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Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2007 / 15 men ordained to the diaconate

15 men ordained to the diaconate

Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Photos by Gregg MaIntosh of The Michigan Catholic
Published October 12, 2007

Cardinal Adam Maida (center) stands with the 15 permanent deacons for the Archdiocese of Detroit ordained last Saturday at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.

Detroit—Before a capacity congregation at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Cardinal Adam Maida ordained 15 men to serve the Archdiocese of Detroit as permanent deacons last Saturday.

Ordained to the diaconate (and their parish assignments) were:

• Thomas R. Avery, 47, of Troy
  (National Shrine of the Little Flower, Royal Oak)
   
• John S. Burke, 61, of Belleville
  (St. Theodore of Canterbury, Westland)
   
• Jerome J. Campernel, 64, of Shelby Township
  (St. John Vianney, Shelby Township)
   
• George F. Cousino, 64, of Maybee
  (St. Joseph, Maybee, and St. Patrick, Carleton)
   
• Charles R. Dreyer, 70, of Wixom
  (St. Maurice, Livonia)
   
• Robert D. Gajda, 58, of Livonia
  (St. Mary, Wayne)
   
• Franz Hoffer, 53, of Sterling Heights
  (St. Ronald, Clinton Township)
   
• Scott M. LaForest, 36, of Southgate
  (St. Martha and St. Joseph, Dearborn)
   
• Glenn R. Melenyk, 55, of Novi
  (St. James the Greater, Novi)
   
• Paul A. Mueller, 65, of Farmington Hills
  (Corpus Christi, Detroit)
   
• James M. Sanders, 58, of Farmington
  (St. Colette, Livonia)
   
• Gerald L. Schiffer, 60, of Southfield
  (St. Linus, Dearborn Heights) 
   
• James R. Thibodeau, 44, of Dearborn
  (St. Sebastian, Dearborn Heights) 
   
• Michael Von Ende, 63, of Franklin
  (Prince of Peace, West Bloomfield Township) 
   
• John F. Wright, 57, of Washington Township
  (SS. John & Paul, Washington Township)

The 15 candidates for ordination lie prostrate before the altar during the litany at the diaconal ordination ceremony last Saturday at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Newly ordained Deacon George Cousino delivers the thanksgiving address on behalf of the entire ordination class.

Cardinal Adam Maida lays his hands on the head of deacon candidate James Thibodeau, thereby conferring the sacrament of holy orders.

"This is a day of great joy for the 15 of you about to be ordained, and also for our whole Church of Detroit," Cardinal Maida said in his homily.

"With great pride, members of your family, parishioners, and fellow deacons and priests have gathered to celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon you as you hand over your lives in a new way for the service of the Church," he continued.

Cardinal Maida told them their every act of ministry "will be a concrete expression of God's love for the world — even in its brokenness and human imperfection."

"As sacramental ministers of the Church, more than ever every word you speak and your every deed of charity and justice will be an extension of the dynamic love of Christ for His Body, the Church," the cardinal said.

Cardinal Maida remarked about the ordination class's adoption of the motto of the late Pope John Paul II — "Totus Tuus," which is to say, "all yours, completely yours" — as their own: "These words, of course, come from St. Louis de Montfort as he meditated on the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the perfect embodiment of divine charity.

"The motto of our late Holy Father is a wonderful challenge for all of us in ministry; we pray that we might be completely the Lord's servants, completely available for His people," the cardinal said.

Deacon George Cousino, speaking for the entire ordination class, expressed thanks to God. "From the time we were little children, we learned that the most perfect prayer to God is a prayer of thanksgiving. Everything we are, everything we have, is a gift from God," he said.

Deacon Cousino also expressed the new deacons' gratitude to Cardinal Maida and the auxiliary bishops: "You who are direct descendants of the Apostles — those same Apostles who were first to lay hands on Stephen and the first deacons — we thank you."

He further thanked the priests and deacons of the archdiocese, and the deacons' wives, as well as the diaconate formation team and seminary professors, and all those who helped them in their process of formation.

"And especially, we thank you, our wives," he continued, citing the many acts of sacrifice they made in supporting their husbands throughout the formation process.

Annette Renee Wright said she had attended diaconal ordination ceremonies before, "but sitting out their and actually watching your husband go through it is an experience I'll never forget."

Annette Renee Wright and her husband, newly ordained Deacon John Wright, share a joyful moment after the ceremony.

Newly ordained Deacon John Burke and his wife, Starr, after the ceremony.

Nevertheless, it was a bittersweet experience, because both she and Deacon Wright had wanted his uncle, the late Fr. John Markham, who was pastor of St. Elizabeth Parish in Detroit, to be there for it. "He spent a fair amount of time with our class, and celebrated Mass for us several times. The guys all pretty much knew him, and he got us all started on the right path," the new deacon added.

Starr Burke said she had been very supportive of her husband answering the call to the diaconate, and believes he will make an excellent deacon. "My No. 1 reason is that he has just an incredible amount of compassion. He is capable of addressing the needs of the very poor and the very rich," she said.

Deacon Burke said going back to school after 35 years had taken some adjustment, even though he had two master's degrees. Overall, however, he said of the deacon formation process, "It was a very exciting ride, and I really enjoyed it."