Monroe — Fr. Louis Charles Lapeyre, the newest priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit, was ordained Oct. 19 by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Monroe, surrounded by St. Mary’s parishioners and Fr. Lapeyre’s family and friends.

“The Father sent his Son precisely so that this eternal love that he has for us could be expressed in this deep, heartfelt pity,” Archbishop Vigneron said in his homily, regarding the Gospel reading of Matthew 9:35-38, in which Jesus felt pity for the crowds because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

The archbishop cited a commentator who had said the literal interpretation for Jesus’ pity was akin to “a knot in Jesus’ stomach.”

“He has a great heart, this God of ours,” Archbishop Vigneron said. “If we had not the sacrament of Holy Orders, we should not have the Lord. Who placed him there, in that tabernacle? It was the priest … Who nourishes your soul to give it strength to make its pilgrimage? It was the priest … You cannot recall one single blessing from God without finding side-by-side in this recollection the image of the priest.”

Addressing soon-to-be Fr. Lapeyre, who would be ordained after the homily, the archbishop reminded him: “Jesus will shape your heart according to his priestly heart through the imposition of my hands, and the consecratory prayer. The result is you must never cease to cling to Jesus.”

Fr. Lapeyre, who grew up at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Grotto) Parish in Detroit, spent his six months as a transitional deacon at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, where he will now serve as associate pastor.

In his thanksgiving address at the end of Mass, Fr. Lapeyre said that “the priesthood is not meant for us, but for others.”

“The clearest example in this moment for me is the cross, which is the most powerful symbol of the faith,” he said. “The cross is meant for our salvation, to be a symbol of God’s perfect love for man.”

Fr. Lapeyre’s cousin, Amelie Torre, came all the way from New Orleans for his ordination. She had not seen her cousin for several years, Torre said.

“To have a new vocation in the family renews my own vocation,” said Torre, who is a consecrated virgin through Regnum Christi.

Fr. Lapeyre’s mother, Ruth Lapeyre, was filled with joy for her son.

“I’m happy for him,” she said. “It’s what he’s always wanted. And I’m happy for the Church.”

His father, Michael Lapeyre, said several parishioners of St. Mary’s have approached their family and said “we really like your son.”

“It’s good because we kind of like him too!” he quipped. “But we are gratified that so many people have taken him to their hearts. He likes working with people; he’s really enjoyed being at this parish. He’s going to do what he needs to do.”