Parish, Catholic schools near site for Ryder Cup gear up for crowds

Published: 2004-09-10

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. (CNS) -- St. Regis Parish in Bloomfield Hills and two nearby Catholic high schools have been eagerly anticipating the 35th Ryder Cup, dubbed the "Olympics of golf." Why the excitement? The parish shares 40 acres of property with Brother Rice and Marian high schools located across the street from Oakland Hills Country Club, site of the Sept. 14-19 golf tournament. Sister Lenore Pochelski, a Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and president of Marian High School, said all the fuss over the Ryder Cup has "grown into a labor of love." The biennial golf tournament pits the best golfers from the United States and Europe against each other. The parish and high school properties were to be used for parking and hospitality packages for Ryder Cup guests. During the week of the tournament, Brother Rice and Marian high schools were to be closed. St. Regis canceled the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Sept. 18, and the noon Mass the next day. But Sunday morning Masses were still scheduled because the tournament was to begin later that afternoon and was not going to disrupt the parking, said Father Norman Nawrocki, pastor of St. Regis. All the proceeds from the hospitality packages and parking will benefit St. Regis, Brother Rice, Marian and the Autistic Children's Treatment Network, and are tax deductible.

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