Livonia -- Parishioners of St. Maurice Parish marked the community's 50th anniversary during their 6 p.m. Saturday vigil Mass. Archbishop Allen Vigneron was the main celebrant at the liturgy.

During his homily, Archbishop Vigneron reflected on the readings, including that of the Prodigal Son (more aptly described as that of the "loving father," the archbishop said) and focused on God's gift of mercy.

"This church is an outpost of God's kingdom -- which is mercy and love," the archbishop told the congregation.

He urged the parishioners to make the anniversary celebration an occasion to thank God for all the sacraments, moments and blessings that have been shared at the parish over the years.

"We have a duty," he said. "Our work today, specifically, on this day, in this year, in this church, our work is to gather together all of the great gifts God has given -- the blessings the outpouring of love, the healing -- and to take all of this in our arms and lift them up to thank God for 50 years of grace, for 50 years of his work in this parish."

Several of those in the pews for the anniversary Mass had been at the parish since it was founded in 1960 by Fr. Thomas Cain. St. Maurice has a few hundred member families and is clustered with nearby St. Genevieve Parish, both pastored by Fr. Howard Vogan.

At the close of the liturgy, Fr. Vogan presented Archbishop Vigneron with a St. Maurice shirt, a small St. Maurice beer glass and a statue of St. Maurice.

Following the Mass, parishioners and the concelebrants gathered in the parish social hall for a reception.

Parishioners will continue their anniversary celebration Sunday with the parish's annual picnic, from 1 to 5 p.m. St. Maurice is situated on Lyndon Road between Farmington and Merriman.

More coverage of St. Maurice Parish's 50th anniversary will be published in the Sept. 24 issue of The Michigan Catholic