St. George Parish celebrates renewal as it marks 50 years By Laura Ieraci As published in Horizons, May 28, 2017
Caption 1:Father David A. Hannes, pastor of St. George Parish, reads archival letters exchanged between Bishop Emil Mihalik and the bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw regarding the service of Father John Ederer (seated in background) as a bi-ritual priest.
Caption 2:Parishioners enjoy the St. George 50th-anniversary luncheon at a local restaurant.
Caption 3:Parishioners and friends of St. George Parish pose for a photo in front of St. George church before the start of the 50th-anniversary Hierarchical Divine Liturgy May 7.
(Photos: Laura Ieraci)
BAY CITY, Mich. — The 50th-anniversary of St. George Parish was as much a celebration of the parish’s history as it was of its renewal.
Parishioners and friends of St. George Parish — about 100 — gathered for a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, celebrated by Bishop Emeritus John Kudrick of Parma, May 7. Several priests of the Eparchy of Parma concelebrated: the pastor, Father David A. Hannes; former pastors Father Michael Hayduk and Father Robert Stash; Father Michael Rosmarynowycz, pastor of St. Basil Parish in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and Father Andrew Summerson.
Bi-ritual priest Father John Ederer, who has substituted as needed at the parish since 1979, and Roman Catholic Father Robert Kelm also concelebrated. Founding pastor Father Cyril Attak, currently at St. Stephen Parish in Allen Park, Michigan, could not attend.
Bishop Kudrick delivered the homily, during which he spoke of the importance of focusing on life.
“When our focus is on life, then we have courage, which is so much better than fear,” he said. He complimented the parish on one of its recent initiatives — a billboard campaign, proclaiming “Christ is risen.”
“Northern Michigan gave life to St. George church, but St. George church continues to give life to this region,” he said.
At the end of liturgy, the bishop said when the Eparchial Pastoral Plan was launched three years ago it was thought that some parishes would have to close. He said he thanked God that St. George Parish stopped “looking at death” and began “looking at life.” He noted “how well you have done things here” in recent years and underlined the need to thank the pastor and parish leadership for the positive growth.
Prior to the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Kudrick was presented with an icon of St. George as an expression of gratitude for his presence at the celebration and for the years he had served as bishop of the eparchy.
At the end of liturgy, Father Hannes thanked the cantors, St. George parishioners and St. Michael Parish in Flushing, Michigan, for their support of the Bay City church.
He also presented Father Ederer with a pectoral cross and Byzantine Catholic vestments in recognition of his 38 years of service to the parish and his 40 years of priesthood.
A luncheon followed at a local Italian restaurant.