Dear St. Gerard Parishioners,
 
Thank you to all those who have welcomed me these past two weekends as my first ones at St. Gerard. As I begin my priestly ministry here and prepare to meet many of you I want to share a bit about myself. I grew up the oldest of four children (two brothers, one “baby” sister) on the East side of Lansing. Growing up we went to Resurrection Parish while attending a couple public schools. Lansing Eastern was my high school and I went to Lansing Community College before the call from God to seminary.  St. John Vianney College Seminary (in the Frozen Tundra of St. Paul, MN) was my first Catholic schooling before I went on to theological studies at Sacred Heart in Detroit.
 
Growing up I had a solid foundation of faith from my family as we went to Mass each week, prayed before meals together, and read some devotionals on the Scriptures. Nonetheless God worked in me to embrace my faith more personally on a summer mission trip to Mexico before my junior year of high school. There in a foreign, unfamiliar place God woke me up to new life with and for Him. Since then following Jesus became a priority for me over my other passions in life. Cross Country, academic decathlon, traveling and even basketball took second place to my relationship with God and my involvement with others.  The seeds were planted for my priestly vocation but I did not come to first discern that until senior year and I made the jump to seminary in my second year of college. It has been a long journey but an incredible blessing following God’s will for my life.
 
Through three years of priesthood in Brighton I have had many joys, some definite struggles, and learned a lot of what it means to be a priest of Jesus Christ. I wouldn’t give it up for anything. I am willing to share more as I live my priesthood in the Body of Christ here on the Northwest side of Lansing.  Give me a call or shoot me an e-mail. I will respond.
 
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Vincent Richardson
 

• ¨ People wondering how to follow Jesus plan for life
• ¨ Parents who want to help their children live their faith and recognize their own charisms
• ¨ People in transition who might be changing jobs, adjusting to an empty nest, returning to the workplace or facing retirement

• ¨ Teachings of the church about charisms of the Holy Spirit and how they work in your life and that of your parish community. 
• ¨ How discerning charisms can change your life, your parish and your world.