NEWSPAPERS Special Edition
Relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux to visit Shrine
BY TAYLOR CHRISTENSEN tchristensen@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — For the first time in 25 years, the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a Catholic saint known as “the Little Flower” and revered for the spirituality of “the Little Way,” will be visiting the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, 2100 12 Mile Road.
The relics will be at Shrine Oct. 1-8, beginning on her feast day. The days also coincide with Shrine’s 100-year anniversary as a parish, according to a press release sent out by Shrine.
The reliquary containing some of her bones first came from France to the U.S. in 1999 and drew more than 1 million people in 25 states, according to the press release.
According to the tour’s U.S. coordinator, the Rev. Donald Kinney, a Discalced Carmelite priest at the Carmelite House of Prayer in California, “It is a special blessing that the reliquary will be visiting the U.S. during the 100th year anniversary of her canonization and for the Jubilee year of the church,” the press release says.
“There have been great crowds and great blessings everywhere,” Kinney said in a prepared statement. “Such continued worldwide acclaim is unprecedented in the history of the Church. St. Thérèse continues to be loved as ‘the greatest saint of modern times.’”
The tour is making 40 stops in 11 states with the first being in Royal Oak.
Southfield, Lawrence Tech ready for groundbreaking of new softball field
BY MIKE KOURY mkoury@candgnews.com
SOUTHFIELD — The groundbreaking on a brand-new softball field created from a partnership between the city and Lawrence Technological University will commence this week.
Southfield and Lawrence Technological University will break ground on a softball field to be used by the Blue Devils from 11 a.m. to noon Friday, Sept. 19, at the site of the new field on the Southfield Municipal Campus, 26000 Evergreen Road.
“Southfield is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Lawrence Tech,”
Southfield Mayor Kenson Siver said in a prepared statement. “This new field will not only elevate women’s athletics at LTU, but it will also serve as a tremendous asset for our residents — opening the door to a wide range of sports programming, community activities, and recreational opportunities that strengthen pride and engagement across our city.”
The new field dates back five years when the university received word that MST Steel Corp.n President Richard Thompson wanted to make a $500,000 donation for a new softball field.
The school began work on the project when it ran into a bit of trouble; namely, that it didn’t have
See SOFTBALL on page 8A
LEFT: The National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica at 2100 12 Mile Road in Royal Oak will host the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux in early October. ABOVE: This statue of St. Thérèse of Lisieux is at the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica.
Photos provided by Anne Bates
See SHRINE on page 8A
Rendering provided by Lawrence Technological University
The city of Southfield and Lawrence Technological University will break ground on a new softball field Sept. 19. It will be located on the Southfield Municipal Campus at 26000 Evergreen Road.
During a ribboncutting ceremony at Sylvan Glenn Lake Park Sept. 5, families and officials celebrated the addition of new grant-funded play structures and other amenities. The park is the largest of Troy’s 10 neighborhood parks. Officials say its size and amenities may qualify it for future reclassification as a community park.
Community welcomes new amenities at Sylvan Glen Lake Park
BY SARAH WRIGHT swright@candgnews.com
TROY — Officials and residents gathered to celebrate additions to Sylvan Glen Lake Park during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 5.
“It really is fantastic,” Mayor Ethan Baker said. “I would say it’s like the best of what Birmingham has and what Troy offers … and I’m so thrilled to have it.”
Sylvan Glen Lake Park, 5501 Rochester Road,
is the largest of the 10 neighborhood parks in Troy, spanning about 40 acres. This includes a 16-acre lake and walking trails.
Officials say that its size, amenities and potential for future development position it for possible reclassification as a community park in the future.
U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Birmingham, helped secure a $1.5 million grant that enabled Troy to add multiple family-friendly features to the park.
“Each year, I work closely with our municipal
Reading garden dedicated to longtime Birmingham educator
BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com
BIRMINGHAM — Patricia Andrews, a Birmingham teacher and historian, dedicated much of her life to serving the Birmingham area as a resident of 75 years. Now her legacy continues through an outdoor reading garden that was recently installed.
Andrews passed away at the age of 99 on Sept. 1, 2021.
The grand opening of the memorial Patricia Andrews Reading Library, located at Maple and Fairfax, near Birmingham Fire Station No. 2 was held Aug. 10.
Children are now encouraged to visit the reading library and use it as a dedicated quiet place to read and learn.
Leaving a legacy of literacy
After moving to the city in 1943, Andrews taught at Birmingham Public Schools for over 30 years. Throughout her time
at the district, she taught at Pierce, Quarton and Midvale.
“The kids were everything to her,” said Julie Dreyer, An drews’ daughter and president of the Patricia A. Andrews Reading Library Foundation.
Something that Andrews always valued was people — spe cifically, the children in the community — knowing the history of Birmingham. Dreyer said her mom wrote up a history of Bir mingham in a way that was easy for children to comprehend.
When Andrews stopped driving, she converted her garage into a small museum about the history of Birmingham and Quarton Lake Estates.
Birmingham resident Brad Host knew Andrews for nearly four decades and was able to speak on her impact in the community, especially the children she taught.
“Her greatest love was for the little kids, whom not only she taught, but she just instilled reading as a way to
See GARDEN on page 5A
Julie Dreyer, Patricia Andrews’ daughter, stands next to the bookcase located within the Patricia Andrews Reading Library. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
Photos by Liz Carnegie
See SYLVAN GLEN on page 7A
Birmingham elementary school earns recognition for sustainability efforts
BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com
BIRMINGHAM — The Michigan Department of Education has announced two winners of the 2025 Michigan Green Ribbon Schools awards — Birmingham Public Schools’ West Maple Elementary and the Lansing School District. The award honors schools and other learning institutions for their efforts towards sustainability.
“Green Ribbon Schools help take care of our environment and teach children the importance of doing so,” State Superintendent Michael F. Rice said in a press release. “West Maple Elementary School and the Lansing School District can serve as examples for other schools that want to apply classroom learning about the environment to the real world.”
This recognition is based on three pillars: “reducing environmental impacts,” “improving health and wellness by promoting a healthy physical environment,” and “offering effective environmental and sustainability education,” according to an online document published by the state.
Carey Klenke, a first-grade teacher at West Maple Elementary, said that, “as we
Photos provided by Carey Klenke
West Maple Elementary first and fourth graders design innovative prototypes aimed at combating water pollution using recycled materials.
Elementary
from page 4A
worked through the process, we realized that these are things that our school was already doing. We are really excited to get it on paper and get it in one spot just to share what we’ve been doing, because we know that there are so many schools that are already doing all of these incredible things, and we can all make an impact if we can share what we are doing.”
Klenke said they try to keep their efforts local to help kids understand their impact and “that their small steps make a big difference.”
Students at West Maple Elementary work with local organizations to help the school community lessen their environmental impact and promote sustainability.
A couple of the efforts include collecting aluminum tabs of cans to benefit the Ronald McDonald House in Detroit and collecting plastic bread tabs to benefit Danielle Cares for Chairs, an organization that sells plastic bread tabs and uses the profits to buy wheelchairs for kids in need.
In addition to working with community organizations, the school cultivates a culture of sustainability within the property. They maintain a garden, which they use to donate to people and organizations in the community. The food is also available in the office for students looking for a snack.
Additionally, the school has a “no wasted food” program in the cafeteria. Students are encouraged to place any food that is unopened or not used in a bin. This food can be eaten by students who are hungry for a snack, and whatever is left is sent
to Metro Food Rescue.
The West Maple Green Team, a student group, are leaders in the school’s sustainability efforts. They have a say in what project the school takes on.
“It’s really fun to see their reactions as they’re able to see something tangible in their hand that is making a difference,” Klenke said.
The students at West Maple Elementary are exposed to the impact of sustainability at a young age.
“We’re starting with kids who are 5 and 6, and they’re making intentional decisions to make a change for their future. When you start that young, it becomes a habit, and if we can create these habits and help foster this awareness of what’s going on around us, it leads through the rest of their lives,” Klenke said.
Principal Jason Pesamoska said they are “empowering them as change-makers and letting them see what they can do in their world, even with being as young as they are, that they can have that true impact and that adults will listen and they have good ideas, and that they can grow those ideas and foster them to be whatever they want to be as they continue to get older.”
While the school is honored to be recognized for this award, Jason said that the most meaningful part is the journey it took to apply.
“The award is fantastic. It makes us all feel really good. But really exploring new ideas through the journey, seeing what other organizations think, giving kids open-endedness to see what is really out there is the most meaningful part of the work that we do with our kids,” Pesamoska said.
Garden
from page 3A
better your education,” Host said.
Before she passed away, Andrews came up with the idea for Birmingham to have a place in the community that was specifically designed for giving children a place to read.
Dreyer said that after her mom passed, they “kept her dream going, because that’s what she wanted.”
The outdoor library
Within the outdoor library is a bookcase, painted to look like a dalmatian. The design is a reference to its location — right by the fire station.
The red accents that adorn the space are a nod to Andrews’ favorite color. The dalmation’s eyes are red, as are the benches that will soon be placed at the outdoor library.
Once more funding is available, they are planning on installing a plaque in the space.
The Patricia Andrews Reading Library is privately funded. The Patricia A. Andrews Reading Library Foundation is accepting donations.
FIRST YEAR OF MHSAA-SPONSORED FIELD HOCKEY BEGINS
BY SCOTT BENTLEY sbentley@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — The six high school girls field hockey matches Aug. 19 were the first field hockey games in Michigan played as a Michigan High School Athletic Association-sponsored sport.
The 2025 school year is the inaugural season for girls field hockey in the MHSAA after a vote in May of 2024 approved the addition. The committee also voted to add boys volleyball, which will play its first season as an MHSAA sport in the spring of 2026.
“Field hockey has been among the sports that have shown interest in receiving sponsorship … for a little while,” MHSAA Director of Communications Geoff Kimmerly said. “And we found ourselves in a position over the last couple of years to add a sport or two.”
Field hockey is growing across the nation and the MHSAA sponsorship will provide more of an opportunity for girls to participate in the sport.
“Having that MHSAA attached to it potentially brings more attention, obviously,” Kimmerly said. “I’m hoping that charges things up in that community. I think we’re excited because we’re always looking to add activities that our students are most excited about.”
Another factor in the addition to the MHSAA lineup is when the season falls in the school calendar. In terms of multisport athletes, soccer and lacrosse is where there is expected to be the most overlap. Girls field hockey will be a fall sport, while girls lacrosse
and soccer will stay in the spring.
“We think that there’s enough of a connection between lacrosse and soccer that we won’t necessarily be taking athletes away from other fall sports,” Kimmerly said.
Girls field hockey has been an established sport in the area for a while now, even if it wasn’t a sponsored activity. The MHSAA will help promote and guide the sport from the foundation that’s been in place for a while.
“It’s been really exciting. It’s something we’ve been working for and wanting for a long time,” Novi coach and MHSAA Field Hockey Committee member Amy Kilgore said. “We had a great representative body that organized our tournament, and we’ve had a state title since the ’80s … but the perception will change dramatically.”
This sponsorship will add to a sport that also already has an established network of club teams around the state. The club
field hockey scene is vital for recruiting and playing at the next level, and this move can help grow the club scene significantly.
“There’s a really robust club system in the US,” Kilgore said. “But not in Michigan, Michigan just has three clubs. … It’s exciting to see those changes and opportunities for girls to get recognized.”
Kilgore herself runs the Live Oak Field Hockey Club, which aims to grow the sport in Livingston and Oakland counties. The club wants to make sure the experience is fun and is open to all skill levels.
Kilgore currently coaches a competitive Novi team and had a successful playing career before making the jump to coaching. She became used to hearing things that try to delegitimize the sport.
“We would get comments growing up, ‘I play a real sport,’ ‘Your sport isn’t even recognized,’ and ‘Oh, you’re just a club,’ Kilgore said.
“Winning a MHSAA state title or regional title … it certainly carries a different weight,” Kilgore said.
This sponsorship will also provide more opportunities to recognize players. Now that the sport has the MHSAA structure, there will be the chance for district, regional and conference titles that weren’t available before. Athletes will have a more clear path to playing at the next level.
“To watch it grow both in metro Detroit and on the west side of the state I think would be a huge thing for us,” Kilgore said. “For girls to have a certain sense of pride … that it’s no different than any other sport, that’s the hope.”
The state finals will be played on Oct. 25 at a location that has yet to be announced. For more information on the Live Oak Field Hockey Club, visit liveoakfield hockeyclub.com or email liveoakfieldhock eyclub@gmail.com.
FAR LEFT: Novi’s girls field hockey team squares off against Saline at Novi High School.
NEAR LEFT: Novi High School’s girls go on the attack in a field hockey game against Plymouth-Canton Educational Park.
Photos provided by Steven Angus
Sylvan Glen
leaders to determine their community’s needs,” Stevens said in a statement. “This project was selected given its wide community impact. These expanded amenities and playground improvements will foster community and recreational opportunities to be enjoyed for many decades to come.”
The latest amenities include a pavilion, play structures suitable for ages 2–5 and 5–12, a cardboard sled hill, an embankment slide, a rope climber, a nest swing, and a four-bay swing set with two toddler seats.
In addition to providing more play opportunities for different age groups, the placement and layout of the amenities are designed to make the play structures appear as though they grew naturally from the park environment.
The process for the park’s improvements started five years ago with plans for the restrooms and parking lot, which later led to plans for the play structure and other additions.
“This has been in design for about a year,” said Kurt Boviensiep, the public works director. “It was under construction for about four months.”
Even more items might be added to Sylvan Glen Lake Park in the future, as well as at other parks in Troy, but officials say it depends on whether the bond issue passes Nov. 4.
The bond would generate an estimated $137 million over 20 years by levying an additional 1.1329 mills. The city collects $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, multiplied by the millage rate. A home with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay an extra $113.29 per year.
The funds would be used to build and furnish a new public library, improve the roads, enhance parks and recreational facilities, and acquire and install equipment for public safety services including police and fire.
“This particular park has several other phases that we will look forward to in the future,” Boviensiep said. “It includes a fishing pier, and we probably have to expand the parking at some point because it’s going to get so popular.”
For more information, visit troymi.gov.
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Softball
a location where the field could be built.
“We thought we were going to build this field on our campus, but we really didn’t have a spot to put the field on our campus,” said Kevin Finn, Lawrence Tech’s vice president for philanthropy and alumni engagement. “I had played on that softball field in the back of the city complex in a softball league, and I said, Man, maybe we could do something where we work together.’”
The two parties identified the field as something that would benefit all involved.
Shrine
from page 1A
The Rev. John Bettin, the rector of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica, said that St. Thérèse holds a special place in the hearts of those at Shrine, because she is the parish patroness.
“St. Thérèse, called ‘the Little Flower,’ is one of the most venerated saints in the top five within the Catholic Church around the world, and so there’s a great devotion to her in our parish,” Bettin said. “One of the things I think that attracts all people, but especially the common people, if you will, is the fact that St. Thérèse, one of the things quoted that we have, is that she believes in showing God’s great love in little ways. And that’s something that we can all do, really, in our daily lives.”
Thérèse Martin, the saint, was born in Alençon, France, Jan. 2, 1873. Her “Little Way” has been described as a spiritual child-
Southfield Business and Economic Development Director Rochelle Freeman said that the ability to create this all-turf softball field is an example of how collaboration can enhance the softball team’s facility while the city’s Parks and Recreation Department benefits by utilizing the field to create a better atmosphere for other sports that can be played on it, like flag football or Little League sports.
“The community will be able to enjoy the field, as well as Lawrence Tech women’s softball,” she said. “So it’s really a great product that’s going to enhance the entire community.”
“We all identified that field as some-
hood and a desire to do little things with great love, according to the press release.
“We thought it was time to have her back here, to sort of revive the spirituality of our family here at Shrine, and maybe encourage people to show God’s great love in little ways in their daily lives, for not only our parishioners, but all the pilgrims and guests and visitors that we’ll have for that week,” Bettin said.
Mass and venerations will be held Oct. 1-8 with the opening Mass taking place on Oct. 1.
“Here at the Shrine of the Little Flower we always have a feast day on Oct. 1, because that’s the feast day of St. Thérèse,” Bettin said. “We will have several masses on that day as well as the whole week when we will be celebrating her arrival here and her presence here in the relics.”
Bettin said that the Mass will be a regular Catholic Mass that people are used to but there will be some additional appearances
thing that could be renovated and basically has more multipurpose (uses), but also give our women’s softball team for the first time a home field they could play at, because all their games have been on the road,” Finn said. “Even though they play games on the road, they’re called home games. It’s not their field that we operate on.”
Along with LTU’s $500,000 donation, Southfield will be contributing over $2 million in funding. The university also will be contributing long term to the maintenance costs of the field going forward.
Finn stated that the costs of the project increased over time because they wanted to make sure the entire field was turf.
from former priests and rectors. Veneration will be taking place between Mass’ throughout the day.
“Venerate means in the presence of the relics, to honor the relics, and usually that’s done with prayer,” Bettin said. “Some people like to touch, so we are going to allow them to touch either religious articles such as a picture of her or medal of her to the relics, and then that becomes what we call a thirddegree relic.”
Anybody can call to a saint at any time to ask for them to intercede, according to Bettin, but having the actual remains at Shrine brings a different kind of special connection to the saint.
“We experience things through our five senses. And so by having her physically here or remains here, it helps us to draw closer to her and asking her to intercede and pray for us, like I said, is it absolutely necessary? No, because you know she can intercede for us through prayer, only by us calling to mind
“It provides the most opportunity for us to use it,” he said. “Women’s softball at the college level play late February through early May. Now we probably won’t play any games there in February, but we will be out there in March. But what do we have in March? A lot of rain. So, you need fields that can drain, and if your backyard is like mine in March, it’s just a swamp, easily. And so having a turf, you know, rain can be a problem and you can’t play in a downpour, but it drains really quick and you can resume play. We started to work on that and priced it out and the city contributed.”
After the groundbreaking, the project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2026.
her and her beautiful life of virtue,” he said. “But again, there’s something, you know, with us as human persons with five physical senses that helps us to better understand and appreciate her presence with us in that way.”
Bettin emphasized that this is a rare opportunity and said that all should take advantage of it.
“This is a great opportunity for our parishioners, our guests, our pilgrims, our visitors, and anyone who would like to come to share in this most beautiful spiritual experience with one another,” he said. “We’re looking for a very joyous and prayerful and spiritually enriching experience for everyone, and that we can all draw closer to God, to Jesus Christ, through this beautiful saint and in demonstrating God’s great love in the little ways that we can treat one another in our everyday lives.”
For more information and to register for Mass and veneration times, visit www. shrinechurch.com/relics.
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Novi senior chorus
BY CHARITY MEIER cmeier@candgnews.com
NOVI — It may sound “Beyond Belief” that a group of 22 senior citizens took residents at several area senior living facilities on a trip around the world, but it’s not.
Beyond Belief, the Novi senior chorus group, just finished its summer tour at the Rolling Hills Retirement Community in Commerce Township. The tour showcased the vast amount of talent within the senior population in the Novi community, as the group wowed and entertained its audiences with its vocal, instrumental and dance talents.
The summer theme was a musical journey around the world and featured a Russian and an Italian love song; an audience engaging singalong of the song “Edelweiss,” made popular in the musical “The Sound of Music”; a Mexican hat dance; a Hawaiian hula dance; and 94-yearold Jere Philips, of Wixom, tap dancing to “When Irish Eyes are Smiling.”
The songs were performed while group members played guitar, ukulele, piano and violin.
Kathleen Schafer, 57, director of Beyond Belief, said that she was invited to join the group in the fall of 2019 as the accompanist. She said the group, although not as widely known, has been around for many years. She said that prior to the pandemic, the group had elaborate costumes and sold tickets for their performances at the Novi High School auditorium. However, when COVID hit, the group stopped
See CHORUS on page 10A
Photos by Charity Meier
LEFT: Kathleen Schafer, 57, of Novi, dances as other members of Novi’s senior chorus sing “Moonlight in Hilo,” during a performance at Rolling Hills Retirement Community Sept. 11. The theme of the performance was a musical journey around the world. RIGHT: Sue Pinto, 71, a former music instructor for children with cognitive disabilities, performs a violin solo during a Beyond Belief performance of the Beatles hit “Yesterday.”
Chorus
performing for many years and only started performing again a few years ago, after securing a rehearsal space within St. James Catholic Church in Novi.
“No one gets paid. We do it because we love it. We love bringing our show and performing for senior citizens, who some of them are in wheelchairs, and they have nothing, and the best part is when you look at them and they’re tapping their foot and they are singing along. It’s the best feeling to see the joy that we bring to senior citizens,” Schafer said. “It’s a lot of work to do what we do, but it’s worth every minute of it, because they love making people happy.”
“I’ll try to find words to describe how much enjoyment I get from sharing with our group a few hours entertaining others. The smiles on the faces in the audience boost my own happiness,” said Marilyn Kartje, 89, of Novi.
The group now performs throughout the year, so the end of the summer tour simply means it’s time to get ready for the holiday shows. The group will begin rehearsals Sept. 18 for the holiday tour, which currently has eight stops between Thanksgiving
and Christmas.
They are also actively recruiting new members and emphasise that although they rehearse at a Catholic church, one doesn’t have to be Catholic or Christian to join their group.
“This is a warm, welcoming group of people,” said Laura Olesko, 71, of Commerce Township. “I have always enjoyed singing all the way back to my high school days. I sing in the car. I sing in the shower, and I always sing to my grandchildren at bedtime. I think we are blessed to have these fellow seniors willing to share their God-given talents.”
Stewart Beech, 69, of Novi, gave his last performance as a member of the group on Sept. 11. He has performed with the group for the last two years and said he will really miss it, but he is moving to Florida. He said they are all friends. He said they are always giving each other support, prayers and wellwishes.
Beech said he chose to join the group as it is active year-round.
“I get to sing. I can sing melodies or harmonies, and I get to sing loud. As well as singing, I play a lot of different instruments, and I get to keep in touch (and) practice with everything, the ukulele, the bass, the hand drum and all this other stuff, and it keeps me healthy because you do burn a lot of calories
getting up there singing and everything. A lot of people go home and take a nap,” he said.
Beech said if one likes to sing, joke and perhaps some dancing, then this is the right group to join. He said that everybody contributes to the song list for every tour.
“And it’s a support group; everybody’s supporting everybody else,” he said.
He said that the real key to the group’s success is the age of its performers, which ranges from 57 to 94, with the median age being 82 1/2 years young.
“All that experience, it is amazing. The age factor provides knowledge, a lot of experience, and it all contributes so that we can come and we can put on a quality show, teaching a little bit of stage presence, teaching some music, extra things here and there,” Beech said.
Olesko said she looks at performing with the group as a way of paying it forward, if the day should come when she can’t get around
like she does now.
Phillips has been performing with the group since 2004. She is often seen front and center tap-dancing.
David Cantalamisa, 69, of Wixom, said the group is simply a “great ministry.”
“We sing to demonstrate that God’s words are trustworthy. We are taught to share our talents with those who are not as mobile as ourselves and not to be afraid to show our love for others,” he said. “We are always trying to reach those who are less fortunate, those who are suffering, lonely and hungry for genuine love. Many out there have only their TV as their best friend, so we (pay) it forward. That is music to my ears.”
The group will be recruiting members following all Mass services at both St. James and Holy Family parishes. Those interested in joining the group can call (248) 3477778 or email Schafer at beyondbeliefsing ers@gmail.com.
