Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1213)

What to Expect 

In seeking the sacrament of baptism for your child, Holy Family Parish requires that parents and godparents attend a Baptism preparation class prior to the baptism of their child.  These sessions are led by a member of our clergy.  They are typically held on the second Sunday of the month at 1:30pm, and the topic and location are alternated within our family of parishes.

• In the class we talk about why the Church baptizes infants (when many other Christian traditions do not), the role of the godparents and their very real responsibilities, and we touch on some of the challenges to raising up a child to have faith in a culture that is often hostile to a spiritual life.   We also talk through what to expect at the baptism and share an explanation of the symbols employed in the celebration of the Sacrament. 

1. They must be fully initiated, if married, then married sacramentally and living a life in accord with their Catholic Faith.
2. Must be at least 16 years of age
3. May not be the parent of of the person being Baptized.
4. Godparents are asked to affirm their eligibility by completing a form which they bring to their pastor for his signature.

Jesus is truly, really, and substantially here on earth. Through the actions of the Holy Spirit, he is found under the appearance of bread and wine in the Eucharist - the body and blood, souland divinity of Christ. It is the sacrifice of Christ in our own time . 

Since the Eucharist truly is Christ, it is the source and summit of Christian life.  Every action of the Church that is motivated by grace, whether of sacrament or ministry, is tied to this sacrifice (Introduction to Catholocism, The Didache Series).

What to Expect

Children preparing for First Eucharist enroll in our Family Faith Formation program and are prepared during the course of the year for the sacrament alongside their family formation experience.  Please refer to our Faith Formation Page for information on our Family Faith Formation program.

Adults who may have been baptized in the Catholic Church but have not received their first communion may enter the RCIA (Right of Christian Initiation for Adults) process.  For more information head to the RCIA tab on this page or contact Jeff Domsic, Director of Faith Formation at (810) 392-2056.

Confirmation is the sacrament that gives people courage: courage to do what they know is right, even when others mock their beliefs; courage to defend the truth, even when people deny that such a thing as truth exists; courage to profess their faith in Jesus, even when no one else around them believes.

What to Expect

Students preparing for Confirmation enroll in our Family Faith Formation program and are prepared over the course of two years alongside their family formation experience.  Please refer to our Faith Formation Page for information on our Family Faith Formation program.

Adults who desire to receive the sacrament of Confirmation, who have been baptized in the Catholic Church and received their first Eucharist,  may enter a 6 week program that takes place twice a year; once in the fall leading up to the Feast of Christ the King (November 22, 2020) and the second in the spring leading up to Pentecost (May 23, 2021).  For more information on adult confirmation please contact Jeff Domsic, Director of Faith Formation at (810) 392-2056.

Why Does the Catholic Church Have Confession
(or Reconciliation)?

Many people associate the Catholic Church with guilt.  The Church, they feel, makes unreasonable demands on how people should act.  When a person fails to live up to these demands, they say, the Church makes them admit to a priest how they have sinned, causing humiliation and shame.

But this is not the case at all. Every person has a sense of right and wrong.  The guilty feelings we get come not from some person or group outside ourselves scolding us, calling us sinner. Rather, the guilty feelings come from inside ourselves because we know, in our hearts, that we have done wrong, that we have offended the Lord - for our consciences tell us so. 

By offering us the Sacrament of Penance, God works through his Church to offer us healing and a way to clear our consciences. Through this sacrament, we are given an opportunity to turn back to God (Introduction to Catholocism, The Didache Series).

What to Expect

Confession Times at Holy Family

"Be courageous, and go to confession. Do not be afraid of Confession! One who is in line to confess himself feels all these things - even shame - but then, when he finishes confessing, he leaves free, great, beautiful, forgiven, [...] happy."  - Pope Francis

"Is any among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed" - James 5:14-16

Anointing of the Sick is a Sacrament of Healing that gives health of soul and sometimes body by prayer and annointing with oil.  Its purpose is to confer special grace on Christians who are suffering from grave illness or the exhaustion of old age.  In simple terms, Anointing of the Sick helps to heal the ill person physically, or it gives grace that allows him to accept God's will and die a good death (Introduction to Catholocism, The Didache Series).

What to Expect

If there is a need for Anointing of the Sick via hospital or home visit, please notify the Parish Office by calling (810) 392-2056.  

Congratulations on your engagement!  Now that you're engaged and you've chosen a date, it's time to book the church and the hall, right?  Well...almost!  Before you schedule any venue, let us walk you through the process of marriage preparation at Holy Family Parish.

What to Expect

In accordance with the guidelines of the Province of Michigan, engaged couples are to contact the Parish office a minimum of six months prior to the desired date of the wedding and complete the required preparation below. We recommend that couples be active parishioners at Holy Family or at another parish for at least one year prior to the wedding date. 

Your Wedding Date:
It is highly recommended that nothing be booked prior to getting confirmation of a wedding date from Holy Family.  A date should be set only after checking the availability of both the Church and the Pastor, as well as meeting with the Pastor or Presider.  Friday weddings are available at 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm.  Saturday weddings are available at 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm.  

Wedding Rehearsals:
The parish calendar must always be checked before scheduling a rehearsal and our wedding coordinators can help you with this. Wedding rehearsals are typically scheduled on the Thursday evening prior to the wedding date at 5:00 pm or 5:30 pm.  Friday evening rehearsals may also be scheduled based on the availability of the worship space.  It is the responsibility of the engaged couple to make these arrangements.

Marriage Preparation:
Marriage preparation will include, but may not be limited to the following:

• Meeting with the Pastor and completing an A-form
• Taking a Pre-Marriage Inventory and reviewing the results
• Completing a Pre-Marriage Course* (Couple 2 Couple: How to Live a Joyful Sacramental Marriage)
• Taking an introductory class in Natural Family Planning
• Fulfill State of Michigan requirements to obtain a marriage license

You Deserve This

Every couple deserves to take time to invest in their upcoming marriage so they are empowered to live out their vows in a way that will bring joy, peace, and make them even more excited to begin their lives together.  

We look forward to helping you prepare for a joyful, sacramental marriage. To schedule your appointment with Fr. Mark Livingston, email him at [email protected] to begin the marriage preparation process.

*Holy Family Parish offers Couple 2 Couple: How to Live a Joyful Sacramental Marriage as a pre-marriage course, as well as videos produced by the Archdiocese of Detroit. Every engaged couple will be assigned a mentor couple who will walk with them through a period of learning and enlightenment.  Mentors will share stories of their own marriages, challenge engaged couples to consider things they may have never thought of (communication, fair fighting, financing, blending two families together, healthy and self-giving sexuality, raising children, and what role God will play in their marriage), and open up to one another about struggles and concerns they may already be experiencing.  Mentors are not chosen because they have perfect marriages, but because they took imperfect marriages, and through God's grace, transformed them into marriages centered on true love that only comes from God. 

Holy Orders is a Sacrament at the Service of Communion that Jesus gave the Church to pass on the ministries of deacon, priest, and bishop until the end of time.  "Do this in rememberance of me." - Luke 22:190

With this command from Jesus to celebrate the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Holy Orders was established. Through this sacrament, the mission entrusted by Christ to apostles has been handed down to our day and will continue until the end of time (Introduction to Catholocism, The Didache Series).

Are You Being Called to The Priesthood?

"How Do I Discern?" is usually the first question that comes to mind.  

The best first step in this sometimes difficult process is to follow the words most spoken in the Holy Scripture, “Be not afraid!” Whether it was an angel announcing good news, or Christ speaking to His disciples, setting aside your fear is the first step. Once you are open to hearing the Lord speak to your heart, a message that will most likely come as a quiet whisper, you will be able to truly discern, figure out, “Lord, where are you calling me to serve you in this life?”

Discernment must involve prayer, the willingness to seek out quiet in an otherwise noisy world, a desire to know God’s will for your life, and a love for the Church and all Her members. Discernment is the first step in coming to know if the Lord is calling you to serve him as a Roman Catholic priest.

For more information visit Detroitpriest.com or contact Fr. Mark Livingston at [email protected] or Deacon Alan Gwozdz [email protected] or by calling the parish office at (810) 392-2056. 

The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is the religious instruction and conversion process for the non-baptized and those baptized in other Christian Churches.  In addition to welcoming newcomers, it is also an avenue for baptized but un-catechized Catholics seeking to complete their Sacraments.  
The OCIA is a community journey in which the members reflect on their own relationship with God, and a personal journey that leads to a transformation of mind and spirit.

Who Should Participate?

• Individuals not baptized or baptized in another Christian Church who desire full communion with the Catholic Church.
• Adult Catholics who have not received First Eucharist and Confirmation and desire to do so.
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What Would be My commitment?

How Do I Start?

With just a phone call or email. We have a year round process; seekers are welcome at any time. Please contact Susan Finley at 810- 392 -2056 or [email protected]  

There is no fee for the OCIA process.