This Thursday, May 15, is the feast of our parish patron, St. Isidore the Farmer. St. Isidore was a Spaniard who worked as a laborer on the farm of Juan Varga, a wealthy landowner. He was known for his piety and care for the hungry and for creation. May 15th is a day set aside for the blessing of seeds in many places where St. Isidore is honored. Our Justice team has been sharing articles in the bulletin on Care for Creation over the past few months, and has sponsored a couple of events. We are planning on blessing packets of flower and vegetable seeds at the 4:30 Mass on Saturday, May 17, and then distributing them after all the Masses next weekend to parishioners who may want to grow them. We are especially interested in flowers that support bees and butterflies, as their numbers are being critically reduced. As you know, Pope Francis considered Care for Creation a major justice issue.
The Michigan Catholic Conference has recently issued a Focus newsletter on the Church’s teaching regarding Immigration and care of immigrants. Archbishop Weisenberger has asked us to provide copies of the newsletter for our parishioners. The Justice team will distribute copies of this newsletter along with the seeds. Please take time to read and study the newsletter. Immigration is a major justice issue at this time, and the Church’s teaching on it is often distorted in the press. You might be surprised by what you read!
Please join us for 8:00 AM on Thursday to celebrate our Patronal Feast. We will have simple refreshments afterwards. Spaniards celebrate the feast with “St. Isidore doughnuts.” If any ambitious baker would care to make them (I have the reccipe) we may serve them. If not, we will just serve regular doughnuts and call them St. Isidore doughnuts.
