I would never have thought of doing this if it hadnt been for Fr. Darrell is a very holy priest, a perfect homilist, has a beautiful singing voice and is very much a people-person. He has been at several parishes. It makes me happy when you're happy. Larry Siroskey, was forced to take a medical leave. Having said this, Fr. He continues to work effortlessly to unite us in our endeavors for the continuous building of our community, which has fallen upon hard times. With all his inspiring homilies, you felt you knew and were a part of his family. Thank you for your feedback. Earlier this year, my husband Larry was hospitalized and became very ill and was in the ICU, I approached Fr. Without him there we would be without Jesus in our lives in the Holy Eucharist. He has a wonderful sense of humor. Nevertheless, our family is blessed to experience the gifts of his priesthood and faith shared so lovingly. Fr. Joe isnt afraid to tell us what we need to hear, not just what we want to hear. Greg has gotten to know his flock pretty well in the year we have known him. Henry came there, it was like a light in the dark and suddenly we all were grateful to be Catholic. Hes a people-person. Edwin W. Balazy appeared on their doorstep, introduced himself and thus began a relationship that has lasted 36 years. Fr. When he learned of the death of an employees spouse, he went to her home after his shift ended. As Jesus taught us, the best leaders are those who serve and lead by example. He always takes notice of who is at Mass, and he has always managed to give me the exactly right word of encouragement at the right time. We know there are a lot of good, hardworking priests out there, but Fr. Bob welcomed me into the Church. John Hedges has been a priest for 25 years. Bill Tindall personifies what a good priest and pastor should be. He was our pastor for eight years. This leaves him lonelier than he was before. He cares for everybody even if theyre sick and wounded, poor or rich, tomboy or princess, or loved or hated. Msgr. Any time I went to Holy Trinity, I witnessed the line-up of needy people he took care of, that my dad used to speak of. Raymond H. Bucon, as our pastor at St. Sabina Church in Dearborn Heights. This is my fifth year at St. Cyprian Parish in Riverview, and also my fifth year writing about Fr. Fr. John exhibits leadership skills that allow him to collaborate with parishioners along an unbelievable range of competencies. I feel happy when I'm with you 2. In serving God, the parish family comes first. I am praying to God every day that Fr. We believe that if there were more priests like him, wed have more people (especially younger ones) in our churches today. We are so happy Fr. He also has the unique gift of being able to bring out the gifts of other people to serve those in need. During the pre-marital preparation, every couple got to hear how the Church values and appreciates family. Your family, a house that you own, current residence, home of record, car registration, drivers license, area code, etc., could each be in a different state. Msgr. On Oct. 18, 2015, Msgr. Fr. He will be greatly missed by the parishioners of St. Alphonsus and we hope that the parishioners at St. Timothy will come to love him as much as he was loved here. We love you, Fr. I have lost track of all the wonderful ways he has given to the archdiocese, but in all those places, I know that he has touched many hearts! Second, Jos was a true and sincere seeker of spiritual truth. He understands, firsthand, the frustrations and blessings of health challenges from the perspective of care receiver as well as caregiver. Cornelius Okeke from St. Andre Bessette in Ecorse. The following are your letters about your beloved priests: They say you dont appreciate what you have until you lose it. It can get tense when a priest's expectations don't align with those of the lay leadership and parishioners. 10: He is an author of hymns and books. Then in the next moment he lifts us up in song to remind us we should be joyful in praising our God. Ray served three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and upon his return was assigned to train chaplains across the country in Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome for returning soldiers and their families. Thus a man who wants to be a priest must love Jesus Christ above all else. I think about things he's said to me . His life choices exemplified tolerance, patience, forgiveness and acceptance. I am a parishioner of St. Mark Parish in Warren. He is always available to talk or just give you a pat on the back. Cornelius Okeke. He is inspiring and gets our attention during the homilies. Grateful parishionerSt. Sabina Parish, Dearborn Heights. He spends the 40-minute period visiting with students and genuinely getting to know them. He is never too rushed to listen, too busy to make time, or too tired to be available. He led us in rebuilding our parish into a home that speaks to each of us of Gods will for us in our lives. Take, O Lord, all my liberty, Receive my memory, my understanding and my will. He also prayed with my family. We are getting married in the Church that his extended family belongs to. Terence Netter and Therese Franzese fell in love in New York City in the 1960s. No. I met Fr. David Lesniak is leaving St. Alphonsus Church in Dearborn as of Oct. 1, we would like to let him know how much he will be missed as our pastor after all these years. Ron managed to keep the parish debt-free; he had a love for the Blessed Mother and built an outdoor shrine in her honor. Tom Belczak as our pastor and spiritual guide. He is the reason I became a Eucharistic minister and to serve God. His sermons touch the very core of our hearts. Thank you, Fr. Fr. Mike has not only been able manage the responsibilities of the parish but has developed a personal relationship with the parishioners. "When you witness a situation when someone is being rude to a priest, let him know that you noticed and express compassion." 13. Mandatory celibacy defines a priest primarily by sex and places an inordinate amount of attention on his sex life. At first, Fr. I would love to praise my priest Fr. What a blessing she is. How lucky can one guy be? Grzegorz (Greg) Rozborski. He started the community dinner to feed the homeless people on Sundays. Sharon DillawaySt. Francis of Assisi-St. Maximillian Kolbe, Ray Township, In July 1979, the parishioners of St. John the Baptist Parish, Dearborn Heights, eagerly awaited the arrival of their new pastor. Let him know that you notice the effort he makes to . Why do we love our priest? Tim Birney and Fr. Stanley. He has a wealth of understanding and compassion, and has helped so many souls. We are so grateful that these men leave their families, friends and country to help us. Dianne ErhardSt. Ephrem, Sterling Heights. As a spiritual leader, Fr. Basil the Great Parish in Eastpointe has the peace, sense of humor, wisdom and positive attitude of someone far beyond his years. Im going to tell you about my favorite priest. When I come back, I hope I have him as my teacher again. In observing him over the years, I am consistently inspired and impressed by his service and connection to people of all backgrounds. I first heard of him through my dad, a union-activist at Ford Motor, who used to also go to meetings at Holy Trinity Church in downtown Detroit; there Fr. Grant Your clarity. I was scared but you were there to help me and show me the way. Thank you, Fr. God bless you Fr. With three sons to raise in this world filled with distractions and moral challenges, my husband and I are grateful that Uncle Pat is an active presence in our family; a sign not only of love of family, but love of God. He has been with us only a few months and I know he will gain the love and respect of our parish family. Both friars are stewards of our church and its surrounding grounds; the church was built 90 years ago by faithful Hungarian families, many newly arriving from the old country with a shared goal of building a place of worship for Hungarian Catholics. The vocation to the priesthood comes from a personal experience with Jesus, from a face-to-face encounter with Him. The members of the Friendship Club St. Anselm Parish, Dearborn Heights. Our vocations have increased since hes been at our parish. Suzanne Szczepanski-WhiteGrosse Pointe Woods. As Dr. Amy-Jill Levine discusses in a column in the January . I am sure that he will truly be bilingual upon his return to Michigan. From the beginning he has always made our family feel as if he had known us for a very long time. Fr. Good Friday, Easter and Christmas Mass brought us closer to the life of Christ. Father always makes everyone feel special; he is a caring, loving, and compassionate person. The story is told in Luke 10:29-37: A man going from Jerusalem to Jericho is attacked by robbers who strip him and beat him. Your Church is continually in need of priests, sisters and brothers to offer themselves in the service. Tim, Maya, Ava and Emma StacySt. Alphonsus, Dearborn. During the past 11 years, Msgr. Greg with this challenge, and Father said he would go to the hospital the next and not only give the rite of anointing of the sick, but also a special blessing! My husband recovered fully and Fr. Suresh Rajaian, SAC, (currently in the Cayman Islands) and Fr. Annes, the parish next door. He always stresses that we are a family of God. Im sure he will bring his own special qualities and ideas that we are eager to embrace. I am 84 years old and a Catholic all my life and have never left Mass feeling as good as I do now. Youve worked far beyond retirement age and done so with a cheerful heart because of your great love for God and His people. Parker listened to all points of view with compassion and understanding as he led us in our new direction. A priest should wear his clergy attire when giving direction to a woman. And we are so happy and glad! Gregs sermons are very inspirational and I am still learning about my faith after all these years. Aaron also offers himself to others. He uses humor and love to reach out to our congregation, to express how much our God loves us and how we can reach out to God and accept that love. What does that song say? He later retired but continued to celebrate Mass all around the archdiocese. Because of Fathers influence and our wonderful principal, Sr. Catherine Marie, we now have a new, $80,000 science lab that is the envy of our community. It is with great pleasure and honor that I write this correspondence on behalf of St. Mark Parish and Fr. Who could not love Fr. Fr. No. For the first time in many years Fr. Brian extending sincere and heartfelt handshakes to strangers: All who welcome me, welcome my Father., Also a caring listener with a delightful sense of humor, Fr. Joe will become a lot taller. 4: He always positive and smiling. You are my favorite person. Joe Horn. Mike Verschaeve is a wonderful parish priest. When we were told Fr. What a blessing this shepherd at St. Veronica Parish has been!Gianna House Board of Directors St. Veronica Parish, Eastpointe. If we want to slide into our pew and be passively entertained for an hour then we do not understand the reality of the Mass. Ron could bake awesome cakes. He prays for everyone. Grankowski is a one-of-a-kind priest and words cannot describe how he has impacted our lives. That statement was proven to be true when we were informed that our much-loved pastor, Fr. Thomas is greatly loved and respected by parishioners and the community. If you are forcing yourself into a love relationship with a priest, it means that you are pushing him into a situation where his f. 5. Please make time to attend the 11:30 a.m. Mass on a Sunday at 1491 Baldwin, Detroit, as my guest and get to meet this wonderful man and the parish. If someone dies, he has the funeral Mass and goes to the cemetery for the burial. Fr. He honors Catholic tradition and saints and makes this a part of his example and preaching to us. Whether its his inspiring homilies or his timely response to the needs of his flock, Fr. When Fr. Balazy is a very giving and forgiving man. You always know youve been to church when you leave with him. What makes Fr. Ryan was ordained in 2014 and was a little nervous at first preaching to the congregation in our octagonal church. At the end of the confession, the priest gives to the penitent what is called a "penance," a certain number of prayers to say, or fasting, or the giving of alms, or acts of mortification, or a way of the Cross, or a rosary. As we love the Lord Jesus, we enjoy Him. A Bad Pastor Always Points the Finger and Is Always the Victim A pastor should be defensive if he is accused of wrong doing in an unbiblical way. My husband and I are so happy that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops saw the talents he has and how much he loves the Lord and appointed him executive director of the African American and Native American missions! The Responses and the Heartbreak. He visits the homebound weekly and when called, rushes to the bedside of the dying, even those who are not members of the parish. And like Jesus, he should have a deep love for the Church, the Bride of Christ. He help us to be united and teaches how to love each other as God asks us to do; he teaches us how to respect each other without looking at the language we speak, the country we come from or the color of our skin. Parishioners of St. Alphonsus Church, Dearborn. During his nine-month absence, he taught us how to remain strong and maintain faith in the power of prayer. Friends and family question our decision to drive that far to make St. Andre Bessette our parish home. The St. Linus Catholic School CommunityDearborn Heights. I am here to tell that Fr. Pat SmithBirmingham, Ala. (formerly of Taylor, Mich.). A truly great pastor is hard to find, difficult to let go of, and impossible to forget. That is what makes Fr. You have made a big difference in the lives of the people of St. Mark. Sean Bonner, who arrived this summer, and Fr. He is the dynamo of a viable, energetic Christian community in Western Wayne County. My father was always struck by a large number of poor people waiting in the hall to see Fr. I do not work for the parish. Theodore Parker of St. Charles Lwanga Parish in Detroit. Then the man confessed . At our recent parish festival, Father was an active participant. Now in our golden years, Fr. From the contemporaneous books of Ezra (9, 10) and Nehemiah (13:23-29) we learn that one of the ways the priests . When Fr. Some Internet research found that others who had gone through this process seemed to deeply regret making the choice to discontinue life support. Lord, I love you with all my heart.". We love and appreciate our Pallottine priests!Raymond Mote Redford Township. We are very blessed to have Fr. In this short period of time, he has endeared himself to the parishioners with his quick smile and his self-effacing sense of humor. Also, we noticed a large cat walking around the parish grounds, and it was Father with his face painted like a cat! Father has be criticized and disrespected in letters and phone calls, but all in all expresses his love for his people! It is about Him." If we look at the Mass as a concert or a Jesus pep rally we are going to be disappointed. Angelus Ligeti extra special is that they are deeply spiritual Franciscans who run Holy Cross (Hungarian) Parish in Detroit as well as St. Anthony of Padua Hungarian Parish in Windsor, and in addition, they cover a lot of other ground. We are thankful that he has now been made our pastor for six years. Joe also challenges us to follow Church teaching including weekly attendance at Sunday Mass, respecting life, and supporting social justice. As a teenager, he connected with us in ways that you didnt see back then. Jim Grau, during Priesthood Sunday. Immediately afterward, he begins, and we join in, our parish welcome song, You are welcome in the name of the Lord.. They say you dont appreciate what you have until you lose it have thought of doing this it... 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A lot of good, hardworking priests out there, it was like light. Him as my teacher again, the best leaders are those who serve and lead by.!

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