I was trying to find some info out about the history and found a link at www.mcgi.state.mi.us/hso/sites/8466.htm with some information including the following...

St. Joseph's was constructed in 1884 by Bohemian settlers in Cleveland Township, Leelanau County and is significant as the only church associated with a Bohemian community known as the Bohemian Settlement. Additionally, it is one of only a few surviving Catholic mission churches associated with Father Ignatius Mrak, an early Catholic missionary. Finally, the church was and still is the only church building in the relatively unpopulated, rural township. St. Joseph served its Bohemian Catholic congregation until 1970 when the parish was merged with a neighboring one and regular services in this building discontinued.

Here's a few photos that, for the most part, turned out...

Mass on May 7th at 7:00 PM

St. Joseph's Catholic Church

Still looking good!

The Beautiful Altar

A closer look at the Altar

Mass with Bishop Hebda and Father Libby

View from the Balcony

After Mass

Historical Marker

Thanks for viewing! As a bonus picture one of the men who helps take care of St. Joseph's took the picture below after Mass of Bishop Hebda, Father Libby, and the altar servers (my son is in the front on the left). A special thank you to him for taking this picture!

Bishop Hebda, Father Libby, and the Altar Servers after Mass

Letter from the Carmelite Nuns [PDF]

Monastery Chapel Brochure [PDF]

Donation Card

Golf Outing Invitation [PDF]

Also here are some links about the Carmelite Order, the Chapel Renovation, and Religious Life...

Association of monasteries to which the Carmelite Nuns of Traverse City belong:
www.carmelitenunsstjoseph.org

About architect Duncan Stroik:
www.stroik.com (The chapel renovation is now posted on the home page!)
www.sacredarchitecture.org

About cloistered nuns and monks:
www.cloisteredlife.com

About a vocation to religious life:
www.religiouslife.com

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A Vatican decree established new statutes and norms for Caritas Internationalis, giving Vatican offices, including the Secretariat of State, greater authority over the work of the Vatican-based umbrella group of Catholic aid agencies.

The decree strengthens the roles Vatican offices and the pope play in working with the charity confederation, including naming and approving new board members and approving its texts, contracts with foreign governments and financial transactions.

It also creates a special "support commission" of legal, technical and organizational experts named by the pope to help the organization follow the new norms as well as canon law and the laws of Vatican City State concerning the procurement and distribution of aid, and employment of workers.

At least three members of Caritas' executive board will be papal appointees, and Pope Benedict XVI named U.S. Bishop Bernard A. Hebda of Gaylord, Mich., as one of them.

The general decree -- signed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State, and approved by Pope Benedict XVI -- was published by the Vatican May 2 and went into effect the same day. At the same time, the new statutes and internal rules of the federation were published on the Caritas website.

You can read the entire article using the link below.

Read Vatican strengthens oversight of Caritas Internationalis at Catholic News Service

New Chapel Design by Duncan Stroik
Photo courtesy of Kankakee Latin Mass Community

Architect Duncan Stroik will showcase the renovation design at the dinner. Tickets are a $100 donation per person and can be reserved by emailing mkl25@hotmail.com or by calling 231-645-8276. Email chapelrenovation@charter.net or pick up a brochure at the Monastery to learn more. Donations of all sizes are needed and will be prayerfully appreciated.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here's some info about the Traverse City event...

The 9:30 am talk on Friday (at Traverse City St. Francis Church) will be followed by an 11:00 am Mass with Bishop Hebda. Students from St. Francis, Lake Leelanau St. Mary’s, and Gaylord St. Mary’s will be there. It is going to be a wonderful morning! This event is open to anyone and we are trying to invite families and students that may benefit from this "event." All of our 8th – 12th grade students are attending and, I believe 7th grade students have the option to attend. Leah Darrow best fits this type of age group.

Please also invite any friends or family that may find this day interesting – whether it's listening to Leah Darrow, Bishop Hebda, or both of them! Please come and enjoy next Friday.

You can download or print the flyer here

Its not easiest to take pictures in the church, but here's a few I managed to grab!

Before Mass

With Father Libby and Bishop Hebda

With Father Libby, his sponsor Jake, and Bishop Hebda

With Father Libby, his Godparents Aunt Sue and Uncle Al, and Bishop Hebda

With Our Lady and his sponsor Jake

With Our Lady

A special thanks to all of our family and friends that attended! Please keep Luke in your prayers!

Choleric: Enthusiasm, energy, intelligence, and a strong will. A classic go-getter who takes charges and gets things accomplished. Extraverted and self-confident, comfortable taking charge. Will always let you know what he is thinking. Values success, optimistic, extremely rational. Can grasp the big picture. Not a very good listener and hates to waste time! Does not like to delegate, is often quick to judge or form opinions and quickly drives ahead, often without planning.

Melancholic: Values the ideal (truth, beauty, justice, all that is noble). Thoughtful, pius, likes solitude and reflection. Sensitive and idealistic, tends to be introverted, deeply concerned with injustice and vice. Principled, consistent, faithful, and persevering, orderly, diligent, and detail oriented. Can often be critical or judgmental of others who don't "measure up." Slower to react, but the reactions last a long time.

Sanguine: Creative, fun-loving, high-spirited, tendency to look on the bright side and seek adventure. Enjoys people and lives "in the moment". Does not dwell on the past and is very optimistic. Enterprising and creative, enjoys inspiring others. Quick to react and quick to make new friends. Eye for detail and appearances. Eager to please. Can be inconsistent, superficial, and impulsive. Often talks before thinking.

Phlegmatic: Reserved, prudent, sensible, reflective, respectful, and dependable. Not easily insulted or provoked. Not exuberant in speech or action. Loyal, committed, supportive. Iron-willed. Often able to diffuse tense situations and is calm under pressure. Very balanced. Excellent listener. Thoughtful in speech. Do not like conflict and confrontation. Dependable, punctual and orderly, but have a tendency to be introverted. Sometimes thought to be unassertive and lacking in spontaneity.

I know which one I am, what are you?

New Lord of the Rings LEGO Sets are Finally Unveiled! I can't wait and neither can my sons! (Note: Two of my favorites - Lord of the Rings & LEGO - together at last! I'll be honest, I'm pretty excited about this!)
www.geekosystem.com/lord-of-the-rings-lego-sets

Check out the trailer for Kirk Cameron's Monumental (Note: I really can't wait to see this!)
www.monumentalmovie.com

A look into the life of seminarians from the Diocese of Gaylord! (Note: Deacon Peter Wigton writes about life at Pontifical College Josephinum.)
gaylordseminarians.blogspot.com/2012/03/hello-from-ohio.html

Online Photo Contests | PhotoScramble (Note: This is our newest product, photo contest software, that we just launched in Beta. Check it out!)
beta.photoscramble.com

"Every Life is Beautiful" (Note: Another movie on my must see list. Watch the trailer and you'll know what I mean! Also while checking out info about this movie, found this site - everylifeisbeautiful.com, some great stories of life!)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_9l7lEe-AA