdock (from Saint Brigid Parish)
1972: Father Jim Falsey (from Blessed Sacrament Parish)
1974: Father John Sarge (from Blessed Sacrament Parish)
1978: Father Jeff Donner (from Blessed Sacrament Parish)
1982: Father Joe Griffin (from Blessed Sacrament Parish)
1992: Father Patrick Jankowiak (from Blessed Sacrament Parish)

Please remember to pray for vocations to the priesthood, religious life, diaconate and lay ministry throughout the month of October.

+ = Deceased

October 3, 2004

that October is designated as "Vocation Awareness Month"? All Catholics are encouraged to pray for vocations for the Church: priesthood, diaconate, religious life (brothers and sisters) and lay ministry. Why not join with your household, or neighborhood or other parishioners and pray for vocations? Here's a sample for you:

Prayer for Vocations by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin
Lord of the Harvest, your Word finds a home in our hearts,
calls us into community and invites us to generous
service of the human family.
Bless with courage and spirit your priestly people,
called to full participation in the one Body of Christ.
May many choose to respond in public service
to your call offered in Jesus' name. Amen!

September 26, 2004

• that Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish has nearly 600 registered households (which represents approximately 2400 Catholics)?
• that Blessed Sacrament Parish has nearly 1800 registered households (which represents approximately 4800 Catholics)?
• that Saint Brigid Parish has nearly 1100 registered households (which represents approximately 3100 Catholics)?

September 19, 2004

Various members of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Blessed Sacrament and Saint Brigid Parishes will gather this Sunday afternoon at the "Great Hall" of Valley Plaza. Please take a moment of time during the afternoon and join in the spirit of prayer asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit upon their dialogue, sharing, reflection and prayer. You may wish to use the following prayer:

O God, we know that you are always with us.
And you guide all that we do and are about to do.
Please give the gift of your Spirit's wisdom on those representatives who gather
from our Midland Catholic Parish for the Midland Catholic Cluster Project.
May they be open to enter into this time with openness and understanding.
And, please allow all participants to be open to Your voice within, among, and around them.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!

September 12, 2004

• that the Midland Catholic Cluster Project is a joint effort being conducted by Saint Brigid, Blessed Sacrament and Assumption parishes and is an initiative which came in response to a request from the Diocesan Task Force on Pastoral Ministry?
• that our three parishes will begin to develop a plan for working together when the time comes that there will be only two priests for these three parishes?
• that the gathering next weekend (and in October) at Valley Plaza and Resort is unlike any other "Cluster" project currently being developed within the Diocese of Saginaw?

September 5, 2004

• that the Diocese of Saginaw was established on February 26, 1938?
• that it comprises the following Counties in the East-Central portion of the State of Michigan: Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola?
• that four bishops have served the diocese over the past 66 years: *Bishop William F. Murphy (1938-1950), Bishop Stephen S. Woznicki (1950-1967), Bishop Francis F. Reh (1968-1980), and *Bishop Kenneth E. Untener (1980-2004)?

(*Died in Office while serving as the Bishop of Saginaw)

August 29, 2004

that according to the Kennedy Directory (the "official" Catholic directory), presently within the Diocese of Saginaw there are:
+ 108 parishes (most of which are administered by priests)?
+ 65 active diocesan priests & 11 religious order priests serving the diocese?
+ However, 1 parish is administered by a deacon, 4 by lay persons & 14 by religious women?
+ 1 religious brother serving in ministry?
+ 124 religious women serving in ministry?

August 22, 2004

that every year by August 15th each parish of the Diocese of Saginaw is required to present a "Parish Report" to the Bishop's Office (actually to Father Tom Sutton, Diocesan Administrator this year) with comprehensive data such as statistical information (e.g. number of parish households, sacramental documentation, school and faith formation numbers, seating capacity of the Church, etc.), parish leadership positions (e.g. paid employees as well as council, commission and committee chairs, etc.) and the financial accounting for the past fiscal year (July 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004)?

We will be utilizing this compiled data to report to you some interesting statistical and pastoral information about the three Midland parishes in forth-coming "Cluster Corner" articles.

August 15, 2004

On this Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we focus on the Midland parish under her patronage. The following is taken from the May 25, 1952 edition of The Catholic Weekly commemorating the 100th anniversary of organized Catholic life in the Saginaw Valley:

"From its very beginning the Larkin Mission was in charge of the pastors of Saint Brigid Church at Midland, with the exception of about a year when Father Ladislaus Kuziusz took care of it from Fisherville and Father Leonard Kwasigroch served the congregation from Saint Joseph's Hospital, Bay City … In the beginning Mass was said only on the first Sunday of the month and the Holy Days which the faithful were wont to observe in the old country. Later, however, it was said every Sunday and every Holy Day of Obligation and it is so till this day. At the present (1952) there are about 309 families listed on the parish roster … Plans call for repairs on the present structure in the immediate future.

Happy Feast Day Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish!

August 8, 2004

• that 50 years ago there were four priests (a pastor and three "assistants") serving Saint Brigid Parish, three priests (a pastor and two "assistants") serving Blessed Sacrament Parish, and Assumption Parish was under the "charge" of Blessed Sacrament Parish?
• that 20 years ago there were three priests (a Redemptortist pastor and two "associates" and an additional "priest-in-residence") serving Saint Brigid Parish, three priests (a pastor and two "associates" - Father Jim Bessert and Father Peter Gaspeny) serving Blessed Sacrament Parish, and one priest-pastor serving Assumption Parish?
• that today there are now only three priest-pastors serving the three Midland parishes?

August 1, 2004

• that when Saint Brigid Parish was established in 1871 it was part of the Diocese of Detroit (prior to becoming an Archdiocese) and Bishop Caspar Borgess served as the ordinary?
• that when the Catholics of Slovak extraction began the process of becoming a parish in 1909 (later to become Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish) they began their dialogue with Bishop Henry Richter who was ordinary of the newly created Diocese of Grand Rapids?
• that when Blessed Sacrament Parish was established in 1951, in what had now become the established Diocese of Saginaw (since 1938), Bishop Stephen Woznicki was the ordinary?

This would result in the historical fact that the Catholics of Midland (and the surrounding environs) have been associated with and under the jurisdiction of the Dioceses of Detroit, Grand Rapids and Saginaw.

July 25, 2004

• the Bradley House was Saint Brigid rectory for 60 years until the present rectory was built in 1969?
• the first Blessed Sacrament rectory was a house on Elm Court, then a house on Swede Road, and now the former convent?
• the first Assumption rectory was a mobile home for two years before the current rectory was built in 1968?

July 18, 2004

• that Blessed Sacrament School preceded the building of a Church but Saint Brigid School was established in 1922, many years after their Church was built?
• Both Catholic schools served children through 8th grade initially, but have changed over the years for various reasons until now they serve children through 5th grade?

July 11, 2004

• that Blessed Sacrament Church was built in 1966-1967?
• that the current Saint Brigid Church was completed in 1941?
• that the current Assumption Church was completed for Christmas of 2000?

July 4, 2004

• that Irish immigrants started Saint Brigid of Kildare Parish?
• that Polish and Slovak immigrants built the first Assumption Parish Church in 1914-1916 in the same place the current worship space is located?
• that Blessed Sacrament Parish was established to serve the needs of the burgeoning Catholic population in Midland with 250 families

June 27, 2004

• Saint Brigid Parish was founded in 1871, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in 1916 and Blessed Sacrament Parish in 1951?
• that Assumption Parish was a Mission of Saint Brigid Parish and later Blessed Sacrament (before Bishop Woznicki appointed its first resident pastor in 1966)?
• that Saint Agnes Parish in Sanford and Saint Agnes (formerly called Saint Philomena) Parish in Freeland were also former Mission parishes to Saint Brigid?

June 20, 2004

• that when we look back at Midland's humble beginnings, we see French voyageurs plying their fur trade along the banks of the Tittabawassee, and rugged loggers cutting down rich stands of Norway pine near the junction of the Tittabawassee and Chippewa Rivers (that was called "the Forks")?
• that it was there we can also trace a handful of Irish Catholics, who, despite the fact that they had no church to attend, kept the faith?
• that it was these same Irish Catholics, led by the William B. Keely family, who were instrumental in building the first Catholic Church in Midland in 1871?

June 13, 2004

• that the three Catholic parishes in Midland celebrate an average each year of 138 Baptisms, 182 Confirmations & First Eucharists, 51 Weddings and 83 Funerals?
• that nearly 4,250 Catholics come together and worship each weekend at our three parishes?