Detroit colleagues call Cd. Szoka a faithful teacher
By Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published June 4, 2004
DETROIT – Fr. Todd Lajiness can recall late evenings walking through the halls of the Governor's Palace at the Vatican.
The palace being the Vatican's version of City Hall, he would walk past the civil offices, protocol offices, financial offices and technical services. He would look past the business-like atmosphere to the end of the hall and see the chapel.
Often, the light was on – and he knew where Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka was.
"It would be 10:30 or 10:45," said Fr. Lajiness, Cardinal Szoka's secretary at the Vatican from 1997 to 2002. "I'd go in the chapel and see him praying in front of the Holy Sacrament."
Fr. Lajiness, now dean of studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, is one of several people in the archdiocese who has worked day-to-day with Cardinal Szoka.
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Fr. Todd Lajiness, back row, Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka's former secretary, remembers finding the cardinal in prayer many times even late at night. Prayer was even part of a lunch visit with Pope John Paul II and other visitors. |
From the level of a parishioner or a local pastor, the cardinal was known in Detroit for his bold administrative moves and theological intelligence.
But those who minister with him on a regular basis know that, when it comes to Cardinal Szoka, the light is always on – and his true devotion is not to this world.
"He's a real man of prayer," said Fr. Lajiness. "He's very much devoted to the Blessed Mother, and is very inspiring in that way.
"I was very blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the cardinal for five years, especially in the early years of priesthood. Those are the years when you're learning more intensely. He is a very good role model in a lot of ways in regard to prayer and holiness."
Auxiliary Bishop Walter Hurley, who was moderator of the Curia and judicial vicar when Cardinal Szoka was archbishop of Detroit, said the cardinal calls for greater devotion and focus on what is holy from those around him.
"He would challenge us to bring forth our very best efforts," Bishop Hurley said. "It was an attitude. He tried to call forth from us all a deep sense of love for the Church.
"He's in many ways a very private man – and yet one who cares deeply about people. There were small things that he would do that would indicate his concern for individuals. When priests were in trouble, he was always there to help."
Current moderator of the Curia Msgr. John Zenz can recall working as both director of religious education and chancellor under Cardinal Szoka. Msgr. Zenz said Cardinal Szoka is inspirational to the clergy he serves.
"He is very committed to daily prayer and contemplation, and challenged all of us to focus on contemplative prayer," said Msgr. Zenz. "He had a very strong eucharistic piety and set a good example for us in that regard.
"He encouraged us to be proud of our vocation and to understand that by living our vocation well we are affirming other vocations within the Christian life."
The priests say that Cardinal Szoka best leads by his example. When the Church of Detroit was in turmoil, for instance, the cardinal archbishop made the difficult decisions to close a number of parishes.
The late Bishop Kevin Britt of Grand Rapids, who worked closely with Cardinal Szoka for seven years in Detroit and three more in Rome, said he learned a lot from the cardinal's example at the time.
"He was under tremendous pressure and criticism," said Bishop Britt in an April interview, two weeks before his untimely death. "People were very unkind and uncharitable in what they said about him. And, through it all, the greatest thing was that he trusted in the Lord and took all his burdens to prayer and didn't lash out and didn't condemn people.
"His motto was 'To Live in Faith,' and that's what he did and what he does."
Bishop Britt said Cardinal Szoka also had a positive influence on him as he rose to the level of bishop in the Church.
"It was a great experience for me to learn from him," the bishop said. "He is a great teacher…When I became a bishop, I kind of felt I knew what to do because he had taught me so well."
Fr. Lajiness said that, in the course of his ministry, he still learns from Cardinal Szoka's example – often when he comes across new situations at the seminary.
"As I'm making decisions or looking over situations, now is when I'm finding a lot of lessons coming to the surface," he said.
And, with Cardinal Szoka, the lessons about living in faith apparently don't end. Not amid difficult financial decisions. Not amid a garden of administrative offices. And not at 10:45 p.m.
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