SPOTLIGHT: Mike Boskovich story

“I am so ashamed for abandoning my Church.” Those were the unexpected words that tumbled from Mike Boskovich’s mouth after Father Sammie Maletta stepped into his life—and into his grief.

After a 30-year absence from the Catholic Church, something began to stir in Mike as he cared for his beloved wife Diana through her long, painful journey with Alzheimer’s. He prayed everywhere—in the yard, on the lawn tractor, in grocery store aisles during rare breaks from caregiving. Sometimes he begged God for strength, sometimes he simply thanked Him. Always, he made quiet promises to return to his faith.

But near the end of Diana’s life, panic set in: “What have I done to care for her soul?” Desperate, he turned to his neighbors, Warren and Barbara, and asked if their pastor might come. A call came from the SJE parish office—Angie Brady. When she told him the priest could come next week, Mike broke down. “She might not make it that long,” he sobbed, his voice filled with fear. “Oh my God, have I failed?”

Angie’s calm, compassionate voice steadied him. She promised to try. Within the hour, she called back: “Father Maletta will come tomorrow.”

And he did. Along with Khalil Hattar, he came to the house and anointed Diana. As Mike walked them to the door at the end of the visit, Father looked at him with deep compassion. Mike began to cry, and before he could stop himself, the words poured out: “I’m so ashamed for abandoning my Church.”

He still doesn’t know where that confession came from. “I had never met this man before.” But Father didn’t hesitate. He looked Mike in the eyes and said, “Michael, your Church never abandoned you.”

One month later, in April 2021, Mike returned to Mass.

A few weeks after his wife’s funeral, Mike called the parish office to ask how to rejoin the Church. And once again—it was Angie who answered. Her familiar voice brought instant comfort. “I couldn’t speak for long...She could tell I was struggling.”

A few days later, a new voice called: “Hi, I’m Louis Cain. I’m part of the new parishioner team. Would you like to meet for coffee?” Unsure but pleasantly surprised, Mike invited him over instead. They spent more than two hours talking. Only later did Louis admit that there was no such thing as a new parishioner team—it was Angie who had told him, “I think he needs someone.” God bless you, Angie!

More support soon followed. Deacon Ed Bodley, a widower himself, reached out at the request of Father Maletta. They shared meals, tears, and stories—and slowly, healing began. Eventually, Deacon Ed and Candee Walsh (now Boskovich) restarted the Grief Share ministry. Today, Mike co-leads it with Candee.

Yet one question still haunted him: Could I really receive the sacraments again? “I didn’t know my status,” Mike said. “I was attending Mass but hadn’t gone to confession or communion. I didn’t want opinions—I needed truth.”

He called Louis again: “Can you arrange a one-on-one with Father?”

On July 22, 2021, Mike met again with Father Maletta. He poured out his heart. And at the end, Father gently asked, “Michael, do you want to confess?”

Tears. Relief. Joy.

That evening, Mike received communion for the first time in decades. “It was the day of my rebirth with Jesus,” he said. “Thank you, Jesus.”

His life hasn’t been the same since. Daily Mass, the rosary, Scripture, and a growing list of parish ministries have become his spiritual rhythm. “I’ve been surrounded by people who walked with me, reminded me how the Holy Spirit moves—and that I was never alone.”

One of the most meaningful roles for Mike is serving as a weekday sacristan. “When I was asked, I felt like a kid again,” he said. “I used to serve daily Mass back in school. It made me feel so close to God.” Now, as an adult, he finds that same intimacy—especially when carrying the Ciborium. “There are times I tear up. It’s humbling beyond words to hold the sacred Body of Christ.”

But the person who has shaped Mike’s walk with Christ more than anyone is his beautiful new wife, Candee. He was drawn to her deep love for Jesus, her unwavering faith, and her quiet strength. “She spoke so gently to my grief. Her words of God’s love gave me courage. Every time I’d credit her, she’d correct me: ‘No Mike, it’s the Holy Spirit working in you, not me.’”

Together, they call themselves Spiritual Twins—“the one whom your soul loves.”

Their bond deepened during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. On the Via Dolorosa—the way of sorrow—what began as a walk through Christ’s suffering became a path to healing and love. “I believe Jesus laid that path for us,” Mike said. “Out of His love, He gave us each other.”

As they celebrate their first wedding anniversary, Mike and Candee continue to serve side by side in ministries such as Alpha, Grief Share, and Connect. Their shared mission is to help others encounter the healing power of Christ.

Outside of parish life, Mike enjoys traveling, especially on pilgrimages, as well as biking, hiking, swimming, and RV camping—most recently through Bryce, Zion, and Yosemite. But for all the places he’s been, one feels like home more than any other: St. John the Evangelist.

“I know people say a church is just a building—but this place is my home. My faith grew here. I came back to life here.”

To anyone sitting on the sidelines, Mike offers Father Maletta’s challenge: “If this doesn’t feel like home to you—you might just be a club member.”

Then he adds with conviction: “Don’t just show up. Step up. Be a disciple. Make disciples.”