Saint Brigid Catholic Church 150th

150 th

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Saturday, May 22, 2021

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary ourmidland.com

Dear Readers and community members: Midland was introduced to me as the “City of Beautiful Churches.”

I hope you know how proud Saint Brigid of Kildare is to be a part of Midland history from its pioneer days. Like many of the churches here, we are proud of the strong Christian values nurtured in the community by active church membership.

More than a history of what Saint Brigid has done in the past, the anniversary of 150 years of Catholic Worship in Midland is a reminder of what we hope for in our future.

Our church has shown the light of faith for generations and we will continue to shine the light of the Gospel for all in our community.

We find life in Christ by gathering disciples for worship, service and education: Worship - while the CoVid-19 pandemic has impacted how we gather it has not stopped us from gathering safely and in person.

The Eucharist is essential for us and while we fasted for 3 months,

once conditions permitted, we simply had to return. We gathered inside or outside - and in the snow on Christmas Day. Worship is the heart of our life. It is our worship which has fueled our hope in a pandemic, in response to the abuse crisis and through every personal and community struggle. We welcome you to join us on Sunday (indoor and outdoor) or any day of the week.

Service - from worship we seek to serve. Our ministry to the sick, homebound, economically disadvantaged and uneducated is not limited to those who are Catholic. We serve because we are Catholic and we share what we have received, life in Christ! With 150-year roots, we have a firm foundation for the future.

Education - we eagerly anticipate inaugurating our 100th year of learning at Saint Brigid of Kildare Catholic School this fall. Our school welcomes students from many faiths and families, but offers each one a place to safely discover the mystery of God’s creation.

Because we are a family of faith, our school has nourished the minds of many young geniuses. Our school remains a vital part of the mission to spread faith by understanding the world.

Through storms, floods, pandemics and crisis, our church has been a bedrock of hope for Midland. Join me in celebrating the reason for our hope. Join me this Pentecost in renewing your faith and trust in the Spirit who has ensured our success in the past and points us to a future full of grace.

Midland has many beautiful churches but what makes our community truly beautiful is the action our faith fuels. We thirst to share the life that Christ provides and from our worship are inspired to serve and educate all. Join us for the first time or come back to Saint Brigid of Kildare. Now is the time to draw from the treasures of the last 150 years and store up good things for the future.

Rev. Andrew D. Booms Pastor

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary

Saturday, May 22, 2021 | 3

All Hands

Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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hen people need help with their financial burdens, one of the first places they turn to is their local church. St. Brigid of Kildare Catholic Church in Midland has been answering these pleas for assistance from community members for many decades. Helping Hands Ministry is an outreach program supported by the generous donations of parishioners. Having this program running and in place during the last year of flood and pandemic-related crises could not have been more fortuitous.

“2020 was a devastating year for Midland County with the pandemic and the flood. We felt inspired to give more because of it,” said St. Brigid’s Laura Sira, explaining the decision to raise its $100 donation limit per household to $150 given the hardships many Midland County residents have been facing. “We help with rent, utility bills, water bills, and propane fills. With the special circumstances that the flood brought this year, we also helped to replace some other life necessities like clothes washers and dryers, hot water heaters, and drywall.”

From March of 2020 through March of 2021 Helping Hands Ministry has doled out $11,931 to 59 Midland County Households. St. Brigid Catholic Church works with 211, other local churches and social service agencies to assist community members in need.

“You don’t have to belong to our church to receive financial assistance,” Sira said. “We help everyone who lives in Midland County regardless of race, creed, gender and ethnicity. Truly we do this as Christ calls us to. This is a great program. It’s an honor to be a part of it.”

The mother of four was a stay-athome Mom during her sons’ formative years. Nowadays she stays busy working as an administrative assistant at the church, where she has been a parishioner for 25 years. “I do

a lot of data entry, receive and make a lot of phone calls, and I thoroughly enjoy working at my Church,” she said. “I enjoy working with people, so it’s a lot of fun and brings me joy.”

As flooding forced people from their homes and the pandemic wreaked economic hardship on families as businesses shuttered and jobs disappeared, Sira is mindful that anyone could have fallen on hard times during these horrible occurrences.

“These people are just like you and me,” she said. “They have bills to pay and family to feed. Some of them have been shut in their homes for a year due to the covid shutdowns or weakened immune systems. Most of our clients have either lost their jobs or have been under-employed because of the Covid restrictions. We are so thankful that because of our generous donors we are able to help out. It is truly a blessing to be part of this program.”

Along with receiving monetary donations from parishioners, Helping Hands Ministry also holds a monthly food collection at the church with donated items going to the Midland Food Pantry.

Thank you

St. Brigid for sharing the Good News of Jesus for 150 years!

www.saginaw.org

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary ourmidland.com

At 94 years young, Joanne Reeves Has Not Lost Her Edge

Ignace and Mary Zondlak (Joanne Reeves parents) The first couple married in the new church on September 19th, 1918

Joanne and Fred Reeves July 27, 1949

Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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t 94 years young, Joanne Reeves’ personality shines as bright as ever. The lifetime St. Brigid Catholic Church parishioner is quick with a quip and her gift for gab may be as nearly pronounced as her devout faith.

If you’re having a conversation with the Dow Chemical Employees Credit Union retiree, it’s wise to pay close attention lest you miss out on a good story and an even better laugh.

Reeves is too busy living to be fixated on death but she does have her epitaph figured out.

“I am going to have a recording of me on my casket, so when you step up it will say, ‘glad you were here, wish you could come with me,’” she said, breaking into a wide grin.

Many of Reeves conversations with friends and family invariably turn to the wonderful St. Brigid priests she has come to know and

Joanne Reeves

Joann Reeves & Fr. Pat O’Connor

respect throughout her life. From memory she rattles off their names and birthdays: Priests like Father Pat O’ Connor; Father Jim Bessert; Father Nick Cofarro; Father Dan Fox (current pastor at Our Lady of Grace in Sanford where her neighbor takes her to Mass every Sunday); Father Andy Booms (current pastor at St. Brigid) and Father Marc Hopps.

Reeves remains close with her spiritual leaders and stresses how important it is in today’s challenging world to have priests doing the Lord’s work.

“I’ve never left St. Brigid’s,” said Reeves, who grew up in Larkin Township and spent most of her life in Midland before moving to Sanford. “I don’t get there as often as I used to but the church and all it represents has always been a big part of my life. It looks like a church, the artwork is amazing. The church makes you feel good.”

Reeves (nee Zondlak) was born in 1926, the fifth of nine children to Ignace and Mary Zondlak, the first See , PG 5

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Reeves Prayer Table

CONTINUED Continued from PG 4 couple to be married in the new St. Brigid Church, in 1918. Five years removed from high school, Joanne Zondlak married Fred Reeves at St. Brigid Church on July 23, 1949. They met at a baseball game that Joanne attended with her sister to watch Fred, a 3rd baseman, play.

Joanne and Fred enjoyed 62 years of marriage until Fred passed away in 2011.

“That poor guy. I never gave him a chance to talk,” Reeves jokes. “He wasn’t quick enough. I didn’t allow him to finish his sentences. He was a saint.”

When asked what the key to her vibrancy and longevity is, she alludes to her beloved husband.

Early on their marriage, Fred Reeves urged her to quit drinking.

“That was the best thing I did,” she recalls. “He chewed me out. I only drank beer. When my doctor told me to go light, I thought he meant light beer. Fred was not amused and I quit.”

Through the decades St. Brigid was a big part of Reeves’ social life.

She met many friends there and enjoyed all of the fish fries and St. Patrick’s Day Dinners that have been staples of the church for generations.

“The people are so nice,” she said.

“It’s like blood. We look after each other.”

At 94 years of age, Reeves continues to live a full life. She lives independently and enjoys frequent visits from family and friends. She enjoys baking cookies for a host of people and has a morning ritual she doesn’t deviate from. She limits her television viewing to two hours a day.

“I get up in the morning, kick my legs to the floor and say a few prayers,” she said. “I fry an egg and have a cup of coffee. I get about 20 phone calls a day. I watch Mass at 7 p.m. I’m going all day. I hardly have time for a nap.”

She does, though, have times to regale visitors with stories, many of them stemming from her long involvement with the church and her fellow parishioners.

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Deline Returns to Midland and St. Brigid’s Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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lma Deline had a welcome back to Michigan moment on Monday, April 26, she could have done without. After wintering in Florida for six months, as has been her custom for a long time, Deline’s first full day back to her Midland home, saw snow flurries and bone-chilling temperatures greet her.

“I didn’t need to see that,” Deline, a longtime St. Brigid Catholic Church parishioner, said from her condo on Pheasant Ridge. “It’s still good to be back though.”

Deline has called Midland home since 1950. She moved here from Adrian when her husband took a job with The Dow Chemical Company.

According to Deline, the couple had a difficult time finding an apartment back then.

“There weren’t any apartments in Midland,” she recounted. “We ended up finding an apartment in a house on Grove Street, near Ashman.”

She went on to have seven children, all of whom were baptized at St. Brigid’s. Though her children went to Midland Public Schools, Deline, who went to a parochial school for 12 years, said St. Brigid’s is a great school. Called Grandma D by her 23 great-grandchildren and 21 grandchildren, Deline’s large family gathers for reunions every 5 years or so.

“We rent a lodge near Houghton Lake,” she said. “Not everybody comes. We had about 55 people show up a couple years ago.”

Since returning to Midland, Deline has been getting organized and enjoying a visit from her daughter, Becky, up from Arkansas to help her mother settle in. She looks forward to visits with fellow parishioners Bonnie and Warren Mault, who

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pick her up every Sunday so she can attend Mass at St. Brigid’s. The church resumed indoor services last May, but does offer one outdoor Mass every week for people who feel more comfortable in that setting.

“We are fortunate that we’ve been able to hold Mass safely indoors with no COVID outbreaks,” said Bonnie Mault. “The church has, as an additional safety measure, installed special UV indoor lighting. Elma is always early and ahead of us when we pick her up on Sundays.”

An avid golfer since she purchased her full set of clubs in 1944, Deline, 94, just was forced to give up the game she loved. Through the years, she golfed a couple of times a week and played in leagues at Currie Golf Course, as well as at her place near Orlando.

“I used to be satisfied with my game,” Deline, who routinely hit her tee shots straight and narrow and was a fine chipper and putter, said.

“This was the first winter I didn’t play. I feel blessed that the Lord has given me the strength to play as long as I did.”

In her younger years, Deline would gladly give fellow parishioners rides to church and also volunteered to help tally donations to the church.

“I’m still in contact with Father Pat (O’ Connor). I got a hold of him when I received my stimulus check.

He’s helped me out with my problems many times.”

Father Pat, a former St. Brigid’s priest, is now back home in Kawkawlin presiding over Price of Peace Church. Deline generously donated half of her stimulus check to his church and the other half to St. Brigid’s.

“I’m fortunate enough to have a good income,” she said. “I feel like I should share.”

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary

Saturday, May 22, 2021 | 7

Emerald Evening a Jewel of an Event

Jennifer West, Father Andy & St. Brigid Alumni Don and Nan Blasy Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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homever said Catholics, in good faith, can’t or don’t know how to have fun, have clearly not attended St. Brigid of Kildare Catholic School’s annual gala.

Emerald Evening, the school’s largest and by sheer financial metrics, its most successful fundraiser, combines fun, family, friendship and fellowship—all with the express purpose of benefiting St. Brigid students and their families.

“Emerald Evening has provided so many things for the school,” said Jennifer West, a St. Brigid school parent and event chairperson.

For instance, proceeds help ease family’s cost for St. Brigid’s topnotch education by providing each student in every grade a tuition supplement.

“Tuition has not increased since my daughter (Sophia) started in 2017,” West said.

Funds have been used to purchase

Chrome books for all middle school students, iPads for K-5 and new laptops for the teachers. In addition, safety precautions and other school improvements have been made possible by the event’s success.

“We purchased emergency escape ladders for all upstairs classrooms,” she said. “A portion has gone to debt repayment on the school gym and to replace funds in our Guardian Angel Scholarship Fund.”

It’s hardly a coincidence that Emerald Evening has really taken off in the past four years or so under the leadership of West and her equally skilled and enthusiastic group of volunteers.

“Over the past four years we have improved and refined each aspect of the event,” West said. “We have a new theme each year and attendees dress appropriately which has been a big part of the event.”

Recent themes have included The Roaring 20’s and the Kentucky Derby. In 2022, the school will mark its 100th anniversary, a milestone that likely will be celebrated centered

Jennifer West with Auctioneer Bill Sheridan on a Diamond Jubilee theme, West, managing director of Greenleaf Trust in Midland, said.

From 2017-2019, Emerald Evening dazzled guests with a dinner, live and silent auctions, cash raffle, games and dancing to the music of a live band. Then COVID-19 struck.

“We had to make some changes for the 2020 event,” West said. “We made it a COVID-friendly fundraiser but canceled the dinner/auction and tripled our cash raffle.”

They sold 1000 $100 raffle tickets and gave away $30,000 in prize money. This level could not be reached without a dedicated crew of anywhere from 7-15 talented committee members and some very generous donors from the parish and community.

“The committee makes the event an evening to remember,” West enthused. “No detail is overlooked, from a beautifully decorated room and amazing meal, to special take home gifts.”

The event’s relatively new venue, Midland Country Club, has brought a

certain elegance and ambience to the special evening.

“The Midland Country Club does a wonderful job,” West said, noting that an analysis of the 14 years prior to her 2017 arrival led to an effort to revitalize the event.

“There seemed to be a lack of consistency and identity for the event.

We felt it was important to establish a consistent brand and the location was a part of that.”

In 2017 West had just enrolled her daughter at St. Brigid’s when she accepted an invitation to help juice up the school’s treasured annual gala. She had special event experience and brought every idea she could think of to the group’s meeting. She didn’t anticipate what happened next.

“I was excited to help but somehow left that meeting as event chair,” she recounted, smiling.

According to West, the committee had staged the event over the years in various ways. A typical year would See , PG 8

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary ourmidland.com

Did you Know?

•In 1908, Benjamin Bradley offered to sell his residence and two lots at the corner of Ashman and Larkin Streets to St. Brigid Church. The residence, today known as the Bradley House, became the parish rectory.

•For 60 years the Bradley House served as the parish rectory. In 1969 a new rectory was designed by Alden B. Dow Associates.

•One of the church’s pioneering priests, Father Dennis Malone, received a donation of $1,000 from Herbert H. Dow as seed money for this new venture.

•Ignace & Mary Zondlak became the first couple to be married in the new St. Brigid Church, on September 19, 1918.

The Zondlak’s are the parents of Joanne Reeves, 94, a devoted member of the parish her entire life to this day.

•In 1983, James Hickey, the former Cardinal Archbishop of Washington, D.C, an alter server and proud St. Brigid School graduate, blessed the new school and parish center.

•In 2006 the parish celebrated its 135th anniversary with a festival of lights and parties.

Continued from PG 7

St. Brigid School and Parish are an important part of this community and I want to see them continue to thrive.”

To West and so many other parishioners, students and school parents, there simply is no other place quite like St. Brigid’s. It’s comforting to feel like you’re part of one big extended family.

“St. Brigid has been a very special place for my family,” she said.

“Father Andy came to St. Brigid about the same time as we did. I have attended Catholic Mass my whole life but it has been different at St. Brigid.

When Father Andy speaks in Mass, I feel like he’s speaking directly to me.

I connect with his messages in a way I have never before.”

Father Andy, West added, has a knack for reaching diverse groups of people.

“He connects with people, young and old, married and single, from all walks of life. I have received so much more from St. Brigid than I could ever give back. Spiritually, emotionally and educationally.”

see them net around $20,000. Since 2017 marked the school’s 95th anniversary, the group decided to set a lofty goal to raise $95,000.

“It sounded exciting, so we went for it.”

West said a school grandparent, a marketing professional, was instrumental in helping rebrand the event.

“We decided on a new name and a logo,” she said. “That’s how Emerald Evening got started.”

•St. Brigid was lacking a The newly revamped event netted parish Knights of Columbus $83,000, a figure the school has Council until the James Cardimanaged to build upon each year nal Hickey Council #14056 was after, culminating in an all-time high founded in May 2006. of $120,000 “for our beloved school.”

St. Brigid—both the church and •The Council was named to the school—has built such a culture honor a “son” of the St. Brigid of inclusiveness that it’s easy for volParish, a man who dedicated his unteers to really get behind whatever life to service and who fervently effort they are involved in. believed in the active support of “At St. Brigid, you feel welcome, religious vocations. included and important,” West said.

“I think that’s what makes it so easy •On October 11 2020 the to want to volunteer and put a sigCouncil and Parish celebrated nificant time into Emerald Evening. the 100th birthday of James Cardinal Hickey presided over FOR ALL YOUR FLOORING NEEDS,

by Archbishop William Lori, STOP IN AND SEE US! Supreme Court Chaplain, the Mass took place outdoors to allow over 400 to gather safely during the CoVid pandemic.

Fun Historical Factoids About St. Brigid Catholic Church •In its infancy, St. Brigid’s was a mission church, served by a priest on horseback from Saginaw. In 1884 it became a parish serving Midland County, Auburn and Freeland.

CONTINUED

Thank You, Midland !

Excelling in Value, Quality and Customer Service in Midland for 58 years!

Congratulations on

•During the Spring of 2020 the parish gathered for “virtual worship” on YouTube, only missing 1 Sunday (While Fr. Andy recuperated from CoVid19).

•Since May 25, 2020 the parish has reestablished worship in Person using outdoor, indoor and virtual methods of connecting to over 800 families.

•In March 2021 with generous support of donors the parish paid off debt from a 2008 expansion of the school. The debt was paid off 5 years ahead of schedule!

•Saint Brigid School will open August 23, 2021 to inaugurate its 100th year of education with enrollment open to Kindergarten – 8th grade.

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Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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t is 2016 and after 27 years of working for The Dow Chemical Company, Alice Fitzgibbon retired ahead of the Merger and found a part time job at Saint Brigid of Kildare.

The Parish was not new to her, as she has been a member of the parish her entire life.

Alice is one of 13 siblings, all of whom attended Saint Brigid Catholic School. The family ties to Saint Brigid run deep and long for the Fitzgibbons. Her father, James Fitzgibbon, established a precedent for the fam-

Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary

Fitzgibbon

ily, a desire to help others by becoming central figures in the parish’s outreach programs. Her brother, Jess, attended Saint Brigid and his three children are third generation alumni.

Outreach over the years has changed for many reasons, but it remains “fully alive”, and an important part of who we are at Saint Brigid. We support many community-based projects, these are just a few: • school kids sending cards to parishioners who can’t be with us right now due to Covid • sending thank you letters to our

first responders • working to feed others at the Midland’s Open Door • making lunches for the flood victims • the group of ladies who knit prayer shawls to comfort others • sending cards to Midland County jail inmates • visiting residents at the different facilities in town.

• our annual Thanksgiving Dinner and Giving Tree efforts are two of the bigger events that we sponsor. The Thanksgiving dinner started in 2001 serving 80 and has grown to feeding 250+ on Thanksgiving Day, it is just

Saturday, May 22, 2021 | 9

wonderful.

Building community and helping others remain a big part of who we are.

When Fitzgibbon was younger, her father used to take her, and other siblings with him on some of his outreach activities. A particularly memorable, “teaching” moment, for the Fitzgibbon children, was their trips to a migrant camp in St. Louis.

Saint Brigid continues to sponsor an annual drive to collect food and clothing for the migrant families who make their way north every summer to work in our region’s farm fields.

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary ourmidland.com

Faith Formation 2020

BY Jennifer Winberg

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aith Formation was thrown for a loop with the rise of COVID19 in March 2020. As the two week pause began to stretch further, St Brigid’s began to reach out to families via various technologies. The focus was to give families the means to live liturgically in the home. We began a children’s Bible Study on our Fully Alive Family Formation Facebook Page, starting from Creation and covering until Moses. We did a virtual Holy Week celebration of Palm Sunday and hosted a Facebook live Stations of the Cross for children. COVID could not stop us from gathering safely in June for the Faith Formation Summer Intensive where children learned about the sacraments, had outdoor fellowship time, Eucharistic Adoration, and participated in the Mass. As the fall approached, Faith Formation adapted to the Pandemic by hosting virtual sessions with Mrs. Winberg twice a month and parent led sessions in the home. Through it all, over 30 parish

PHOTO BY Jennifer Winberg

PHOTO BY Jennifer Winberg

PHOTO BY Jennifer Winberg

families have stayed connected and been nourished under the challenging circumstances.

Our preparation program for the Sacraments of 1st Reconciliation, 1st Holy Communion, and Confirmation also needed to adapt for COVID. The children met virtually with Mrs. Winberg from March to May to continue their preparation sessions. The parish diligently worked with the limitations on gatherings to make sure the children were still able to receive their sacraments. St Brigid’s celebrated 8 separate Masses for the children and their families in June and August 2020. In total, 28 children were fully initiated into the Catholic Faith at St Brigid’s in 2020.

In the Fall of 2020, 24 children began their preparations to receive 1st Reconciliation and 1st Holy Communion with a mix of virtual and in-person classes. Both Sacramental Preparation classes had one thing in common; COVID was not going to stop them from receiving the Lord and His Grace. Praise the Lord for His kindness and mercy during these difficult times.

PHOTO BY Jennifer Winberg

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary

Saturday, May 22, 2021 | 11

Knights of Columbus Honor Revered Founder Through Charitable Efforts Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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he Catholic priest who founded Knights of Columbus back in 1882 had his life tragically cut short by pneumonia at age 38, but he laid the groundwork for what would become the largest Catholic fraternal organization in the world.

Father Michael J. McGivney’s life on Earth may have been too brief, but this “blessed” (one step short of sainthood) parish priest left a legacy of compassion and concern for the less fortunate that remains close to the hearts of those who carry on his work as members of St. Brigid Catholic Church’s Knights of Columbus Council.

“The first and foremost principle of the Knights of Columbus is charity,” said Chris Van Hampler, Grand Knight. “Charity may be accomplished by either service or donations.”

To Van Hampler, his involvement in K of C’s philanthropic efforts mirrors the generous spirit of the Midland community at large.

“Like many in our community, I desired to do more charity for my community,” he said. “As Grand Knight, my goal is to ensure the council is able to achieve its goals during the year for charity, community building and faith.”

The original K of C at St Brigid was chartered back in 1919. The first Grand Knight was the late Dr. James P. Hickey, who served as archbishop of Washington from 1980 to 2000 before being elevated to Cardinalate in 1988.

“Among other distinctions, this K of C had a Council Building that had the first bowling alleys in Midland,” said Thomas Erickson, who, with the exception of his college days and three years spent living overseas, has spent all of his 73 years as a St. Brigid parishioner. “It was the center of many Catholic and community

gatherings.”

Erickson, a Knight, said the building was sold in the 1970’s and subsequently transferred to Assumption Parish, where it has remained and is now known as the Henry P. DuRussel Council #2141. This left St. Brigid without a parish council until the James Cardinal Hickey Council #14056 was founded in May 2006.

In 2008 the Council held a Charter Mass which was presided over by Archbishop William Lori. He was Supreme Council Chaplain who had served Cardinal Hickey for 20 years in Washington, D.C. Erickson, the grandson of Dr. James P. Hickey and nephew of James Cardinal Hickey, had the distinction of serving as the newly formed council’s first Grand Knight.

In a Catholic faith rooted in humbly serving others, Erickson defers when it comes to talking about himself.

“I am only one of many Knights serving the church, he said. “The emphasis should be on the Knights.”

The James Cardinal Hickey Council works closely with the St. Brigid Parish in Midland, of the Diocese of Saginaw. It owes it origins to several men of the Parish of St. Brigid of Kildare under the guidance of Father James Bessert, then the Pastor of St. Brigid Parish.

“The council was named to honor a ‘son’ of the St. Brigid Parish, a man who dedicated his life to service,” Erickson said. “He believed in the active support of religious vocations and was a strong believer in Catholic education. The Cardinal especially supported the efforts of the Knights of Columbus and was a member himself.”

The Council’s mission, specifically, is to support Catholic vocations, support its Pastor and support the Parish Community through service in projects and activities—such as the recent K of C’s St. Patrick’s Day take-out dinner featuring, naturally, corn beef & cabbage.

“Present and prospective members are expected to be active participants in the Parish and Council Service,” noted Erickson.

Van Hampler and his wife have been parishioners of St. Brigid’s for nearly 10 years, having previously attended St. Stanislaus, in Bay City.

They discovered St. Brigid’s after the couple had their daughter, Katie, baptized there.

“She was so intrigued by the welcoming individuals for her as a young mother,” Van Hampler said.

“St. Brigid Parish offers a wholesome community that welcomes individuals, couples and families. The community is open arms with traditional Catholic values and modern perspectives.”

And a big part of the Catholic values is personified by all the charitable work done by K of C members.

“Truthfully, the biggest responsibility of a Grand Knight is to be in service to all, and in service to one,” he said.

The Knights will continue to honor the memory of the organization’s benevolent founder by supporting numerous charitable efforts in the Midland community, a need made even more critical amid the COVID19 crisis. Ironically, Father McGinley’s earthly life work was cut short amid a global pandemic in 1890, two days shy of his 39th birthday.

Jerald A. Cain is expected to succeed Van Hampler as Grand Knight in July.

On this anniversary day of the churches founding, we thank you for continuing to be a leader in our faith community.

Smith-Miner Funeral HoMe

(989) 832-8844 2700 West Wackerly, Midland, MI 48640

www.smithminer.com

12 | Saturday, May 22, 2021

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Q & A for Father Andy Booms •Many Catholic Parishes across the region and beyond have closed, yet St. Brigid Catholic Church is poised to celebrate its 150th anniversary.

How have you avoided reorganizations and the financial pressures that have seen so many churches close its doors?

The simple answer to that is demographics. Midland has what some describe as the “Dow Bubble”. This has certainly contributed to Midland’s booming economy, but as a pastor I know it also contributes to the family size, rate of participation in religious practice and the whole quality of life index. Saint Brigid has had to adapt to changing conditions but we have not had to merge or close down because we have had a fuller church, stable funding and sufficient student counts to justify the investment.

• A shortage of Catholic priests is often cited as a chief reason for the shuttering of so many longstanding parishes.

How is the Catholic Church addressing this?

I was a pastor in the thumb at the time Bishop Cistone asked our Diocese to seriously consider the future and the best path forward. While it would be easy to blame the mergers and closures on the shortage of priests – my observation has been that if the churches were full we would find ways to serve them. In many ways it’s a causality question – do falling numbers of clergy contribute to lower participation in religious practice or do the lower rates of participation in religious practice lead to falling rates of clergy? I don’t have the answer – but the two are very related. To that end the Church is adapting, finding new ways to lead and govern without ordained clergy assigned to every parish, and finding new ways to help people hear the Gospel and the call to follow Jesus again.

Most everyone in our society has heard about Jesus, but so many do

not know Him nor do they understand that Jesus and His Church are inseparable. We must always be about renewing and sharing the ways that Jesus’ life is continued in the Sacraments, the service and the educating mission of the Church.

• Has the number of St. Brigid parishioners declined?

Yes, we have experienced a decline in participation. Perhaps not as severe as other parishes but the decline in attendance means we must renew our efforts to proclaim the Gospel at all times and in all situations.

• Joe Biden became only the second Catholic (John F. Kennedy was the first) to be elected president of the United States.

As a practicing Catholic, aren’t his religious views in direct conflict with many of today’s Democrat party’s positions on, for instance, same sex marriage, Planned Parenthood, Abortion, as well as LGBQ and Transgender Communities?

If President Biden were to seek my advice I would encourage him to be less private about his faith and the church’s teaching. We should not be ashamed of the deep respect for life that our Church calls us to. The proper role of our faith is to inform our actions and attitudes. There must be a place for the well-formed conscience in government. I’m not calling for a theocracy, I am asking every citizen to engage their faith outside of Worship, or else risk having faith that is only ceremonial and fails to transform the believer.

• How did the church maintain its connections with parishioners during the pandemic, especially early on when services were forced to cease?

Bishop Gruss, like nearly every other Bishop in the United States closed the churches of the Diocese of Saginaw and dispensed all the faithful of their obligation to attend Mass on March 17, 2020. Congregations were welcomed back to church on

May 25, 2020 (the exact reopening date varied by parish). During that 10-week time when the doors were closed, the church was open! Thanks to a gift from the estate of a deceased parishioner we had updated our sound equipment and included an easy to use camera which can stream our services to YouTube. We added this feature to be able to welcome homebound and shut ins to join us virtually. Well for 10 weeks the whole parish was shut in! We immediately shifted our communication to email – we had been working to update our records and the pandemic forced us to start using electronic methods to communicate and share what was happening. While I had hoped for some sabbath time during the shut down, I found myself spending more time in the office – communicating, publishing and zooming.

We hosted virtual scripture reflections, I broadcast Mass at our usual time and shifted to virtual meetings.

We took the Gospel to the virtual highway! Of course, Jesus is incarnate and we worked very hard to return to in person worship as soon as the Bishop gave us the go ahead.

• Has Catholicism under the leadership of Pope Francis become a bit more progressive in an effort to shift its attitudes and mores during changing times?

No. Pope Francis has not made any changes to Catholic Theology or our teachings. He brings a very vibrant and outgoing personality. He is engaging and unafraid to answer questions. It is great that he receives positive press and often enables us to have the full conversation or share the whole teaching that did not fit in the short clip or was not fully captured in the headline.

• What is the church’s official position on same sex marriage?

The Catholic Church recognizes marriage as being between one man and one woman. The debate comes about how we can offer a path of joyful discipleship and chaste holiness

for those who do not participate in that Sacrament. The Church loves all God’s children and wants to help each of us find a joyful path of discipleship. For some that can be a lot to digest when modern theory clashes with 2000-year-old wisdom. Humility reminds us my opinion may not always be right, as feelings and facts can easily get intertwined. Scripture calls us to love everyone (even our enemies). There is a place in the Church for everyone who is willing to be transformed by God’s grace, but we must be willing to follow Jesus and leave all else behind.

• The Catholic Church has been rocked by sexual abuse scandals involving clergy. What has been done to attempt to ensure young boys are protected in what should be a safe and sacred environment?

Like all institutions that refused to acknowledge the depth of the hurt, we have seen scandal erupt internationally, nationally and even locally.

The abuse of minors and the misuse of power is evil. The Church has implemented strict zero tolerance policies since 2001. I was ordained in 2007, and have lived my entire priesthood under the Dallas Charter.

This document makes it clear that ministers of Christ should be healing agents and not inflict harm on anyone. More importantly the Church in the United States has become the number one educator and promoter of abuse awareness. We want our churches, schools, sports teams, family gatherings and anywhere youth gather to be a safe environment. Here at Saint Brigid over 100 staff and volunteers have been educated about how to spot abuse, how to report suspected child or vulnerable adult abuse and to confront the evil of sexual abuse so that we can not only rid our church of it, but our whole society.

• Does the Catholic Church have a role in helping unite peoSee, PG 13

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CONTINUED Continued from PG12 ple in a divided country?

I had a professor in seminary who liked to reference the Catholic – “both/and”. Most people in our society today speak of “Either/or”.

The Catholic Church can help us all appreciate the viewpoints of others and grow together. Additionally, a hallmark of Catholic theology is Jesus and we – meaning I - can only draw closer to the Lord in community.

As we consider the community we must also ask ourselves if others are

Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary fundamentally good or fundamentally bad. The Catholic answer is that we were created in the image and likeness of God – and that is “very good” (Genesis 1:31). While we don’t always act on the good it would be wrong to attribute every action or position of the other as fundamentally bad. Nor does the world need to be saved, Jesus has already done that!

• Does the church have plans to resume offering the Blood of Christ from a chalice to parishioners during Holy Communion?

We have made many modifications to our worship during the pandemic.

The congregation wears masks, we

School Story Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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t. Brigid Catholic School has built a sterling reputation since opening its doors back in 1922 to 150 students that were taught by Sisters of Mercy until 1981. Today the school is staffed by lay teachers who are equally dedicated to upholding a long and proud tradition of unique excellence in K-8 Catholic education.

That’s why numerous alumni often cite the foundation of faith and knowledge gained at St. Brigid for serving as their springboard for the happiness and success they have found. Nourishing the mind, body and soul is critical training for facing life’s challenges, and as Midland’s only Catholic school, St. Brigid’s holds the key to unlocking everyone’s potential.

“It was a pretty easy decision for us,” said Angelina Mitus of sending her two children, Owen and Elliot, to St. Brigid. “A faith-based education is very important to us. We heard so many great things about the school.

Both Elliot and Owen are doing great. The individual instruction sets St. Brigid’s apart.”

Another distinguishing feature that draws families to the St. Brigid community is the deep connection

the school and parish has developed with Midland. It’s a relationship that has been nourished for generations by the willingness of school parents and parishioners to volunteer their time and skills to help needy people in the community. So many organizations dedicated to helping others know they can count on St. Brigid to pitch in.

Angelina and her husband Tony moved here from Chicago about 10 years ago when Angelina was pregnant with Elliot.

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regularly disinfectant church and our hands, we added air purifying technology and we encourage smaller crowds to allow social distancing. I am sure that some adaptations will be longer lasting than others. At this time, we don’t know when we will resume distribution of Eucharist under both species (bread and wine).

Those who receive the Eucharist do receive The Body and Blood of Jesus even if only one species (bread) is offered.

• Anything else you might like to add about St. Brigid’s being a pillar of the Midland community for 150 years!

150 years is well beyond the life

span of any single person. Our church has stood strong not because of any single person (although we have many great members both past and present). We have been a strong presence in the community because we have always relied on one another to complete the work of Christ. The best part of being the pastor of such a strongly rooted community is knowing that there is a lot of support to draw upon. While 150 is old by our memory, it’s a very small part of the life of the Church. We have much more to give and will not stop until all are fully alive in Christ!

“We love it here,” she said. “Midland is a great place to raise a family and our church and school are certainly a big part of this.”

The Mitus Family saw a perfect illustration of the value of their children’s parochial education while enroute home from a road trip around Easter. The Mitus kids weren’t staring into a phone or growing impatient with the drive.

“Tony looked in the rearview mirror and turned to me and said,” Who would have thought the two kids of ours would both have their noses in books?” she said.

Elliot is flourishing in 3rd grade and Owen is doing well in kindergarten.

“We were worried Owen was going to be rusty entering kindergarten but he’s doing great,” said Angelina Mitus. “This is a big year. He’s learn-

ing so much and is now reading at a 2nd grade level. He didn’t know how to read before he started kindergarten.”

Now he only wants to read chapter books because that’s what his big brother Elliot reads.

“Elliot loves to read,” said his mother. “He’s reading the Harry Potter series now. He’s into sports and if you ask if him what his favorite subject is, he’ll tell you science.”

St. Brigid’s trademark small class sizes have been especially beneficial in a year like this, Angelina said.

“The kids here are in one classroom year after year,” she said. “It’s been a little trickier to connect with other families this year, but the school in general with its small class sizes really makes it feel like a family.”

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary ourmidland.com

St. Brigid’s Impact Felt Communitywide and Beyond Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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his past trying winter Bonnie Mault and her husband Warren, both active parishioners of St. Brigid of Kildare Catholic Church for 40 years, spent six weeks in Texas.

As devout Christians, they found a Catholic Church so they could attend services there. They enjoyed their vacation and found nothing wrong with their temporary place of worship.

Yet when the Maults returned to Midland, a city Bonnie has called home since she was a Northwood University college student in the early 1980’s, it gave the couple cause for introspection.

“We realized that this community has lifted us,” Bonnie Mault, whose two sons attended St. Brigid’s elementary school, said. “We reflected on how great it was to be back home and how wonderful this community is.”

A sense of community is something you hear a lot when speaking with parishioners and others affiliated with the church and school. For St. Brigid folks, providing people in need, whether it’s guests at the Open Door, patients at MidMichigan Medical Center, or other locals experiencing hardships, volunteerism is almost second nature.

Mault has been involved with the church’s community outreach programs for decades. Motivated to devote even more time to her parish, about 10 years ago she became a commissioned Lay Minister by completing the Diocese of Saginaw Lay Ministry program. This is a 4-year formation program that helps you discern your God-give talents and His will for you. Upon completion, you are commissioned by the Bishop and work with your pastor to help out where needed--in an accountable way.

“Outreach in the larger community became the ministries the Holy Spirit kept leading me to,” Mault said.

The primary areas Mault serves in are Hospital Ministry, Open Door

Soup Kitchen in downtown Midland and the longstanding 6:45 a.m. Word and Communion, a prayer service that, unfortunately, has been on hiatus since the onset of the pandemic.

Deacon Al Oliver led it for years while he was president of Chemical Bank. Deacon Oliver’s duties with the church soon expanded, leading him to Alma every day. Deacon Dan Corbat and Bonnie Mault then took over. When Deacon Al returned to St. Brigid, he was joined by Deacon Corbat and Mault to lead this service. It lasted about 20 minutes, giving people ample to get to work or school.

“This has been a great community builder,” she said. “There were people who came on a regular basis from the Great Lakes Bay Region and beyond who worked in Midland, others from our Midland parishes, and

of course, our own parishes.”

The average turnout of 20 people “created a special bond among us as we prayed together as the sun was rising,” Mault said, adding that due to the pandemic and out of caution the service has been discontinued this year. When it may resume remains uncertain.

“One of the beauties of it is that we met people from all over,” Mault continued. “Dow Chemical employees would regularly join us. Sometimes we’ve had people from other countries come when they were in town working on a project for Dow.” When MidMichigan Medical Center no longer had a full-time chaplain, St. Brigid stepped up to fill the void. Mault helped form a robust hospital ministry team that delivered Eucharist and prayed with Catholic

patients in the hospital. Approximately 3 lay people who were trained in ministry and took Eucharist to the sick, met on Tuesdays and Sundays every week to visit patients.

The ministry team of about 20 came from the parishes of St. Brigid, Blessed Sacrament, Assumption, and Our Lady of Grace.

“There are many in our hospital from Northern Mid Michigan who are transferred to Midland,” Mault said. “This gave us a great opportunity to touch others who could not be hospitalized in their own town.”

On Ash Wednesday each year, the ministry team holds services in MidMichigan Medical Center’s Spiritual Care Center. The room is stocked with prayer aids and rosaries for families in need.

See, PG 15

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary

Barbra Rice preparing ToGo Thanksgiving meals

CONTINUED Continued from PG 14 “MidMichigan Medical Center does not employ a chaplain, but appreciate that the local churches can provide spiritual care to those patients who want it,” Mault said.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic has stopped our ability to serve others in this way, but we pray for the day we can safely resume this activity.”

St. Brigid has served meals at Open Door on a monthly basis for years.

Mault has served in a coordinator’s role, ensuring that there are enough volunteers from a pool of 25 to prepare and serve lunches on the second and fifth Fridays of each month. The pandemic, of course, has presented challenges for Open Door, “but they have done an amazing job of offering a safe process for volunteers to continually serve the needy of our community,” Mault said.

Last May Open Door signed on with the Red Cross to serve a daily lunch and breakfast to those displaced from their homes during the devastating flood.

St. Brigid’s community outreach also had extended to nursing homes and to residents’ homes before COVID stopped it. A team was ministering to those home bound or in nursing homes by bringing them Eucharist and holding weekly prayer services.

“This, sadly, had to be stopped during the pandemic, but we continue to pray for the day we can safely return to this wonderful ministry,” she said.

Mault begins to choke up.

“Talking about it makes me sad,” she said. “It’s an amazing ministry.

There are so many people dying alone. They can’t even see their own family much less church folks. It’s disheartening. I can’t wait until we can resume the program.”

St. Brigid’s relationship with Open Door also has a special place in her heart.

“They are our downtown neighbors,” she said. “Community outreach means caring for people outside of your trajectory. Our partnership with Open Door is fantastic.

We feel a real connection with them.”

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Congratulations Saint Brigid on 150 years serving our community

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary ourmidland.com

The Righteous Journey for St. Brigid Students Starts Early Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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he students call her Mrs. H. Parents of youngsters under her tutelage call her an amazing teacher, a seasoned educator they feel blessed to be the one setting the tone for their kindergartners as they begin their educational and spiritual journey.

Susie Hollingshead, a 30-year educator now in her 20th year of teaching Kindergarten at St. Brigid Catholic School, keeps her enthusiasm high and her approach fresh as she welcomes each class of newcomers every fall.

“It might be my 20th year in kindergarten but I have to remember that this is the students’ first year,” she said. “I look at every day as though it’s my first day and every year as though it’s my first.”

Angelina Mitus is the parent of two St. Brigid students, Owen, a kindergartner, and Elliot, a 3rd grader.

She said Hollingshead’s reputation precedes her. It helps sway many parents when they face that difficult early childhood decision: where to send their kids to school. When they choose St.Brigid, they do so with the knowledge they are entrusting their precious little ones to a skilled and caring teacher.

“She is amazing,” Mitus said.

“Owen is doing great. This is a big year and he’s grown so much. He didn’t know how to read until he was in Mrs. H’s class. Now he’s reading at a second grade level.”

Hollingshead she has always felt a pull, a calling really, to teach young kids dating back to her college days.

“I’m more effective with K-5 students,” she said. “Everybody has their niche. I love teaching kindergarten. The wonder they have when they learn something new or master something is great to see. I learn as

much from them as they do me.”

Prior to St. Brigid’s, Hollingshead spent 7 years as a public school teacher. She is a firm believer that a parochial education has distinct advantages.

“We’re not as beholden to Washington because as a private school we don’t receive federal or state funding,” she noted. “We have guidelines to follow but we don’t have politicians in Washington telling what and how we should teach. We have the flexibility to do what’s right for the students’ personal and educational growth.”

Differentiating her methods to suit each student is key, Hollingshead said.

“I tell parents they don’t have to change their kids to suit my style.

My job is to make my program fit the child. It should be a ton of fun.”

Hollingshead believes children

learn so much, socially and educationally, through play. Unfortunately budget-strapped public school systems have “shut that down,” she said. “It’s not healthy for kids to sit in front of a computer all of the time.

Public schools have eliminated play or recess from their curriculums and that’s a shame. We get free choice.

I have former students tell me that they miss the play time they had back in the day.”

Curriculums, of course, have changed dramatically over the 30 years of Hollingshead’s career. And that includes the expectation of more advanced learning outcomes, even at the kindergarten level.

“It used to be if the kids knew their letters and sounds they were good to go,” she said. “Now they are doing addition and subtraction and have to be pretty fluent in reading. They are writers now. They become very

independent. They are learning how to manipulate sounds, how to blend sounds. Part of it is kids are exposed to so much more these days.”

There are numerous reasons generation after generation of faithbased Midland families have chosen St. Brigid’s Catholic School. Small class sizes allowing for personalized instruction is certainly a major selling point.

“We value small class size,” Hollingshead, whose classroom typically has 15-18 students in it, said. “I have a full-time paraprofessional, something the public schools no longer have. This has been especially important this year with the mask wearing and mask changing that’s had to be done. This school has a family feel about it. That’s an enriching experience for staff and students alike.”

Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary

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St Brigid Timeline 1870- The first Catholic mass was held in Midland at the Keely residence on E. Buttles street by Father Scutchins of Bay City. Father Van der Haven of Saginaw was the first pastor to celebrate mass in Midland regularly, he came once a month.

The first Documented Mass in Midland was celebrated on October 1, 1870 1870-1872- John Larkin donated both the land and the lumber, along with $100 in cash for construction of the church, at the corner of Haley and Indian. Final cost was $1800.

1871 Construction of Saint Bridget* Church was completed 1880 The First confirmation class received the sacrament from the hand of Bishiop Borgess of Detroit.

40 were confirmed.

1884 A Second class of 30+ were confirmed by Bishop Richter.

1884-Saint Bridget became a Parish. The first resident pastor, Father T. Burns arrived and served until May. When he was succeeded by Fr. Thomas McNamara, who guided the growing flock until 1887.

1887- Father McNamara arrived.

He arranged the first choir of ten people and over saw Auburn, Freeland ad all of Midland County.

As the flock grew, the pastors of St Bridget also cared for Clare, Vernon and Harrison which were regarded as “missions”. Masses were celebrated in Midland two Sundays a month so the pastors could travel.

1892-1895- Father Thomas Whalen not only expanded the size of the church, he also helped get the churches in Harrison and Vernon constructed.

1897 – Father D. E. Malone came to Midland. Not long after his arrival, a new church bell tolled in Midland; Vernon and Clare had become so populous as to require resident pastors. Sanford and Auburn were still retained in the Midland area.

1909- Both Midland and the church were growing. The church was moved to Gordon and Ellsworth.

A furnace was put in. Father Malone was instrumental in this expansion.

1910 - 1918- Father McDonald arrived. He established a Slovac mission in Larkin township and Auburn was given a resident pastor. In 1918 he established the first parochial school fund. The following year the basement was completed and in 1922 the brickwork. *1921 The name of the parish was formally changed to that of Saint Brigid, the original intention of the founding families.

1922- Father Joseph B. Illig joined the parish and saw the completion of the church, a rectory and a comfortable sister’s home. By this time the parish had grown large enough to warrant assistant pastors.

The school opened with 150 students taught by the Sisters of Mercy who left in 1981.

1940 – a larger church was needed. In 1941 the current Tudor Gothic structure was dedicated by Bishop William Murphy. The three marble altars, donated by Mrs. Herbert H. Dow, arrived from Italy six years later, as they were hidden in a cave during the war.

1942 – First time we had two resident assistant pastors at the same time.

Still remember, with a wealth of stories, are long time pastors.

1969 – A new rectory was designed

by Alden B Dow Associates. The Bradley House, which served as the parish rectory for 60 years was purchased by the Midland Historical Society and moved to Emerson Park to become part of the Historical Society Museum.

1970 – 1990 - Saint Brigid was staffed by Redemptorist priests.

1983 – James Hickey, who became Cardinal Archbishop of Washington, D.C., himself a graduate of Saint Brigid School, blessed the new school and parish center.

1993 – Parishioner Aloysius J. Oliver donated the current organ in honor of his parent, John and Mary

Oliver. The new organ was built for Saint Brigid Church by the Berghaus Organ Company in Bellewood, Illinois and was first used for Christmas Liturgies in 1994. This replaced the original organ that was purchased from the old Frolic Theater.

Through the years at least six men from Saint Brigid Parish, including James Cardinal Hickey, have been ordained to the priesthood. In 1978 and again in 2006, three permanent deacons were ordained at Saint Brigid, Fran Hudson, Al Oliver, and Dan Corbat 2006 – we celebrated our 135yh anniversary with a festival of liturgies and parties.

2008 – the church was refurbished and our school and parish center were extended.

2012 – We celebrated the 90th reunion of our Parish School 2017 – Fr. Andy arrives 2020 – Covid 2021 – Number of families 834, current seating capacity of church 550 2022 – we will be celebrating 100 years of Catholic Education with our school

Fun Facts-

From 1884-1943 total number of pastors, 11 Seating capacity of old church, 320 Seating capacity of new church, 800 Number of families in the beginning, around 8

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary ourmidland.com

Wilkowski: K-8 school roots date back to 1922 Jon Becker, For the Daily News

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s Catholic schools across the landscape struggle for survival or outright disappear due to enrollment declines, St. Brigid Catholic School continues to stand tall as a beacon of inspiration and faith-based education for a Midland community that has long embraced its teachings.

The K-8 school has been around since 1922 and appears poised to withstand any and all forces that have caused so many other parochial school to close its doors. There’s really no other school like it in Midland.

“I love St. Brigid’s, first as a parent and then as a staff member,” said Laura Wilkowski, who is in her third year as principal. “It’s easy to sell the school when you’ve sent your three kids here. The parents and the community are very supportive. It grows to be like a family.”

That kind of environment has sent some 1,500 graduates into the world, many of whom become the school’sbest ambassadors as they become adults and send their own children to St. Brigid’s.

Wilkowski brought a wealth of teaching and administrative experience with her when she and her family moved to Midland from Richmond, VA. Her most recent position in the Richmond Public School District saw her serve 3 years as an elementary science specialist.

“I was responsible for about 600 K-6 teachers,” she said. “St. Brigid’s had openings in years past for a Principal but the timing wasn’t right because of my kids’ ages and other factors. This was the third time and I felt the call. It just felt like the right time.”

At St. Brigid’s, Wilkowski oversees 10 teachers and 3 reading tutors in a school with 129 students. The average class size is about 15.

“Right now that’s ideal,” she said.

“If you put 30 kids in a classroom there’s no way they can spread out.

That’s where we have an advantage over public schools.”

St. Brigid’s is a tuition based program. As such, it doesn’t receive federal funding, so it has more control over its curriculum because standardized testing is not in play.

“We don’t have the testing pressure that public school face,” Wilkowski said.

In a year that’s been anything but normal, St. Brigid’ has managed to maintain face-to-face instruction.

The students have been required

to wear masks and adhere to other COVID-related safety guidelines. But they haven’t been home weeks and months on end. And when they are

in the classroom they haven’t been walled off from their fellow students by rows have Plexiglass that prevent interaction.

The kindergartners have been allowed to play with their heavily sanitized toys and older grades aren’t required to isolate either at the expense of social and intellectual development.

“We still do what is good educational practice,” Wilkowski said. “We are following all guidelines. We are the St. Brigid Knights. Let’s move our shields and horses from station to station. Our kindergarten teacher, Susie Hollingshead, whom the students call Mrs. H, came up with that.”

Parents and staff alike have been on the same page: they wanted instruction to remain face-to-face, and with the exception of a two week Christmas vacation, that has been the case at St. Brigid’s. They did, however, slash many of their after school activities, including sports.

“We made education in-school our priority,” Wilkowski said. “Our parents have been very supportive of our See, PG 19

Congratulations on 150 years of serving the Midland Community

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CONTINUED Continued from PG 18 guidelines. We all wanted face-toface and we’ve done it effectively and safely so students can thrive.”

As COVID-19 numbers decrease and vaccinations increase, “We’re hoping to resume intramural activities after Spring Break. They are a big part of the student experience here.”

Students have worn masks all year, a requirement that early on was met with trepidation among some parents, especially those with young children.

“The kids have been doing great with it,” Wilkowski said. “We’ve approached it creatively. We made wearing masks fun by awarding prizes for different colors or prints. Not every mask works right for every kid.

We made it fun. The kids responded.

They are the greatest that way. Whatever you do, you have to do it with joy. If you tap into that, anything’s possible.”

Sometimes the adults can learn something from the youngsters. Stu-

Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary dents at St. Brigid’s didn’t lose their sense of humor amid the pandemic.

They scrawled out, in chalk on the playground, “We love St. Brigid’s even if we have to wear a mask.”

It’s really about thinking outside the box and making the best educational practice work with the safety guidelines,” Wilkowski said. “My role is being a master teacher that supports our teachers in any way I can.

I am blessed to have an incredible staff that goes well beyond the call of duty.”

Students that graduate St. Brigid’s are, of course, well-versed in the requisite subject matters like math, science, English and history. But they also depart with something even more important: “They leave her with a good sense of self that bodes well for them as they transition out into the world.

For instance, we have a Middle School musical and every 8th grader would show up, some that are musical, some that are not. When I was in 8th grade I don’t know that I would have done that. I think that says a lot about what St. Brigid’s is all about.”

IN PHOTOGRAPHY R E D A E L A D DAILY NEWS’ PHOTOGRAPHER KATY MIDLAN ED NUMEROUS PHOTOGRAPHY KILDEE AWARDS N HAS EAR E H T M I M C O H R I G F AN PRESS T H I S Y E AR , N I N O C I L T UDING: ASSOCIA

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Midland Daily News | St. Brigid’s 150th Anniversary ourmidland.com

AD Worship with us at weekly Mass Register now for our 100th school year Email Ryan Delaney at rdelaney@stbrigid-midland.org

6/6 Corpus Christi Procession 6/28-7/1 Fully Alive Faith Formation Summer Intensive Program 8/15 100th Year of School Kickoff Potluck 8/23 First Day of School 10/3 150th Anniversary Mass with Bishop Gruss

207 Ashman St. Midland, MI (989)835-7121 www.stbrigid-midland.org