Why a new name? We believe the new name more accurately reflects all 11 counties in the geographic region of our diocese. Great Lakes Bay Catholic not only refers to the counties that border Lake Huron, but also pays tribute to the broader identity of the State of Michigan as the Great Lakes State.

In addition, we have launched a digital publishing platform, greatlakesbaycatholic.com, to make the stories you read within this magazine easier to share online for evangelization.

Please check out the new site and share the stories you read to become a “digital disciple.’’

As we prepare for Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 29 to Feb. 3, we are taking an entire issue of this publication to celebrate our Catholic schools, including our students, teachers and families. Our Catholic Schools are Centered in Christ, Committed to Excellence. They have a legacy of forming students in faith and developing strong moral character. Students are dedicated to service and social justice and our communities and country have been well served by the contributions of Catholic school graduates over the decades.

If you haven’t before, please consider a Catholic school education for your family, and join us in praying for our Catholic schools, that they may be places of conversion and encounter with Jesus Christ.

Come Holy Spirit!