News from Diocese of Saginaw, MI

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I am always amazed by the movement of the Holy Spirit. The amazement comes in the form profound Truth and Grace.

We really did not know too much about Bishop Cistone. He flew under the radar, so to speak. When interviewed he spoke much about his Catholic upbringing, but when pressed on issues of direction of the Diocese, immediacy of themes and focus, his responses bordered on vagueness, ambiguity, a wait and see approach. There was great wisdom in this approach, of coarse we yearned for more. We as humans, have been conditioned by culture, society and media to want to formulate an opinion. We need to know, We live in a here and now society. Right now, we want “fast food” information. It appeases our curiosity and comforts our insecurity. We fail to trust, and by virtue of living in this difficult world, we have been conditioned this way. This is why we must succumb to Kingdom thinking.

Having said that, it is evident that the weight and gravity of the content and process of B. Cistone’s Homily is Christ’s love for us in action, kingdom thinking. Rumblings here and there about what to expect, left many uneasy, and speculating. Would he reverse, halt, some of the previous Bishop’s directives?? It appears, NO. He spoke of the Eucharist as our very center. He spoke of Mother Mary, and what that means to our faith. He spoke of the importance of Adoration, as he understood the true power, the healing it ensures. The role of the priest, and the hope and foundation that this vocation promotes.

We went through a lot of growing pains over the last 5 years, much pruning. We were “weed pulling and flower growing people”. The Lord has great things to those who trust in him. IT is never easy, but it is always fruitful. WE must trust and never fear. Bishop Untener, Bishop Carlson, and I am now certain; Bishop Cistone, each have brought many gifts to us.

As we were told in yesterday’s reading: Praise God for everything, everything!!!.

God Bless,
Lisa
 
Main points that I read and appealed to me were “Eucharist, Mary, and Adoration.”
Sounds good to me, as thats what we look for in a good priest. Something that
seemed to be lacking here for many years, of course Bishop Carlton changed
much of that and it was a blessing. Our new Bishop sounds like a good
man…one of “Mary’s priests” and that in itself is a great blessing. We all
know “Adoration” increases vocations … pray for our new Bishop.
I feel confident in him knowing these three things. He seems to be in the hands
of Our Lady…and thats very good.
 
I have had several opportunities to meet and observe the new bishop. I like him alot. He is warm and endearing, yet poised and self-assured, all in a humble sort of a way. I sense the new bishop’s trust in God, his devotion to our Mother, and his great devotion to his favorite Saints. I think the man knows how to pray. Nothing gives me more assurance than the knowledge that the earthly Shepard of my soul is placing all his trust in the One True Living God, who is infinite in all His ways. I’m reminded of the patron saint of priests, St John Vianney. He had no special skills, save one. He know how to storm the gates of heaven with prayer.

If you live in or near Saginaw, the new bishop will be celebrating the 10:00 Mass tomorrow at the Cathedral. He will back again at the Cathedral on the 16th at the 10:00. There is a schedule of the regional Masses he will be celebrating all over the diocese during the month of August at saginaw.org/
 
piejesu said:
Nothing gives me more assurance than the knowledge that the earthly Shepard of my soul is placing all his trust in the One True Living God, who is infinite in all His ways.
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Amen!
Please let Bishop Cistone know we back in Philadelphia are praying for him and indeed for the Diocese of Saginaw. God Bless you all!
 
JMJT

Our new Bishop is going to miss the Philly cheese steaks, hot chestnuts,
hoagies and big hot pretzels. Michigan can’t do it like they do in Philly!
He sounds like a good and holy Bishop and we are blessed again.
We are all praying for him and more vocations.
God bless,
Mary S.
 
Mary_SHAV said:
JMJT

Our new Bishop is going to miss the Philly cheese steaks, hot chestnuts,
hoagies and big hot pretzels. Michigan can’t do it like they do in Philly!
He sounds like a good and holy Bishop and we are blessed again.
We are all praying for him and more vocations.
God bless,
Mary S.
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You missed one thing- water ice! No matter how cold it gets in Saginaw, no doubt he’ll miss water ice.
Prayers for vocations!
 
Does anyone know… where did all the seminarians go? I was just looking on the Saginaw.org website and the number of seminarians is down to 13. I know we lost one to St. Louis, but I thought we were well over 20 last year. Any idea where they all went?
 
Does anyone know… where did all the seminarians go? I was just looking on the Saginaw.org website and the number of seminarians is down to 13. I know we lost one to St. Louis, but I thought we were well over 20 last year. Any idea where they all went?
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Are you taking the ordinations to priesthood into account? Also there are two more on the prayer list than have pictures shown.
 
piejesu said:
Are you taking the ordinations to priesthood into account? Also there are two more on the prayer list than have pictures shown.
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I thought we had 23 seminarians last year. 3 were ordained and one moved with Archbishop Carlson. That means 19 left. There are 13 pictured on the website. What happened to the other 6 (the other four if the prayer list is correct at 15)? Do we have any new entrants into formation in the fall class?
 
My son discerned out of the life of a seminarian for the Diocese of Saginaw in the past year. He now continues to major in Theology and attends a Franciscan University. He anguished over this decision to discern out. He took a deep and loving inventory of God’s Will for his life. He consulted with his Spiritual Advisor, Bishop Carlson, seminarian brothers, and family for many months. It was a decision that he did not take lightly. He felt that perhaps he was not bearing his Cross, the seminary seemed easy for him, the prayer life, the schedule, the apostolic works. He needed time in this process of discernment. The initial commitment is a process of discernment. Discerning Christ’s Will for any of us is a process of courage and faithfulness.

The initial questions asked of all potential seminarians are: Are you willing to lay down your life for Jesus? for your faith?. This is the level of commitment. Bishop does not take “everyone” who shows interests, he tells them to go home and pray about it. Pray for the Lord’s Will in their life. I went to Bishop with tears over my son discerning out, in his infinite wisdom and deep sense of peace, he said, “you must pray for God’s Will for his life”. And, someone once told him that you do not have a healthy vocation program if no one discerns out. IT IS A process of discernment and it is necessary.

As for those who discerned out: one went to a brotherhood, I believe one may be considering a monestary, one simply left, and for my son, who knows? Only the Lord knows. No scandal here, one left with Bishop, and others discerned out, Jesus has a plan for all of us. Jesus has this under control.

HOWEVER, IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE FOR EACH AND EVERY PARISH TO PRAY FOR VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD, BE OPEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, FOR EACH PARISHIONER TO SPEAK FONDLY OF THEIR PRIESTS, LOVE THEM, AND MOST OF ALL PRAY, PRAY, PRAY FOR THEM. They need you. We need them. No Priests, No Eucharist. Show your children how much you love and appreciate their Pastor, show your children how honorable a calling it is to be a Priest. Celebrate them. WE must be open as a diocese to encourage vocations to the priesthood. Bishop Carlson understood the power of the Eucharist and the Fruits of the Ordination. Bishop also understood what it took to encourage vocations. Bishop Cistone, I am certain, will continue this journey, will continue the path set forth by the Holy Spirit.
,
People, love your priests, and more will come.
God Bless,
Lisa
 
LRS, I became a seminarian for Bishop Carlson in Sioux Falls in the Jubilee year 2000. I discerned out and have been happy with my decision. I left the seminary not because of scandal or anything, but seeking God’s will in my life. I am a special education teacher on an Indian reservation and love my work. I live in my hometown and am very involved in my parish. It was last weekend as I made communion calls after Sunday Mass that I realized that without “young people like me” who are willing to live the faith and be involved in our pairshes, the future of our parishes would be bleak. God gives us all paths and I’m thankful for mine. In fact, i’m engaged to be married this fall and am hoping that Kelly Lynn and my marriage is blessed with many children who will follow the Lord Jesus with the intensity that I have always desired!
 
Re: Cathedral’s Mary of the Assumption Sculpture.

I have been informed that the sculpture is in “dormition”. The Sculpture was approved by the Cathedral Parish Worship Committee after “prayerful reflection and labor”, including consultation with biblical scholars and with the Environmental Commission of the Diocese. It was a focal point of the Cathedral’s 2000 Fundraiser. It was sculpted by a nationally recognized sculptor.

As contrasted with its approvals, Mary disappeared, to the best of my knowlege, without announcement or approvals of Parish Committees.

Whether one likes Mary or not, it is a valuable piece of art by a recognized sculptor. Its development resulted from extensive time and monetary investment of Parishoners.

The Cathedral’s Mary may become another Parish’s Church, Stations of the Cross, or other asset.

It is essential that those in charge of the Church be transparent in their actions.

Mary should be removed from “dormition” and placed in a position reflective of her value.
 
Tom_Cline said:
Re: Cathedral’s Mary of the Assumption Sculpture.

I have been informed that the sculpture is in “dormition”. The Sculpture was approved by the Cathedral Parish Worship Committee after “prayerful reflection and labor”, including consultation with biblical scholars and with the Environmental Commission of the Diocese. It was a focal point of the Cathedral’s 2000 Fundraiser. It was sculpted by a nationally recognized sculptor.

As contrasted with its approvals, Mary disappeared, to the best of my knowlege, without announcement or approvals of Parish Committees.

Whether one likes Mary or not, it is a valuable piece of art by a recognized sculptor. Its development resulted from extensive time and monetary investment of Parishoners.

The Cathedral’s Mary may become another Parish’s Church, Stations of the Cross, or other asset.

It is essential that those in charge of the Church be transparent in their actions.

Mary should be removed from “dormition” and placed in a position reflective of her value.
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I wonder if the same concern regarding parishioners’ investments and desires, and general historical and aesthetic concerns were raised when the cathedral (and so many of the diocese’s older parishes) were liturgically vandalized when they were “renovated”? :rolleyes:

The small but beautiful parish that I belonged to in the mid-1980s was completely gutted, and nobody at the time asked us (the parishioners) if we would have approved.
 
The learning from historical mistakes provides a foundation for a coordinated well informed future.

Effective change requires involvement and understanding of those whom the change will affect. Change needs to occur in an open setting.

There will be need for change, some of which may be difficult. If it is based on sound reasons and not whim or personal interests, and is explained, most will accept it.
 
I’m not sure what happened to the statue and as a diocesan seat, the Cathedral has many governing bodies that ‘she’ answers to- the parish pastoral council, the diocesan pastoral council, the bishop himself, the apostolic nuncio and also, ultimately, the vatican and Holy Father.

I know that in my diocese, my parish is without a pastor right now because our priest needed a sabbatical. None of us argued the point when it was announced- it was clear our priest needed some refreshing and rejuvination. What has bothered me and others in the parish is that the Bishop is sending replacement priests on a weekend-by-weekend basis. This is good that we as a parish aren’t responsible for the securing of clergy for these weekends and we aren’t financially responsible to pay them either. My point here is that sometimes, the Bishop and those at the chancery have to act without a council and without discussing things to ‘get the job done,’ and in the end, there is a benefit to the people for it. In our case, its a burden lifted in scheduling.

In the statue situation, there may be no immediate benefit, and who knows, maybe it wasn’t the bishop or any true ‘leadership’ figure that has removed it… if I remember right, the Cathedral is in the process of a renovation project… however slow it may be going, maybe the moving of the statue is the beginning of the project?

Point is- a loss of a beloved statue may be a small part of a bigger project. Ask the Rector, the Bishop or anyone of authority. Maybe it was moved and they didnt’ realize anyone was upset because of it?
 
Tom_Cline said:
Re: Cathedral’s Mary of the Assumption Sculpture.

I have been informed that the sculpture is in “dormition”. The Sculpture was approved by the Cathedral Parish Worship Committee after “prayerful reflection and labor”, including consultation with biblical scholars and with the Environmental Commission of the Diocese. It was a focal point of the Cathedral’s 2000 Fundraiser. It was sculpted by a nationally recognized sculptor.

As contrasted with its approvals, Mary disappeared, to the best of my knowlege, without announcement or approvals of Parish Committees.

Whether one likes Mary or not, it is a valuable piece of art by a recognized sculptor. Its development resulted from extensive time and monetary investment of Parishoners.

The Cathedral’s Mary may become another Parish’s Church, Stations of the Cross, or other asset.

It is essential that those in charge of the Church be transparent in their actions.

Mary should be removed from “dormition” and placed in a position reflective of her value.
Click to expand...
Lets not forget what a beautiful concept dormition is. Dormition is a step in the transfer to another beautiful life. What a fitting way for this statue of Mary to find a new life. We should be thankful this statue is in dormition and has not died and be hopeful of the new life that it will some day find.
 
The following was the Cathedral’s explaination of the Lady of Assumption Sculpture.

BLESSING OF MARY, OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION SCULPTURE
On the first weekend after Easter, April 10 and 11, our new statue of Mary will be
installed and blessed at every Mass. This rendition of Mary’s Assumption into heaven was
sculpted by Tony Frudakis, a nationally renowned artist living in Hillsdale, MI.
The statue is uniquely beautiful–unlike any that you have ever seen. Every detail is
designed to express the glorious mystery of our Blessed Mother for which our Cathedral is
named–that is, Mary’s Assumption. For this reason, the statue is markedly different from
the usual stereotypes that depict Mary donned in mantle and veil, with eyes downcast in
prayer or raised to heaven. She has the shape andface of a real woman. Her eyes are fIXed
on us. Her head is uncovered Her clothing is symbolic, not of the period she lived in.
Prepare for a stunning addition to our Marian alcove designed to draw you deeper into
prayerful relationship with our real Mother in heaven.-c
The sculpture is about 7’1"from base to tip of Mary’s raised arm. It is cast in an
earth-tone finish befitting the rich, warm color tones of our interior church. The statue will
be mounted upon a twofoot pillar made of the same marble as our baptismal font.
This one-of-a-kind interpretation of Mary’s Assumption is the result of two years’
prayerful reflection and labor. During the statue’s creation, members of St. Mary’s worship
commission have made visits to the artist’s studio in Hillsdale to consult with Mr. Frudakis.
We also took consultation with the Environment Commission of the Diocese of Saginaw
concerning details of the sculpture and how it should be placed in the alcove.
As you may have noticed, the organ has been moved back to allow this alcove to be
visible as one enters from the parking lot entrance. (We thank members of the St. Joseph
Guild, Joe Clous, Don Cruson, Bill Quinnan and Jim Sullivan for the carpentry work they
did to accomodate the new space.) When she is secured upon the small marble pillar, Mary will stand near the floor, close to the center of the wall, one arm reaching out to us, one raised to heaven. The former vigil candles have been removed, and simpler, less bulky ones willflank the sculpture as well as the Guadalupe picture. (Thanks again to Don Cruson for the crafting of these new vigil light holders.)

FEATURES OF MARY’S SCULPTURE
You will be interested in the meaning of some of the outstanding features of this
unique sculpture:

Mary’s clothing: Why is Mary dressed in a loose free-flowing garment rather than the
garb of afirst-century Jewish woman, mantle, veil, etc.?

Mary’s Assumption is that moment in her personal life–and in our salvation history-when
she is freed from the garments of mortality and clothed forever in the mantle of God’s
glory. The flowing lines of her uncovered hair and the free-flowing lines of her wrap express
liberation from all that holds us to suffering and death and time-bound limitations.

Mary’s posture: Why is Mary not depicted in the usual posture with hands folded or
outstretched, £ryesfocused on heaven or cast down in prayer?

Mary’s right arm is lifted high, hand open, to accept the Hand of God welcoming her
into etemal life. She is first among the disciples to be received “body and soul, lovely and
whole” to stand beside her Son in glory. Her left arm is lovingly extended to cradle all
humanity; her hand open to take the hand of every child who comes to her for help in finding the way home.

Her unshodfeet are those depicted in the Book of Revelation–with bare heel she has
crushed the serpent’s head. One foot rests on an undefined portion of earth, to symbolize her roots in the human life we all share. The other foot is completely suspended to give the
impression of her being taken up into heaven. Her womanly form is defined; strong, full,
intent. Beyond age, her face reflects the Holy Spirit’s own wisdom and infinite compassion.
Even as she is assumed into glory, her inclined head and eyes are focused upon us,
symbolizing a Mother whose heart will never be separated from her children.

Mary, Assumed into Heaven, Pray for Us!
 
I remember reading somewhere–maybe it was earlier in this thread–that one of Bishop Carlson’s mandates was that all parishes were to install kneelers by Advent, 2009.

Advent 2009 is just around the corner. Will this mandate be met? (Presuming the new bishop hasn’t contravened it.)
 
Lepanto said:
I remember reading somewhere–maybe it was earlier in this thread–that one of Bishop Carlson’s mandates was that all parishes were to install kneelers by Advent, 2009.

Advent 2009 is just around the corner. Will this mandate be met? (Presuming the new bishop hasn’t contravened it.)
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I know of one parish that was given a delay from Bishop Carlson due to the economics of raising money right now. That parish is hoping that Bishop Cistone will not reverse the delay.

That being said, I don’t know of a single parish in the diocese that has installed kneelers.
 
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