St. Cyril of Jerusalem

09/05/2026

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.'" (Matthew 18:15-20)

Prepare for Sunday Mass by reading the Scriptures ahead of time: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090626.cfm

09/04/2026

Dear Parishioners,

As summer gives way to fall, the Church gently turns our eyes toward Our Lady of Sorrows, whose feast follows immediately after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 15th. September reminds us that discipleship isn’t simply about celebrating joyful moments; it is also about remaining faithful through suffering.

Mary teaches us how to stand at the foot of the Cross with courage, hope and unwavering trust in God’s plan. She didn’t understand everything that would happen, but she remained close to Jesus through every sorrow. As we enter a new school year, busier schedules and changing seasons, September invites us to place our own joys and crosses into Mary’s hands and allow her to lead us ever closer to her Son.

As we turn towards Mary this month, we are looking forward to inaugurating our new Mary grotto along the hillside along the sidewalk between the parking lot and the “big field”. This new grotto will include flowers, landscaping, and two benches for folks to stop, rest, and pray with Mary. Everything is on schedule to finish and be ready in time for the parish picnic next weekend.

Not to repeat myself, but next weekend is our annual parish picnic! Everyone is welcome to join us for this annual event. It will be held on the grounds of St. Rose behind the new Parish Center. There will be free food, live music, games for kids, a desert-baking contest, and a time for our parishes to come together. This year, with the new Mass schedule, we will start the festivities when everyone from both St. Rose and St. Cyril has a chance to make it. Food will be served right after the noon Mass at St. Cyril’s concludes (around 1 PM). I would love to see you there!

Monday, September 7th, is Labor Day. Our offices will be closed so that our staff can enjoy some time with family and friends. The offices will re-open on Tuesday, September 8th.

I will be away for much of this week for a conference in DeWitt. This conference is for all the officials working in Marriage Tribunals throughout the State of Michigan. Some of you know that this is one of several hats I wear when I am down at the Diocese each week to work. Our faithful deacons will provide a communion service on Wednesday & Thursday this week while I’m gone. I will bring the posted Mass Intentions, and each of you, with me to the altar in DeWitt. Be back soon.

Thanks for reading!
-Fr. Jeff

08/29/2026

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?' " (Matthew 16:21-27)

Prepare for Sunday Mass by reading the Scriptures ahead of time: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083026.cfm

08/28/2026

Dear Parishioners,

We have arrived at the final weekend of August. Everyone is thinking and asking about where did the summer go? Not only has school started for many students these past two weeks, but also our new Mass schedule took effect last weekend. The changes in season all tell us that it’s time to start thinking about the fall.

As we think about this time of year in the parish, we can see that a lot has changed since last fall. This time last year, we hadn’t even broken ground on the new Parish Center. Over the last year, we’ve had a successful capital campaign, and construction is complete. We’ve put together a new combined parish directory. At St. Cyril’s, we were able to put a new roof on the church and other important projects for the life of our buildings. We have done a lot this past year; the examples here are only one way of seeing the things we’ve done this year. Thank you for your patience, prayers and support during this busy year!

Several of you asked me last weekend what I thought of the new Mass schedule now that we are living it. My response to each of you was, and will be for a while, “It’s too early to tell.” It probably will be too early to tell for at least the next six months. Everyone processes transitions differently. Whether we welcome the change with opens arms or feel overwhelmed and anxious, I’m grateful to each of you and your families for making the adjustment with us. As we hear prayed during the Preface at Masses around this time of year, the Lord “laid the foundations of the world and [has] arranged the changing of times and seasons.” The Lord continues to walk beside us individually and as a community through every change in life.

As we think about the fall season, please check the bulletin as our fall activities and classes start up over the next few weeks. From Youth Group, to CCD, to OCIA, to Children’s Choir, and beyond, we are gearing up our formal programs to help form our parish as Christian disciples.

Perhaps this fall the Lord is calling you into a new ministry? If you are interested in being a catechist in faith formation, a part of bereavement ministry, a greeter/lector/server/extraordinary minister at Mass, a part of the choir, or feel like offering a hand around the gardens on campus, we’d love to help you learn more about each ministry. Reach out to us at the parish office today.

Thanks for reading!
-Fr. Jeff

08/22/2026

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A

"Simon Peter said in reply, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus said to him in reply, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.' " (Matthew 16:13-20)

Prepare for Sunday Mass by reading the Scriptures ahead of time: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082326.cfm

08/21/2026

Dear Parishioners,

And just like that, we’re back to school! All grade levels are back in the classroom at St. Rose of Lima School. The students (& their backpacks) received a special blessing on Wednesday, their first day of school. It is so nice to have the school and playground alive again with the sounds of children playing, praying, and learning!

This weekend, we celebrate the feast of one of our collaborative’s patron saints: St. Rose of Lima. This week, I would like to dedicate the rest of my column to learning about our holy patroness.

Historians remember St. Rose of Lima for her piety and chastity. Born in 1586 in Lima, Peru to Spanish colonists, and named Isabel Flores de Olivia, she was exceptionally beautiful. Her beauty was so great that she was nicknamed “Rose,” a name that remains with her to this day.

From an early age, Rose wanted to become a nun. She often prayed and fasted in secret. She performed secret penances, some of which were painful and severe. She went to adoration and received Holy Communion daily.

As a young woman, her beauty began to attract suitors with impure intentions. To deter these men, St. Rose marred her face, rubbing it with pepper to make it blister, and she cropped her hair short. Her parents opposed her plan to take a vow of chastity. This resulted in a clash of wills, because her parents wanted her to marry. Her father eventually relented and gave her a room to herself. St. Rose kept herself cloistered in her room, spending long periods in prayer.

When she turned 20, she was permitted to join the Third Order of St. Dominic. She continued a life of extreme prayer, fasting and penance. She was known to wear a heavy silver crown, with spikes that could pierce her flesh. The spikes reminded her of the Crown of Thorns. St. Rose died in on August 25, 1617, at the age of 31.

It is easy to dismiss excessive penances of the saints as the expression of a certain culture or temperament. But a woman wearing a crown of thorns may at least prod our consciences. We enjoy the most comfort-oriented life in human history. We eat too much, drink too much, use a million gadgets, fill our eyes and ears with everything imaginable. Commerce thrives on creating useless needs on which to spend our money. It seems that when we have become most like slaves, there is the greatest talk of “freedom.” Are we willing to discipline ourselves in such an atmosphere?

St. Rose is the patroness of embroiderers, gardeners, florists, those who suffer ridicule for their piety, and people who suffer family problems. She’s our special friend in heaven here in Hastings.

St. Rose of Lima, pray for us!
-Fr. Jeff

08/15/2026

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A

"Then Jesus said to her in reply, 'O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.' And the woman's daughter was healed from that hour." (Matthew 15:21-28)

Prepare for Sunday Mass by reading the Scriptures ahead of time: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081626.cfm

08/15/2026

Although not a Holy Day of Obligation this year, we wanted to wish you and your family a blessed Solemnity of the Assumption 🙏

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord and God: having completed the course of her earthly life, she was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory. This faith, received from the tradition of the Church, was solemnly defined by Pope Pius XII.

08/14/2026

Dear Parishioners,

Ready or not, here they come! As our area schools – and our own St. Rose of Lima Catholic School – open for the new school year this week, we as a parish offer our prayers for all of our teachers, students, and parents in the new year. We are excited to see our classrooms and playground come to life this week with the joy of learning. Welcome & welcome back to all our school families!

Speaking of starting a new school year, our parish seminarian, John Tellkamp, is leaving for his first year of seminary this weekend. Thank you to the Knights of Columbus for hosting our “parish send-off” for John last weekend. It gave us all a great opportunity to show our support for him and to assure him of our prayers. For those wishing to send him cards or keep in touch with him during his time in seminary, the address for the McGivney House is: 600 North Paca Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.

Our CCD & Confirmation classes will be starting soon too. Reach out to Sam Cary in the office for more information. Additionally, if you, or someone that you know is interested in becoming Catholic or learning more about the Catholic faith, please contact Deacon Phil to learn more about our fall OCIA class.

Next weekend, our new weekend Mass schedule will take effect. As a reminder, the new weekend Mass schedule is: 4:30pm Vigil Mass on Saturday at St. Rose; on Sunday, an 8:00am and a 10:00am Mass at St. Rose, and a 12:00pm noon Mass at St. Cyril. Adding more time between the Masses and rearranging the times for Mass on Sunday will be a change for many of us. Please plan for this change, which becomes effective next weekend.

Next Sunday, August 23rd, is the feast of St. Rose of Lima. Because St. Rose is the patroness of our church in Hastings, we can and will be celebrating her feast at each of the Masses at St. Rose that weekend instead of the usual Sunday in Ordinary Time.

After some delay, we are happy to share our annual reports – pastoral and financial – with you this weekend. Please see the insert in this weekend’s bulletin for this year’s annual report. Each parish’s bulletin has their respective annual report. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me or Tom Gruscinski in the office.

Thanks for reading!
-Fr. Jeff