CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO OUR PARISHIONERS, ALUMNI, AND FRIENDS!
It is no small feat to scale the hurdles of 365 days to witness another Christmas. Indeed, it is a tremendous blessing and privilege to reach another December to celebrate the Nativity of our Lord. Hence, we cannot thank God enough for this wonderful blessing. An African adage says that each day is a blessing and more days are also more blessings. I agree. St. Paul tells us that all we have are gifts from the Most High. (1Cor 4:7) Therefore, we won’t be able to count all our blessings throughout this year. All we can say is, THANK YOU, LORD!
Dear friends and fellow reflectors, as the Jubilee Year draws to a close, and as we welcome the 2025 Christmas celebration, I want, on behalf of the Administrator and Moderator of our Family of Parishes, Fr. Terry Kerner, to thank and send this Christmas greeting and blessing to all our parishioners, alumni, and friends here at the historic and beautiful St. Alphonsus-St. Clement parish, Dearborn. You all are the reason behind our parish’s remarkable progress this past one year and in the past despite obvious challenges. Your gifts of cash, prayer, and moral support have made a difference, because it has helped to continue to move our parish forward in the right direction.
For instance, the support of our alumni and friends has helped in the establishment of our parish impressive Heritage Garden, as well as the beautification of our surrounding lawns, and the mounting of the gorgeous statue of Our Lady of Fatima that is now admired and invoked by many passersby.
Since about six months of my ministry at this parish I have observed some steady progress not only in the more effective utilization of our parish hall, but also in the quality of our outreach to the Allegria Village senior center chapel. From about two scheduled confessions per year, the folks there now avail themselves of the Sacrament of reconciliation every other month, plus regular anointing of those who need it.
Coupled with these modest milestones, we now have the Igbo language Mass here for the Igbo Community of west Africa every first and third Sunday of the month, preceded by a short adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Both the Mass and music are done in the Igbo language. These spiritual activities have, among other things, help to bring more visibility and admiration to our beautiful church.
As we navigate the on-going “Restructuring” in our Archdiocese which will affect every segment of the archdiocesan ministry in all parishes, and Catholic schools, let us continue to focus on the Lord Jesus and work hard to continue to move our parish in the right direction of fiscal responsibility and spiritual vibrancy. The future lies only in God’s mighty and providential hands, but the present is within our reach. Let us, therefore, continue to work as a team, doing our best, and leaving the rest to the Lord. Again, Merry Christmas to you all!
FR. MICHAEL December 2025
