www.themichigancatholic.com | June 13, 2014 | $100
Critical juncture:
Archdiocese, lay groups
see college ministry
awareness as vital | 5
Seven new priests join archdiocese’s ranks
Archbishop Vigneron
ordains six in Detroit;
one ordained in
Caribbean
‘Flood of emotions’
for family members
of newly ordained
R obert D elaney
Special to The Michigan Catholic
R obert D elaney
Special to The Michigan Catholic
Cloistered in Vietnam:
Farmington Hills
nuns help start first
monastery in Asian
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Through the
ages: Three biblical
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12-13
ADDRESS LABEL
Praying for a
new Pentecost in the
Archdiocese of Detroit
Detroit — Six new priests were
ordained to serve the Archdiocese of
Detroit on June 7 before a congregation that filled the Cathedral of the
Most Blessed Sacrament to capacity.
Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron
was the ordaining bishop for the
six transitional deacons who ranged
in age from 25 to 59, and who
completed their seminary studies
in Detroit, Boston and Rome.
The newly ordained priests, and
their first assignments, are:
Fr. Ryan Adams, 33, associate
pastor, National Shrine of the Little
Flower Parish, Royal Oak.
Fr. Jeffrey Allan, 35, associate
pastor, Holy Trinity Parish, Port
Huron.
Fr. John Kopson, 32, associate pastor, Divine Child Parish,
Dearborn.
Fr. Gregory Piatt, 55, associate
pastor, St. James Parish, Novi.
Fr. Bryan Shackett, 25, associate pastor, St. Paul on the Lake Parish, Grosse Pointe Farms through
Aug. 14, after which he will resume
graduate studies at the Pontifical
Lateran University in Rome.
Fr. Joseph Tuskiewicz,59, associate pastor, St. Joan of Arc Parish,
St. Clair Shores.
The six join a seventh priest
ordained for the archdiocese last
month, Fr. Joseph Kirkconnell, 30.
Fr. Kirkconnell was ordained May
24 by Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss
at St. Ignatius Parish, Grand Cayman Island. He will serve the Caribbean outpost of the archdiocese
through Aug. 14, becoming associate pastor at St. Paul Parish, Grosse
Pointe Farms, Aug. 15.
‘Sacraments of
His leadership’
In his homily, Archbishop Vigneron emphasized it was not he
who would be making priests of
the six transitional deacons.
sage about the priesthood on the
acclamation, “You are a priest
forever, in the line of Melchizedek”
(Psalm 110:4).
Although this principally applies
to Jesus Christ, the Church understands it ”also to apply to those of
Detroit — At the reception on
the cathedral plaza following
the Mass of ordination for six
new priests, relatives of the new
priests gave their reactions.
“It was just wonderful. It was
a blessing,” said Mary Shackett
about seeing her son ordained
a priest.
“He’ll make an excellent priest,
because he truly is devoted to
Christ and he has the gift of
caring I think a priest needs,”
she said of her son, the youngest
of the new priests.
Her husband, Larry Shackett,
said studying for the priesthood
had led to spiritual growth not
only for his son, but for the
entire family.
And he added their parish, Our
Lady of the River in Marie City,
had been supportive, as also were
the Knights of Columbus councils in Marine City and Algonac.
Virginia Tuskiewicz, mother
of the oldest of the new priests,
said it wasn’t a shock when her
son announced his intention to
study for the priesthood: “it just
took a long time coming.”
She recalled how Fr. Tuskiewicz used to play priest when he
was just “my little Joey.”
Fr. Adams’ mother, Susan Jill
Grzesiak, said seeing her son ordained was “just the most beautiful experience I’ve ever had.”
“I know God loves me, because
He made my son be a priest. I just
feel so blessed,” said Grzesiak,
a member of National Shrine
of the Little Flower Parish in
Royal Oak.
Noting that Fr. Adams was
being assigned to the parish,
she added, “Tell me that’s not a
blessing.”
Jim Allan called his son’s ordination “very emotionally gratifying,”
and his wife, Louise Allan, called it
“the most wonderful sight to see.”
Please see Ordinations | 6
Please see Family | 7
Mr. Mack Photography
Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron looks on as priests of the archdiocese lay their hands
on the six newly ordained priests June 7 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed
Sacrament.
“The Church comes to this hour
with the conviction that it is Jesus
Christ who makes a man a priest.
What we understand a priest to be
cannot be a reality produced by any
one of us or by all of us together,
no matter how powerfully we might
combine for such a thing,” he said.
But neither are the priests, prelates and people of the congregation
“mere spectators” either: “We are
His members; we are His Body.
And so, as members, we not only
join, but — more deeply — participate in Christ’s action. We are here
to acclaim — we might say, to accompany — what Christ is doing:
to praise Him for the priesthood
and the gift of these priests.”
The archbishop focused his mes-
Archbishop’s
homily
The full text
of Archbishop
Vigneron’s homily
during the ordinations
can be found at www.
themichigancatholic.com.