We are asking parishioners to sign up once again for the 11:00am and 12:30pm Sunday Masses from now through the end of the July. You do not need to sign up for any other Mass except the 11 and 12:30 Sunday Masses. Please be considerate and do not sign up for the entire month, and give others a chance to sign up as well.

SUNDAY 11am & 12:30pm SIGN-UP

If you typically attend 11am or 12:30pm and the sign-up is full, PLEASE be considerate and try out another Mass time. Remember, the Saturday 4:30pm (OF) and Sunday 9:30am (EF) Masses, that while designed for the vulnerable, anyone is allowed to attend but masks are strictly enforced.

Review our Parishioner Guidelines

The Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is Thursday, July 16th.  An opportunity for Enrollment into the Brown Scapular for any parishioner who would like to is being offered after the morning Mass on Thursday, July 16th.

Sacred Heart of Jesus is keeping in contact with all parishioners during this time of Covid-19 quarantine.  Most of our parishioners are doing ok at this time and many have engaged in the effort to meet temporal needs expressed.  Some of our parishioners have expressed prayer needs. In our efforts to remain united and supportive to each other in our parish we will be keeping a list of prayer needs.  We are calling on all in our parish community to begin praying for these needs. Let’s support each other and be united in our prayer. If you have a specific request please either contact the person who left their contact information with you when the parish made its most recent round of calls or contact the parish office.   If your prayer has been answered on the list let us know. We want to give God the Glory!  

Specific prayers have been requested for:

• Families going through trials
• Unborn babies with health issues
• Repose of the souls of those who have passed
• Those with health issues
• Thanksgiving for the safe and healthy arrival of new babies
• Tom and Hope Novakoski joined in holy matrimony on June 13th
• Patrice and Rick Mitchell joined in holy matrimony on June 20th
• Success in a new treatment for parishioner’s son
• Richard Karminski
• Parishioner’s daughter in law for her physical recovery. She is a candidate in
their Denver parish.
• Repose of the soul of parishioner’s family member who died last week of
pneumonia and COVID-19
• parishioner’s miscarriage and subsequent trouble conceiving
• Salvation of parishioner’s son who has been away from church, struggling with
alcohol addiction and in trouble with law.
• Parishioner who is a single mother
• Parishioner’s spouse who is in Italy
• Parishioner’s family
• Parishioner’s sister who died on Christmas Eve
• Strength and trust in God
• Parishioner’s friends with financial strain
• Father Sirico’s relations in Italy
• Parishioner’s infant with a severe medical condition
• For recently deceased and those who mourn them
• New baby
• Parishioner’s small business
• Parishioner’s daughter who works for local hospital
• Elderly parents who live far away
• Friend who is pregnant who is a nurse and for family’s conversion
• Parishioner being laid off.
• Parishioner’s recovery from vertigo and headaches
• Parishioner who just turned 89
• Parishioner’s daughter who is a pulmonary nurse
• Parishioners who are homeschooling
• Parishioner’s health problems and healing of relationships
• Parishioner’s healing from triple bypass heart surgery

“I am extending the dispensation for all Catholics within the territory of the Diocese of Grand Rapids from their obligation of attending Sunday Mass through July 31.” – Bishop Walkowiak

Read the latest communication from our Bishop here:

Bishop-Walkowiak-Letter-Parishioners-COVID-19-June-23-2020

Bishop Walkowiak has announced that beginning Friday, May 29, 2020 parishes in the Diocese of Grand Rapids may resume public Masses and liturgies if they are prepared. Reopening will take place carefully and in phases. Please see the Bishop’s letter below, along with the directives, from which Sacred Heart has based their own reopening SH Parishioner Guidelines for Returning Masses:

Bishop-Walkowiak-Letter-Parishioners-COVID-19-May-19-2020

Covid-19-Guidelines-for-Returning-to-Public-Mass-flyer-5-19-20

The Diocese of Grand Rapids has extended its suspension of ALL public Masses and other liturgical and devotional services through May 28, 2020. The dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains through June 30.

Bishop-Walkowiak-Letter-Parishioners-COVID-19-May-8-2020

Bishop-Walkowiak-Letter-Parishioners-COVID-19-May-8-2020-Spanish

Previous letters from the Bishop:

The Diocese of Grand Rapids has extended its cancellation of all public Masses and all other liturgical and devotional services, effective immediately, through May 17, 2020.

Bishop-Walkowiak-Letter-Parishioners-COVID-19-April-24-2020

In Spanish:

La Diócesis de Grand Rapids ha extendido su cancelación de todas las Misas públicas y de todos los demás servicios litúrgicos y devocionales, con efecto inmediato, hasta el 17 de mayo de 2020.

Bishop-Walkowiak-Letter-Parishioners-COVID-19-April-24-2020-Spanish

Bishop-Walkowiak-Holy-Week-Easter-Letter-2020

Bishop-Walkowiak-Holy-Week-Easter-Letter-2020-Spanish

Happy Father’s Day! This week’s bulletin may not be available on DiscoverMass. Here is it!

Sacred Heart Bulletin – June 21 2020

A Note From Father Sirico – June 5

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Trinity, and as we approach this second weekend of public Masses, please take a moment to read a note from Father Sirico. Back to Mass – Weekend 2

Sacred Heart of Jesus Gradual Parish Reopening
Phase One – Pentecost through the month of June

May 24, 2020

Dear Parishioners of Sacred Heart,

Ad majorem Dei gloriam! For the greater glory of God! 

We are excited to welcome you back to church as we enter Phase One of the gradual reopening process – just in time to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost (weekend of May 29 – June 1). This week, the Diocese of Grand Rapids communicated their guidelines to begin celebrating public Masses. Sacred Heart has coordinated procedures within these guidelines in order for our parishioners to return to Mass. It is expected careful consideration be given to diocesan and parish protocols when choosing to attend Mass alone and/or with your families.  

Clergy, staff and parish apostolates have been working diligently and thoughtfully to put these diocesan protocols in place in an effort to provide the safest environment in which to gather again in our Lord’s presence. This is new territory, therefore we humbly ask for your patience and kindness going forward.

Diocesan guidelines call for limited seating (25%) of our capacity which works out to 150 people. We are adding extra Masses to our weekend schedule, asking that all healthy parishioners sign-up prior to attending, and requesting that attendees bring their own face coverings/masks for all family members, ages 2 and up. In addition, we are modifying the church to identify single entry and exit points, removing shared items, and implementing rigorous cleaning efforts. 

In addition to four general-population Masses available, we are offering two Masses dedicated to the vulnerable population. If someone in your household is an at-risk individual, you may choose to attend one of these Masses as well. Face coverings/masks will be strictly enforced. If you consider yourself to be a high-risk individual; one who has a suppressed immune system or vulnerable to illness, please know that you will be prayed for, and you will receive dispensation through June 30 should you choose to stay home and participate in a virtual Mass. We trust you to make the best decision for yourself and your family regarding the choice to attend Mass. 

Daily Masses resume as previously scheduled on Friday, May 29. The parish office remains closed in compliance with the governor’s stay at home order. If you have any questions regarding reopening, please email Amber in the parish office at ahiske@sacredheartgr.org or contact our temporary phone number at 616-287-0256. 

All parish reopening guidelines as they relate to attending Mass at Sacred Heart can be found by clicking Parishioner Guidelines. Please read them thoroughly prior to signing up for Mass at the link below.

May God continue to bless you and your family. We look forward to seeing you at Mass soon.  

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Robert

The process of forming the next cohort of permanent deacons will begin soon. To be considered, an applicant must be a Roman Catholic man at least 35 years of age, an active member of his parish, and live within the diocese. He must be in good health, of sound moral character, mature faith, regular practice in the sacramental life of the Church, and have a sense of vocation to service. If married, he must be in a strong, valid, Catholic marriage for a minimum of five years and have the support of his wife and family. If unmarried, he must be willing and able to commit to celibacy. Applicants should be no older than in their early sixties. Those admitted should be prepared to commit themselves to the formation process for at least the next four years, beginning in the fall of 2021. Applicants should have a substantial history of active service to their parish, have the written approval of their pastor, and meet various other admission requirements. There are no special educational requirements.

The deadline for inquiries to the Diocesan Aspirancy Process is November 15, 2020. All men who are interested in more information and/or applying are asked to contact Pattie Reynolds, Vocations Administrative Assistant, Diocese of Grand Rapids, for an appointment: preynolds@dioceseofgrandrapids.org or 616-288- 0910.