Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 3, 2016, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that the Lord Jesus wants His light to shine on the Face of His Bride, especially this year; a light of mercy!

Key words: Conversion, Mercy

Homily given at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Friday, January 1, 2016, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, by Dcn. Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Lou reminds us that Mary is a model of virtue for us. He also encourages us to bring all our anxieties and fears before the Lord as 2016 begins, expecting Him to help us in our daily struggles. 

Key words: Christmas, Surrender to God, Trust, Scripture

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Sunday, December 27, 2015, the Solemnity of Christmas, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that Jesus gives us grace for our families to be holy families.

Key words: Conversion, Family Life

Homily given at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Friday, December 25, 2015, the Solemnity of Christmas, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that the light shines in the darkness for us.

Key words: Christmas, Conversion

Homily given at the 8:00 p.m. Mass on Thursday, December 24, 2015, the Vigil of Christmas, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. During this Christmas season, Fr. Ed reminds us that Jesus comes to set us free and break our chains. 

Key words: Christmas, Conversion

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Thursday, December 24, 2015, the Vigil of Christmas, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Larry reminds us that Jesus appears in those around us; those that we come in contact with daily. When we love them we are loving Jesus. 

Key words: Christmas, Evangelization, Love of Neighbor 

This demonstration file of the Gloria from the Mass of the Incarnate by Sr. Stacy Whitfield, SGL, is for the private use of parishioners of Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, MI. Music copyright 2012, International Liturgy Publications. All rights reserved.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 20, 2015, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that, immersing ourselves in prayer and scripture prepares us for His coming more deeply into our hearts.

Key words: Advent, surrender to God, prayer, trust, coversion

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 13, 2015, the Third Sunday of Advent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that, if we want to walk in Christ's joy, we need to spend more time with Him in prayer.

Key words: Advent, surrender to God, prayer, evangelization, worship

Homily given at the Noon Mass on Tuesday, December 8, 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. We fell, but from the beginning God promised us His assistance, made  perfectly visible in Jesus. He gives us His Mother to aid us in our journey. 

Keywords: Immaculate Conception, surrender to God

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 6, 2015, the Second Sunday of Advent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Lord Jesus gives us a choice every day to choose Him over all the rest. We do that especially when we anchor our day in prayer. 

Key words: Advent, surrender to God, prayer

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 29, 2015, the First Sunday of Advent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that Advent is a season of hope. He invites us to draw close to Jesus during this holy season.

Key words: Advent, surrender to God, trust, hope

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 22, 2015, the Solemnity of Christ the King, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. This feast reminds us that Jesus is King and wants to rule over us and every aspect of our hearts.

Key words: Christ the King, surrender to God, trust

The Catholic Church - RCIA Talk by Prof Barbara Morgan on the Catholic Church, the Magisterium, Infallibility, Apostolic Succession

At Upper Room's Praise & Worship on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, Sr. Ann Shields gave a sobering, yet encouraging perspective on the times we are living in. She was introduced by Dr. Mary Healy, who also led a short time of prayer at the end in response to questions that Sr. Ann asked us to take to prayer. The booklet to which Sr. Ann refers, The Final Confrontation by Ralph Martin, is available at RenewalMinistries.net. This talk was given two months before the November terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut.

Key words: persecution, trials, faith, confidence, trust, perseverance

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 8, 2015, the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The widows in the first reading and the Gospel put all their trust in God. We should learn from their examples, studying the Scriptures and the lives of the Saints, so that we, too, have the faith to trust Him.

Key words: surrender to God, trust

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 7, 2015, the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. This Mass was celebrated as a memorial Mass for those who have suffered the loss of children during pregnancy. The widows in the first reading and the Gospel put all their trust in God. So we can trust Jesus that our kids who have died see Him face to Face.

Key words: surrender to God, trust

At Upper Room's Praise & Worship, Dr. Mary Healy spoke about the Biblical call to corporate worship and the unique graces of worshiping together. Her talk was followed by an extended time of praise before the Blessed Sacrament. Because of the nature of this topic, we've included the whole evening of Praise & Worship in this recording so you can worship along. If you would like to only hear the talk, listen from 4:23 - 27:42. Music was led by John Macari.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 1, 2015, the Solemnity of All Saints, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Church reminds us through this feast to have a relationship with our brothers and sisters in glory. This feast also reminds us that we are all called to holiness, to be saints, and to live fully for Jesus.

Key words: surrender to God, evangelization

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 25, 2015, the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Bartimaeus cried out for mercy, and he received it. As Jesus revealed the Father's Heart of mercy to Bartimaeus, so we should reveal the Father's Heart to others, especially in our families.

Key word: mercy

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 18, 2015, the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. We must imitate Him and be obedient to His Church's teaching authority.

Key word: evangelization, service, humility

The fourth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jerry Schoenle talks about receiving baptism in the Holy Spirit, his testimony, the gift of tongues, and the need for repentance to prepare our hearts for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The last few minutes did not record properly, so the recording ends during his conclusion.

The third talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015 at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Stefanie Ainley shares her personal story of how she received baptism in the Holy Spirit and a deeper relationship with God.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 11, 2015, the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Dan Foley, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Dan says that wisdom is truth, and he reminds us that God alone is truth. He emphasizes the importance of this point in a society which holds so many opinions to be "true." Dcn. Dan comments on the human desire for unity, and reminds us that, as Christians, we are called into the unity of the Trinity. We can only enter into this unity if we open our hearts and accept the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Dcn. Dan challenges each of us to consider our own hearts and how open we are to this unity with Christ.  

The second talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jack Lynch presents the essential Gospel message of our sin, our need for a savior, and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 4, 2015, the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that today marks the beginning of the Synod of Bishops on the Family as well as the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis' patron saint. He elaborates on the significance of Francis' life and journey through his faith. Fr. Ed then goes on to defend the Synod and the Church in the midst of confusing media coverage in our society. He reminds us that the truth simply cannot be changed; therefore, the definition of marriage and family cannot and will not be changed. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 20, 2015, the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed notes that the pagan attack on Christians is an effort to see if the Christian commitment is real, searching to discredit the messenger of the Gospel. He says that if they can discredit Christians and the message that they bring, pagans then feel justified in going on with their lives without making any changes. Fr. Ed goes on to say that only the Holy Spirit can empower us to handle these attacks, and reminds us that we are called to handle them with grace. Fr. Ed emphasizes that grace from God is the only way that we are able live according to His word.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 13, 2015, the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. Fr. Pat discusses the significance behind Jesus asking His disciples the question, "Who do you say I am?" Fr. Pat explains that Jesus is helping His disciples come to the truth about not only the identity of Himself, but their own identity as His disciples. Fr. Pat encourages us to ask ourselves that same question so that we too may come to the truth. He emphasizes that this will allow us to be clear about our own identity as Christ's children, something that is extremely important in the midst of a troubled society.  

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, September 12, 2015, the vigil of the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Larry points out that this weekend's Gospel marks the beginning of a seven week journey in which Jesus focuses on our taking up our own cross. Dcn. Larry further highlights this important theme throughout these Gospels by reminding us that to follow Jesus is to go where He goes. This includes His suffering on the cross. Dcn. Larry encourages us to take up our own cross, emphasizing that only once we have done this will we ever experience the boundless love that God has for us. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 6, 2015, the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed explains that following Jesus means that we live a life of grace, a life that transcends our nature. He reminds us that Jesus is calling us to draw closer to Him, which will allow us to live without fear because we trust Him. We must put Christ at the center of our lives and trust His supreme will. 

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 30, 2015, the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed focuses on our understanding and perception of law. He encourages us to fight the urge to view law as a burden, rather, to see it as the Jewish people did in the Old Testament. The Jewish understanding of the law was that it was a gift, a gift given to them by God in order to make them a more holy people. These rules, these laws, were constant reminders that they were set apart as Christians. We too are set apart, called to transform the world with the light of the Gospel. 

Talk given by Ken Cousino at Upper Room's Praise & Worship. He was introduced by Christy Whiting, Upper Room Director.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 23, 2015, the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Gerry Holowicki, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Gerry reminds us that God has a wonderful plan for blessing our marriages and families, but we must heed His instructions in order to fully open our hearts to this plan. He says that we must have the same commitment and fidelity to the Lord as Joshua did, stemming from our knowledge of who Jesus is and our relationship with Him.

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, August 22, 2015, the vigil of the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Larry talks about the issues in our society today, and the fact that our children are under such pressure to conform to these social standards formed by our culture. He says that we need to prepare our kids by making the grounded in Christ. He encourages us to be involved in what our kids do and who they spend time with, and to teach them the truths of the Church. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 16, 2015, the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed encourages us to open our hearts to the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He talks with us about how the Lord Jesus is constantly presenting us with choices, and we must choose Him! Fr. Ed emphasizes that this choice, this faith in Christ, is especially important when He comes to us in the Blessed Sacrament. 

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 26, 2015, the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed emphasizes the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, urging us to open our hearts to Him through this special Sacrament. God provided for His people in this Sunday's readings through the bread miracles, and He continues to provide for us each day with the Eucharist. 

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 19, 2015, the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed notes that, although Biblical descriptions of shepherds frequently refer to clergy and religious, all the people of God are called to be shepherds, especially parents. We are all to proclaim the Good News and shine the Light into the darkness of the world around us.

Keywords: evangelization, conversion

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 12, 2015, the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed discusses the importance of centering our lives around Jesus. He points out that following Christ is a choice that we make, and he encourages us to make that choice each day. Fr. Ed reminds us that Jesus sends the Spirit so that we may follow His will, knowledge and power. He encourages us to open our hearts to God's will, specifically to opportunities to evangalize. 

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 5, 2015, the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Pat Egan, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Pat emphasizes the importance of prayer, opening our hearts to God and placing our hopes and fears in His hands. He reminds us that Jesus knows rejection. When we pray to God and hand Him our fears, we do so to a God who knows our pain and wants to help us. Fr. Pat also discusses the recent Supreme Court decision about gay marriage. He reinforces Church teaching, emphasizing why we as Catholics believe what we do.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 5, 2015, the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Kyle Kowalczyk, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Kyle explores why Jesus was rejected when He returned to Nazareth to preach. He explains how it was difficult for people to accept that the Messiah came from such a lowly place. Dcn. Kyle points out, however, that the truth often comes in forms that make us uncomfortable. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 28, 2015, the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. On the 14th Anniversary of the Dedication of our Church, Fr. Ed starts by sharing several special memories of the time surrounding the dedication of Christ the King. He goes on to remind us that, although the building is a beautiful blessing that we consistently appreciate, the largest asset of the parish is the people who fill the Church's walls each week. Fr. Ed also discusses the recent Supreme Court decision relating to gay marriage. He reminds us that God is bigger than any issue we may face, and that Jesus wants to give us so much love and grace in this time that we can actually serve as a light in the dark. 

Talk given on Sunday, June 14, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church by Dan Burke. This is a two-part talk, the second part of which Dan discusses the concept that all human beings are called to be saints. He emphasizes the importance of spiritual growth and the tools and processes we should be using in our efforts to seek sainthood.

Talk given on Sunday, June 14, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church by Dan Burke. This is a two-part talk, the first part of which Dan discusses his conversion story. Though it was rooted in suffering, physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering, Dan goes on to explain how God used all of this suffering for his salvation.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 21, 2015, the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. David Fons, newly-ordained priest of the Diocese of Lansing, celebrating a Mass of Thanksgiving at Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. David focuses on todays reading from St. Paul which states "The love of Christ impels us..." He asks us to consider what that means in each of our lives. Fr. David characterizes Christ's love as unconditional, supernatural, and life giving. He wonders how, when Christ loves us so much, can we give Him anything less than our whole selves? Fr. David encourages us to trust in the love of Christ, in times of peace and in times of suffering. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 21, 2015, the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed discusses the importance of trusting in Jesus, who calms the storm. He reminds us that Jesus always cares about us and loves us, and that He always desires to protect us and lead us to His Father. Fr. Ed stresses the importance of not only our Father in Heaven, but of every father here on earth who, in Christ's image, shepherds his family to the Heavenly Father.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 14, 2015, the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that although we are entering into Ordinary Time in the Church calendar, there is nothing ordinary about our relationship with Christ. He discusses the importance of Sunday in our week, the extraordinary task of going to Mass, and the importance of saving this day in our week as the Lord's Day. He talks about how we can use our knowledge of the Jewish Sabbath to better understand the significance of the Lord's Day in our "ordinary" lives. 

Homily given at the Funeral Mass for Chris Burak on Tuesday, June 6, 2015, by Fr. Jim Rolph, Christ the King Catholic Church.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 7, 2015, on the Feast of Corpus Christi, by Dcn. John Ozog, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. John reminds us that the Eucharist unites us to Christ. He says that when we receive Christ in the Eucharist with a worthy heart, we receive the graces of a bodily union with Christ. Dcn. John offers advice on how to best prepare for this union, recommending confession, spiritual reading, and most importantly prayer. Dcn. John shares a beautifully personal story about his own experience with the presence of the Eucharist, encouraging us to open our own hearts to God's presence in our lives. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi, June 7, 2015, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that the Feast of Corpus Christi is the most perfect way we can encounter Jesus while we are still on this earth. He emphasizes that when we consume the Eucharist, we consume HIM, our risen Lord! Fr. Ed encourages us to practice praying, opening our hearts to the powers of the Holy Spirit so that we may better understand and appreciate the gift and miracle of the Eucharist. 

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. vigil Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi on Saturday, June 6, 2015, by Dcn. Gerry Holowocki, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn Gerry discusses that Christ has risen to give us new life! He explains that, on this feast, we are called to be renewed in our understanding of the greatness of the Eucharist. He encourages us to look back in history, specifically to the Passover meal with Jesus, in an effort to truly understand that greatness. 

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 31, 2015, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed discusses the mystery of the Holy Trinity and why it has been revealed to us. He says that the Trinity is given to us as an invitation, an invitation to know God, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit in a more personal way than ever before. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, May 31, 2015, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Larry discusses the importance of understanding why God has revealed to us the mystery of the Holy Trinity. He says that the mystery of the Trinity is the central mystery of our Catholic life, shedding light on all other mysteries, all other areas of life. Our revelation of the Trinity allows us to know God in a way that would have otherwise been impossible.

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. vigil Mass on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity on Saturday, May 30, 2015, by Dcn. Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn Lou discusses the amazing mystery of the Holy Trinity. He says that although we may never truly understand this mystery, we can certainly focus on what we do know about the Holy Trinity, using that knowledge to grow in our understanding of our faith. 

Homily given at the 7:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday, May 23, 2015, the Vigil of the Solemnity of Pentecost, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed discusses the power of the Holy Spirit, saying that it is given to us in order to enable us to live for the Lord Jesus. 

Homily given at the 7:00 p.m. Confirmation Mass on Monday, May 18, 2015, by Bishop Earl Boyea, Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing. Bishop Boyea discusses that in the Sacrament of Confirmation, students are receiving a fullness of the Holy Spirit, and he encourages them to embrace the gentle heart of Jesus. He goes on to explain how one should live out that strong gentleness in a way that brings those around us closer to the truth. 

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. vigil Mass on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord on Saturday, May 16, 2015, by Fr. Richard Lobert, chaplain at Fr. Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor. Fr. Lobert discusses the human tendency toward complacency when it comes to living our faith with a fire in our hearts, a fire for the love of God. He says that we must allow ourselves to be fully transformed by the love of God, which in turn will allow us to love one another as God loved His only Son.   

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord on Sunday, May 17, 2015, by newly ordained transitional Dcn. Peter Lawrence of the Diocese of Lansing at Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Peter discusses the idea that the Ascension of the Lord is calling us to reflect on the number of ways that we are called to be closer to Jesus. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, May 17, 2015, by Dcn. Dan Foley, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Dan reflects on how the Ascension of the Lord reveals to us the reason for our hope. Through Christ's Ascension into Heaven, humanity enters into the love of God Himself. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 10, 2015, the 6th Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that we are beloved by God, and we should share this good news. He encourages us to put on the whole armor of God, so we can stand fast in this truth and more deeply appreciate the feminine genius and protect it.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 3, 2015, the 5th Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's Gospel calls us to bear fruit in the power of the Holy Spirit. The past week gave us three great saints who show us how to yield to the Spirit: St. Catherine of Siena, Pope St. Pius V, and St. Joseph.

Key words: Holy Spirit, evangelization, worship

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 26, the 4th Sunday of Easter, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed speaks about vocations in the Body of Christ, focusing on one that we often don't remember to pray for: the vocation to be a bishop. He then reviews the wonderful ways that bishops in the Diocese of Lansing have cared for Christ the King.

Key words: vocations, episcopacy, bishops

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 19, the 3rd Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Easter season is a time for rejoicing and preparing for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Fr. Ed encourages us to re-read the Acts of the Apostles during this season. Then, if there are spiritual gifts described there that we haven't experienced, make a "Pentecost shopping list" of gifts to ask the Lord to give you this Pentecost.

Key words: joy, spiritual gifts, charisms, Holy Spirit

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015, by Dcn. Gerry Holowicki, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Gerry reflects on the Resurrection with the help of the children who celebrated their First Communions at this Mass.

Keywords: Easter, Eucharist, Jesus, Communion

Homily given at the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, April 4, 2015, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Incarnation, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus give us reason for hope, if we keep our eyes on Jesus, no matter what the circumstances.

Keywords: hope, Easter, Resurrection 

Homily given at the Good Friday liturgy, April 3, 2015, by Dcn. Dan Foley, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Dan reflects on the true and complete nature of mercy as revealed especially in the suffering and death of Jesus, the Son of God.

Key words: mercy, salvation, Passion

The seventh talk in the Gifts for the New Evangelization class, given by Louise Smith, on "Keeping the Joy of the Gospel." This talk was given on Friday, March 27, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Christy Whiting, Upper Room Administrator, made opening and closing remarks. The talk was also preceded by brief sharings from some of the participants.

This 7-week class helps participants to identify their gifts and learn how to exercise them. It uses the book Charisms of the Holy Spirit: Tools for the New Evangelization by Renee A. Marazon.

Please note: There were some minor microphone problems in the beginning that were addressed later in the recording.

Key words: joy, gifts, Holy Spirit

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 29, Palm Sunday, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Reflecting upon Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Fr. Ed reminds us that a choice is placed before us: we can choose to make ourselves the center of our lives or invite Jesus to reign in our hearts as our King and Lord. In preparation for Holy Week, Fr. Ed encourages us to spend more time in prayer.

Conversion, Prayer, Lent, Surrender to God

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, March 28, by Deacon Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. In preparation for Holy Week, Deacon Lou encourages us to reflect upon and imitate the humility of Jesus, and to use this week to surrender more fully to the Lord, making Jesus king of our hearts.

Key words: Lent, Surrender to God, Scripture

The seventh and final talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Monday, March 23, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. In this talk on "Transformation in Christ," Jack Lynch relates how God is at work to bring us to the depths of union with Himself and how He uses trials to help bring that about.

Key words: Holy Spirit, charisms, holiness, transformation, Upper Room

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, March 21, the Fifth Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Reflecting on today’s Gospel, the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-45), Fr. Ed notes that when Lazarus died, Martha and Mary had to trust Jesus. We also have to trust Him, especially during difficult times.

Key words: evangelization, conversion, trust

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, March 14, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Reflecting on today’s first reading, the anointing of David, and on the Gospel in which Jesus heals a blind man, Fr. Ed encourages us to rejoice in our savior, Jesus, the Light of the World, who illumines our hearts and changes our lives so that we can live for Him.

Key words: rejoice, Lent, Light of the World

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 8, the Third Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. Fr. Pat reflects on today’s Gospel, the story of the Woman at the Well (John 4:5-42), and what this story shows us about Jesus and His plan for our lives.

Key words: living water, Lent, desire for God

The sixth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Monday, March 16, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Dcn. John speaks about how to stay connected to the Holy Spirit and grow in the new life that He’s given to us.

Key words: growth, Holy Spirit, Upper Room

The sixth talk in the Gifts for the New Evangelization class, given by Randy Cirner. Drawing from personal experience, Randy speaks about how to deal with obstacles in exercising the spiritual gifts. This talk was given on Friday, March 13, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry.

This 7-week class helps participants to identify their gifts and learn how to exercise them. It uses the book Charisms of the Holy Spirit: Tools for the New Evangelization by Renee A. Marazon.

Key words: obstacles, gifts, Holy Spirit

Jerry Schoenle gives a brief introductory talk before praise and worship and prayer in small groups. In this introduction, Jerry reminds us that the focus of prayer for a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit is to deepen our relationship with God and offers practical tips for remaining open to God’s gifts and graces as participants prepare to pray for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. 

Key words: Baptism in the Holy Spirit, praying in tongues, Upper Room

The fifth talk in the Gifts for the New Evangelization class, given by Sr. Sarah Burdick, Christ the King Catholic Church. Sr. Sarah discusses practical ways we can use the gifts God has given to us while remaining open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit about how and when He wants to use us. This talk was given on Friday, March 6, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry.

This 7-week class helps participants to identify their gifts and learn how to exercise them. It uses the book Charisms of the Holy Spirit: Tools for the New Evangelization by Renee A. Marazon.

Key words: practicality, gifts, God’s will, Holy Spirit

The fourth talk in the Gifts for the New Evangelization class, given by Dcn. Dan Foley, Christ the King Catholic Church. Following sharings from class participants about using their gifts, Dcn. Dan spoke about discerning God's will. This talk was given on Friday, February 27, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. 

This 7-week class helps participants to identify their gifts and learn how to exercise them. It uses the book Charisms of the Holy Spirit: Tools for the New Evangelization by Renee A. Marazon. 

Key words: discernment, God's will, charisms, gifts

The fourth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Monday, March 2, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. After briefly reviewing the first three talks, Jack Lynch addresses some questions that participants may have before being prayed with next week for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Key words: Holy Spirit, charisms, expectant faith, repentance, Upper Room, praying in tongues

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 1, 2015, the Second Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. Fr. Pat reflects on today's first reading, the test of Abraham (Genesis 22:1ff) and the Gospel, the Transfiguration of the Lord (Mark 9:2-10).

Key words: obedience, perseverance, awe, intimacy with God, trust

The third talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Monday, February 23, 2015 at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Stefanie Ainley shares her personal story of how she encountered more of the power of the Holy Spirit and a deeper relationship with God.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Upper Room

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, February 21, 2015, The First Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. At the start of Lent, Fr. Ed encourages us to use this season to fall more deeply in love with the Lord Jesus.

Key words: Lent, surrender to God

Homily given at the 7:30 p.m. Mass on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2015, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Reflecting upon today’s Gospel, Fr. Ed reminds us that Lent is not about exercising our willpower, which will only increase our pride, but rather incorporating into our lives some spiritual activities that will bring us closer to Jesus.

Key words: Lent, prayer

The third talk in the Gifts for the New Evangelization class, given by Jeannette Barbacane, co-director, with Tesa Fleming, of the Heart of Christ Spiritual Direction Training Program. This talk was given on Friday, February 20, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jeannette is introduced by Christy Whiting, Upper Room Administrator.

Note: Due to technical difficulties, the recording of Jeannette's talk is somewhat choppy.

This 7-week class helps participants to identify their gifts and learn how to exercise them. It uses the book Charisms of the Holy Spirit: Tools for the New Evangelization by Renee A. Marazon. 

Key words: charism, evangelization, prayer

Homily given at the 12:00 p.m. Mass on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2015, by Dcn. Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. At the start of the Lenten season, Dcn. Lou offers some ways to respond to the call of Christ to interior conversion.

Key words: Lent, conversion, interior life

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, February 15, 2015, the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. In today's Gospel, Jesus healed the leper, and He longs to heal us as well. As we approach Lent, Fr. Ed invites us to look at our spirituality -- charismatic, contemplative, Marian and Eucharistic -- and ask the Lord, which area needs attention?

Keywords: Lent

The second talk in the Gifts for the New Evangelization class, given by Christy Whiting, Upper Room Administrator. This talk was given on Friday, February 13, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. 

This 7-week class helps participants to identify their gifts and learn how to exercise them. It uses the book Charisms of the Holy Spirit: Tools for the New Evangelization by Renee A. Marazon. 

Key words: charism, evangelization, small groups

RCIA Talk 20 - Fr Ed Fride Testimony 2015

RCIA Talk 19 on Baptism by Anthony Patti  in the year 2015

The first talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given by Jack Lynch on Monday, February 9, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jack introduces the Life in the Spirit Seminar, Jack introduces the Life in the Spirit Seminar, presents an overview of prayer for a new Pentecost from popes of the last 50 years, and describes how it relates to God’s love for us. One of the team members, Katie Maness, offers a personal testimony.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Upper Room, Life in the Spirit Seminar

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, February 8, 2015, the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time and World Marriage Day, by Dcn. Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. In the last 50 years, we have seen a serious erosion of marriage and family life in the United States. Dcn. Lou explores some of the reasons for that erosion and things that can be done to strengthen marriage and family life.

Key words: Scripture, trust, vocation of marriage

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, February 7, 2015, the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time and World Marriage Day, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Many people, like Job in the first reading, face serious challenges. When we hit those difficult times, we must choose to turn to God, learn the Church's teaching, and seek God for the power to live it out. Christian marriage requires more of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Keywords: marriage, surrender to God, Holy Spirit

The first talk in the Gifts for the New Evangelization class, given by Dr. Mary Healy, associate professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. This talk was given on Friday, February 6, 2015, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Dr. Healy is introduced by Christy Whiting, Upper Room Administrator.

This 7-week class helps participants to identify their gifts and learn how to exercise them. It uses the book Charisms of the Holy Spirit: Tools for the New Evangelization by Renee A. Marazon. 

Key words: charism, evangelization

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, February 1, 2015, the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. God commissioned Moses and his successors to authentically teach and interpret the Law given on Sinai. That magisterium established by God continues today in the "Chair of Peter." One way that we see that teaching authority exercised is in the Church's teaching on marriage.

Keywords: magisterium, marriage, sacrament, Theology of the Body

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, January 31, 2015, the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reflects on the gifts of the magisterium, religious life, and marriage to the Church. After the homily, Dcn. Dan and Dolly Foley celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by renewing their marriage vows.

Keywords: marriage, religious life, magisterium, holiness

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 25, 2015, the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The story of Jonah is an encouragement to all of us who think that God can't possibly use us unless our motives are perfectly pure. God tries to explain to Jonah that the Jews are the Chosen, but everyone is loved by God, even our enemies. Every person is loved by God and deserving of dignity and respect because all people are created in the image and likeness of God. What does that mean for our lives?

Keywords: love of enemies, forgiveness, mercy, evangelization

RCIA Talk 18 - Sacraments and Sacramentals Introduction given by Kate Schoenle in 2015

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 18, 2015, the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. In today's first reading, we hear the Lord calling to Samuel for the first time. The Lord wants us to hear His voice as well. If we do, we will hear Him say that He loves us.

Keywords: evangelization, love of God

RCIA Talk 17 on Commandments 6-9 7-10 by Prof Barbara Morgan in 2015

RCIA Talk 16 on Commandments 4-5-8 by Elizabeth Siegel in 2015

RCIA Talk 15 on the first three Commandments by Dcn Larry Randolph

RCIA Talk 14 on the Gravity of Sin by Prof Barbara Morgan in 2014

RCIA Talk 13 on Conscience by Prof Barbara Morgan in 2014

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 11, 2015, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The grace of our Baptism empowers us to live for the Lord Jesus and to share the Gospel.

Keywords: Surrender to God

Brad Schmidt gave a talk to parents of 6th - 12th Grade students about the importance of talking to their kids about pornography, masturbation and sexual purity.  The talk included reasons why it's so vital, particularly early on, as well as resources and tips for how to have those conversations and recommendations for filtering and accountability solutions.

Download the Handout

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Wednesday, December 24, 2014, the Vigil of Christmas, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Larry reminds us that God wants to be with us. He wants to love us. He wants to care for us. He wants our love, too. That is the message of Christmas. His coming as a baby at Christmas shows that God will pursue us no matter what.

Key words: Christmas, Surrender to God, Love

Homily given at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Thursday, December 25, 2014, the Solemnity of Christmas, by Dcn. John Ozog, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. John reflects on the wonder of the God who loves us so much that He became one of us and the response of love that we, as individuals and families, should give Him in return.

Key words: Christmas, Incarnation, Nativity

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 4, 2015, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, by Dcn. Gerry Holowicki, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Gerry urges us to be open to the blessings that the Lord Jesus wants to continue to pour out on us as the Christmas season continues.

Keywords: Christmas, Epiphany

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, January 3, 2015, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, by Fr. Richard Lobert, chaplain at Fr. Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor. Fr. Lobert reflects on the gifts that the Magi brought to the Child Jesus and asks, What were the gifts that God the Father gave to His Son Jesus?

Key words: Christmas, joy, gifts, Magi, surrender to God

Homily given at the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Wednesday, December 31, 2014, the Vigil of the Octave of Christmas and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, by Fr. Richard Lobert, chaplain at Fr. Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor. Fr. Richard invites us to join the shepherds in contemplating the mystery of the birth of our Savior, Jesus.

Key words: Christmas, forgiveness, love

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 28, 2014, the Feast of the Holy Family, by Fr. Richard Lobert, chaplain at Fr. Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor. The source of the love in the family is the rivers of the living water of love flowing from the Heart of Jesus. As we start the Year for Marriage in the dioceses of Michigan, let's reflect on this truth and how it can be lived out in our families.

Key words: family, love

Homily given at the 8:00 p.m. Mass on Wednesday, December 24, 2014, the Vigil of Christmas, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. As we celebrate the Mass of the Christ, we rejoice in the truth of the Incarnation, when God Himself took flesh and dwelt among us. Do we take our identity in our relationship with Jesus? Are we going to surrender our lives to Him and live for Him?

Keywords: Christmas, Surrender to God

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 21, 2014, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Temple was the site of God's Presence until Mary herself became the new Ark of the Covenant, holding the Son of God Himself.

Keywords: Advent

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 14, 2014, the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday), by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Gaudete Sunday is a joyful reminder of the incomparable gift of the Lord Jesus to us. Our families should also be a source of joy for each of our family members.

Keywords: Advent, joy, family

The seventh and final talk in the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 26, 2014, by Barbara Morgan, Director of Religious Education, Christ the King Catholic Church. Barbara speaks about the vision for the parish, drawing on some of the parish's history to illustrate her points. Dcn. Larry Randolph introduces the talk and gives some brief closing remarks.

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

Keywords: holiness, love, Eucharist, prayer, small groups, witness, evangelization

Homily given at the 7:30 p.m. Mass on Monday, December 8, 2014, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. We celebrate today the historical event of Mary's conception free from the stain of original sin. We can turn to the Lady to assist us by her prayer and example, so that we can all grow in holiness.

Keywords: Immaculate Conception, evangelization

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 7, 2014, the Second Sunday of Advent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Advent is a time to prepare for more of Jesus, when, as St. John the Baptist says, "He must increase and I must decrease." It is also a time when we focus on the Holy Family, which models family life for us. Advent is an important time to grow in family life.

Keywords: Advent, family, care, love

RCIA Talk on the Four Last Things given by Henry Dieterich in 2011. The 2014 talk by Albert Holder did not record. 

RCIA talk by Dave Mangan on his experience of the Holy Spirit on the Duquesne University Retreat Weekend that is attributed to the beginning of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the United States.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 30, 2014, the First Sunday of Advent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Advent is a time to encounter the Lord Jesus. Open your heart to Him!

Keywords: Advent, surrender to God

Homily given at the 7:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 22, 2014, the Vigil of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. This great feast was instituted to make it clear that there is only one king, our Lord Jesus Christ. It provides us with a wonderful opportunity to respond to His invitation to surrender our lives to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Keywords: surrender to God

RCIA talk on Justification and Grace given by Dcn Larry Randolph.

RCIA first talk on God's plan for us in His goodness as seen in Ephesians 4 given be Dcn Larry Randolph.

RCIA talk on Creation and Sin given by Prof Barbara Morgan.

RCIA talk on the Dignity of the Person given by Prof Barbara Morgan.

RCIA talk on Jesus, our Lord, the Son of God given by Dcn Larry Randolph

RCIA discussion on Revelation and Tradition in the Church given by Albert Holder.

RCIA discussion on the Trinity given by Prof Barbara Morgan

RCIA discussion on the purpose and mission of the Church and why God created it. This was given by Dcn Larry Randolph.

RCIA talk on the Communion of Saints and Purgatory given by Kate Schoenle.

First talk on the Church discussing the Four Marks of the Church that describe the authenic Church that Jesus founded.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 16, 2014, the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Reflecting on the Gospel of the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30), Fr. Ed notes that the Lord Jesus has given us many gifts and talents. The more deeply we fall in love with Him, trust Him and cooperate with Him, the better things will be.

Keywords: conversion, trust, gratitude

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 15, 2014, the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Richard Lobert, chaplain at Fr. Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor. Fr. Lobert reflects on the importance of living our lives focused on the last moment that we will live.

Key words: Surrender to God, trust, peace

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 9, 2014, the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, by Fr. Richard Lobert, chaplain at Fr. Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor. Fr. Lobert reflects on this feast as the feast of Christ the Bridegroom and His Bride the Church, which came from and dwells in the Pierced Side of Christ.

Key words: Temple, Mystical Body of Christ, water, Baptism, cleansing, repentance

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 8, 2014, the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. The readings of today's feast remind us that Jesus is the foundation of the Temple, and we are its living stones. Dcn. Larry notes that this feast also provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the Church building itself and what it represents: the Temple, the New Jerusalem, Noah's Ark, and the Mystical Body of Christ.

Key words: conversion, Church

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 2, 2014, All Souls' Day, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. All Souls' Day and its theology reminds us of two things:  to pray for those in Purgatory and to live in a way that avoids it.

Keywords: Surrender to God, conversion, Purgatory

Talk given on Saturday, November 1, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church by Sr. Ann Shields, S.G.L. , to the members of the Christ the King Music Ministry at their annual Day of Renewal.

Key words: holiness, worship, music, evangelization

The sixth talk in the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 26, 2014, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed speaks about contemplative living, using the Blessed Virgin Mary as our model.

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

Keywords: contemplation, prayer, meditation

The fifth talk in the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 19, 2014, by Dcn. Dan Foley, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Dan talks about the Blessed Virgin Mary and her important role in our lives.

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

Keywords: Mary, Blessed Mother, Blessed Virgin, Marian devotion, Mother of God, Immaculate Conception

Questions and answers following the fourth talk on the charismatic gifts in the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 19, 2014, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. (The questions are not part of the recording, only Fr. Ed's answers.)

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

The fourth talk in the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 19, 2014, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed speaks about the charismatic nature of the parish and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

Keywords: charismatic, charisma, praying in tongues, praying in the Spirit, prophecy, healing, Pentecost

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 26, 2014, the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Priesthood Sunday), by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed talks about how God speaks to us about His will for our lives and shares his own call to the priesthood. He urges everyone to pray for their own vocations and for vocations to the priesthood, focusing on Jesus and loving nothing more than Him.

Keywords: Surrender to God, worship

The seventh and final talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, October 24, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. In this talk, Jerry Schoenle reminds us that the goal of our lives is transformation in Christ and discusses how God works to bring that about. Jack Lynch then finishes with a commissioning of the participants.

Key words: Holy Spirit, charisms, holiness, transformation, Pentecost, Upper Room

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 19, 2014, the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. On this day when Pope Paul VI was beatified in Rome, Fr. Ed used the new blessed as an example of rendering to God what is God's. One of the ways we do that is by being faithful to the Church's teaching on life as expressed in Humanae Vitae.

Keywords: Surrender to God, pro-life

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, October 18, 2014, the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. God is in control. He gives us many blessings and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit, telling us to endure in hope. However, to experience this, we must surrender our wills and render to God what belongs to God. At this Mass at which we also remember in a special way those who experienced the loss of a pre-born or newborn child in the last year, we remember all babies who have died prematurely and commend them to the mercy of God, who has a special place in His Heart for children.

Key words: Surrender to God, trust, conversion, pro-life

The fifth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, October 10, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Before seminar participants are prayed with for the Baptism in the Spirit, Jerry Schoenle gives a short introductory talk to put this prayer in context for Catholics.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, praying in tongues, Upper Room

The sixth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, October 17, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Laurie Johnson speaks on how to grow in the life of the Holy Spirit following the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Upper Room

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 12, 2014, the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed explains the parable of today's Gospel and how it applies to our lives today.

Keywords: banquet, Eucharist, Baptism, Reconciliation, Pope St. John XXIII, love, Heaven, Marriage Feast of the Lamb

Second talk given at the Christ the King 2014 Women's Retreat by Fr. Ben Luedtke. The theme of the retreat was "The Joy of the Cross."

Fr. Ben was ordained by Pope Saint John Paul the Great in Rome and has worked as a missionary priest on three continents. He personally knew Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and was often her personal driver in Rome. Each Missionary of Charity prays for a special priest; Fr. Ben was Mother Teresa's special priest. He currently resides at St. Albert the Great Parish in Dearborn Heights. Fr. Ben is a very sought-after speaker, spiritual director and confessor.

Key words: joy, cross, retreat, faith, salvation, suffering, Presentation, Passion, Crucifixion

First talk given at the Christ the King 2014 Women's Retreat by Fr. Ben Luedtke. The theme of the retreat was "The Joy of the Cross."

Fr. Ben was ordained by Pope Saint John Paul the Great in Rome and has worked as a missionary priest on three continents. He personally knew Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and was often her personal driver in Rome. Each Missionary of Charity prays for a special priest; Fr. Ben was Mother Teresa's special priest. He currently resides at St. Albert the Great Parish in Dearborn Heights. Fr. Ben is a very sought-after speaker, spiritual director and confessor.

Key words: joy, cross, suffering, retreat, faith, salvation, time, eternity

Homily given at the 9:00 a.m. Mass on Saturday morning, October 11, 2014, the Memorial of Pope Saint John XXIII, at the Christ the King 2014 Women's Retreat by Fr. Ben Luedtke. The theme of the retreat was "The Joy of the Cross."

Fr. Ben was ordained by Pope Saint John Paul the Great in Rome and has worked as a missionary priest on three continents. He personally knew Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and was often her personal driver in Rome. Each Missionary of Charity prays for a special priest; Fr. Ben was Mother Teresa's special priest. He currently resides at St. Albert the Great Parish in Dearborn Heights. Fr. Ben is a very sought-after speaker, spiritual director and confessor.

Key words: joy, cross, retreat, love, martyrdom, faith

The third talk in the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 12, 2014, by Dcn. Dan Foley, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Dan talks about the Sacraments, with a particular focus on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

Keywords: sacraments, encounter, sanctification, Communion, Confession, Reconciliation, Penance, Adoration, grace, blessing

The second talk in the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 12, 2014, by Barbara Morgan, Director of Religious Education, Christ the King Catholic Church. Barbara speaks about God's plan for us, a plan that includes being holy and blameless before Him (Eph. 1:4), which is the fruit of our love relationship with Him. Dcn. Dan Foley introduces the talk and makes some closing remarks.

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

Keywords: holiness, love, thanksgiving, sacraments, grace, mercy

Questions and answers following the first talk on conversion in the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 12, 2014, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Following the Q&A, Dcn. Dan Foley gave some summary remarks.

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

The first talk in the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 12, 2014, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed speaks about the foundation for all the rest of our lives in Christ, conversion.

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

Keywords: conversion, sacraments, Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation

Introduction to the Christ the King Member Class, given on Sunday, October 12, 2014, by Dcn. Dan Foley of Christ the King Catholic Church.

The Christ the King Member Classes are a series of talks for members of the parish discussing what is expected of parishioners. These classes are open to all parishioners, but especially those who have joined the parish in the last several years.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 5, 2014, the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's first reading and Gospel both contain parables of vineyards. We are the Lord's vineyard and are expected to bear fruit, like the great St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast we celebrated on October 4.

Keywords: Surrender to God, trust, evangelization

The fourth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, October 3, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. After briefly reviewing the first three talks, Jerry Schoenle explains that to receive new life in the Spirit, we need to believe that God wants us to have it, ask God for it through prayer, and repent of any sin that might be blocking us from receiving it.

Key words: Holy Spirit, charisms, expectant faith, repentance, Upper Room

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 28, 2014, the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. Fr. Pat, reflecting on today's Gospel (Matthew 21:28-32), notes that this parable is about changing our minds, putting God first, and doing His will. Then, turning to the second reading, he exhorts us to be of one mind as a Christian community, loving and respecting one another, in humility regarding others as better than ourselves, and looking to the needs of others before our own.

Key words: repentance, surrender to God, mercy, love

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, September 27, 2014, the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's readings remind us that we need to live our lives so that we're always ready for the moment of our death. If we live trusting God and His mercy, striving to say yes to Him, and turning back to Him when we sin, we can live in hope that He Who loved us enough to die for us will get us home.

Keywords: Surrender to God, repentance, mercy

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 21, 2014, the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Reflecting on the Scripture of the first reading, "Seek the Lord while He may be found," Fr. Ed notes that the Lord Jesus is always present. There are specific times, however, when He provides particularly graced moments, such as the Lord's Day, the Easter and Pentecost Vigils, divine appointments, etc.

Keywords: Surrender to God, worship

Homily given at a Mass held on Wednesday, September 17, 2014, for the parents and sponsors of those in the Confirmation class by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed speaks of the Sacrament of Confirmation and its intrinsic connection to Pentecost.

Key words: Confirmation, Pentecost, Holy Spirit

Homily given by Bp. Earl Boyea, Bishop of the Diocese of Lansing, at the Mass for Profession of Perpetual Vows of Sr. Rebecca Benjamin and Sr. Sarah Marie Draper of the Servants of God's Love, held at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 14, 2014, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. 

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 14, 2014, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed speaks about the historical events that are commemorated in this feast, how they provide concrete demonstrations of God's amazing love for us and how Jesus shares His victory on the Cross with us.

Keywords: Triumph of the Cross, resurrection, St. Helena, Heraclius

The first talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given by Jack Lynch on Friday, September 12, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jack introduces the Life in the Spirit Seminar, presents an overview of prayer for a new Pentecost from popes of the last 50 years and describes how it relates to God’s love for us. One of the team members, Laurie Johnson, offers a personal testimony.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Upper Room, Life in the Spirit Seminar

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, September 6, 2014, the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The first reading (Ezekiel 33:7-9) calls upon us to warn the sinner. Fr. Ed points out, however, that our capacity to follow the 4th-10th Commandments depends upon our being faithful to the first three Commandments.

Keywords: evangelization, conversion

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 31, 2014, the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Paul Donnelly, a friar in the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Dcn. Paul reflects on today's Gospel (Matt. 16:21-27) and asks, "You will lose your life for the sake of something. For what will it be?"

Keywords: surrender to God, trust

Talk given on Wednesday, June 25, 2014, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Church, marks, Magisterium, infallibility, apostolic succession

Talk given on Saturday, June 21, 2014, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Church, mystery, Mary

Talk given on Wednesday, June 4, 2014, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Church, laity, priesthood

Part 2 of a talk given on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, angels, angelic persons

Part 1 of a talk given on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, angels, angelic persons

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 24, 2014, the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's first reading and the Gospel reveal important truths about the role of Peter and his successors. Fr. Ed reflects on these Scriptures and the recent popes.

Keywords: papacy, infallibility

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 17, 2014, the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Syro-Phoenician mother in today's Gospel demonstrates for us the importance of persevering in prayer and not giving up as we seek Jesus.

Keywords: prayer, trust

Homily given at the noon Mass on Friday, August 15, 2014, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. On this day when we celebrate Mary's entrance into Heaven, Fr. Ed reminds us that the Lady has been given to us as our Mother. We need to take advantage of this great gift. The Rosary and the Brown Scapular are wonderful ways to deepen our devotion to her.

Keyword: Mary

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 10, 2014, the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. John Ozog, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. John reflects on the Gospel of the day and the need we all have for courage to be faithful to the Lord.

Key words: courage, fortitude, perseverance, peace

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 3, 2014, the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's Gospel (Matthew 14:13:21) describes one of the times when Jesus multiplies loaves and fish to feed the people. This and all the bread miracles of the Scriptures are meant to build our faith in God's miraculous provision and to prepare for the greatest miracle of all: the Eucharist.

Keyword: Eucharist

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 27, 2014, the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. When God offered Solomon anything he wanted, Solomon, who was in love with God, selflessly asked for wisdom to govern the people. But he made a series of choices that eventually led him into bitterness and the people into idolatry. We have to not only start well, but end well. We need to yield to wisdom, to take full advantage of all that God gives us, and to stay focused on Jesus.

Keywords: evangelization

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 20, 2014, the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's Gospel is the parable of the wheat and the weeds (Matthew 13:24-43). The weeds, like the ground in last Sunday's parable, do not have a choice about being weeds. But people can change, as many of the greatest saints of the Church prove. We need to be wheat, wheat that lovingly, truthfully invite the weeds to change!

Keywords: evangelization

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 13, 2014, the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. In today's Gospel of the sower and the seeds (Matthew 13:1-23), the ground does not have a choice as to how it responds to the seed. We do have a choice. We should prepare our hearts to receive the Word of God and let it enter our hearts and minds. Fr. Ed suggests ways that we can do that.

Keywords: Scripture, prayer, journaling, spiritual warfare 

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 6, 2014, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. On this weekend at all the Masses, Christ the King celebrated the Anniversary of the Dedication of Christ the King's Church building in 2001. Fr. Ed recounts the history of the building of Christ the King's Church building and the call of all the people of God to be living stones in the Temple of God.

Keywords: Dedication, faithfulness, holiness

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, July 5, 2014, by Dcn. Gerry Holowicki, Christ the King Catholic Church. On this weekend at all the Masses, Christ the King celebrated the Anniversary of the Dedication of Christ the King's Church building in 2001. Dcn. Gerry called us to gratitude for the parish by recalling our roots in the charismatic renewal and by considering what the Lord has done with us in the past 13 years. We need to be aware of God's call on our lives to be good and grateful stewards of the many gifts He has given us. We need to be aware especially of the great and growing need for evangelization, confident in Jesus' ability to enable us to evangelize successfully.

Keywords: thankfulness, evangelization, charismatic, stewardship

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 29, 2014, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that (despite what we may see in art), Saints Peter and Paul and all the saints experienced great joy in following Jesus. The Holy Spirit also empowers us and give us joy in following Jesus.

Key words: Holy Spirit, joy

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, June 21, 2014, the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), by Dcn. Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Lou traces briefly the history of belief in the True Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, from the early Church Fathers to the present. He then encourages us to remember what Jesus did for us in establishing the Eucharist and reflects on what our response should be.

Key words: Eucharist, trust, thankfulness, worship

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 22, 2014, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. After briefly reviewing the history of the establishment of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Fr. Ed describes what we need to do in order for the wonderful gift of Jesus in the Eucharist to be fully effective in our lives.

Key words: Eucharist, Blessed Sacrament, Real Presence, transubstantiation, Scripture, prayer, faith

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 15, 2014, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, by Fr. Dan Westermann, newly-ordained priest of the Diocese of Lansing. Fr. Dan reminds us that we are all invited to share in the infinite life and love of the Holy Trinity, if we will surrender our lives completely to Him.

Key words: Holy Trinity, love, surrender to God

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 15, 2014, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, by Fr. Jim Rolph, newly-ordained priest of the Diocese of Lansing. Fr. Jim speaks of what God can do in each of us if we will surrender to God's freely-given, infinite love and mercy and let Him have His way in our lives.

Key words: Holy Trinity, surrender to God, vocation, Jesus, love, mercy

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 8, 2014, the Solemnity of Pentecost, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed briefly recounts how the power of God worked in the Old Testament, the same power that was released at Pentecost and continues to this day for those who ask for the fire of His Divine Love.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Pentecost, baptism in the Holy Spirit, Confirmation, miracles

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, June 14, 2014, the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, by Dcn. John Ozog, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. John reflects on the great mystery of the doctrine of the Most Holy Trinity. Also, in anticipation of Father's Day on Sunday, he shared some of his personal experiences as a father and as a son of our Heavenly Father.

Key words: Holy Trinity, fatherhood

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 1, 2014, the Solemnity of the Ascension, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. As Jesus said, it was better that He go, because then He would send the Holy Spirit. The Acts of the Apostles shows us how the Holy Spirit should be active in our lives. So as we approach Pentecost, ask for more!

Key words: Ascension, Holy Spirit, Pentecost

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, May 31, 2014, the Solemnity of the Ascension, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. God had a plan to reveal Jesus as the Messiah, and He has a plan for each one of us. We are all called to carry God's plan of salvation to everyone, just as the apostles did. First, though, we need to have a relationship with Jesus.

Key words: Easter, Ascension, evangelization, worship, conversion

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 1, 2014, the Solemnity of the Ascension, by Fr. Pat Egan. Fr. Pat reflects on the event of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven and what it means for our lives.

Key words: Ascension, Advocate, presence, Holy Spirit

Peter Herbeck's presentation on how to present the Gospel Message. He shows us how to use the bible effectively. He challenges us to being responsible to bring the Gospel message to others as Christ told us.

Part 2 of a talk given on Saturday, December 7, 2013, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Jesus, Christ, Incarnation, Paschal Mystery, redemptive suffering, Resurrection, Ascension, Second Coming, Magisterium

Part 1 of a talk given on Saturday, December 7, 2013, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Jesus, Savior, Christ, Son of God, Second Person of the Trinity, Lord

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 25, 2014, the 6th Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed encourages us to prepare ourselves for Pentecost by examining our lives in relation to the Acts of the Apostles.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Confirmation, Pentecost

Part 2 of a talk given on Saturday, May 10, 2014, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Divine Providence, mercy, God's Will

Part 1 of a talk given on Saturday, May 10, 2014, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Divine Providence, mercy, God's Will

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 18, 2014, the Fifth Sunday of Easter, by Dcn. David Fons, newly ordained Transitional Deacon for the Diocese of Lansing. Dcn. David reflects on the call of the first deacons, recorded in today's reading from the Acts of the Apostles, and the call on all of us to live as disciples of Jesus in service to His Kingdom. The second reading and the Gospel help us understand how to do that.

Key words: Easter, diaconate, discipleship, service, conversion, witness

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 18, 2014, the Fifth Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's first reading from the Acts of the Apostles records the establishment of the ministry of the deacons. Fr. Ed reflects on the vocation to the diaconate and the entire Church's call to care for the needs of the whole person, a call that we can fulfill only by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Key words: Easter, vocations, diaconate, charity, service

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, May 17, 2014, the Fifth Sunday of Easter by Fr. Nicholas Sseggobe-Kiruma, Chaplain at Spiritus Sanctus Academy. Fr. Nicholas reminds us that the entire Easter season is a time of new life for the Church, the Bride of Christ, when there are many entering the Church through Baptism and into vocations to marriage, priesthood, and the diaconate. We can trust Him to give us what we need to live out His call.

Keywords: Easter, vocations, diaconate, marriage, priesthood

Presentation by Chris Burak of "New Evangelism Works" on how to respond in love to questions about faith and social issues. A pre-evangelization tool. Conversational basics and brief discussion on same sex marriage, a non religious dialog.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 11, 2014, the 4th Sunday of Easter (also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations and Mother's Day), by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. After taking a few minutes to honor our mothers and the gift of motherhood, Fr. Ed reminds us that "Heaven is for real," and the Good Shepherd wants to get us there. The Good Shepherd needs men to accept the gift of priesthood, so that Heaven can be proclaimed and the people can receive the Eucharist.

Key words: Eucharist, conversion, Holy Spirit

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 4, 2014, the 3rd Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reflects on the Gospel reading of Jesus and the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and how the Resurrected Lord reveals Himself to the disciples, and us, in the Eucharist.

Key word: Eucharist

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, May 3, 2014, the 3rd Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Richard Lobert, chaplain at Fr. Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor. Fr. Lobert, drawing inspiration from Pope Francis' Easter Vigil homily, invites each of us to remember our "Emmaus" moment, when the Scripture was first broken open for us and our hearts burned within us with love for God and others.

Key words: Scripture, evangelization, conversion

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 27, 2014, the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday) by Fr. Nicholas Sseggobe-Kiruma, Chaplain at Spiritus Sanctus Academy. Fr. Nicholas reflects on the Feast of the Divine Mercy and how Popes St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII are icons of trust in Jesus. He then turns to the Gospels of Easter week and their message that He who was crucified is the One who is now risen!

Keywords: Easter, Divine Mercy, trust, saints

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 27, 2014, the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday), by Dcn. John Ozog, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. John shares his reflections on Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, who were canonized this weekend, and their connection to the devotion to the Divine Mercy.

Key words: Easter, canonization, saints, Divine Mercy

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, April 26, 2014, the Vigil of the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday), by Dcn. Gerry Holowicki, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Gerry reflects on the many celebrations of this weekend: the octave of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, the canonizations of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, and the First Communion of one of our children.

Keywords: Easter, Divine Mercy, Eucharist, Jesus

Homily given at the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, April 19, 2014, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Lord Jesus freely underwent His Passion and Death and then rose from the dead out of love for us. 

Keywords: Easter, Resurrection 

Homily given at the 2:30 p.m. Liturgy on Good Friday, April 18, 2014, the Liturgy of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. Sin is not just bad behavior. It's about an offense in a relationship. The real problem of sin is in our hearts. We need to look to Jesus for the grace to repent.

Key words: conversion, Lent, Easter

Homily given at the 7:30 p.m. Mass on Holy Thursday, April 17, 2014, by Dcn. Dan Foley, Christ the King Catholic Church. The readings for the Mass of the Lord's Supper describe two things that Jesus wanted both remembered and acted on: the institution of the Eucharist and the washing of feet. Dcn. Dan reflects on how these seemingly separate events are actually intimately connected.

Key words: Eucharist, priesthood, humility, service

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 13, 2014, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Larry reminds us that the events of Palm Sunday and the Passion make clear that we must choose between God and the world. We cannot pick and choose what we like or don't like; it is one or the other. We are responsible for knowing the truth. What do we choose?

Key words: Lent, Easter, surrender to God, Christ the King

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 13, 2014, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, by Dcn. John Ozog, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. John shares from his personal experience with his late wife Kathy about the power of God's grace to enable us to carry our cross with Christ without complaining so that we may enjoy the fruits of our suffering.

Key words: Lent, suffering

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, April 12, 2014, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, by Dcn. Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. In today's Gospel read at the beginning of Mass, Jesus is proclaimed as King. His Kingship and His Kingdom are realities that should form our lives.

Key words: Lent, Scripture, surrender to God, conversion, Eucharist

The seventh and final talk in the Walking in the Spiritual Gifts class, given by Dr. Mary Healy, associate professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. This talk was given on Friday, April 11, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry.

This course is designed to inspire and equip participants to walk in the supernatural charisms as a way of life, especially to evangelize and to build up the body of Christ. It expands on last year’s Advanced Charisms Course.

Dr. Healy speaks of prayer for healing of the heart. As part of the talk, she discusses Pope Francis' vision of the Church as a field hospital, as well as the steps of healing and freedom laid out in Neal Lozano's book Unbound. Following her talk, the class engaged in an exercise of prayer.

Key words: healing, deliverance, spiritual gifts, charismatic, charisms, Holy Spirit, Upper Room

The seventh and final talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, April 11, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. In this talk on "Transformation in Christ," Jack Lynch relates how God is at work to bring us to the depths of union with Himself and how He uses trials to help bring that about.

NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, Talks 5 and 6 in this Life in the Spirit Seminar are not available. You may listen to those talks from previous seminars by going to the home page of the CTK Audio Web site and selecting the Life in the Spirit Seminar category.

Key words: Holy Spirit, charisms, holiness, transformation, Upper Room

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 6, 2014, the Fifth Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Reflecting on today's Gospel, the raising of Lazarus, Fr. Ed reminds us that Jesus loves us beyond words and wants us to experience the power of the Resurrection.

Key word: Resurrection

The sixth talk in the Walking in the Spiritual Gifts class, given by Fr. Ed Fride, pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church. This talk was given on Friday, April 4, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry.

This course is designed to inspire and equip participants to walk in the supernatural charisms as a way of life, especially to evangelize and to build up the body of Christ. It expands on last year’s Advanced Charisms Course.

In this talk, Fr. Ed speaks about the relationship between word of knowledge and the power gifts (faith, healing, and miracles)

Key words: charismatic, charisms, faith, healing, miracles, salvation, Holy Spirit, Upper Room

This night exploring the issue of Homosexuality completes a three week series on Matrimony, Marriage and Homosexuality.  Brad Schmidt gave this talk at the Life Night on April 6, 2014.  Sapphire Harburg shared some of her experience in regards to this issue; her brother is gay and her initial reaction, as well as others' have helped her realize just how much we can grow in this area. We're called to love everyone, and that's not always the way our actions are received. 

The handout for this talk, including the answers to the questions that were submitted by the teens, is available for download at http://www.ctkcc.net/?p=1078514

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 30, 2014, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Like David, the Holy Spirit has rushed on us and empowered us to follow the Lord Jesus.

Key words: Surrender to God, Pentecost

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 23, 2014, the Third Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's Gospel describes the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus thirsts for our surrender and responds to it by giving us living water, the Holy Spirit.

Key words: Surrender to God, Pentecost

The fifth talk in the Walking in the Spiritual Gifts class, given by Fr. Ed Fride, pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church. This talk was given on Friday, March 28, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry.

This course is designed to inspire and equip participants to walk in the supernatural charisms as a way of life, especially to evangelize and to build up the body of Christ. It expands on last year’s Advanced Charisms Course.

Fr. Ed speaks about the charismatic word gifts (interpretation, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discernment, prophecy), especially in relation to evangelism.

Key words: charismatic, charisms, evangelism, Holy Spirit, Upper Room

In the second in a series of talks on Matrimony, Marriage and Homosexuality Brad Schmidt talked about the current state of marriage in our culture.  He made a case for marriage being a natural institution (not strictly religious or legal, but built into human nature), the attack being waged on marriage and family from the world, the flesh, and especially the devil, and how we as Christians can respond.  

We started a short series of nights on Holy Matrimony on March 23. 2014.  This first night explores the Sacrament itself, the beauty of Christian marriage, and the effects it has on the couple receiving it.  

The first talk on the Eucharist given by Dcn. Dan Foley for RCIA.

Talk given on Friday, March 21, 2014, by Dr. Ralph Martin as part of Christ the King Catholic Church's 2014 Parish Mission, "Living as a Catholic in Challenging Times." In this, the fourth and final talk of the mission, Ralph first reviews what has been discussed so far. He then talks about how the New Evangelization requires a New Pentecost to empower the laity to go forth and preach the good news. (There was no question and answer session following this talk.)

Ralph Martin is Associate Professor of Theology and Director of Graduate Programs in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. A well-known evangelist and long-time leader in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Dr. Martin is President of Renewal Ministries and host of the long-running EWTN program, "The Choices We Face." He was appointed in December 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI to a five-year term as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization and served as an "expert" for the World Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization.

Key words: evangelization, Pentecost, baptism in the Holy Spirit

Questions and answers following the third talk of Christ the King Catholic Church's 2014 Parish Mission, given on Wednesday, March 20, 2014, by Dr. Ralph Martin.

Talk given on Thursday, March 20, 2014, by Dr. Ralph Martin as part of Christ the King Catholic Church's 2014 Parish Mission, "Living as a Catholic in Challenging Times." In this, the third talk of the mission, Ralph first reviews what has been discussed so far, finishing with the third and fourth principles of the spiritual journey. Then, in the light of all that has been discussed thus far, he talks about the need for evangelization.

Ralph Martin is Associate Professor of Theology and Director of Graduate Programs in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. A well-known evangelist and long-time leader in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Dr. Martin is President of Renewal Ministries and host of the long-running EWTN program, "The Choices We Face." He was appointed in December 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI to a five-year term as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization and served as an "expert" for the World Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization.

Key words: evangelization

Questions and answers following the second talk of Christ the King Catholic Church's 2014 Parish Mission, given on Wednesday, March 19, 2014, by Dr. Ralph Martin.

Talk given on Wednesday, March 19, 2014, by Dr. Ralph Martin as part of Christ the King Catholic Church's 2014 Parish Mission, "Living as a Catholic in Challenging Times." In this, the second talk of the mission, Ralph talks about the need for holiness to stand fast in the midst of the challenges facing Catholics in our time.

Ralph Martin is Associate Professor of Theology and Director of Graduate Programs in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. A well-known evangelist and long-time leader in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Dr. Martin is President of Renewal Ministries and host of the long-running EWTN program, "The Choices We Face." He was appointed in December 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI to a five-year term as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization and served as an "expert" for the World Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization.

Key words: holiness, saints, union with God

Questions and answers following the first talk of Christ the King Catholic Church's 2014 Parish Mission, given on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, by Dr. Ralph Martin.

Talk given on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, by Dr. Ralph Martin as part of Christ the King Catholic Church's 2014 Parish Mission, "Living as a Catholic in Challenging Times." In this, the first talk of the mission, Ralph talks about the "big picture" of the challenges that Catholics and Christians are facing and will be facing in the days ahead.

Ralph Martin is Associate Professor of Theology and Director of Graduate Programs in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. A well-known evangelist and long-time leader in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Dr. Martin is President of Renewal Ministries and host of the long-running EWTN program, "The Choices We Face." He was appointed in December 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI to a five-year term as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization and served as an "expert" for the World Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization.

Key words: evangelization, spiritual warfare

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 16, 2014, the Second Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Transfiguration was a great gift to the disciples and to us. The Transfigured Lord revealed Himself in glory to strengthen the disciples for the Passion.

Key words: Transfiguration, conversion

The fourth talk in the Walking in the Spiritual Gifts class, given by Dr. Mary Healy, associate professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. This talk was given on Friday, March 14, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry.

This course is designed to inspire and equip participants to walk in the supernatural charisms as a way of life, especially to evangelize and to build up the body of Christ. It expands on last year’s Advanced Charisms Course.

Dr. Healy speaks of the gift of prophecy in both the broad and narrow senses of the term. Following her talk, the class engaged in an opportunity to exercise the gift of prophecy.

Key words: prophecy, spiritual gifts, charismatic, charisms, Holy Spirit, Upper Room

The fourth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, March 14, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Mary Russello explains the variety of charismatic gifts the Holy Spirit gives people and how to open up to baptism in the Holy Spirit through faith and repentance.

Key words: Holy Spirit, charisms, faith, repentance, Upper Room

Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, illness and suffering have been a part of the human condition because of sin.  Jesus has given us incredible gifts in these Sacraments, allowing for our bodies - but more importantly, our souls - to be healed and strengthened.  

Love and Logic for Teens three week program led by Gary Court and MC'd by Randy and Theresa Cirner. This is week two. The last 15 minutes of the session did not get recorded.

Love and Logic for Teens three week program led by Gary Court and MC'd by Randy and Theresa Cirner. This is week one.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 9, 2014, the First Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Lent is not a time to beat ourselves up so that at Easter we can say to God, You owe me. The Father delights to give us the Kingdom. We just need to open the door. 

Key words: Lent, evangelization

Homily given at the 7:30 p.m. Mass on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2014, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that Lent is a joyful season of preparation, not a time to beat ourselves up.

Key words: Lent, grace, prayer

The third talk in the Walking in the Spiritual Gifts class, given by Fr. Ed Fride, pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church. This talk was given on Friday, March 7, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry.

This course is designed to inspire and equip participants to walk in the supernatural charisms as a way of life, especially to evangelize and to build up the body of Christ. It expands on last year’s Advanced Charisms Course.

Fr. Ed speaks about the role of experience and our emotional lives in our relationships with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then he addresses the complementary relationship between the charismatic and contemplative aspects of our lives with God and a particular experience called being slain in, or resting in, the Holy Spirit or, as St. Teresa of Jesus referred to it, a suspension.

Key words: charismatic, charisms, Holy Spirit, Upper Room

The third talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, March 7, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. After an introduction by Jack Lynch, Jerry Schoenle offers a personal testimony of how he came into a new and deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit and how it has affected his life.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Upper Room

This "Issue Life Night" on March 9, 2014 was all about managing stress.  High school is a stressful time, but there are many things we stress out about that are unnecessary, and there are ways to reduce the stress we experience.  A panel of Core Members and Small Group Leaders presented this night including Mary Zahm, Becca Zahm, Frank Whiting, and Patrick Carroll.  After the presentation, we had a large-group discussion that gave the teens an opportunity to share some of their stresses and stress releif techniqus.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 2, 2014, the 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. Fr. Pat reflects on today's Gospel reading from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:24-34). It serves as a reality check, especially for those who are worriers.

Key words: worry, trust

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, March 1, 2014, the 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Richard Lobert, chaplain at Fr. Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor. Fr. Lobert reflects on the mystery of the personal love that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have for each of us. This love is at the heart of the Gospel and of the meaning of life itself.

Key words: love, Father, Jesus, Spirit

In January 2014, Christ the King conducted a Member Engagement Survey with the help of the Gallup organization. On Monday evening, March 3, 2014, Albert Winseman spoke at an all-parish meeting at Christ the King to discuss the process and present the results.

Albert Winseman is Gallup's Principal Consultant for faith-based organizations. He consults with congregations and parishes, denominations, dioceses, and religious organizations across the country, helping them put the power of engagement to work to improve their effectiveness. Winseman is author of Growing an Engaged Church and a co-author of Living Your Strengths, both available through Gallup Press. He lives in Omaha, Nebraska, where he also serves as pastor of a small Methodist church.

Key words: survey, member, engagement, Gallup

The second talk in the Walking in the Spiritual Gifts class, given by Dr. Mary Healy, associate professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. This talk was given on Friday, February 28, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry.

This course is designed to inspire and equip participants to walk in the supernatural charisms as a way of life, especially to evangelize and to build up the body of Christ. It expands on last year’s Advanced Charisms Course.

Dr. Healy speaks of the crucial role of both corporate and individual worship in walking in the spiritual gifts. (Note: The very beginning of the talk is, unfortunately, cut off and the opening minutes are somewhat distorted. The audio quality improves later in the talk.)

Key words: worship, spiritual gifts, charismatic, charisms, Holy Spirit, Upper Room

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, February 23, 2014, the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus calls us to treat each other with dignity and respect, since all bear the image and likeness of God. It requires a supernatural love, agape love, that is impossible for us on our own. We can love everyone in that way only by giving Him our lives and receiving the power of His love through the Holy Spirit.

Key words: dignity, respect, love, agape, Holy Spirit

The first talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given by Jack Lynch on Friday, February 21, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jack introduces the Life in the Spirit Seminar, presents an overview of prayer for a new Pentecost from popes of the last 50 years, describes how it relates to God’s love for us, and offers a personal testimony.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Upper Room, Life in the Spirit Seminar

The first talk in the Walking in the Spiritual Gifts class, given by Fr. Ed Fride, pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church. This talk was given on Friday, February 21, 2014, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry.

This course is designed to inspire and equip participants to walk in the supernatural charisms as a way of life, especially to evangelize and to build up the body of Christ. It expands on last year’s Advanced Charisms Course.

In the opening talk in this course, Fr. Ed speaks about the charismatic gifts listed in I Corinthians 12 and why they are especially needed in the Church today. 

Key words: charismatic, charisms, Holy Spirit, Upper Room

The Life Night on February 9, 2014 was all about the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Holy Orders.  We talked in-depth about what the Church means when she says that the Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life, and how the Sacrament of Holy Orders is a gift of order to the Church.  After this talk, the teens discussed ways to more fully enter into the Mass and gain an appreciation for the awesome power present in the Blessed Sacrament.

On January 30, 2013, Brad Schmidt gave a presentation to parents of 6-12 grade students about the issue of sexual purity among teens, and how parents can better equip their sons and daughters to deal with temptation in a healthy way. This is an updated version of the talk originally given in May of 2011.

The handout, listing online resources for parents and teens, as well as some guidance about how and when to address these issues is online at http://www.ctkcc.net/?p=940064. This handout also includes things to look for to help identify if this is an issue in your family.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, February 16, 2014, the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's first and second readings focus on wisdom. God's wisdom is objective and perfect. It will never fail you when you put it into practice.

Key words: wisdom, Scripture, trust, surrender to God

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, February 16, 2014, the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus gives us the choice to follow Him. We must freely choose to do so.

Key word: Evangelization

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, February 9, 2014, the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. On this World Marriage Weekend, Fr. Ed reminds us that the Catholic approach to Marriage is a great gift to us and to the world. Our approach to Marriage should be a light to the world. It's a gift that must be nourished by prayer.

Key word: Marriage

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, February 2, 2014, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Lord Jesus, the Light of the World, was presented in the Temple. We should present Him to the world, which is in darkness and in desperate need of His Light.

Key word: Presentation, Evangelization

The Life Night on February 9, 2014 was all about the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.  In addition to learning more about what the Sacraments accomplish, the teens explored ways to live out the graces from those Sacraments in their daily lives.

Fourth talk given at the 2014 Christ the King Men's Retreat on Saturday, February 1, 2014, by Dr. Edward Sri, Professor at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. The retreat was based on Dr. Edward Sri's book, "Men, Women and the Mystery of Love: Practical Insights from John Paul II's Love and Responsibility." None of our striving for virtue is possible without a deep prayer life. In his final talk, Dr. Sri discusses turning to the Lord in daily prayer to learn from Him what He wants us to focus on.

Key words: marriage, love, sexuality, John Paul II, Theology of the Body

Third talk given at the 2014 Christ the King Men's Retreat on Saturday, February 1, 2014, by Dr. Edward Sri, Professor at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. The retreat was based on Dr. Edward Sri's book, "Men, Women and the Mystery of Love: Practical Insights from John Paul II's Love and Responsibility." For most men, their sense of heroism, adventure, self-image, takes place away from home. But the real adventure, says Dr. Sri, takes place in our homes.

Key words: marriage, love, sexuality, John Paul II, Theology of the Body

Second talk given at the 2014 Christ the King Men's Retreat on Saturday, February 1, 2014, by Dr. Edward Sri, Professor at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. The retreat was based on Dr. Edward Sri's book, "Men, Women and the Mystery of Love: Practical Insights from John Paul II's Love and Responsibility." As he continues his reflections on John Paul II's Theology of the Body, Dr. Sri asks, "How can we as men live more to give ourselves to others?"

Key words: marriage, love, sexuality, John Paul II, Theology of the Body

First talk given at the 2014 Christ the King Men's Retreat on Friday, January 31, 2014, by Dr. Edward Sri, Professor at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. The retreat was based on Dr. Edward Sri's book, "Men, Women and the Mystery of Love: Practical Insights from John Paul II's Love and Responsibility." In his first talk, Dr. Sri reflects on five key pillars of John Paul II's Theology of the Body.

Key words: marriage, love, sexuality, John Paul II, Theology of the Body

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 29, 2013, the Feast of the Holy Family, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Love, joy and peace were the fundamental experience of the Holy Family, not because their circumstances were so wonderful, but because there were no bars to their love, joy and peace with each other. That is what our family life is meant to be. God gives us the grace of the Holy Spirit to make that possible.

Key words: Christmas, Holy Family, love, joy, peace

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 26, 2014, the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Gospel of John tells us that the light shines in the darkness. We must fan into a flame the gift we have been given so that our light can truly shine.

Key word: Holy Spirit, surrender to God

A talk given by Fr. Ed Fride, pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church, at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 19, 2014, as part of the Catholic World View series at Christ the King. There are adequate scientific and philosophical grounds for defending the humanity of pre-natal human beings. Fr. Ed reviews some of these grounds.

Key words: pro-life, CWV, Catholic vision, worldview

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 19, 2014, the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. When Mary visited Elizabeth, John the Baptist in Elizabeth's womb leaped for joy at the presence of Jesus in Mary's womb. The Church clearly defines the pre-natal child as a human being from the moment of conception.

Key word: pro-life

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, January 4, 2014, the Solemnity of the Epiphany, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. The feasts we celebrate in the season of Christmas reveal God to all mankind. That revelation should change our lives. We need to quiet our hearts like the Magi and look outside of ourselves to be free from ourselves and to experience the love of Christ. We are called to faith, adoration, and evangelization.

Key words: Christmas, Jesus, evangelization, worship, faith, surrender to God

We explored the nature of the Sacraments and the Sacramental Economy in our first Life Night in the Sacraments Semester.  

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 12, 2014, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jesus, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Reflecting on the Baptism of the Lord Jesus, Fr. Ed reminds us that we are called to be responsible citizens as we live out our call to be the light of the world.

Key words: responsible citizenship, justice, ministry, baptism

We began the Winter Semester with a night that got posponed due to weather last fall.  This "Issue Life Night" about Life Skills challenged the teens to live lives that are truly great, starting with small decisions every day.  Jeff Bachelor gave the talk, with Patrick Carroll, Mary Zahm and Alyssa Diroff contributing their advice.  The teens broke into their small groups after the talk to apply it to their lives (and reconnect after a long break).

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 5, 2014, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. To correctly understand the mystery of the Incarnation, we need to understand the Epiphany. Fr. Pat helps us come to a deeper understanding of this complex feast.

Key words: Incarnation, Christmas, Epiphany, manifestation, kingship, Gentiles, nations, magi, light, royal wedding

Homily given at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Wednesday, January 1, 2014, the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. As we enter into the new year, we are all called to have a new beginning, a new start. Let's take the grace given us and, like the shepherds, make Jesus known to the world with great joy.

Key words: Incarnation, Christmas, Jesus, Mary, evangelization, conversion, faith, joy

Homily given at the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Tuesday, December 31, 2013, the Vigil of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, by Dcn. Gerry Holowicki, Christ the King Catholic Church. On this, the final day of the Christmas Octave, Dcn. Gerry continues to reflect on the wonder of the Incarnation of the Word of God and its meaning for our lives.

Key words: Christmas, Incarnation, Mary, Jesus, Christ, humility, peace, joy, love

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 29, 2013, the Feast of the Holy Family, by Dcn. Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Lou reflects on how things have changed in family life from years ago to the present. The family is the basis of our American society. We need to model the Holy Family in order to make the family pleasing to God and to strengthen our nation.

Key words: Christmas, Holy Family, surrender to God, Scripture, change

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, December 28, 2013, the Feast of the Holy Family, by Dcn. John Ozog, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. John explores the primary purpose of the Church in instituting and promoting this feast, that is, to present the Holy Family as the model for all Christian families. 

Key words: Christmas, Holy Family, humility, obedience

Homily given at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Wednesday, December 25, 2013, Christmas Day, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus is God the Son, the Word of God the Father made flesh. Jesus has come to reveal the Father's love. We often place ourselves in front of God. We need to place Jesus first and let His mercy, forgiveness, and love be in us so that we can give it to the world.

Key words: Incarnation, Christmas, Jesus, love, mercy, forgiveness, evangelization, surrender to God

Homily given at the 8:00 p.m. Mass on Tuesday, December 24, 2013, the Vigil of Christmas, by Dcn. Dan Foley, Christ the King Catholic Church. We live in a society that tries to cover over the most important questions of life, including our need for a Savior. Why should you believe that this baby of Bethlehem is the real Savior that the world has been waiting for?

Key words: Incarnation, Christmas, Jesus, Savior

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Tuesday, December 24, 2013, the Vigil of Christmas, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The gift of the Incarnation is deeper union with the King, who loves us so much as to become one with us.

Key words: Christmas, Incarnation, Jesus, joy

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 15, 2013, the Third Sunday of Advent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. On Gaudete Sunday, we are commanded to rejoice. The Church's vision for ecumenism, the last principle in the Christ the King Mission Statement, is one of the reasons we can rejoice. All who are baptized are our brothers and sisters in Christ and so are family to us.

Key words: rejoice, Gaudete Sunday, ecumenism, mission

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 8, 2013, the Second Sunday of Advent, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. This season is about hope, and hope is given to us by the Lord. We need hope, especially when facing difficult situations.

Key words: hope, trust, love, Advent

To wrap up the Life Teen semester on the Church, we briefly surveyed the 2000 year history of the Church, highlighting evidence of the Holy Spirit's guidance and protection, even in the midst of terrible threats to her very existence.  The talk is intended to help the teens develop a deep trust in the Holy Sprirt to make the Church the place to turn to in difficult times, to trust Her guidance, and to help them remember to have hope in the midst of difficulty.  After the talk, the teens went into small groups to discuss practical applications from the talk.

Presentation made by Fr. Carlos Martin of the Companions of the Cross at Christ the King Catholic Church on Sunday, November 24, 2013. For more information about this ministry, go to www.treasuresofthechurch.com.

Key words: relics, saints

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 1, 2013, the First Sunday of Advent, by Dcn. Dan Foley, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Dan reflects on Advent as a season of hope, hope not just in this world, but in the only hope that cannot disappoint us: God alone.

Key words: Advent, hope, conversion

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 1, 2013, the First Sunday of Advent, by Dcn. John Ozog, Christ the King Catholic Church. As we start the new liturgical year, Dcn. John invites us to reflect on what we need to do to prepare for the coming of Jesus, not only at Christmas, but at the end of our lives and the end of time.

Keywords: Advent, Jesus, coming, prepare, Christmas, death, Confession, eternal life

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 24, 2013, the Solemnity of Christ the King, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reminds us that this feast is an invitation to us to look at our relationship with Jesus and see if He is reigning as King in our lives. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to live a life surrendered to the Lord Jesus.

Key words: charismatic, Jesus, Christ, King, Lord, Holy Spirit

The seventh and final talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, November 22, 2013, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jack Lynch, using the words of Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, encourages us to allow the fire of the Holy Spirit to burn deep within our lives, transforming them permanently for God. After reviewing ways to grow in the life in the Spirit, he then speaks on some of the temptations and trials that we will face going forward in our lives with God and encourages everyone to bear fruit through perseverance.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Upper Room

Question and answer session held after the fifth and final talk on Sunday morning, Nov. 17, 2013, at the Christ the King 2013 Women's Retreat on "Interior Freedom" by Fr. Jacques Philippe, a priest of the Community of the Beatitudes, an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right, founded in France in 1973. (Fr. Jacques gave the talks in French. They were translated into English by Sr. Clare, another member of the Community of the Beatitudes.)

Key words: freedom, retreat, Beatitudes, Jacques Philippe

Fifth talk, given on Sunday morning, Nov. 17, 2013, at the Christ the King 2013 Women's Retreat on "Interior Freedom" by Fr. Jacques Philippe, a priest of the Community of the Beatitudes, an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right, founded in France in 1973. (Fr. Jacques gave the talks in French. They were translated into English by Sr. Clare, another member of the Community of the Beatitudes.)

Key words: freedom, retreat, Beatitudes, Jacques Philippe

Fourth talk, given on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 16, 2013, at the Christ the King 2013 Women's Retreat on "Interior Freedom" by Fr. Jacques Philippe, a priest of the Community of the Beatitudes, an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right, founded in France in 1973. (Fr. Jacques gave the talks in French. They were translated into English by Sr. Clare, another member of the Community of the Beatitudes.)

Key words: freedom, retreat, Beatitudes, Jacques Philippe

Third talk, given on Saturday morning, Nov. 16, 2013, at the Christ the King 2013 Women's Retreat on "Interior Freedom" by Fr. Jacques Philippe, a priest of the Community of the Beatitudes, an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right, founded in France in 1973. (Fr. Jacques gave the talks in French. They were translated into English by Sr. Clare, another member of the Community of the Beatitudes.)

Key words: freedom, retreat, Beatitudes, Jacques Philippe

Second talk, given on Saturday morning, Nov. 16, 2013, at the Christ the King 2013 Women's Retreat on "Interior Freedom" by Fr. Jacques Philippe, a priest of the Community of the Beatitudes, an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right, founded in France in 1973. (Fr. Jacques gave the talks in French. They were translated into English by Sr. Clare, another member of the Community of the Beatitudes.)

Key words: freedom, retreat, Beatitudes, Jacques Philippe

First talk, given on Friday evening, Nov. 15, 2013, at the Christ the King 2013 Women's Retreat on "Interior Freedom" by Fr. Jacques Philippe, a priest of the Community of the Beatitudes, an international association of the faithful of Pontifical Right, founded in France in 1973. (Fr. Jacques gave the talks in French. They were translated into English by Sr. Clare, another member of the Community of the Beatitudes.)

Key words: freedom, retreat, Beatitudes, Jacques Philippe

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 17, 2013, the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus promised that He will return and that we cannot know the day or the hour. If we are living each day for Him, then it shouldn't matter that we don't know the date and time, because we will be ready. 

Key words: readiness, return, Second Coming, Eucharist, Adoration, Bible

The sixth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, November 15, 2013, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jerry Schoenle speaks on how to grow in the life of the Holy Spirit following the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Upper Room

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 10, 2013, the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Today's first reading from the Second book of Maccabees (2 Macc. 7:1-2, 9-14) gives the story of the martyrdom of a mother and her seven sons who chose to remain faithful to the Lord. We as a parish must support our families, as stated in the 8th principle of the Christ the King Mission Statement, as they prepare their children to live and witness to the Gospel. (For Fr. Ed's reflections on the Parish Mission Statement, go to www.ctkcc.net.)

Key words: family, witness, mission

The fifth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, November 8, 2013, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Before seminar participants are prayed with for the Baptism in the Spirit, Jack Lynch gives a short introductory talk to put this prayer in context for Catholics.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, praying in tongues, Upper Room

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 3, 2013, the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. Fr. Pat reflects on the readings of the day, especially the Gospel story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). He asks, "What can we learn from Zacchaeus?"

Key words: conversion, humility, surrender to God

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 2, 2013, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day), by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. God is a God of justice and mercy. He gives us hope as we celebrate All Saints Day on November 1. He shows us mercy on All Souls Day, while at the same time showing us that all sin, even the least, is a great offense to God. In His mercy, He provides Purgatory; justice and mercy give us the proper understanding of Purgatory.

Key words: saints, sin, Purgatory, love, hope, trust, thankfulness

Homily given at the noon Mass on Friday, November 1, 2013, the Solemnity of All Saints, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The lives of the saints, both here on earth and in Heaven, were filled with the love, joy and peace of the Holy Spirit because they pursued Jesus with all their hearts. We should live in such a way as to join the saints in Heaven at the moment of our death. With their help, we can.

Key words: All Saints, love, joy, peace, Heaven

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 27, 2013, the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. In today's Gospel, we are reminded that our relationship with God is all about His mercy toward us, a mercy that we are called to share with others by serving the needy. Serving those in need is built into the Jewish and Christian understanding of how God would have us relate to others. It's also reflected in the 11th principle of the Christ the King Mission Statement. (For Fr. Ed's reflections on the Parish Mission Statement, go to www.ctkcc.net.)

Key words: service, mission

The fourth talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, October 25, 2013, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jerry Schoenle speaks about how to prepare for Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Key words: repentance, faith, prayer, Holy Spirit, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Upper Room

Sunday, October 27

Brad Schmidt presented on the Communion of Saints as the Church Semester progressed.  Before the small groups met, he talked about the Church Militant, the Church Suffering and the Church Triumphant and how they're related.  After the small group discussions, we talked about Mary as the ultimate Saint, and Mother of the Church.  Erin Jobst shared a testimony of Mary's intervention in her life at the end.

The third talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given on Friday, October 18, 2013, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. After a brief introduction by Jack Lynch, Laurie Johnson speaks on finding new life through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Upper Room

Talk by Gary Court on Thursday, October 17, 2013, Week Two of the three-week Love and Logic(R) presentation at Christ the King facilitated by Therese Cirner. For more information, go to www.loveandlogic.com.

Key words: parenting, children

Part 2 of a two-part talk given at Christ the King Catholic Church on Wednesday, October 16, 2013, by Sr. John Dominic, O.P., Principal of the Spiritus Sanctus Academy on Joy Road in Ann Arbor and one of the foundresses of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. Sr. John Dominic speaks about a program developed at Spiritus Sanctus Academy designed to integrate living a virtuous life into faith formation. For more information about the program, go to www.educationinvirtue.com.

If you are interested in taking this course as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact the Christ the King Religious Education secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: virtue, faith, disciples

Part 1 of a two-part talk given at Christ the King Catholic Church on Wednesday, October 16, 2013, by Sr. John Dominic, O.P., Principal of the Spiritus Sanctus Academy on Joy Road in Ann Arbor and one of the foundresses of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. Sr. John Dominic speaks about a program developed at Spiritus Sanctus Academy designed to integrate living a virtuous life into faith formation. For more information about the program, go to www.educationinvirtue.com.

If you are interested in taking this course as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact the Christ the King Religious Education secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: virtue, faith, disciples

October 20, 2013

The next Life Night in the semester on the Church focused on the necessity of the Church for salvation and the concept of Ecumenism.  The teens heard a (longer than normal) talk given by Brad Schmidt, and explored the concept further in Scripture with their small groups.  

Part 2 of a talk given on Saturday, September 28, 2013, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Mass, Liturgy, Eucharist, Paschal Mystery

Part 1 of a talk given on Saturday, September 28, 2013, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Mass, Liturgy, Eucharist, Paschal Mystery

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, October 12, 2013, the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. In today's first reading, Naaman is healed of leprosy through Elisha's intercession. Throughout history, the Lord has raised up intercessors for us, especially the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Key words: prayer, intercession, Mary

Talk by Gary Court on Thursday, October 10, 2013, Week One of the three-week Love and Logic(R) presentation at Christ the King facilitated by Therese Cirner. For more information, go to www.loveandlogic.com.

Key words: parenting, children

October 13, 2013 was our first "Issue Night" of the year.  Issue nights take a break from our semester curriculum to address a topic that is pressing in the lives of the teens.  

This night focused on the basics of the dignity of the human person, particularly in how we relate to one another.  This talk was given by Mary Zahm, Bethany Bonenfant and Melisa Carnacchi.  

Following the talk, the teens broke into their small groups to explore the dignity of the human person in Sacred Scripture and discuss how it applies to their lives right now.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, October 6, 2013, the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus invites us to a deep, personal friendship with Him, which is essentially nourished by our prayer.

Key words: prayer, perseverance

The first talk in the Life in the Spirit Seminar, given by Jack Lynch on Friday, October 4, 2013, at Christ the King Catholic Church as part of the Upper Room Ministry. Jack introduces the Life in the Spirit Seminar and shares some of his personal experience.

Key words: Holy Spirit, Upper Room, Life in the Spirit Seminar

October 6, 2013 was the third Life Night in a series on the Church for the high school students at Christ the King (The first two nights - the Nature of the Church and the Mission of the Church were not recorded).  The Hierarchy of the Church, instituted by Christ as well as the vocation of the laity were explored in depth, both through this teaching and small-group Bible study.

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 29, 2013, the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. Pope Francis, like Jesus, sometimes says things that are confusing and can be misinterpreted by those listening. Fr. Pat reflects on some of his recent statements and provides us with insights to help us understand him correctly.

Key words: Pope Francis, interview, America, hierarchy of truths, abortion, gay marriage, mercy

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 22, 2013, the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. To be children of the light in the midst of the darkened world, we must be well-formed in the Scripture.

Key words: Scripture, discipleship

Homily given at a Mass held on Wednesday, September 18, 2013, for the parents and sponsors of those in the Confirmation class by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed speaks of the Sacrament of Confirmation and its intrinsic connection to Pentecost.

Key words: Confirmation, Pentecost, Holy Spirit

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 15, 2013, the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, we see that the Father's heart is filled with mercy towards us. Learning of His mercy, and of all the teachings of the Church, empowers us to live in the heart of the Church.

Key words: mercy, Prodigal Son, Magisterium, mission

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 8, 2013, the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Every other relationship must be second to our relationship with the Lord Jesus. He must be at the center of our lives, just as Jesus Christ, the Eucharistic Lord, is the sacramental heart of the Church. To keep Him at the center of our lives, we need to take advantage of all the resources that He makes available to us at the heart of His Church.

Key words: Eucharist, Church, surrender, mission

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 1, 2013, the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches about humility. We overcome pride and are empowered to live the humility of the Lord Jesus by fully surrendering our lives to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to fully empower us to live for Him. The opening sentence of our mission statement underscores our need to be "surrendered to the Lord Jesus, in the power of His Holy Spirit, in the heart of His Church."

Key words: pride, humility, Holy Spirit, mission

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 25, 2013, the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time and Welcome Weekend at Christ the King, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. As we surrender our lives to the Lord Jesus, we grow in love and are able to welcome those the Lord Jesus sends to us.

Keywords: surrender to God, welcome

Homily given at the 7:30 p.m. Mass on Thursday, August 15, 2013, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. Fr. Pat reflects on the doctrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Assumption into Heaven and asks, "How strongly are you looking forward to Heaven?"

Keywords: Assumption, Mary, Heaven, saints

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 18, 2013, the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. Today's readings tell us to expect challenges in following God, but if we call to Him, He will rescue us. God in His mercy repeatedly bails us out. Keep your eyes on the goal and persevere. Our faith is proven through struggles, and God is with us in our struggles.

Keywords: faith, mercy, perseverance

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, August 17, 2013, the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Nicholas Kiruma, Chaplain at Spiritus Sanctus Academy. Fr. Nicholas reflects on how today's readings urge us to be steadfast in our witness to Christ, even to the point of shedding our blood. We must ask the Holy Spirit to set us on fire with love of God's will and to make us strong to the end.

Keyword: faith, witness, martyr

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 11, 2013, the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Joe Gates, newly-ordained priest of the Diocese of Venice, Florida. Fr. Joe reflects on how we must always keep the lamps of our faith burning brightly throughout our lives, to be a light to others and to show that we are ready for the Lord's return, for we never know when the Lord Jesus may come for us.

Keyword: faith

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 11, 2013, the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed speaks of the battle that we're in, a battle that requires a strong faith in Jesus, a faith that we need to have the courage to share with others.

Keywords: faith, courage

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, August 10, 2013, the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Nicholas Kiruma, Chaplain at Spiritus Sanctus Academy. Fr. Nicholas reflects on the gift of faith in Jesus and our need to be faithful stewards of that gift.

Keyword: faith, stewardship

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 4, 2013, the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. John Ozog, Christ the King Catholic Church. Our lives are on loan from God and we don't know when they will be demanded back. Dcn. John asks, "If your life is demanded of you by God, are you prepared?" He discusses ways to get ready.

Keyword: Jesus, faithfulness, holiness, readiness, death

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, August 3, 2013, the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Fr. Ed reflects on today's readings, exhorting us to be faithful to the Lord at all times and always ready to meet Him face to face.

Keyword: Solomon, Jesus, faithfulness, readiness, death

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 28, 2013, the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Abraham is the classic example of someone who perseveres in prayer. Jesus also tells parable after parable about the importance of praying and not giving up. The only way to fail as a Christian is to give up. So pray, and don't stop!

Keyword: prayer, perseverance

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 21, 2013, the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Andrew Brinkman, newly ordained priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Fr. Andrew recalls the love that Jesus had for His friends Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. He wants us, too, to be His friends, to be with Him, to let Him love us.

Key words: Jesus, love, friendship, Adoration, Eucharist

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 14, 2013, the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus is the Good Samaritan who stopped when we were half-dead through our sin and cared for us. Have faith and trust in Him.

Keyword: faith, trust, Good Samaritan

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, July 7, 2013, the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. In today's Gospel, the Lord Jesus offers us peace and tells us to offer peace to others. But what does peace mean? Fr. Pat explores that question.

Keyword: peace, truth, joy, harmony

Homily given on Monday, June 10, 2013, by Fr. Mark Rutherford at the funeral Mass for his father, Brad Rutherford. At the end of the recording are comments made by Fr. Mark after Communion.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 23, 2013, the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus wants the world to be brought fully into His Kingdom. We are called to live as responsible citizens, bringing our Catholic values into the public square.

Keywords: good citizenship, Fortnight for Freedom

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 16, 2013, the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time and Father's Day, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. We all desperately need the forgiveness of God, we need a savior. Jesus forgives us whenever we ask and loves us beyond words.

Keywords: forgiveness, mercy, fatherhood

Talk given on Saturday, June 15, 2013, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This is the third lesson in a multi-part series on Methodology, to be given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan, in June 2013.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Keywords: learning styles, catechesis, methodology, catechist, training

Talk given on Saturday, June 15, 2013, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This is the first lesson in a multi-part series on Methodology, to be given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan, in June 2013.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Keywords: catechesis, methodology, catechist, training, vocation

Talk given on Saturday, June 15, 2013, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This is the first talk in a multi-part series on Methodology, to be given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan, in June 2013.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Keywords: catechesis, methodology, catechist training

Part 2 of a talk given on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Sacraments, Sacramental Life

Part 1 of a talk given on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, Sacraments, Sacramental Life

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 9, 2013, the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Dcn. Greg VandeVoorde, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the widow and her dead son, and raised her son back to life. We, like Jesus, must be moved with compassion over those around us who are spiritually dead and bring them to Jesus so that they, too, can be brought to life in Him.

Keywords: evangelization, resurrection

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 9, 2013, the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The evils in the world, including sickness and death, did not come as a consequence of God's choices, but of Adam and Eve's and ours. We have chosen to walk away from God, and we reap the fruits of those choices. But the power of the Resurrection, if we choose to accept it, can change our hearts and strengthen us to build the Kingdom and to serve, including service to the poor.

Keywords: service to the poor, Resurrection, Kingdom of God

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, June 2, 2013, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. The Eucharistic Lord Jesus is the center of our lives. People in Jesus' time, as people today, had a difficult time accepting the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. They didn't understand how He could give them His Body and Blood to eat, and so they walked away (John 6:66). If we don't understand how Jesus is going to do something that He says He wants to do, we need to simply ask for more faith and trust Him.

Keyword: Eucharist, Corpus Christi, trust

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 26, 2013, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, by Fr. Ronald of the Servants of Charity. Fr. Ronald reflects on the profound truth of the Trinity, one God in three Persons. He notes that, although we cannot say how the Trinity works, we can say why we believe in the Trinity.

Key words: Trinity

Talk given at "Using Calm, Cool Logic to Dismantle Pro-Choice Views," a Young Adult Pro-Life Conference held at Christ the King Catholic Church on March 9, 2013. Dr. Clint Olson is a convert to Catholicism who is currently a seminarian at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. The three questions that he addresses from a medical perspective are, When does human life begin? Is the embryo or fetus inside the womb really a human person? and What are the complications associated with abortion that make it a harmful procedure, not just for the child, but for the woman?

Key words: abortion, life, conception, pro-life, pro-choice, pro-abortion, embryo, fetus, personhood

Talk given at "Using Calm, Cool Logic to Dismantle Pro-Choice Views," a Young Adult Pro-Life Conference held at Christ the King Catholic Church on March 9, 2013. Fr. Ed Fride is pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, MI. If we base our arguments against abortion simply on Church teaching, then those who do not accept Church teaching will not be convinced. We need to also be able to appeal to logic, science and philosophy. Fr. Ed describes the fallacious philosophy behind some of the pro-abortion arguments. He then answers questions from the audience at the end of the talk.

Key words: abortion, life, philosophy, pro-life, pro-choice, pro-abortion

Talk given at "Using Calm, Cool Logic to Dismantle Pro-Choice Views," a Young Adult Pro-Life Conference held at Christ the King Catholic Church on March 9, 2013. Lia Mills is a teenager from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who, as a 12-year-old, wrote a speech on abortion for a speech contest at her school. Her parents posted a video of her giving the talk on YouTube, where it has generated more that 1 million views. Since then, Lia has become a powerful defender for life, speaking out through her video blog on many of the key issues facing today's society.

In this talk, Lia reviews and addresses many of the pro-choice arguments, focusing especially on the key questions, is the unborn child a human being, and is the unborn child a human person.

Key words: abortion, pro-life, pro-choice, pro-abortion, personhood, unborn, child, baby, fetus

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 19, 2013, the Solemnity of Pentecost, by Dcn. John Ozog, newly ordained Permanent Deacon for the Diocese of Lansing. After thanking all those who supported him in his vocational journey to the permanent diaconate, Dcn. John recounted his own vocational story and the peace and joy that comes from doing God's will and calling upon the Holy Spirit for help.

Keyword: vocation, deacon, priest, Holy Spirit, God's will, joy, peace

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 19, 2013, the Solemnity of Pentecost, by Dcn. James Rolph, newly ordained transitional deacon for the Diocese of Lansing. Jesus said in today's Gospel, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." We cannot accomplish our mission to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the aroma of Christ, without the Holy Spirit.

Keyword: Pentecost, Holy Spirit, light, mission, surrender

Talk given at the Upper Room prayer meeting on Pentecost Weekend, Friday, May 17, 2013, by Dr. Mary Healy, Christ the King parishioner and Associate Professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. Dr. Healy speaks about the impartation of the Holy Spirit in Scripture and what it means for our lives.

Key words: Holy Spirit, impartation, charisms, evangelism, Upper Room

On April 28, 2013, Therese Cirner, LPC, NCC spoke to parents of middle and high school students about helping their teens transition from childhood to adulthood. She covered several topics like discipline, natural consequences, age-appropriate freedoms and expections.

Contact Therese at:

734.477.9020, or tcirner at yahoo dot com

The handouts for this talk are available online at http://www.rc.net/lansing/ctk/lifeteen/transitioning_to_adulthood_handouts.pdf.

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 28, 2013, the Fifth Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. Jesus in today's Gospel calls us to love one another as He has loved us. We cannot do that on our own. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to love as He loved. When the world sees this love in us, it will move them to conversion.

Keyword: love, conversion, Easter

A talk given at Christ the King Catholic Church on Thursday, April 25, 2013, by Tim Carpenter, Director of Religious Education at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Howell, MI. This talk focuses on the Acts of the Apostles and letters of the New Testament, one of the Bible topics required by the Diocese of Lansing for catechist certification.

If you are interested in taking this course as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact the Christ the King Religious Education secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: Bible, New Testament, Acts, letters, epistles

Part One of a two-part talk given at Christ the King Catholic Church on Thursday, April 18, 2013, by Tim Carpenter, Director of Religious Education at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Howell, MI. This talk provides an overview of the Old Testament, its themes and key people, one of the Bible topics required by the Diocese of Lansing for catechist certification.

Part 2 of a talk given on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, anointing, sick, suffering, redemptive, healing, "offering it up"

Part 1 of a talk given on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, by Professor Barbara Morgan. This talk is one of a multi-part series of talks on Doctrine, given at Christ the King Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

If you are interested in taking this series as part of the process for Diocese of Lansing Catechist Certification, please contact Barbara Morgan's secretary, Maryn Hasey, at mhasey@ctkcc.net.

Key words: doctrine, anointing, sick, suffering, redemptive, healing, "offering it up"

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 21, 2013, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. In the Gospel for this Sunday, the annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations, we read that Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice." (John 10:27) If we draw close to the Lord Jesus, we will hear His voice, and He can guide us, especially in regard to our vocations.

Keyword: vocations, conversion, prayer, shepherd, Easter

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 14, 2013, the Third Sunday of Easter, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. As St. Paul points out in his letter to the Romans, "The love of God is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Rom. 5:5) It's this love, which they received when the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost, that impelled the Apostles to witness to Jesus, even at the risk of their lives. Do we love Jesus enough to live for Him, even to suffer for Him? Fr. Ed points to the example of Fr. Emil Kapaun, a US Army chaplain who died as a Prisoner of War in North Korea in 1951 and whose cause for canonization has been introduced in the Church.

Keyword: Easter, witness, evangelization, surrender to God, Holy Spirit, love, Kapaun

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on April 7, 2013, the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday) by Fr. Pat Egan, Chaplain at Ave Maria Radio. The Resurrection of Jesus ushers in a whole new era of Divine Mercy. Mercy is love's response to suffering, especially the suffering caused by sin. We see an example of that mercy in His response to Thomas, and to us.

Keyword: Easter, Divine Mercy

Homily given at the 8:45 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 7, 2013, the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday), by Fr. Richard Lobert, Chaplain, Fr. Gabriel Richard High School, Ann Arbor. Fr. Lobert rejoices in the wonderful, marvelous knowledge given to us through the Resurrection of Jesus. Then, recalling that today's Gospel is about the "doubting Thomas," he reflects on doubt and some of the things we can do to overcome it.

Key words: Easter, doubt, faith, joy

Homily given at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, April 6, 2013, the Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday), by Dcn. Lou Russello, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Lou reminds us that we are more than conquerors through the death and resurrection of Jesus! He shares a striking example of someone who put his trust in Jesus' Divine Mercy in the face of Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Key words: Easter, Divine Mercy, trust, Scripture

Homily given at the 11:30 First Communion Mass on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013, by Dcn. Gerry Holowicki, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Gerry asks the First Communicants about the Easter Gospel and Jesus, Who they are about to receive for the first time in the Eucharist. (This recording starts after Dcn. Gerry's dialogue with the children had already begun.) He then addresses the adults, calling them to a new or renewed commitment to Jesus, inviting Him to make His home in their hearts.

Keywords: Easter, Communion, Eucharist, Jesus

Homily given at the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, March 30, 2013, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. When Jesus rose from the dead and then sent His Holy Spirit on His followers at Pentecost, they could not help but share the good news with other people. We, too, are called to share the good news with others.

Keyword: Easter, evangelization

Homily given at the 2:30 p.m. Liturgy on Good Friday, March 29, 2013, the commemoration of the Passion of the Lord Jesus, by Dcn. Greg VandeVoorde, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Greg reflects on some of the depths of meaning in the fact that Jesus shed His blood for us.

Key words: Precious Blood, Passion, suffering, death, Cross

Homily given at the 7:30 p.m. Mass on Holy Thursday, March 28, 2013, the Mass of the Lord's Supper, by Dcn. Larry Randolph, Christ the King Catholic Church. Dcn. Larry reflects on Jesus' testament, given just before He died, in which He gave us the greatest gift of all: Himself in the Eucharist.

Key words: Eucharist, priesthood, Holy Thursday, Last Supper

Homily given at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 24, 2013, Palm (Passion) Sunday, by Fr. Ed Fride, Pastor, Christ the King Catholic Church. What do we expect as we enter this holiest week of the year? Over and over, the Lord exceeds our expectations, as the popes of the last 60 years have demonstrated. This week we should have greater expectations of what the Savior has for us. He loves to save and we need Him to save us. Let's surrender our lives to Him and open our hearts to all the love and gifts that He wants to bring.