Meet Mike and Sandra Bulmanski: Savoring the Gifts of Faith, Family and Fellowship

For Mike and Sandra Bulmanski, being with the members of our parish family gives them the hope, joy, and love they need to keep carrying the torch of faith.

“The other parishioners inspire us to give our time to church,” Mike says. “There is one lady named Karen Boyer who volunteers all the time. If there is something going on, she is there! She even drives about 40 miles to get to our parish from her home. It is just amazing! She is a convert and I taught some of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) classes that she attended. She just absolutely loves being Catholic.”

Recently, they have been inspired by a sort of “renewal” that they have noticed taking place in our parish.

“The sense of community seems to be growing by leaps and bounds,” Mike says. “We lost a lot of it during COVID, but it is all really coming back. I see a great, resurgent joy in people, and it is felt all throughout the parish. Many say how glad they are to be back here, and to receive the Eucharist again!”

Over the years, the Bulmanskis have found that when they give their time, talent, and treasure to our faith family, they will be abundantly blessed in return.

“Getting more involved in the parish has been a great experience,” Sandra says. “I have really enjoyed getting to know the other parishioners. They are so generous and kind! We have been so blessed to witness their faith. It is very rewarding to watch, and it builds up our own faith as well. We see faith in action while working with our fellow parishioners, and we really get to know God through them.”

By reaching out to our parish youth, Mike has found great joy and peace.

“I teach Confirmation to our eighth-graders,” Mike says. “It is a wonderful thing to do. This past weekend, we were talking about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the students didn’t seem too excited, but I asked them, who likes gifts that don’t keep on giving? They then looked interested and puzzled. When you exercise these gifts of the Holy Spirit, you get more. Then they started perking up. It is very rewarding to see that dimly lit light start to brighten up. The ones you do reach, there is something so special going on between them and Jesus. They are developing a relationship that they will foster for the rest of their lives, and for eternity.”

Further, Mike has enjoyed helping out with the RCIA process, facilitating a fascinating Bible study on Monday evenings, serving in liturgical ministries, and playing the guitar for the Adult Contemporary Choir.

“I have been teaching RCIA classes for about seven years,” he says. “Prayer is my favorite thing to talk about — it is so near and dear to my heart. I also teach about Lenten practices. It is so exciting and inspiring to see the interest and excitement of people who are coming into the Catholic Church from a different church background or even no church background.”

By giving his heart to this ministry, Mike feels he is embracing the call to stewardship.

“I see it as part of my stewardship commitment,” Mike says. “I spend a lot of time up there. As far as talents go, I feel I have the talent of listening to children and teaching them. I taught Religion at the parish school from 2010 to 2014 as well.”

Sandra is also passionate about stewardship and expresses her love for Our Lord and our parish family by serving on both the Parish Finance Committee and the Pastoral Council. She also attends the Bible study her husband offers. Before the onset of COVID, she taught the Youth Faith Formation program’s kindergarten class.

“One thing that Fr. John stresses is the importance of giving your time, talent, and treasure, and since all of our children are grown, Mike and I are freer to do this,” Sandra says. “We believe it is so important to put in our time and make the effort — it is just what we are called to do.”

Mike and Sandra’s daughter, Jenna Pride, attends our parish along with her husband, Tim Pride, and their three children — Ryleigh, Caden, and Adalynn. Ryleigh and Caden both attend our parish school. Their son, Aaron Bulmanski, and his wife, Jessica, attend our parish, as well. Their daughter, Kayla Layne, and her husband, David, live 30 miles away.

The Bulmanski family

Mike and Sandra Bulmanski