Meet Our Board
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We asked our board members to share an early Catholic memory!
Laurie Stupak, President
St. Anne, Escanaba
“I remember attending Mass with my mother at St. Patrick’s church in Escanaba. I was probably around age 4. As Mass went on, I remember tugging at my mother’s shirt sleeve and asking her, “when is Jesus coming?” I guess I thought Jesus would actually come walking down the aisle to say Hello!”
Stephen Yanni
Holy Name of Mary, Sault Ste. Marie
“When I was in elementary school our Bishop came to our home for Sunday dinner. At about the same time we had a school assignment to ask a priest what happiness meant - so I asked the Bishop. To this day I recall his simple answer, he said, “there are two types of happiness, that which lasts for a short time and that which lasts forever."
Karen Reese, Secretary
St. Michael, Marquette
“Going to weekend Mass with my whole family and paying 15-cents pew rental. I attended St. Francis de Sales school in Manistique and I remember sister working with us on phonics, reading to us, making butter, eating surplus dried fruit, Bernie S eating his cold cereal out of the box, no bowl and going to Mass every morning."
Tom Kurkowski
Sacred Heart, L'Anse
“My hands shook when I read the Wall Street Journal ad for a Finance Officer for the Diocese of Green Bay. I knew it was God calling me from my CPA partnership in Detroit to work for Him."
Kendra Youren
St. Michael, Marquette
“My mother teaching me church hymns in the bathtub because I was finally allowed to join the children’s choir after having pestered my mother about it endlessly. (I was in kindergarten that year and didn’t know how to read). Running through the church grotto and wondering why Mary was stepping on a snake.”
Patrick Sommers
Guardian Angels, Crystal Falls
“My 1st grade CCD class. I remember getting my first book and Mrs. Burns was my teacher. We had to go to CCD on Saturday. In 2nd grade I started going to St. Jude Catholic school.”
Rev. Jose Cherian
St. Cecilia, Caspian
St. Agnes, Iron River
Immaculate Conception, Watersmeet
"My fondest memories are when I was a little boy, all the members of my family would gather together before the dinner and pray rosary together. I always sat next to my Mom and remember I would climb into her lap and listen as she taught me how to pray but eventually falling asleep in the security and comfort of her warm embrace. Even today those memories, even if I am so far away from my childhood home, are inspiring me, yes, faith passed from generation to generation."
Rev. Larry Van Damme
St. Paul, Negaunee
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission, Palmer
“When I was about four years old, our family of eight put on our ‘Sunday Best’ for Easter Sunday Mass. As we looked forward to our Easter candy and other gifts, I remember realizing that such joy had something to do with going to Church.”
Jim Gray
Our Lady of the Snows Mission, Hessel
“While I was baptized and attended church as a youth, I did not join the Catholic Church until much later in life at the urging of my wife and daughters. I vividly remember the RCIA program and the special efforts made by my sponsor and program administrator to help me understand the Catholic faith and in growing my love for Jesus. The culmination was my first Communion that I received along with my oldest daughter’s first Communion during the Easter Mass."