Author: Sue Rose
St. Sebastian’s K of C Blood Drive
2024 Vacation Bible School
Scuba 2024 Vacation Bible School
Sunday, June 23 — Thursday, June 27, 2024
6:00pm–8:15pm
Open to all children entering
4-year old Preschool
(must be turning 4 by Sept. 1, 2024)
to Grade 5 in the fall.
There is no charge to attend VBS. It is being generously underwritten by
St. Sebastian Knights of Columbus Council 14642.
Thank you Knights!
CSA 2024
Our CSA Goal is $214,486.00 and 100% participation.
Your gift will change lives for the better, impacting 175,144 Catholics and thousands more in our community and beyond.
The CSA Collection supports
Priestly Vocations
Catholic School Education
Cultural Ministries
Catholic Charities West Michigan
Catechesis
Communication
Ways to donate:
Contact Sue in the Parish Office (616-878-1619 or sue@stsebastianmi.org)
Pick up a CSA Pledge card in the Narthex at Church
Donate online through the Grand Rapids Diocese website.
Giving Tree 2023
2023-24 Religious Education & Youth Ministry Registration Form
It’s time to sign up your children for our Faith Formation program (3-yr old preschool through 12th grade). Here are the links to get your children enrolled in our Faith Formation program…
Family Registration Form
You Must Fill out both
the Registration Form and
the Medical Release Form
Please check out our
Other Opportunities to Volunteer Page
Please prayerfully consider volunteering in one or more of these areas over the next year.
If you have any questions, please reach out to…
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Morgan Domeier, Director of Religious Education (3-yr. old Preschool through Grade 5) at morgan@stsebastianmi.org or 616-878-1619 ext. 103
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Whitney Doane, Director of Youth Ministry (6th — 8th Grades – [Confirmation] and Grades 9 though 12) at whitney@stsebastianmi.org or 616-878-1619 ext. 102.
Events in and Around the Diocese
Are you discerning the priesthood?
The Explore Priesthood Group is a discernment opportunity sponsored by the diocesan Office of Priestly Vocations. Each month, young men (ages 16 – 35) are invited to gather and discern God’s will for their lives.
Time for prayer and reflection will be held monthly at St. Stephen Parish in East Grand Rapids beginning at 12:30 p.m.
This year’s discernment opportunities are offered on the following Sunday: May 15.
Feel free to show up or call to let us know you are coming at 616-288-0910. Questions, email Pattie Reynolds (preynolds@grdiocese.org).
The Begger’s Bell Bash
Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 6pm
at Noto’s Old World Italian Dining
$75/person — click here to purchase tickets
Franciscan Life Process Center’s Beggar’s Bell Bash is a celebration of the individual gifts of each person in West Michigan. Throughout history and across cultures, people in need have often used a beggar’s bell to encourage bystanders to become aware of their undiscovered giftedness. Proceeds from this event will support our counseling program, art program and further development of our land focus on connection, education, accessibility and our environmental impact. Join us for a strolling dinner, drinks and dancing with entertainment from the local West Michigan Band Brena.
Summer Experiences for Children at
the Franciscan Life Process Center
11650 Downes St, Lowell, MI
Click here to see their summer programs for 2022
Adoration around the Diocese
Looking for opportunities to spend one on one time with Jesus? The Diocese of Grand Rapids has published an online schedule of weekly days and times when Eucharistic Adoration is available in parishes throughout our diocese. View the schedule at grdiocese.org, click on the “Parishes” menu, then “Adoration Schedules” from the dropdown.
Faith-Based Employment Outreach Program
The St. Robert Roundtable is an affiliate of the Employment and Resource Network and provides a support group and career coaching to unemployed and people in career transition. The group meets at St. Roberts (6477 Ada Dr, Ada; in classroom 203) every other week, Wednesdays, 9:30-11:30 am and presents a varied program More information about EaRN can be found at their website: www.earn-network.org. For more information, contact: Bill Weitzel, 616-446-1873 Email:weitzelwj@aol.com.
2021-2022 Religious Education Individual Registration
Msgr. Duncan’s Mid-week Meditations
4-01-20 Midweek Meditations
The gospel readings for daily Mass this week reveal the growing tension between Jesus and those refusing to 
understand or accept who he is. In today’s gospel from John 8:37, Jesus accuses them saying, “You are trying to kill me because my word has no room among you.”
‘My word has no room among you’ is a phrase that haunts me when I read it. How easy for me to judge them for not allowing the word of God to find a place in their hearts. Yet, the whole story of Jesus is replete with rejection by those who were supposedly religious; he is driven out of synagogues, scorned for dining with sinners, judged for healing on the sabbath, and finally mocked as he hangs on a cross.
All of which brings me back to that haunting line about finding room for God’s word. It can’t just be knowledge of God’s word- even the devil knows scripture. Have I made room in my heart and soul for Christ to truly dwell in such a way that my life is transformed by him to be a true disciple filled with genuine compassion, boundless mercy, and a servant-spirit?
Lord, help us always to make room for you in our lives.
Blessings,
Msgr. Bill Duncan
Reflection on the Annunciation of the Lord from Msgr. Duncan
Reflection on
The Annunciation of the Lord
March 25, 2020
In the midst of our Lenten season we arrive at another special feast day- the Solemnity of the Annunciation of 
the Lord. This feast commemorates, in the first chapter of Luke’s gospel, the angel Gabriel appearing to the young virgin, Mary to announce that she will bear a son conceived by the Holy Spirit to be named Jesus who will be called Son of the Most High.
We are so familiar with this story that perhaps we fail to grasp what truly has taken place. Mary is the first among all human beings to hear of God’s decision to come and dwell among us as one like us. She is greatly troubled by the angel’s greeting but is told not to be afraid. Before the angel’s departure she moves from fear to acceptance of God’s Word. God’s Word has been spoken and is now within her womb. How wondrous a moment for her and for all humanity. For, on behalf of all of us, Mary, who has found favor with God, welcomes with faith God incarnate into the world.
The Annunciation, the first of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, should indeed call us to rejoice. For now, in a world beset by a pandemic, we too might be afraid. We must hear the voice, not of an angel, but of the Lord himself who continually calls his disciples to not be afraid because he would always be with them- the Son of the Most High.
Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus!
Lenten peace,
Msgr. Bill