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Seven priests achieve senior priest status
We thank them for giving of their lives in service of the Church
The Michigan Catholic
Published June 26, 2009
After lifetimes of service as priests for the Archdiocese of Detroit, seven priests have attained senior priest status. For decades, they have celebrated baptisms, marriages and funeral liturgies. They have prayed with and for us, given us our first communion and heard our confessions. When we've been sick, they have anointed us. When we needed someone to help us, they have listened and helped guide us.
These men have given their lives as service to us, the Church, and we thank them.
While they will no longer oversee parishes on a daily basis, we are blessed to have them among us continuing to celebrate the sacraments and our lives.
Fr. Alfonsas Babonas
Fr. Babonas, 81, was born in Raseiniak, Lithuania. He attended the Lateran College in Rome, and was ordained Dec. 22, 1962, for the Diocese of Kaunas, Lithuania. He celebrated his first Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Fr. Babonas was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Detroit June 30, 1979, and assigned as pastor of St. Anthony (Lithuanian) Parish in southwest Detroit - from which he is retiring as he attains senior priest status effective Aug. 17.
Fr. Arnold D'Achille
Fr. D'Achille, 75, was born in Bassano Romano, Italy. He studied at the seminary college of the Silvestrine Benedictine in Fabriano Ancona, Italy, earning a bachelor's degree, before coming to the United States to do his theological studies at St. Benedict College in Atchison, Kan. He later went on to earn a master's degree in music from De Paul University in Chicago and a master's degree in education from Marygrove College in Detroit. He was ordained June 7, 1959, for the Silvestrine Benedictine order.
Fr. D'Achille taught music and religion at St. Scholastica Elementary School and Benedictine High School, Detroit (1963-70), and was associate pastor, organist and choir director of St. Scholastica Parish (1970-82).
He was chaplain to Providence Hospital, Southfield (1982-92) also serving as a weekend associate at Prince of Peace Parish, West Bloomfield Township (1988-92). He was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Detroit on April 3, 1992.
Fr. D'Achille served as temporary administrator of Our Lady of Loretto Parish, Redford Township (1992), and as associate pastor of St. Isaac Jogues Parish, St. Clair Shores, during the same year.
In 1993, he served as temporary associate pastor of St. Patrick Parish in White Lake Township, and later that year was appointed pastor of St. Clement Parish in Dearborn - from which he is retiring as he attains senior priest status effective July 1.
A fourth-degree Knight of Columbus, he has also served as chaplain to both the Bishop Foley Council and the Msgr. Schulte Assembly.
Fr. John P. LaCasse
Fr. LaCasse, 66, was born in Escanaba. He studied at Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and St. John's Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township. He was ordained at St. Jude Parish, Detroit, Dec. 1, 1974.
His past assignments include serving as associate pastor and then administrator of St. Leonard of Port Maurice Parish, Warren (1975-77); associate pastor of St. Theodore of Canterbury Parish, Westland (1979-88); associate pastor of St. Mary Queen of Creation Parish, New Baltimore (1988-89); and administrator of St. Joseph Parish, Maybee (1997-98).
His last assignment was serving as pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Ida (1989-2008); he became a senior priest Jan. 1 of this year.
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Fr. Frederick J. Klettner | Fr. Frederick J. Klettner
Fr. Klettner, 70, was born in Port Huron and received his bachelor's degree from Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and studied at St. John's Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
He was ordained June 5, 1965, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Joseph Church, Port Huron.
Fr. Klettner served as associate pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Pontiac (1965-68), and chaplain at Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital and other area hospitals (1968-75). He was temporary associate pastor at St. Alfred Parish, Taylor (1970-80) as well as being associate pastor at St. Alphonsus Parish, Dearborn (1977-80). In 1980, he was named pastor of St. Kevin Parish, Inkster, and served as vicar of the Western Wayne Vicariate (1983-86 and 1989-95). In 1994 he was named pastor of St. Clare of Assisi in Farmington Hills - from which he is retiring as he attains senior priest status effective July 1.
Fr. Klettner has also served as president of the Pastors Association - Ecumenical in Pontiac and as a member of the Priests Union.
Fr. James A. Mayworm
Fr. Mayworm, 69, was born in Bay City and attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and St. John's Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township, and later University of Detroit. He was ordained June 6, 1966, in Detroit, and celebrated his first Mass at Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, Waterford Township.
His past assignments were serving as associate pastor at St. William Parish, Walled Lake (1966-72); associate pastor and then co-pastor at St. Anastasia Parish, Troy (1972-75); vicar of the Birmingham-Bloomfield-Troy Vicariate (1974-75); pastor of St. Lucy Parish, St. Clair Shores (1975-79); pastor of St. Michael, Monroe (1979-80); vicar of the SERF Vicariate (1979); associate pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Rochester (1980-83); pastor of Our Lady Gate of Heaven Parish, Detroit (1983-87); pastor of St. Barnabas Parish, Eastpointe (1987-92); pastor of St. Lawrence Parish, Utica (1992-95); and associate pastor and then temporary administrator of St. Clement Parish, Center Line (1995-97).
He also had a radio/television ministry for 15 years and served as lecturer/retreat master for his entire time as a priest.
Fr. Mayworm has served as pastor of Sacred Heart of the Hills Parish, Auburn Hills, since 1997. His retirement is effective July 1.
Fr. John J. Sullivan
Fr. Sullivan, 69, was born in Detroit and attended St. Cecilia Grade School, Sacred Heart Seminary High School and College, and St. John's Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township.
He was ordained June 4, 1966, in Detroit and celebrated his first Mass at St. Mel Parish in Dearborn Heights.
He served as associate pastor at St. Eugene Parish, Detroit (1966-69); St. Pius X Parish, Southgate (1969-70), and St. Lucy Parish, St. Clair Shores (1970-72). He then served as pastor of St. Lucy Parish (1972-75); St. Mary Parish, Wayne, (1975-83); and St. Anne Parish, Ortonville, (1983-92). He served as pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth (1992-2007), and of St. Owen Parish in Bloomfield Hills from July 2007 through the end of June 2009.
Fr. Sullivan was on leave of absence from Dec. 12, 2008 through June 1, 2009. He attains senior priest status effective July 1.
In addition, Fr. Sullivan was vicar of the Western Wayne Vicariate (1981-83) and the Lakes Vicariate (1984-90), deacon supervisor, and a member of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Assembly. He also was elected to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. He was a member of the budget review committee from 1988-90 and the Priest's Assignment Board from 2002-04, and served as chaplain to Camp Ozanam and Camp Stapleton.
Fr. Eugene E. Wojtewicz
Fr. Wojtewicz, 78, was born in Detroit. He attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake, and St. John's Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township. He was ordained June 1, 1957, and celebrated his first Mass at St. John Cantius Parish, Detroit.
His past assignments were as associate pastor at St. Francis D'Assisi Parish, Detroit (1957-62); associate pastor of St. Hyacinth Parish, Detroit (1962-1970); associate pastor of Our Lady Queen of Apostles Parish, Hamtramck (1970); pastor of St. Casimir Parish, Detroit (1970-1989); vicar of the former Core City Vicariate (1988-91); and pastor of St. Cyril of Jerusalem Parish, Taylor (1989-93).
Fr. Wojtewicz has been serving as pastor at St. Hugh Parish, Southgate, since 1993. His retirement is effective July 1.
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