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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  Vessels of clay: 175 years of ordained ministry in the archdiocese

Published August 29, 2008

My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:

This month of September, as I continue to reflect on various aspects of our 175-year history as a local Church, I would like to focus on the ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons – those who have gone before us and those who now serve as ministers of Word and sacrament here in the archdiocese.

A priestly, prophetic and royal nation

Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, whenever God revealed Himself to any individual (such as Abraham or Moses, or the prophets), it was always for the sake of the whole people of Israel. As God saved His people from slavery in Egypt and formed a covenant with them, He spoke of them as His possession, a people He had claimed for Himself and formed as His own — a priestly, prophetic and royal nation.

As a means of sustaining their covenant bond with Him and each other, the Lord called and raised up certain men and women at critical moments in the history of the Hebrew people to serve as leaders and instruments of His presence. In particular, three different ministries developed – the roles of prophets, priests and kings, all three of which were specifically anointed for their divine commission. As the centuries passed, there grew a fervent hope, dream and expectation that one day there would come a single person, "the Anointed," (Messiah in the Hebrew or Christ in the Greek) who would, in His own person, assume all these roles of leadership. At one and the same time, He would be the perfect priest or mediator between God and His people, the prophet of God's Word, and He would rule God's people justly.

As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ is indeed the Messiah and the fulfillment of all of the hopes and dreams of the covenant God formed with the Jewish people. As Jesus created a new covenant people – a royal, priestly and prophetic people – He designated certain roles of servant leadership within the early community. He especially formed an "inner circle" of apostles under the leadership of Peter and gave them authority and responsibility to preach and teach, to heal and continue His ministry, even to the ends of the Earth.

After the Death-Resurrection of the Lord, as the early Church continued to grapple with mission and ministry, three roles emerged by the end of the first century and the beginning of the second century – the role of episcopos (the "overseer" of the community, to be known as bishops), local presbyters or elders (what we today call priests), and deacons who worked as close collaborators with the bishops by attending to the practical aspects of community life. These three roles of service are part of the sacrament of holy orders.

Although the whole people of God – through baptism into the Death-Resurrection of Christ – are one, holy, priestly, prophetic and kingly people, nonetheless, there has always been a need for special leadership and hence, there is another sacrament which complements baptism – the sacrament of holy orders.

The Council Fathers of Vatican II explain this healthy interaction between baptismal priesthood and hierarchical or ordained priestly ministry in these words from the "Dogmatic Constitution on the Church": "Though they differ from one another in essence and not only in degree, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are nonetheless interrelated. Each of them, in its own special way, is a participation in the one priesthood of Christ. The ministerial priest, by the sacred power he enjoys, molds and rules the priestly people. Acting in the person of Christ, he brings about the Eucharistic sacrifice and offers it to God in the name of all the people. For their part, the faithful join in the offering of the Eucharist by virtue of their royal priesthood. They, likewise, exercise that priesthood by receiving the sacraments, by prayer and thanksgiving, by the witness of a holy life, and by self-denial and active of charity" (article 10).

In a very visible and powerful way, since Vatican II, we express the diversity and unity of our complementary ministry during Holy Week as our local Church comes together to celebrate the chrism Mass. The priests of the archdiocese join with me and the other bishops to renew our commitment to priestly service and celibacy. The permanent deacons also gather with us for this special Mass and play a prominent role in bringing the oils forward to be blessed and consecrated. The whole people of God – clergy, laity, and religious alike – gather for this celebration of our identity and mission as a priestly, prophetic, and holy people of God consecrating the world to Christ our Lord and King. As we were looking for an appropriate image to complement this column on the gift and blessing of 175 years of ordained ministry, the chrism Mass seemed appropriate because it highlights and affirms the interrelationship between ordained ministry and the service of the baptized, the Body of Christ, the Church.

Vessels of clay

About a half-century ago, one of our Detroit pastors, Fr. Leo Trese, authored a simple but beautiful book of meditations on priestly life and ministry, "Vessels of Clay." His title was inspired by a line of St. Paul's second letter to the Corinthians: St. Paul described himself, and all ministers of the Church, as "earthen vessels," used by God to proclaim His Word and manifest His presence.

The vocation to ordained ministry – whether as bishop, priest or deacon – is a very humbling gift and blessing. One feels in his heart a call from the Lord and recognizes certain gifts, but at the same time, every ordained minister is also well aware of his human frailty before the magnitude of the office, responsibility, expectations, and needs of God's people. In truth, no one of us is ever worthy but God chooses and calls; He provides gifts that complement our human weaknesses. God further reassures us through the voice of the Church and its leaders who validate and accept our offer to serve.

Throughout the decades, our local Church of Detroit has indeed been blessed by outstanding witnesses of faith in every way. In earlier months I have spoken about the testimony of the laity and religious but this month I wanted to focus on the service of our leaders in the community – my predecessors as chief shepherds of this local Church, the many priests who have served here, and the gift and blessing of the permanent diaconate in our post-conciliar Church.

Our early heritage: The founding of the diocese

At the time that Detroit was made a diocese in 1833, Bishop Frederick Rιsι enjoyed the service of 11 priests – among them, some religious order priests (Jesuits, Franciscans and Redemptorists) as well as pastors at Ste. Anne, Detroit; St. Mary, Monroe; and the famous Fr. Frederic Baraga, the so-called "snowshoe priest," who at that point was serving the Indian missions at L'Arbre Croche.

The priest whose presence and ministry dominates our early history is, of course, Fr. Gabriel Richard. Not only did he serve as pastor of Ste. Anne, Detroit, he also helped rebuild the city of Detroit after the fire of 1805 and gave our city its motto, "We hope for better things; it will rise from ashes." A congressional delegate to Washington, D.C., from Michigan Territory, he recognized the importance of civic efforts to provide for the material and spiritual needs of the ever-growing population. He created educational opportunities in Detroit and co-founded the University of Michigan. In 1832, he died serving the sick during the cholera epidemic. Fr. Martin Kundig was also legendary in the early years of the archdiocese as the first organizer of Catholic Charities; thanks to him, the County Poorhouse, Infirmary and Orphan Asylum were established.

Reviewing our history through the service of our chief shepherds

Bishop Rιsι served just a few years here before ill health forced him to resign in 1840 and return to his native Germany; nonetheless, he retained the title of bishop of Detroit until his death in 1871. Bishop Peter Paul Lefevere served as administrator of the diocese from 1841 until his death in 1869. When he took over as administrator, there were 18 priests, 30 parishes, and 24,000 Catholics; by the time Bishop Caspar Borgess replaced him as the third bishop of Detroit in 1870, there were 88 priests, 80 churches, and more than 150,000 Catholics.

Bishop John Foley, formerly an auxiliary of Baltimore, came to Detroit in 1888 as the successor of Bishop Borgess, and during his 30 years as chief shepherd, the diocese grew enormously. At the time of his death in 1918, the diocese had 318 priests, 246 parishes and missions, 102 schools serving 386,000 Catholics. The years of Bishop Michael James Gallagher saw continued growth and development, and by the time he died in 1937, there were more than 800 priests ministering to 600,000 Catholics in 345 parishes and 200 parish schools. During Bishop Gallagher's years, several great building projects were completed, including the Chancery at 1234 Washington Blvd. and Sacred Heart Seminary.

With the appointment of Archbishop Edward Mooney in 1937, the see of Detroit was elevated to a new status as an archdiocese. At that time, our local Church had one auxiliary bishop, Bishop Stephen Woznicki, 542 diocesan priests, and approximately 159 religious order priests.

Throughout the tenure of Cardinal Mooney, the archdiocese continued to grow and expand in the number of Catholics, parishes and schools, priests and religious; all of these numbers reached a record high during the early years of Cardinal John Dearden, just prior to the Second Vatican Council.

One of the great accomplishments of the years of Cardinal Mooney (1937-58) was the establishment of St. John's Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, a novel idea whereby all the dioceses of the state would share one center for priestly formation under the direction of the Sulpician Fathers. St. John's Seminary educated generations of priests from 1949 through 1988, when its ministry merged into the re-founded Sacred Heart Major Seminary.

The years of Cardinal Dearden (1959-81) were a time of tremendous social transition as well as many new developments within the Church. A gentle but wise shepherd, Cardinal Dearden guided the archdiocese through the challenges of implementing Vatican II, not only in the liturgy but also through endorsing and creating programs of faith-formation for adults. A centerpiece of Cardinal Dearden's tenure was Synod 69 and the formational adult discussion program Church, World and Kingdom. Aware of the need for greater diversity in ministry and sensitive to growing urban issues, Cardinal Dearden ordained the first permanent deacons at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrement after the revitalization of the permanent diaconate in 1971.

Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka was appointed archbishop in 1981 and, as a native of the Grand Rapids Diocese, a priest of Marquette, and founding bishop of Gaylord, he brought with him tremendous experience and familiarity with many of the issues of the state. During his time, the Archdiocesan Tribunal was reorganized, a center for telecommunications was established, and Sacred Heart Major Seminary was re-founded. The annual Catholic Services Appeal was established, the most successful endeavor to fund the operational activities of the archdiocese.

Due to shifting populations of Catholics in the metro area, after a lengthy process of dialogue and input, 31 parishes were closed in June 1989. One of the high points of Cardinal Szoka's time was the September 1987 visit of Pope John Paul II, an event which allowed our local Church to celebrate our solidarity with the Church Universal and to express our deep esteem for the person of our late Holy Father.

In my own years of service since 1990, many beautiful and significant things developed. The growth and development of Sacred Heart Major Seminary into an outstanding national seminary has been a great blessing from God for our Church. The redevelopment of the former St. John Seminary property into a conference center and retreat facility for family and youth has become a significant spiritual resource for the archdiocese. Through its programs and services, youth and families will be spiritually renewed, along with clergy and religious. One of the pastoral centerpieces of my tenure has been the work of Vicariate Pastoral Planning and the Together in Faith process which provided a means for priests, religious and laity alike to engage in discussion of financial, sacramental, demographic data, thus making informed recommendations on how best to serve the ever-evolving needs of our people by the closing or merging of parishes and/or schools, or opening new ones.

With the help of many others, we have been able to develop and strengthen the Hispanic Pastoral Plan and accommodate the needs of the ever growing presence of the Latino population in our midst. We celebrated the dawning of the Third Millennium with the five-year Jubilee 2000 spiritual renewal process and in 2001, we shared in the 300th anniversary of the city by emphasizing the presence and ministry of the Catholic Church in Southeastern Michigan. We created an Archdiocesan Endowment Foundation, one of the largest of this type in the nation at the time and joined with other dioceses in creating the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. During my time we also thoroughly renovated the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the surrounding property.

Our priestly reality today

Mirroring what has been happening in the Catholic Church nationally, during the last two decades, we have been blessed by a great influx of new immigrants – especially Hispanics, Southeast Asians, Eastern Europeans, and people from many parts of Africa. Concurrent with their ever-growing presence, gifts, and pastoral needs, God has blessed us with priests of many different ethnic and racial backgrounds. At this time, almost 20 percent of the priests currently serving in the Archdiocese are foreign-born. I cannot begin to imagine how our Church would function without them!

Priests and religious of many different races, nationalities, and language backgrounds have come to the metro area to serve the specific language and cultural needs of the diverse immigrants arriving in the archdiocese. More than 120 years ago, SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary at Orchard Lake was also established for the special needs of the Polish apostolate and still continues in its special role. In 1926, the archdiocese was blessed with the ordination of Fr. Norman DuKette, our first African-American priest. Msgr. Clement Kern became legendary for his care for the poor, especially Hispanics in the area of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Detroit. Meanwhile, Fr. William Cunningham, along with Eleanor Josaitis, founded Focus: HOPE, which now, 40 years later, continues its mission of educating and providing basic services for people of many different backgrounds right in the heart of our city.

Over the decades, religious congregations have also been a great gift to our local Church. I have already written about their presence and ministry earlier this year but they merit at least a brief mention in this context. To name a few: Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans and Capuchins, Benedictines and Pallotines from Ireland and India.

Throughout this column, I have been reflecting on ministerial service in terms of the Pauline image, "vessels of clay." In recent years, many in the Church have suffered greatly from the startling revelation of clergy sexual abuse of minors – victims and their families, as well as the priests who committed these tragic acts. In fact, all of our faithful priests and bishops have also experienced much sorrow and pain as we lived through this tragic time in our history.

Certainly, evil was done and the pain of the lost innocence of victims can never be restored or fully healed; the scars remain. While our image of the priesthood has been tarnished, I trust we realize that those guilty of such inappropriate sexual abuse – or other reported activity not compatible with our vow of celibate chastity – represent a very small number of priests (1 percent) by comparison to the overwhelming majority of priests who are truly faithful in every aspect of their life and ministry. We are all "vessels of clay" who do our best to be clear and transparent instruments of the Lord, trusting that God can even use our weaknesses, failures and shortcomings to highlight the power of His grace shining through us. After all, it is His work, not ours.

During the two decades I have been serving here in the archdiocese, more and more of our priests have had to take on cluster responsibilities, managing two or more sites. While the parishes are quite often small, nonetheless, there are many challenges involved with trying to bring different communities together, often with limited resources. I marvel at the dedication and good humor with which many of our priests minister in challenging circumstances. I am also very impressed by the dedication of so many priests who are willing to work in settings where they must learn a second language, preaching and celebrating the sacraments in a language other than English. More and more, we are truly becoming a "world-wide" communion of faith and all of us who serve in leadership capacities of any kind must be ready to deal with the gifts and challenges of that diversity.

Our connection to the Church Universal

When a man is ordained a diocesan priest, ordinarily he intends to serve in the archdiocese the rest of his active years. Nonetheless, every priest must always have within his mind and heart the well-being of the Church universal, being ready to offer his time and talent for the missionary Church or, if he has special administrative, language, or theological skills, to the Vatican, the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., or one of the major universities of our nation. Many Detroit priests have given of their time and talent to the Church in loving service beyond the archdiocese. Fourteen of our former Detroit priests now serve or have served as bishops of dioceses and archdioceses all around our nation, one more reminder of the way we give and receive in the Universality of our communion as Church.

Each of our chief shepherds has tried to respond to the evolving needs of our Church of Detroit; priestly ministers and deacons have done the same. At this time, we have approximately 411 diocesan priests and 204 religious order priests, along with 178 permanent deacons, 1,297 religious women and 78 religious brothers, 47 seminarians, serving a total Catholic population of 1.4 million.

Our permanent deacons

As I mentioned at the beginning of my column, deacons have ministered in the Church from the very beginning; they are referred to in the letters of St. Paul and in the Acts of the Apostles and by many of the early fathers of the Church. For a variety of reasons, for many centuries the diaconate became simply the last step of preparation for a candidate to priesthood. At the time of the Second Vatican Council, the Council Fathers of Vatican II saw the wisdom of restoring the diaconate as "a permanent rank in the hierarchy." Shortly after the Council ended, Pope Paul VI issued norms for the formation of permanent deacons, and in 1971, the Archdiocese of Detroit was one of the first major archdioceses of the world to have candidates ready for ordination. Throughout the decades since Vatican II, among the archdioceses and dioceses of our nation and throughout the world, Detroit has been one of the leaders in affirming and acknowledging the ministry of permanent deacons.

The Council Fathers of Vatican II speak about this ordained ministry in the following words: "For strengthened by sacramental grace, in communion with the bishop and his group of priests, deacons serve the people of God in the ministry of the liturgy, of the Word, and of charity..." (LG 29).

As stated above, deacons are primarily ministers of Word and of charity: one of their primary responsibilities and privileges is proclaiming the Gospel, preaching, and leading the community in prayer in the absence of a priest. Liturgically, he may also baptize, witness marriages, officiate at funeral services, and conduct benediction or lead the Liturgy of the Hours.

He is also a "minister of charity," that is, a servant to the servants of God. Most of our deacons are involved in "person-to-person" types of service in prisons or nursing homes, counseling couples or serving the needs of the poor and marginalized. Deacons also serve a very important role within the Christian community inasmuch as most of them are married men; they model the dignity of Christian marriage and the beauty of family living. Permanent deacons are always taught to put their family first and then, to the extent possible, to embrace various ministries within the context of the parish or the wider needs of the Church. Deacons also provide a powerful witness in the way they manifest Christian values in the marketplace.

Our diocese has been greatly enriched by the presence and ministry of approximately 178 deacons working in a variety of settings. I am always impressed by the amount of time and energy they and their spouse give to the four-year formation process and the way they willingly give so much of their time and energy to be of assistance whenever, however, and wherever they are needed. The work of permanent deacons is an important part of the sacrament of holy orders and an excellent complement to the service of the ministerial priesthood and the ministry of bishops.

Reflections from Pope Benedict XVI

Great things have happened over the decades but usually in the most hidden and humble of ways. That is exactly how the Lord Jesus worked, and so it is true in our own life and times as we continue His ministry and the service of the apostles He left behind. As Pope Benedict XVI stated eloquently and passionately in his homily at St. Patrick's Cathedral last April, we need to be conscious "of the legacy of generations of religious and priests who quietly devoted their lives to serving the people of God in countless schools, hospitals, and parishes."

Our Holy Father also spoke very directly to priests and deacons: "You, dear priests, by sacramental ordination, have been configured to Christ, the Head of the Body. You, dear deacons, have been ordained for the service of that Body. … All of you who fill this cathedral today … who unite their prayers and sacrifices to your labors are called to be forces of unity within Christ's Body. By your personal witness and your fidelity to the ministry of the apostolate entrusted to you, you prepare a path for the Spirit. … Dear brothers and sisters in the finest traditions of the Church in this country, may you also be the first friend of the poor, the homeless, the stranger, the sick, and all who suffer." Finally, our Holy Father also had a special word for the seminarians and young people, those who will follow us very shortly: "All of you have a special place in my heart. Never forget that you are called to carry on, with all the enthusiasm and joy that the Spirit has given you, the work that others have begun, a legacy that one day you, too, will have to pass on to a new generation. Work generously and joyfully, for He whom you serve is the Lord!"

Conclusion

I began this month's column by reflecting on the fact that we are indeed vessels of clay. The Lord calls and chooses us for works that often go beyond anything we could ever have imagined. Great things have been accomplished over the decades as priests and deacons, working under the direction of their Chief Shepherd, have endeavored to build up the unity of the Church and respond to the needs of the wider society. Day by day, one step at a time.

As I look back over my own 52 years of service as a priest and 24 years as a bishop, I never cease to be amazed at all the things God has done through me and people working with me. I am truly humbled and grateful for the gift and privilege of ministry in the Lord's name and I never cease to be aware that I am indeed a vessel of clay. Your prayers and generous support, and your own witness of fidelity to your own life vocation help affirm and strengthen all of us to be good priests, bishops and deacons. I am sure every one of our priests and bishops living and deceased would echo my thoughts. Please continue to pray for us and offer us your support and encouragement, even as we seek to serve you with all our minds and hearts.

Your brother in the Lord,

†Adam Cardinal Maida
Archbishop of Detroit

Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic Cardinal Adam Maida, along with priests and auxiliary bishops from throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit, blesses the chrism oil at the annual chrism Mass March 20. At the Mass,

This month of September, as we continue to reflect on the history of our local Church, we give thanks to God for 175 years of ministerial service by those who share in the sacrament of Holy Orders – bishops, priests and deacons. We rejoice in the nine men who have served as our chief shepherds, the thousands of men who have given their lives as diocesan and religious order priests, and the gift and blessing of the 178 permanent deacons now serving our Church. Even as we rejoice in the names of well-known leaders, we also remember the countless humble pastors, associates and religious order clergy who lived and died preaching, celebrating the Mass and the sacraments, and giving direction and guidance to God's people. We rejoice in the past and pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life, priests and deacons after the pattern of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we give thanks to you for the way you continually raise up loving shepherds after the mind and heart of Christ your Son. As you have blessed our Church of Detroit with dedicated and loving bishops, priests and deacons throughout our history, continue to guide and sustain those who now serve in your name and inspire more men to hear the call to a lifetime of ordained service in your name.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.