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St. Francis Xavier Petoskey
(opens in a new tab)This is the official Facebook page for St. Francis Xavier Church in Petoskey, Michigan.
PRAYER SERVICE OF REPARATION
In Response to the Vandalism of the Blessed Virgin Mary Statue
Following the destruction of the Blessed Virgin Mary statue at the Right to Life Grotto near the Knights of Columbus Hall in Petoskey, we invite you to join us for a special Prayer Service of Reparation.
Reparation is an act of prayer, love, and devotion offered in response to offenses against God and sacred things. This is an opportunity to seek God's mercy, pray for the conversion of those responsible, and renew our commitment to faith.
As Christians, we are called to respond not with anger or retaliation, but with forgiveness, compassion, and prayer. Let us come together as a community, asking God to touch hearts, bring about repentance, and restore peace in our community.
PRAYER SERVICE DETAILS
Date: Friday, November 20, 2026
Time: 3:30–4:00 PM
Location: Right to Life Grotto, 1106 Charlevoix Avenue, Petoskey, MI (near the Knights of Columbus Hall).
In case of inclement weather, the prayer service will be held at Saint Francis Xavier Church, 513 Howard Street, Petoskey, Michigan.
Invite your family and friends to join us. Let us respond to this painful incident with faith rather than hatred, forgiveness rather than revenge, and unity rather than division.
Our Lady of Peace, pray for us!
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𝗔 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗲
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us with prayers, messages of concern, and offers of support following the vandalism at the Right to Life Grotto near the Knights of Columbus Hall, where the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary was completely destroyed last Saturday.
We continue to keep whoever committed this horrific act in our prayers, asking God to touch their hearts and lead them to repentance. We also ask anyone who may have information regarding this incident not to hesitate to report it to the appropriate authorities.
Many people have asked how they can contribute toward replacing the statue. If you feel called to make a donation, please make your check payable to:
𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀 𝗫𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵
513 Howard Street
Petoskey, MI 49770
Please indicate "𝗕𝗩𝗠 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗲" in the memo line.
Donations may also be made electronically using this designated donation link:
paybee.io/@stfrancis@119
or the QR code below:
Thank you for your prayers, generosity, and continued support during this difficult time. May Our Blessed Mother Mary continue to watch over us, protect our parish community, and shelter us under her loving mantle.
𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝗱𝘆, 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝘀.
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The statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the prayer grotto at the Knights of Columbus Hall was completely destroyed by vandals last night.
With a heavy heart, I share this heartbreaking news. It is deeply disturbing to see such an act of disrespect toward a sacred image of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, whose life exemplifies peace, love, and humility. It is difficult to understand why anyone would commit such a senseless act.
I am asking our entire community to please share this post and help spread the word. If you saw anything suspicious, have any information, or know anything that could help identify those responsible, please come forward and contact the police. Even the smallest detail could make a difference. Please don’t assume someone else will report what they know.
Our community deserves better. We must stand together against acts of vandalism and disrespect, especially those directed at places of prayer and worship. Let’s come together, support one another, and help ensure those responsible are held accountable.
This is unacceptable and inexcusable. Please keep our community in your prayers.
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32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
Be Ready, Live Wisely, and Keep the Light of Faith Burning
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
As we celebrate the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Church invites us to reflect on an important question: Are we ready to meet the Lord?
The readings today speak about wisdom, hope, preparation, and the importance of living our lives with faith and purpose.
This connects beautifully with today's second reading from St. Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians. St. Paul tells us not to grieve like those who have no hope. He reminds us that because Jesus died and rose again, those who have died in Christ will also rise with him.
What a powerful message! We mourn our loved ones, but we do not mourn without hope. We miss them, we remember them, and we continue to pray for them, trusting in God's mercy.
In today's Gospel, Jesus gives us the parable of the ten virgins. Five were wise, and five were foolish. All ten were waiting for the bridegroom, but only five had enough oil for their lamps when he arrived.
The important lesson is that preparation cannot be postponed. The wise virgins understood that they had a responsibility to prepare ahead of time.
The oil in their lamps can remind us of our faith, our good works, our prayer, our love, our generosity, and our relationship with God.
It is not enough to call ourselves Christians. It is not enough to come to Mass occasionally, know our prayers, or identify ourselves as Catholics. We must allow our faith to shape the way we live.
We cannot borrow someone else's faith when our own moment of testing comes. We cannot wait until the last minute to develop a relationship with God.
The question is not simply whether our lamps are burning today, but whether we have enough oil to keep them burning until the Lord comes.
My dear brothers and sisters, today's Gospel challenges each of us to examine our lives.
Are we putting enough oil into our lamps through prayer?
Are we keeping our faith alive through the sacraments?
Are we showing love and compassion to those around us?
Are we forgiving those who have hurt us?
Are we using our time, talents, and resources to serve God and others?
Are we living in such a way that we are prepared to meet the Lord?
The oil of our lamps is not simply what we profess with our lips. It is also what we demonstrate through our actions.
We cannot wait until we are sick to begin praying. We cannot wait until we lose someone to appreciate the gift of life. We cannot wait until old age to begin taking our relationship with God seriously.
Christian preparation is a daily responsibility.
Have a wonderful Sunday
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