Mary Shaughnessy invites us to pause amid the holiday rush and rediscover the true meaning of Advent. While the season often feels consumed by shopping lists, decorations, and deadlines, Advent calls us to something deeper—preparing not only for the celebration of Christ’s birth but for His coming again. Through personal stories and powerful imagery, Mary reminds us that life’s most significant moments—birth, death, and meeting Jesus face-to-face—are known only to God.

This reflection challenges us to put as much energy into preparing our hearts for eternal life as we do for Christmas Day. With practical encouragement and a prayerful spirit, Mary inspires us to let Christ’s light guide our lives and shine through all we do this season.

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Mary and husband Kevin have been members of Blessed Sacrament for 45 years where they raised their children. Their family now consists of 4 children, each of their spouses and 10 grandchildren! Mary has been involved in Faith Formation, Christ Renews and Small Faith groups for several years. She is a commissioned Lay Eccesial Minister and is currently involved in the Hospital Ministry and other Liturgical ministries. She has been volunteering at the Toni and Trish Home for the terminally ill for the last 17 years as well as serves on the Board of Directors there. She graduated from MSU with a BSN and worked in several areas of nursing. Go Green! She and Kevin enjoy traveling at home and abroad in their spare time.

In this powerful reflection for the Feast of Christ the King, Stacey Trapani reads one of Bishop Ken Untener's homilies where he explores how Jesus redefined kingship—not through thrones and triumph, but through humility, suffering, and love. Though instituted in 1925 by Pope Pius XI, this feast invites us to look beyond worldly images of royalty and embrace Jesus as the Good Shepherd, the New Adam, and the one who leads us not by force, but by example.

Through vivid contrasts—crowns of thorns, a cross as a throne, and oil instead of swords—we’re reminded that following Christ means walking in his way of life. Every “Amen” we say is a commitment to live with love, even in the face of suffering. On this final Sunday of the Church year, we’re invited to look at the sweep of history and recommit ourselves to Christ at the center of it all.

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Stacey has been a Blessed Sacrament parishioner for more than 35 years. She grew up in Lansing and attended Central Michigan University where she earned a degree in journalism. She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from CMU and a master’s in Communications from MSU. For most of her career, Stacey owned Trapani Communications, Inc., in Midland. She recently “retired” to become executive director of Little Books, creators of the Little Black Book and other daily reflections. Stacey is also a commissioned Lay Minister and is in her final year of a three-year Spiritual Director training program. She has been married to Chuck for 39 years and has two daughters both with awesome spouses. She is overjoyed to soon welcome their first grandbaby.

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Kenneth Edward Untener was born in Detroit on Aug. 3, 1937 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1963 for the Archdiocese of Detroit. He served as rector of St. John Provincial Seminary in Plymouth from 1977 until he was ordained as the fourth bishop of Saginaw in November 1980.

Described as a “Hungarian Gypsy” by his predecessor, Bishop Untener made headlines when he sold the bishop’s residence shortly after coming to the diocese and moved 69 times from parish rectory to parish rectory, living as a roommate with his diocesan priests and somewhat from the trunk of his car.

He took the Diocese of Saginaw global with his legacy of seasonal "Little Books" of prayer for Lent, Easter and Advent/Christmas. First released in 2000, more than 3 million copies are sold annually worldwide, with books making their way into the hands of Catholics as far away as Australia.

In addition to the ministry of his vocation – and despite his need for a prosthetic leg after losing part of his leg to a birth deformity – Bishop Untener also had a love for hockey. He was known to sometimes show up at the Nouvel Catholic Central High School team’s early morning practices and challenge goalies.

Saginaw’s spiritual leader for more than 23 years, Bishop Untener died March 27, 2004 from leukemia.

Corinne Cathcart invites us into a joyful and imaginative reflection on Psalm 98, weaving together scripture, childhood memories, and a call to live out God’s justice in the present moment. From reading her children’s Bible in the front yard to picturing King David dancing before the Ark, Corinne shares how sacred imagination can help us envision God's kingdom on earth.

As the liturgical year draws to a close and Advent approaches, this episode challenges us to consider what it means for the Lord to rule the earth with justice—not just in the future, but here and now. Through music, mercy, and movement, we’re called to be instruments of God’s grace and to let our joy shine like rivers clapping and mountains shouting.

Let this reflection inspire you to dance like no one’s watching, live with compassion, and dream boldly of heaven on earth.

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Corinne was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has been a member of the Blessed Sacrament community for 14 years. She earned a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University, where she met her husband of over 25 years, and a Master's in Education from the University of Cincinnati. She was a second grade Catholic school teacher in Cincinnati before moving here when her husband started working for Dow Chemical. She loves working with the littles of the Blessed Sacrament family as the Children's Faith Formation Coordinator. When she's not at work, you'll find her with her nose in a book or learning something new!

In this episode, Melissa Kato shares her personal journey of faith—from a teenager committed to caring for her body as a temple of God, to a young adult who slowly drifted away from spiritual nourishment. Life’s busyness, marriage, and motherhood led her to unintentionally starve her spirit. But through intentional choices—returning to Mass, finding a church community, and discovering peace in scripture—Melissa found her way back to a full and joyful spiritual life.

Her story is a powerful reminder that caring for our spirit is just as vital as caring for our body, and that our presence at Mass can be a gift to others in ways we may never realize. Join us as Melissa invites us to recognize God’s presence in our lives and become vessels of his grace to those around us.

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Melissa is our Coordinator for High School Youth Ministry and has been a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish since 2008. She married Wayne in 2013, has four grown children and one grandchild. When she is not at work or with her granddaughter, she is usually at home working in her young orchard, refinishing an old piece of furniture, or playing with her dog-Lucky.

In this All Souls Day reflection, Christine Sellnow shares a deeply personal story of loss, grief, and God's comfort. After the sudden passing of her brother-in-law Danny, Christine found herself overwhelmed by sorrow while serving as a Catholic missionary in Romania. Through a providential encounter with fellow missionaries at a post office, she experienced God’s presence in a profound and unexpected way. Drawing from St. Paul’s words, “Hope does not disappoint,” Christine reminds us that God doesn’t just meet us at the end of our journey—He walks with us through every moment of pain and healing.

This episode is a powerful testament to how God proves his love for us in the quiet, ordinary moments, especially when we need him most.

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Christine grew up in farm country in Croswell, MI, but her family moved to Midland in 2001 and became active members at Assumption BVM Parish. She earned her bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame, with plans on becoming a human rights lawyer. After graduation, Christine spent 14 months in Romania as a Catholic missionary through Con-solatio, and learned first-hand that changing hearts is more transformational in the lives of individuals than changing laws. She has been working in ministry ever since. This is her 8th year serving as the Coordinator of Middle School Youth Ministry at Blessed Sacrament, and she loves finding creative ways to help the students grow in relationship with Jesus Christ. She and her husband, Kevin, have been married for 8 years, and they have two young daughters.

In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Vicki Briggs revisits the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector from Luke’s Gospel—not with childhood simplicity, but with the complexity of adult faith. What begins as a familiar call to humility unfolds into a layered reflection on prayer, gratitude, spiritual discipline, and self-righteousness. Through honest questions and spiritual wrestling, she explores how discomfort with scripture can be a gift—an invitation to grow, to love more deeply, and to rely more fully on God’s grace. Join Vicki as she unpacks how this parable challenges us to move beyond rule-following into authentic relationship with God and others.

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Vicki grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. She attended Catholic schools before moving to Austin to earn a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Texas. After graduating, she moved to Houston to work for Exxon Refining at Baytown. There she met Mike Briggs, a native of Midland. Mike returned to Midland to work for Dow Corning, and Vicki followed shortly thereafter. They were married here at Blessed Sacrament and have three children and eight grandchildren. Mike and Vicki lead a Small Faith Group and enjoy being active in our Midland community.

In this heartwarming and humorous episode, Christy Granda shares her journey from after-school yoga sessions to office-wide Planksgiving challenges—and how these physical feats mirror the spiritual strength found in community. Through laughter, sore muscles, and shared motivation, Christy draws a powerful parallel between her coworkers’ support and the biblical story of Moses, Aaron, and Hur during the battle against Amalek. Whether you're holding a plank or holding up a friend, this episode reminds us that we’re not meant to go it alone.

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Christy was born and raised in Bay City. She met her husband on a blind date and they worked briefly together at Dow when she was a co-op and he was a contractor. Soon after that their work paths diverged as she finished her degree in Elementary Special Education and he continued as a graphic designer. She worked as a Special Education teacher for 32 years before retiring and immediately jumped into her new role as Adult Faith Formation Coordinator. When asked about the differences between working with adults and children she might reply "so far, nobody has tried to kick, bite or scream at me." She and her husband have two adult children and have been members of Blessed Sacrament for the past 20 plus years.

When Corinne Cathcart and her husband left Ohio for Midland, she wondered if they would ever find the kind of parish family they had always known. Feeling like an outsider brought new perspective to the Gospel story of the lepers—outcasts in their time, yet embraced by Jesus who tears down every barrier. In this episode of Voices, Corinne shares how her journey from Buckeye country to Blessed Sacrament became a reminder that in Christ, no one is an outsider. We are all children of God, called to welcome and include one another.

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Corinne was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has been a member of the Blessed Sacrament community for 14 years. She earned a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University, where she met her husband of over 25 years, and a Master's in Education from the University of Cincinnati. She was a second grade Catholic school teacher in Cincinnati before moving here when her husband started working for Dow Chemical. She loves working with the littles of the Blessed Sacrament family as the Children's Faith Formation Coordinator. When she's not at work, you'll find her with her nose in a book or learning something new!