Parish Pastoral Council
The Parish Pastoral Council is the consultative ministry representing the parish body. It serves to provide the Pastor with information and feedback in order to evaluate and make or approve decisions that contribute to and enhance the life and activity of Holy Spirit Parish.
Meetings are scheduled for the second Thursday of each month and is an open forum allowing ALL interested parishioners to attend.
With any suggestions or concerns you may have, please contact us at: ppc@holyspiritrcs.org
Current Members 2020-21:
(Photos by Michael Radelt)
Jason Negri (Chair)
Jason and his wife Samantha have been parishioners at Holy Spirit since moving to the area in August 2003. A lifelong Catholic, Jason earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Franciscan University of Steubenville and was a member of the inaugural class of Ave Maria School of Law. He is the elected Treasurer of Hamburg Township and a practicing attorney who also teaches high school civics and government. For the past 2 years, Jason has also been the Executive Director of the Daniel Coalition, a nonprofit organization of lay Catholics who seek to put an end to sexual abuse and misconduct by Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Lansing, with the goal that the Church be renewed in holiness so that it will be a place where victims find justice, compassion, and healing. He has served on the Holy Spirit Parish Council for 1 year and was just elected to be its chair. You’ve probably seen him cantoring for Mass or singing in the tenor section of our Parish choir. Jason and Samantha have 5 children, ranging in age from 6 to 25.
Greg Falkowski (Vice Chair)
Greg and his wife Amy have been parishioners at Holy Spirit since 2017, but their involvement at Holy Spirit began several years prior to that through the parish school. A former member of the School Advisory Board, Greg has been a Parish Council Member for one year and recently took on the role of council vice chair. Greg grew up in the Detroit area and attended Divine Child High School, before going to Michigan State University to study business. He currently works in Finance for a large professional services firm, and lives in Wixom. Greg and Amy have four children – Samuel (14), Peter (13), Isaac (12) and Siena (6 years old).
Todd Borek
Todd was born in Wyandotte, Michigan, and moved to Hamburg Twp. in 1992. He is married to Lori, and is the father of Joe, Mark, Annie, Lilli, Claire and Oliver, all of whom have graduated or are currently attending Holy Spirit School. The Borek Family has been parishioners of Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church since 1992. Todd has been involved in many ministries and initiatives in the parish including Saturday morning men’s prayer group, Divine Will prayer group, Conquest father and son Virtue Development group and served as a lector, Todd served as a School Board member for many years and was the chairman of the capital campaign to build the school building. Most recently he conducted the Strategic Planning process that has transitioned the top five issues and concerns facing the parish into a Stewardship initiative to implement and address these issues. This is Todd’s first time serving on the parish council, but he is excited to offer his service to the team.
Gerri Carr
Growing up as a devout Catholic, Gerri married Jim Wallace and had 5 children. She became a nominal Catholic. When Jim died at age 34, she gradually walked away from the church. She reports, “After years of misery doing it ‘My Way’ I found my way back to the Lord.” One day she picked up a book written by a Catholic author. On the first page was a simple prayer, “Jesus I believe you died for me, and I ask you to forgive me my sins and come into my heart as my Lord and Savior.” For the first time she had a desire to read the bible. Though she became an Evangelical, she began listening to Ave Maria radio. Through their teaching, particularly of John chapter 6, she began to hunger for the Holy Eucharist and gratefully returned to the Catholic Church and our Blessed Mother. Gerri is a member of the Sts. Simon and Jude Healing Ministry, is a Eucharistic Minister, and hosts home based prayer and bible study groups. She believes that as an older adult, it is her charge to pray for others. Her sustaining Holy Scriptures are Philippians 4:4-9 and 3 John 4.
Barbara Erps
Barb was raised in the Catholic Faith and has been a member of the parish since moving to Pinckney in 1996. She has been active in various ministries including teaching Religious Education and coordinating the parish’s involvement in the local Community Kitchen for Christ. While this is Barb’s first year as a member of the Parish Council, she is also active as a Eucharistic Minister and member of the choir. Barb attended Eastern Michigan University earning a BS and MA. She was employed by Flat Rock Schools for 8 years, Pinckney Community Schools for 12 years and is currently working in real estate. She has been married to her husband Rob for 31 blissful years and they have 3 sons: Ryan-age 28, Devon-age 25, and Travis-age 23. Barb has been blessed with an abundance of gifts from her heavenly Father, and is eager to further share her time and talents with the parish as a member of the council.
Jeff Heldt
Jeff has been a member of Holy Spirit Church for 8 years. He joined in 2012 when he married his wife Karoline. He has been on the board for just over a year. Jeff is currently working as a financial analyst at the University of Michigan, and has worked for the University for nine years. He loves the outdoors and spends most of his free time raising chickens, pigs, making maple syrup, wine, and hunting. You can usually find him at mass in the back with his four energetic young children, Harper (7), Maximilian (6), Charlotte (4), and Xavier (1), while Karoline is cantoring.
Olivia Kumke
Olivia Kumke has been a parishioner of Holy Spirit Parish for seventeen years. She is a junior in college at Siena Heights University where she is studying Social Work and Spanish. She has been involved with the music ministry at Holy Spirit for sixteen years, and in youth ministry – first as a student and now as an assistant – for eight years. She is in her fifth year as a member of the Parish Council and was recently elected as the secretary. Olivia enjoys serving in many different ways in and outside of her parish. You might find her babysitting for family and friends, working in the Dominican Republic with Building Bridges of Hope, running races for charity, coordinating or helping with parish events or teaching dance classes (pre-covid) with Gift of Joy Dance Company. She is ever grateful for her Catholic faith and is incredibly thankful for the community at Holy Spirit Parish.
Franc Love
Franc grew up in the heart of Mexican Town in Detroit where he graduated from Western High School. After serving 10 years in the US Navy Submarine Force, he earned his degree in Business. He has put that degree to use in various fields such as credit card processing, corporate banking, and, currently, as a Team Leader for Google. Franc and his wife, Sheila, have been married for 18 years and have 5 children. Franc, Sheila and their grandson, Camden, have been members of the Holy Spirit parish for 9 years. Franc is a member of the Knights of Columbus and also serves as an usher, normally during the 11am Sunday Mass.
Patti Mackmiller
Patti and her husband Dale have been members of Holy Spirit Parish for nearly fifteen years. In that time, she has taught Faith Formation for sacrament classes, and serves as a Lector and Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. She was instrumental in the planning and execution of the major events associated with the parish’s 40th anniversary celebration. Currently, she is in her second year of service to the parish through the Pastoral Council–having completed her first year of service as its chair. In addition, Patti serves as the Procurator-Advocate for the parish–assisting divorced Catholics who wish to return to total communion with the Church through a decree of nullity of their previous marriage. Patti earned a BS from the University of Michigan, an MA from Eastern Michigan University, and completed a career of more than 40 years in higher education and publishing. She and her husband share one son together, and a daughter with her mother. They are grandparents to six (perfect!) grandchildren.
Pat O’Brien
Pat and his family have been parishioners at Holy Spirit since 2013. He has been married to Anne-Marie for 29 years and has 4 children ranging in age from 25 to 14. Hobbies include just about anything outdoors. Pat is currently serving his second term on parish council and has found it to be extremely rewarding in navigating ways to make our parish a better place for all who come. Pat also serves as Eucharistic Adoration scheduler/coordinator. If you have any questions/comments regarding Adoration please contact Pat at: 810-923-0478 or pfobrien52@gmail.com.
Tony Pequeño
Tony was born in South Carolina, the son of a career U.S. Marine and a nurse. He grew up in Hawaii and California before moving to Birmingham, MI with his mother when his dad was deployed to Vietnam. They eventually relocated to Northwest Detroit where he finished his schooling and started college at the Lawrence Institute of Technology (now Lawrence Technical University). Upon completing the necessary academic requirements Tony went into the U.S. Navy where he qualified for Naval Aviation and flew for 15 years before retiring. After the Navy, Tony enjoyed a career as an automated tooling engineer where he oversaw the design, development and implementation of assembly fixtures. He is currently enjoying a second career in aviation as a Flight/Crew Chief on the World War 2 era C-47D Transport “Hairless Joe” based at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, MI. In 2016 Tony returned to the Catholic Church after a 15 year absence and has not looked back. His wife Cathy serves as a Eucharistic Minister and, along with his wife, Tony serves as a Lector at 11:00am Masses on Sunday. They are both involved with the Padre Pio prayer group and look forward to their continued involvement. Tony has begun his second year on the Parish Council and looks forward to helping Father John and the other council members make our parish even better. Tony and Cathy have 4 adult children ages 19 to 36.
Theresa Reseigh
Born and raised in California, Theresa moved to Rochester Hills, Michigan in 1987. She and her husband Jeff were both working for General Motors and as a result of a promotion for Jeff, Theresa was transferred to a new position in Chevrolet Central Office in Warren, MI. She was part of the restructuring team in the development of General Motors Vehicle Sales Service and Marketing in 1998 and reassigned to a Management position which relocated her to the Renaissance Center in Detroit where she eventually retired after 41 years of service. Theresa is now a stay at home wife who enjoys babysitting her youngest grandchildren, Scarlet 8 yrs and Delilah age 6 (both attend Holy Spirit School). She also enjoys traveling with husband Jeff whenever they can get away. Jeff and Theresa have been parishioners at Holy Spirit Church since moving to the Brighton area in 1999. Theresa served on the Holy Spirit School Advisory Board for 2 years, is currently a Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Saint Vincent dePaul Conference here at Holy Spirit. Theresa has also been on the Parish Council for the past year. They have 3 adult children and 7 Grandchildren – ages range from 18 yrs to 6 yrs.
Marie Schlepers
Marie, who grew up in Byron Center, Michigan, was raised in a Catholic family and went to Catholic schools for 10 out of 12 years. Marie and her husband, Michael Rzeppa, were married in 1979 and have been members of Holy Spirit Parish since 1986. Marie is active in the Music Ministry and also helps coordinate the Homebound Ministry, has been part of the St. Joseph Guild, hosts the monthly acoustic music “Spirit Jam” and has helped with planning many parish events. Marie retired from a 40 year nursing career in 2012 and from a 20 year career as a music teacher in 2019. Marie and Michael have two daughters, a 16 month- old grand-daughter and look forward to welcoming a second one in February 2021! This is Marie’s first time on the Parish Council and she looks forward to serving the parish in this capacity. She treasures her Catholic faith above all things.
