We stand with the people of Texas and hold them in our prayers after the tragic flash flooding at the beginning of July. Please pray for all first responders and emergency support teams, for those who lost loved ones or never received closure after their loved ones were not found, and for all communities who will spend many months to come rebuilding. If you would like to support relief efforts, please click the link below to visit the Diocesan webpage where all charity links specific to Texas can be found:
Category: News & Events
Christmas in July Collection
Holy Spirit Parish is accepting donations to support our Diocesan Prison and Jail Ministry’s Resource Reentry Summit. Grab a tag off the trees in the Sanctuary and help rebuild our community today. Items can be returned underneath the trees, similar to how we collect donations at Christmastime.
*Chromebooks and Bikes should be dropped off to the Parish Office during the week and should not be left under the trees.
Holy Spirit and St. Anthony Coming Together as One Body in Christ on Corpus Christi
In this Jubilee Year, the Holy Father has called us to come together in unity as pilgrims of hope—united in our love for Christ, truly present in the Eucharist. In celebration of this special year, the parish communities of St. Anthony and Holy Spirit invite you to join us to recognize and celebrate our unity as one Catholic community.
On Sunday, June 22, at 10 a.m., our two parishes will gather at West Catholic High School in the Competition Gym for Mass and a Eucharistic procession. This will be a beautiful opportunity to come together in prayer, deepen our Eucharistic devotion, and celebrate our faith as the Church.
While each parish has its own charisms, we are called to worship our one Lord. Bringing our two parishes together reminds us that we are one Body in Christ. Just as the simple gifts of bread and wine are brought forward as a sacrificial offering for Mass, we offer the sacrifice of our own lives to experience the transforming power of Christ.
This is a unique opportunity to hear our two parish choirs unite in song, see our ministers serve together, and witness our parish priests stand as one at the altar—a powerful expression of the One Body of Christ, where we all belong.
We invite all families from our parishes to be part of this joyful celebration.
Come and experience the beauty of our faith, the strength of our unity, and the profound gift of Christ in the Eucharist. Let us gather as one family in Christ—one Church, one Body, one faith. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Holy Spirit Campaign Begins!
As we embrace our call to discipleship, we are excited to build on the incredible things we’ve accomplished together. Every dollar raised for the Inspired by the Spirit Capital Campaign will be directed toward the expansion of the Child Development Center, the creation of a brand-new classroom, and vital upgrades to our parish facilities. Together, we can create a lasting impact that strengthens our community and inspires future generations.
Small Groups
It’s our goal is to make a big parish feel like a small community, one group at a time! People join groups for different reasons; some for new faithful connections with others and some for a deeper spiritual journey that challenges them in new ways.
What to Expect:
During Lent, groups will meet every week (6 weeks). Content: Rebuilt Faith
From Easter to Pentecost, groups will meet every other week for a total of 4 times. Content: Gifts of the Spirit
Summer will vary by group. Content is flexible.
Small Group Time (1-1 .5 hours):
Connect with 6-8 people.
Gathering time, prayer, conversation/discussion questions based on parish-provided content, and fellowship over food.
We have about 220 people in 28 groups at this time! If you’re feeling moved by the Spirit to get plugged in to a small group for the Easter season, call the Parish Office at (616) 453-6369 and speak to Michael or MacKenzie, or email MacKenzie at mcoble@hsparish.org. We’ll put your name at the top of the list to be contacted when we begin putting new groups together!
Fr. Nick Named Co-Chaplain of WC
Bishop Walkowiak announces the following pastoral appointment:
Rev. Nicholas R. Baker, in addition to his appointment as parochial vicar of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, is appointed co-chaplain of West Catholic High School in Grand Rapids, effective Jan. 20, 2025, for a term of one year.
Please pray for Fr. Nick Baker as he takes on this new role!
100 Rosaries for California
In the wake of devastation in California, Holy Spirit and The Catholic Church need to come together in prayer to intercede for everyone affected by wildfires. Our goal as a parish is 100 Holy Rosaries by the end of January!
Why:
Reports of crucifixes, and statues of the Blessed Virgin being completely untouched by fire and devastation are beginning to surface. God is in control and Mary’s ability to intercede for the people of California is now more crucial than ever!
Who:
Anyone! From a beginner to the Rosary or a seasoned expert, every prayer helps. If you are unsure how to pray the Holy Rosary, click here or call the office; we are here to help.
What:
The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary
Where:
Adoration is available at Holy Spirit on Thursdays from 9am-8pm in the Chapel.
As a family at your dinner table.
In your car on the way home from work, etc.
An argued beauty of the Rosary is that it is portable, and possible for all ages.
When:
January 15th – January 31st 2025
*The Parish Office is seeking out additional opportunities to directly impact the lives of people affected. If you would like to get involved please contact Michael in the office directly at mmorrison@hsparish.org.
GivingTuesday 2024
On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, the world will embark on it’s 12th year of #GivingTuesday. Created in 2012 as a simple idea to encourage people to do good, it has grown into a global generosity “movement that unleashes the power of radical generosity around the world.” Giving back is something that each of you does on a daily basis as Catholic Christians, and for that we are always grateful. Last year, your generosity helped raise over $72,000 for the purchase of a new sound system for the sanctuary!
Holy Spirit is the largest school in the diocese and our largest ministry of the parish. As a community, we are blessed to educate the whole child: academically, socially, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. This means beyond the classroom. This year’s project, titled, Rejuvenate the Gym, will allow us to have a greater impact on the opportunities our children have outside of the classroom:
- a new stage to be used for musicals, the auction, the variety show, speakers, and other community events
- LED light replacements
- revamped paint scheme
- replacement padding on the gym walls
- upgraded sound system
Our goals this #GivingTuesday are to raise $55,000 to rejuvenate the gym and have 100% participation to make it happen. Please prayerfully consider making a gift during the 24-hour period on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. The Diocese is covering all processing fees, which means 100% of your gift goes directly to this project.
Michigan Catholic Tribune Falsely Presenting Itself
Some of you may remember the newspaper from 2022 entitled the “Michigan Catholic Tribune.” The Tribune falsely presents itself as a Catholic publication and includes politically-related content meant to assist Catholic voters in casting their ballots.
The publication is not in alignment with Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.
In 2022, the newspaper was mailed to random households within the diocese, both Catholic and non-Catholic.
This publication and its accompanying website are not endorsed by nor are they affiliated with the Diocese of Grand Rapids or the Catholic Church.
We are aware of at least one instance where the newspaper has been received within our diocese, along with other dioceses in the State. It is likely a matter of time before one of your parishioners receives it as well. We do not know who or how many people may have received this newspaper.
The diocese did not share mailing information for this publication. We never sell parishioner contact information.
Scammers Pose As Priests
Have you received text messages, emails, or messages through Facebook Messenger from someone claiming to be Father Mark? The messages are usually brief and say something like “Can we talk in your spare time?” or “I’m in a meeting and can’t talk, but need your help and it’s urgent.” It is not until you respond that there are questions asking for money or gift cards indicating it is an emergency.
Don’t give. It’s not Fr. Mark. It’s a scam.
Many parishioners of the Diocese of Grand Rapids have been targeted by these fraudsters and it’s not just happening in West Michigan. The Diocese of Austin, Texas; the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and the Archdiocese of Miami, Florida and others also have reported the scams.
Don’t fall for it! Here is what to know and do:
- Check the email address it is being sent from. If it is not “mpeacock@hsparish.org” then it is not from Fr. Mark. (for example, they often come from an email like “fatherr773@gmail.com and pmailoffice04@gmail.com)
- Know that Fr. Mark will never make requests like that via email or text message and instantly demand money or gift cards.
If you ever have any questions or concerns, or want to check before responding, you are always welcome to forward the emails to our office staff or call us to confirm the validity of the message.