He leads by example just as Jesus did. He visits retirement homes. This slight change in your behavior might even help the priest recognize and address what is happening in his own heart. He practices the spiritual works of mercy by making sure everyone in the clergy does their job, by giving advice to those who need it, and being merciful to others. "When you witness a situation when someone is being rude to a priest, let him know that you noticed and express compassion." 13. Joe for talking to my family on my First Communion day. Thank you! At each parish he is very effective at preaching, visiting the sick, celebrating the Eucharist, encouraging the youth, evangelizing, working with the poor and more. Fr. The most common gift noted was a cash gift equivalent to one week of salary. Our love, respect, and gratitude for him will always remain endless. Sometimes our parents cant get us to church to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation and Fr. 20 Ways To Thank Your Pastor. He is also the official chaplain for our Dearborn Heights Police and Fire Department. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Thank you for the opportunity to say thank you, not only from myself and my family, but from all those at the St. Joseph, Lake Orion, community. #6 As we recognize pastor appreciation month, Thank you for your service to the church throughout the year. We decided to talk to Fr. Fr. I love to see you smile. His lead is not always comfortable and he makes me question my own motives and for all of that, I thank God for Fr, Chris! And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me.". Fr. People look for the big guy whenever they are at church, in the gathering space, attending school functions and sports activities. The man called to the priesthood leaves his family and everything else to be "alone with God." It is necessary to have a time for personal reflection, to listen to God and verify if it's a divine inspiration or not. Carolyn UtterSt. Michael Parish, Livonia. He is a man of deep faith in the Lord and we are drawn in toward God through his aura. A priest and a woman (who is not a family member) should avoid riding in cars together, just the two of them. It is brilliantly done in a way that allows children to interact with him through skits, providing lessons for all, while at the same time helping the children to grow in their faith. And like Jesus, he should have a deep love for the Church, the Bride of Christ. At Immaculate Conception Parish in Ira Township, we are blessed to call Fr. He was pastor of our church, St. Alfred in Taylor, for just four years. Lord, he deserves it. He uses his wisdom to teach us and guide us on our path to heaven. To summarize, what draws people to Fr. He leads us by providing many opportunities for spiritual growth. He does this through his interpersonal skills that convey his vision that allow him to remain grounded in the lives of people and his own humanity. This is why Confession reveals the priest's own soul; it reveals his willingness to sacrifice his life with Christ. His parishioners are his family and he desires to know us individually. Henry is the one who came into our lives and changed everything for the good. Since joining Archbishop Vignerons home parish, Immaculate Conception in Ira Township, in 2004, we have been blessed with wonderful spiritual leadership by Fr. He had the altar painted and everyone is awestruck by its beauty. Tom and Evelyn Evasic and FamilySt. Barbara, Dearborn. We do not have to feel the regret of prematurely ending Dads life. Lastly but not least, Fr. Fr. All of these are to "make up" for the sin, and to prove that the sorrow was sincere. Under the current leadership of Bro. Tom stresses that we must put Jesus words into action that can be seen in the tremendous Christian outreach practiced at St. Kens: the Sunday food drives, the giving tree at Christmas, prayer ministry for the sick and so much more. Thanks to God and doctors at Botsford, Im writing to you. _____ and _____, having witnessed your vows for marriage before God and all who are assembled here, by the authority invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. John Zenz from Holy Name Parish in Birmingham. In fact, he seems to take great delight in eating lunch with the students. Thank you, Fr. He has been and continues to be a beautiful guiding light for our lifes journey. He helped us to heal our wounds and to gather together as a new community of love and faith. At the core of my being, I want you to have joy, a relationship with God and his Church, and you to know your incredible worth. Craig is just what our parish needed, a breath of fresh air. and offer them to the Father, while offering us the mercy of God. You've probably spent hours flipping through your stacks of vintage records only to come away empty-handed. I'm a single girl. Father has been a priest a short time, but you can already see the future holds great opportunity for him. Bob McCabe, for all that you do for the families of St. Pius X Parish and school. A modest person, he never touts this as his social action: Learn from me, for I am humble of heart., Once I arrived at a crowded Christmas Mass and found strangers occupying my pew. Pamela MertesImmaculate Conception, Ira Township, Fr. Ive dubbed him Fr. We dont remember his exact words, but basically Fr. He is so easy to talk to, even when face-to-face in the confession room, always makes time to exchange in conversation, goes above and beyond to acknowledge a job well done and has an AWESOME sense of humor. 4: He always positive and smiling. A man who never believed anyone could love the son of such a monster. Ron, but God was looking out for us when he sent Fr. You Gotta Have Heart, Miles and Miles of Heart? Well, I can tell you that Fr. Fr. Kern always seemed to help all of them, and he had time for everyone and everything. And as has become a custom, you responded with warm memories, words of gratitude, and all sorts of praise for those living the vocation of Holy Orders. Our vocations have increased since hes been at our parish. With each assignment he brings a sense of joy, delight, compassion, faith-filled preaching and a welcome sense of humor to his parishioners. He is a true shepherd of God and lives the Gospel of love. My children have gotten to know and love him over the years, and he looks forward to our visits. Amen. Both men have moved on to new assignments: Fr. Okeke can make you cry because hes helped you realize that in any type of situation we encounter ourselves we are not alone; we just need to open our hearts to God. About three years ago, I moved to Farmington Hills, and in February of 2014 almost died. F.A.B.O, on June 24, 2011 at 4:17 PM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 11. Thank goodness that Fr. Fr. Second, this "retirement" is typically the last thing a priests ever wants. George, for going over and beyond your retirement years to share with us the gift of your priesthood a true servant and waiter of Christ! He empowers them to see beyond their parish boundaries to the betterment of the community and our faith. Colonel Bucon demonstrated loyalty, unwavering professionalism, steadfast initiative, selfless service and unfailing devotion to duty, which earned him the supreme respect of the soldiers and families he served. A Wedding Ceremony without Mass may have either a priest or deacon as celebrant. Sometimes I just cant see the way, but Father never wavered. 23. Stanley has had an extremely positive and direct impact on my life. I appreciated everything he has done for me. You dont need to know a person for a long time to see how wonderful they are. Most of all, I am deeply appreciative of the fact that Fr. Zbigniew Grankowski (St. Barbara Church, Dearborn) has been in our lives, especially for my younger son and his family. He visits the homebound weekly and when called, rushes to the bedside of the dying, even those who are not members of the parish. I go to Daily Mass, and sometimes I find myself looking at Father longer than I need to. We are like one big family. Fr. G.M. I want to thank Fr. Fr. Fr. He developed friendships with so many people it was hard sometimes to schedule a day to take him to dinner. Im sure he remembers each and every assignment, even at the ripe age of 97! Tim is director of priestly vocations, and Fr. Spiritual direction should take place during . He taught us the meaning of love and brotherhood, and also I thank him because now I can write in English. I want to write about what Father gives to us:Where Father is, there is love When our hearts are light, the day is bright With Fathers love, there is a song We know that nothing will go wrong With his love there is a smile To make all things worthwhile With his love there is quiet and peace We are in a place where turmoils cease Once in a while I may be out of touch But Father will mold and shape me and do so much Fathers love with make the church a better place For every color, creed or race Father is our best friend, tried and true Someone we can tell our troubles to Father, we never yearned for riches of silver or gold The treasures youve given us cannot be bought or sold. He makes Mass really special. And so, while there are NO words to convey our gratitude to Fr. A priest and a Levite pass by without helping him. Fr. For example, he took part in the cake walk; he didnt win! We had the same experience and feelings each time we attended Fathers Masses. May he be with us for a very long time, and may God continue to bless him. Fr. Sean Bonner, who arrived this summer, and Fr. When we were told Fr. During the pre-marital preparation, every couple got to hear how the Church values and appreciates family. First, by "retire," lets make sure we all know that priests never stop being priests, and even when they do retire from parish duties, they usually continue to support their diocese in baptisms, weddings, etc. Jim Mayworm as our pastor. I love you! Ryan Adams always manages to take things to another level, a little deeper and a little more thoughtful, a joy to hear and ponder. He brings the children up to the altar for the peace prayers and has one of them start the Our Father.. Zbigniew, from the bottom of our hearts for all that you are and do for us. Excitement and smiles from our students always greet 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. He guides his flock, watches over us, and is there when one of us calls out for help. Thank you, Fr. As a PIME missionary priest, Fr. He asked me to take Communion to a woman who couldnt get to Mass, and it was such a moving experience for me. You reach out to every segment of your parish school, administration, parishioners, the elderly, the youth and youngsters. He has a wonderful sense of humor. He has enriched my life and his familys lives. Bill Promesso and why we love him. Parishioners of St. Alphonsus Church, Dearborn. Priests are indeed a blessing to our Church and our congregations. Fr. Going to shout he's coming back for you sometimes it's hard need to understand from each other so walk in the same it will build dividing walls between our And I'll I don't care enable you so take me by the hand gather we will work until he comes there's no foe that can defeat us when we're walking side by side as long as there is love we will Fr. Fr. But most important is to bring kids and teenagers close to God, by making his Sunday celebration for them by sitting on the floor with the kids to get on kids level when preaching Gods love. Fr. He welcomes all guests who visit our church. It turned out to be a colossal failure in which the presenters were more into controlling and leading than they were in real Church renewal. Father is a blessing in our churches. Richard Perfetto for his service as parish administrator and for the calming influence he brought during our period of turmoil. Ever welcoming, Fr. I see clearly Gods and the Churchs love through the helping hand of Fr. He loved people, even those who did not see the goodness in him. Even when I lector at Saturday Mass, I come to Sunday Mass as well just to hear Fr. He is there whenever we need him, and is such an excellent guardian of our parish resources. He kept us interested in our faith. My priest at St. Barbara in Dearborn, Fr. Greg is young because he worked very hard with people of all ages. We tell them that Fr. He brings people together, inspires you to be a better person, to love and trust the Lord, to pray all the time, to talk to Him as a friend who loves you no matter what. By remembering and calling us by our names when we interact with him, he makes us feel loved and part of the parish family. Karen Gorski, MA BCCHenry Ford Wyandotte Hospital. Nevertheless, our family is blessed to experience the gifts of his priesthood and faith shared so lovingly. Fr. Abigail B. Robert McCabe of St. Pius X Parish in Southgate, a kind and caring individual who greatly helped during a family tragedy. Aside from the label, vinyl records all look the same to the untrained eye. Annes, the parish next door. This new ministry, Gianna House, would initially open as an outreach, then become a residence for pregnant teens in need of housing, sustenance, education and support. the Association of Catholic Trade Unionists. The answer is, "It is not about you. Fr. ADVERTISEMENT. At our recent parish festival, Father was an active participant. Larry Siroskey, was forced to take a medical leave. He stresses the importance of reconciliation and reception of the Eucharist. Slaton, associate pastor of Our Lady on the River Parish, is such a knowledgeable priest. Thirty-six years of guidance, friendship, time and love. Suzanne Ignatius and Mike NorrisSt. Charles Lwanga Parish, Detroit. Hard sometimes to schedule a day to take him to dinner priest or deacon celebrant... 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