Archbishop Vigneron leads prayers of thanksgiving for priests' sacrifice, tireless love as servants in God's vineyard

DETROIT — On June 20, before God and one another, 37 priests of the Archdiocese of Detroit celebrated milestone jubilees of their ordination. 

Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron celebrated Mass at the chapel of Sacred Heart Major Seminary with the jubilarians, who are celebrating a combined 1,981 years of service to God's people in southeast Michigan.

Along with the whole Archdiocese of Detroit, Detroit Catholic salutes these priests and thanks them for the selfless dedication to the Gospel, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ and unleashing the Gospel wherever they minister. 

Here are the priests we celebrate this year:

65 YEARS

Fr. Daniel C. Complo

Fr. Complo, 91, born in Monroe, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.

He was ordained June 5, 1954, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Michael the Archangel Church, Monroe.

Fr. Complo served as assistant pastor at the Detroit parishes of St. Catherine (1954-59); St. Elizabeth (1959-63); Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament (1963-67); and St. Matthew (1967-70). He served as pastor of St. Martin of Tours Parish, Detroit (1970-71), and Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Harper Woods (1971-98).

He served as vicar of the Detroit/Grosse Pointe Vicariate from 1969-71, and was chairman of the presbyteral council in 1978.

He was granted senior priest status in 1998.

Fr. Edward J. Mitchell

Fr. Mitchell, 91, born in Highland Park, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; University of Detroit; and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.

He was ordained June 5, 1954, at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit, and celebrated his first Mass at Precious Blood Church, Detroit.

Fr. Mitchell served as assistant pastor at St. Basil the Great, Eastpointe (1954-58); and St. Mary of Redford, Detroit (1958-60). From 1960-62, he served in the Tribunal, and then was chaplain of Rosary High School from 1962-66. In 1966, he was chaplain at University Medical Center, Ann Arbor.

He served as associate pastor at St. Matthew, Detroit (1966-70); as vicarious adjutor at St. Mary Magdalen, Melvindale (1970), before being made pastor there from 1971-76. He was vicar of the Southland Vicariate from 1974-76.

Fr. Mitchell served as pastor of St. Joan of Arc, St. Clair Shores (1976-92); and St. Irenaeus, Rochester Hills (1992-2000). He served as administrator at St. Raphael, Garden City, in 2001. He was the recipient of the Fr. John Farrell Award in 1989.

Fr. Mitchell was granted senior priest status in 2000. He has since served as a weekend assistant at St. John Neumann Parish, Canton.

Fr. Francis A. Weingartz

Fr. Weingartz, 90, born in Detroit, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.

He was ordained June 5, 1954, in Detroit, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Augustine Church, Richmond.

He was associate pastor at St. Mary of Redford, Detroit (1954-59); St. Bartholomew, Detroit (1959-64); and St. Gerard, Detroit (1966-69). From 1964-66, he served as pastoral counselor at University of Detroit.

Fr. Weingartz was pastor of St. Daniel Parish, Clarkston (1969-77); Patronage of St. Joseph Parish, Detroit (1977-78); co-adjutor, St. Mary Parish, Port Huron (1978-79), and then was made pastor there (1979-88). He was pastor at St. Dorothy Parish, Warren (1988-98).

He was granted senior priest status in 1998.

Fr. Weingartz served as temporary administrator of All Saints Parish, Memphis (1998-99); temporary associate pastor of St. Isidore Parish, Macomb Township (1999-2000); administrator of St. Mary Burnside Parish, North Branch, and Sacred Heart Mission, Brown City (2000-01); temporary associate pastor of St. Lawrence Parish, Utica (2001). He served in the Cayman Islands in 2002. He also served as temporary administrator of the parishes of St. Alfred, Taylor (2002); St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Clair Shores (2002-03); St. Charles Borromeo, Newport (2003); and St. Rita, Holly (2003-04).

60 YEARS

Fr. John F. Child

Fr. Child, 89, was born in Pontiac. He attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township. Ordained June 6, 1959, he celebrated his first Mass at St. Michael Church, Pontiac.

Fr. Child served as assistant pastor at St. Norbert Parish, Inkster (1959), and St. Gertrude Parish, St. Clair Shores (1964); and as associate pastor at Our Lady of Loretto Parish, Redford Township (1968). He became a U.S. Navy chaplain in 1969.

In 1973, Fr. Child was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Dearborn, and vicar of the Dearborn Vicariate.

In 1984, he was appointed pastor of St. Alfred Parish, Taylor. He served as vicar of the Southland Vicariate (1985-88). In 1987, he became pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Grosse Pointe Woods.

He served as pastor of St. Martha Parish, Dearborn, from 1991 until attaining senior priest status in 2000. He later served as administrator of St. Sebastian Parish in Dearborn Heights (2003) and St. Joseph Parish in Dearborn (2006).

Fr. Child also served terms as vicar of the Dearborn Vicariate and or the Southland Vicariate, as well as a member of the archdiocesan Assignment Board.

Fr. John L. Phalen

Fr. Phalen, 88, was born in Grand Forks, N.D. He attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township. He also earned post-graduate degrees from the University of Detroit and from St. Mary College, Baltimore.

He was ordained June 6, 1959, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Mary Church, Adrian.

Fr. Phalen served as assistant pastor at Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, Waterford Township (1959-64); St. Joan of Arc Parish, St. Clair Shores (1964-68); Sacred Heart Parish, Roseville (1968-69); and Christ the Good Shepherd Parish, Lincoln Park (1969-72). He then served as co-pastor of Christ the Good Shepherd (1972-75).

In 1975, he became founding pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven, and was pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Lake Orion, from 1990 until attaining senior priest status in 2003.

In addition, Fr. Phalen served as a speaker for the archdiocesan Family Life Bureau, co-chaplain to the Downriver Community of Hope, vicar of the Downriver Vicariate (1982-85), and also of the Pontiac Area Vicariate (1993-96).

He received the John Farrell Award from the North American College in Rome in 1999.

Fr. Richard S. Rakoczy

Fr. Rakoczy, 85, was born in River Rouge. He attended St. St. Mary’s College, Orchard Lake; St. John’s Provincial Seminar, Plymouth Township; and the University of Detroit. He was ordained June 6, 1959, and celebrated his first Mass at St. John Cantius Church in the Delray area of Detroit.

Fr. Rakoczy served as assistant pastor at Holy Name Parish, Detroit (1959-63); SS. Peter & Paul (West Side) Parish, Detroit (1963-64); and St. Veronica Parish, Eastpointe (1964-71).

He became assistant pastor at St. Clement Parish, Dearborn, in 1971, and then was temporary administrator (when?) at St. Rita Parish, Holly, before returning to his assignment at St. Clement in 1976.

Fr. Rakoczy was pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Carleton (1985-95); and was pastor of St. Perpetua Parish, Waterford Township, from 1995 until attaining senior priest status in 2008.

In addition, he was chaplain to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Allen Park in 1977.

Fr. Arnold V. D'Achille

Fr. D’Achille, 85, 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, Kansas. 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 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, where he served until being granted senior status in 2009.

A fourth-degree Knight of Columbus, he served as chaplain to both the Bishop Foley Council and the Msgr. Schulte Assembly.

50 YEARS

Fr. Robert J. Kotlarz

Fr. Kotlarz, 75, was born in Detroit and studied at St. Mary, Orchard Lake, and the Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained Dec. 20, 1968, in Rome, and celebrated his first Mass in the catacombs of St. Priscilla Parish, Rome.

He served as associate pastor of St. Ladislaus Parish, Hamtramck (1969-71), and then as personal secretary to Cardinal John Dearden (1971-76). He also served as administrator of St. Kenneth Parish, Plymouth (1974-75); St. Mary Parish, Royal Oak (1975); administrator of St. Conrad Parish, Melvindale (1975-76); and St. Catherine Parish and St. Edward Parish, both in Detroit (1976).

Fr. Kotlarz then served on faculty at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit (1976-81), and as director of the former permanent deacon program (1977-81). He served as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Detroit (1981-96), and as administrator of St. Anthony Parish, Detroit (1996-97), and St. Luke Parish, Detroit (1997-2002). He’s also served as an auditor for the Marriage Tribunal. He served as pastor at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish and St. Raymond Parish, both in Detroit (2002-11), later serving as pastor of the two merged parishes from 2011-15. In 2009, Fr. Kotlarz began serving as administrator at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish in Detroit. He became that parish’s pastor in 2010, and continued serving there until being granted senior status in 2015.

Later, Fr. Kotlarz served as temporary administrator of St. Raymond-Our Lady of Good Counsel, Corpus Christi Parish, and the Church of the Madonna, all in Detroit.

Fr. Jerome A. Brzezinski

Fr. Brzezinski, 76, was born in Detroit to John and Melanie Brzezinski. He studied at St. Mary’s College in Orchard Lake, St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township, Catholic University, Washington, D.C., and the University of Detroit.

He was ordained June 7, 1969, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, and celebrated his first Mass at Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson.

Before he was ordained, he served on a special assignment at St. Justin Parish, Hazel Park (1965-67), and established the youth ministry program at St. Joseph Parish, South Lyon (1967-68). As deacon, he served at St. Anne Parish, Warren (1968). He served as associate pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Detroit (1969-70), and St. Clement Parish, Center Line (1970-71), before becoming co-pastor of St. Clement (until 1975). He then served as director of religious education for the archdiocese (1975-83) while serving as pastor of Holy Ghost Parish, Detroit (1980-81).

He served as director of campus ministry at Oakland University in Rochester (1983-89), and served as pastor of St. John Fisher University Chapel (Oakland University) from 1989 until being granted senior status in 2015. Fr. Brzezinski’s other assignments include serving as a member of the College of Consultors, as vicar of the Pontiac Area Vicariate (1984-87), on the presbyteral council (2006-08), and holding several national positions for the National Conference of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education. He’s also served as vicar for the Pontiac Area Vicariate.

Fr. James F. Cronk

Fr. Cronk, 76, was born June 17, 1943, to Frederick and Madeline Cronk. He was ordained June 7, 1969, and celebrated his first Mass at St. James Parish, Ferndale.

He served as associate pastor of St. Angela Parish, Roseville (1969-71), St. Paul on the Lake Parish, Grosse Pointe Farms (1971-76), St. Patrick Parish, White Lake Township (1976) and St. Dennis Parish, Royal Oak (1976-77). He then served as pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, Waterford Township (1977-89) and St. James Parish, Novi (1989-2003). He has served as pastor at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish, Beverly Hills, (2003-09), and since 2009 has served as pastor of St. Owen Parish in Bloomfield Hills, where he continues to serve today.

Fr. Norbert F. Maciejewski

Fr. Maciejewski, 75, was born in Detroit to Edward and Julia Maciejewski. He studied at St. Mary’s, Orchard Lake, and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township. He was ordained June 7, 1969, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Andrew Parish, Detroit.

He served as associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Port Huron (1969-71) and at St. Ladislaus Parish, Hamtramck (1971-76). He then served as pastor of Ascension Parish, Warren (1976-2007), while serving as administrator and then pastor of St. Leonard of Port Maurice Parish, Warren (1997-2007). He attained senior priest status in 2007.

Fr. Robert A. Ruedisueli

Fr. Ruedisueli, 76, was born in Detroit to Charles and Mary Elizabeth Ruedisueli. He studied at Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township, and North American College, Rome. As a deacon, he served at St. Edmund Parish, Warren (1968) and at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, St. Clair Shores (1969).

He was ordained June 7, 1969, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Isaac Jogues Parish, St. Clair Shores.

He served as associate pastor at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Grotto) Parish, Detroit (1969-73); as administrator of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Emmet (1973); as chaplain at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak (1973-76); as pastor of St. Ambrose Parish, Grosse Pointe Park (1976-80); as associate pastor at St. Louis Parish, Clinton Township (1980-81); as associate pastor at St. Mark Parish, Warren (1983-84); as administrator of St. Justin Parish, Hazel Park (1984); as pastor of St. David of Wales Parish, Detroit (1984-89); and as associate pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish, St. Clair Shores (1989-91). He’s also served on the assignment board and on the presbyteral council. He won the Fr. John Farrell Award in 1995. Fr. Ruedisueli has served as pastor of St. Mark Parish, Warren, from 1991 until 2011, when he was granted senior status.

Fr. Howard L. Vogan

Fr. Vogan, 76, was born in Toledo, Ohio, to Howard and Margaret Vogan. He studied at Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township, and was ordained June 7, 1969. He celebrated his first Mass at St. Joseph Church, Erie.

Fr. Vogan served as associate pastor of St. Rita Parish, Detroit (1969-72), and St. Regis Parish, Bloomfield Hills (1972-76). He then served as pastor of St. Joseph Parish, South Lyon (1976-98); he also served on the archdiocesan Marriage Tribunal (since 1981). He served as pastor of St. Genevieve Parish, Livonia, from 1998, and St. Maurice Parish, Livonia, from 2006 until the two parishes merged in 2012. He has served since as pastor of the combined St. Genevieve-St. Maurice Parish, where he is today.

Fr. Jerome T. Walsh

Fr. Walsh, 77, was born in Detroit to Thomas and Madeleine Walsh. He studied at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, and the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem.

He was ordained June 28, 1969, in Louvain; he celebrated his first Mass in Belgium, and his first Mass in the Archdiocese of Detroit at St. William Parish, Walled Lake. He served as associate pastor at St. Ambrose Parish, Grosse Pointe Park (1969-72). He then served on the faculty at St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township; Mary Immaculate Seminary, Northampton, Pa.; and St. John’s University, Jamaica, N.Y. He also served at St. James Parish in Setauket, N.Y. He taught at the School of Ministry at the University of Dallas, and in 2012 was granted senior status.

40 YEARS

Fr. Tyrone J. Robinson

Fr. Robinson, 71, was born in Detroit and studied at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township. He was ordained April 7, 1979, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.

Fr. Robinson served as associate pastor of the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament (1979-82) and St. Mary of Redford Parish (1982-84), both in Detroit. He briefly served as administrator of St. Benedict Parish in Highland Park in 1984 before being named pastor of Presentation-Our Lady of Victory Parish in Detroit (1984-89). From 1990-95, Fr. Robinson served on the faculty of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, during which time he also served as pastor of Martyrs of Uganda Parish in Detroit (1989-2006).

From 1995-96, he was also named administrator of St. Augustine Parish and St. Monica Parish in Detroit.

Fr. Robinson served as administrator of St. Luke Parish and St. Mary of Redford Parish from 2007 and 2008, respectively, until 2012, when he was named pastor of St. Mary of Redford until 2015. He currently serves as associate pastor of Our Lady Queen of Heaven-Good Shepherd Parish and St. Raymond-Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Detroit, where he has served since 2016.

Fr. Ronald J. Jozwiak

Fr. Jozwiak, 67, was born in Dearborn and attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township. He later studied at the University of Detroit, Wayne State University and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he earned a licentiate in canon law.

He was ordained April 28, 1979, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.

Fr. Jozwiak served as associate pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Harper Woods (1979-81), St. Richard Parish in Westland (1981-82), and St. Joan of Arc Parish in St. Clair Shores (1982-84), before being named administrator at St. Albertus Parish in Detroit (1987-94). He served as administrator of St. Josaphat Parish in Detroit until 2003, when he was named pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Troy (2003-11). In 2011, he was named administrator of Prince of Peace Parish in West Bloomfield, and was named pastor of the parish in 2016, where he continues to serve today.

Fr. Jozwiak also has served as vicar of the old The Hub Vicariate (1992-95) and Lakes Vicariate (2014-18), on the Metropolitan Tribunal, as a member of the presbyteral council, assignment board and pension board.

Fr. Douglas J. Terrien

Fr. Terrien, 66, was born in Detroit and attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township.

He was ordained April 28, 1979, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.

Fr. Terrien served as associate pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Roseville (1979-80), St. Mary Parish in Royal Oak (1980), St. Mary Queen of Creation Parish in New Baltimore (1980-82), St. Veronica Parish in Eastpointe (1982-85), and St. Isaac Jogues Parish in St. Clair Shores (1985-88). He was named administrator of St. Paul Albanian Parish in Rochester Hills and St. Justin Parish in Hazel Parish (1988-93), and in 1993 was named pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Lapeer, where he served until 2018.  

In 2018, Fr. Terrien was named pastor of Our Lady on the River Parish in Marine City, where he continues to serve today. Fr. Terrien also served as vicar of the Thumb Vicariate.

Fr. Duane R. Novelly

Fr. Novelly, 68, was born in Detroit and attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township.

He was ordained June 3, 1979, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Dorothy Parish in Warren.

Fr. Novelly served as associate pastor of St. Ephrem Parish in Sterling Heights (1979-82), St. Anne Parish in Warren (1982-85), and St. Joan of Arc Parish in St. Clair Shores (1985-89). In 1989, Fr. Novelly was named pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Detroit, where he continues to serve as pastor today.

Throughout his ministry, Fr. Novelly has served as administrator of several Detroit parishes, including St. Brenden (2005-06), Guardian Angels (2005-06) and St. Jude (2010, 2012-14). Fr. Novelly has also served as vicar of the old Detroit/Grosse Pointe Vicariate and SERF Vicariate, and as a member of the Metropolitan Tribunal. In 2004, he was honored with the Fr. John Farrell Award.

Fr. Raymond H. Bucon

Fr. Bucon, 65, was born in Detroit and attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township.

He was ordained Aug. 25, 1979, and celebrated his first Mass at St. William Parish in Walled Lake.

Fr. Bucon served as associate pastor of St. William Parish in Walled Lake (1979-80), St. Anthony Parish in Belleville (1980-81), St. Raymond Parish in Detroit (1980-81), and St. Valentine Parish in Redford (1983-89). He later served as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Wayne (1989-97) and St. Priscilla Parish in Livonia (1998-2004).

After a period serving as a chaplain to the U.S. Army, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, Fr. Bucon returned to the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2007, and served as pastor of St. Sabina Parish in Dearborn Heights until 2017, also serving as chaplain to the Dearborn Heights Police and Fire departments.

30 YEARS

Fr. Richard J. Bartoszek

Fr. Bartoszek, 60, was born in Manistee and attended St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township; and St. Mary’s College in Orchard Lake.
Fr. Bartoszek was ordained March 11, 1989, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.

His first assignment was as associate pastor of St. Jude Parish, Detroit (1989-93). For three years after that, he served as director of pastoral care at the Oakwood – Heritage Center in Taylor (1993-96), while helping out with weekend Masses at Our Lady of the Woods Parish in Woodhaven. He then became pastor of Our Lady of the Woods from 1996-99, before returning to hospital ministry as chaplain of Beaumont Hospital in Grosse Pointe, where he continues to serve.

Fr. Bartoszek has also served as vicar of the former Downriver Vicariate (1998-99), and on the archdiocesan Presbyteral Council.

Fr. William J. Promesso

Fr. Promesso, 60, was born in Grosse Pointe and attended University of Detroit and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.

He was ordained March 11, 1989, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit. He served as associate pastor at St. Frances Cabrini Parish, Allen Park (1989-93); St. Dennis Parish, Royal Oak (1993-94); and St. Rene Goupil Parish, Sterling Heights (1994-97).

Fr. Promesso was made pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Detroit, from 1997-2004. He became pastor of St. Cyprian Parish, Riverview, in 2004, where he continues to serve today.

Fr. Promesso holds a doctorate in preaching from the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, and in 2011 earned a certificate in Catholic health care ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. In 2008, he completed a three-month intensive pastoral Spanish program at the Mexican American Catholic College.

He has been vicar of the North Macomb Vicariate (1995-97); West Detroit Vicariate (2002-04); and Downriver Vicariate (2013-14). He also served on the Presbyteral Council.

Msgr. William H. Tindall

Msgr. Tindall, 68, was born in Wyandotte and attended Wayne State University; Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.

He was ordained March 11, 1989, at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit.

Msgr. Tindall served as associate pastor at St. Rene Goupil Parish, Sterling Heights (1989-92); St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Redford (1992-93); and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Farmington (1993-95). He served as pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Newport (1995-2003); and then as pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Livonia, where he continues to serve today.

Msgr. Tindall has served as vicar of the former Monroe Vicariate (2002-03); and as a member of the archdiocesan Presbyteral Council, College of Consultors and Archdiocesan Review Board. On June 8, 2019, Msgr. Tindall was named a “chaplain to His Holiness” (monsignor), an honorary title given by Pope Francis. 

25 YEARS

Fr. David G. Burgard

Fr. Burgard, 54, was born in Toledo, Ohio, and attended Lourdes College in Sylvania, Ohio, and Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.

He was ordained June 25, 1994, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit.

Fr. Burgard served as associate pastor at Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson (1994-95), and St. Patrick Parish, White Lake (1997-99). He served as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Ira Township (1999-2008), St. Mary Parish in Wayne (2008-13), and St. Mary Parish in Monroe, where he has served since 2013. Starting on July 1, Fr. Burgard will take on additional responsibilities as pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Monroe.

Fr. Burgard also has served as administrator of Holy Family Parish in Inkster (2008-13) and briefly at St. Michael Parish in Monroe (2014).

Fr. Burgard has served terms as vicar of the old Belle River Vicariate (2002-04) and the Blue Water Vicariate (2004-08).

Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton

Bishop Monforton, 56, was born in Detroit and attended Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit on June 25, 1994, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. After ordination, he served as associate pastor of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Parish in Royal Oak (1994-96). 

In 1998, then-Fr. Monforton was named priest-secretary to Cardinal Adam J. Maida, and assigned to further studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University. While working toward an advanced degree, then-Fr. Monforton served as weekend associate at St. Paul on the Lake Parish in Grosse Pointe Farms (1998-2002).

In 2002, he was named to the faculty of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, where he taught until 2005. During this time, he also served as weekend associate at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish in Sterling Heights. On Sept. 30, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI named him a “chaplain to His Holiness,” conferring upon him the honorary title of “monsignor.”

From 2005-06, Msgr. Monforton served as pastor of St. Therese of Lisieux Parish in Shelby Township, until in 2006, he was named rector and president of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, a position he held until 2012.

For a few months in 2012, Msgr. Monforton served as pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Rochester, until on July 2, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI named him bishop of Steubenville, Ohio. Bishop Monforton was ordained a bishop on Sept. 10, 2012, and continues to serve as ordinary of the Diocese of Steubenville today. 

Other jubilarians this year

In addition to those celebrating milestone jubilee years in 2019, Detroit Catholic and the Archdiocese of Detroit also honor all of those priests celebrating jubilees greater than 60 years. They are:

• Fr. Lawrence T. Fares (69 years)
• Msgr. Robert V. Monticello (68 years)
• Msgr. John F. Hall (64 years)
• Fr. Norman P. Thomas (64 years)
• Cardinal Adam J. Maida (63 years)
• Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton (63 years)
• Msgr. James A. Moloney (63 years)
• Fr. Leon J. Page (63 years)
• Fr. George Kowalski (63 years)
• Fr. William J. Murphy (62 years)
• Fr. Ronald E. Sayes (62 years)
• Fr. Leo F. Sabourin (61 years)
• Fr. Donald L. Walker (61 years)

An earlier version of this article incorrectly calculated the total number of years served based on the mistaken inclusion of a deceased priest. Detroit Catholic regrets this error.