DETROIT — Each year, The Michigan Catholic especially honors priests celebrating the 25th, 40th, 50th and 60th anniversaries of their ordination, as well as all those celebrating other milestone years of service to God’s people. Below are brief biographies of these jubilarian priests.
25 years
Fr. Richard J. Bartoszek Fr. Bartoszek, 55, 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, 55, 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-present). He also serves on the Presbyteral Council.
Fr. William H. Tindall Fr. Tindall, 63, 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.
Fr. 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.
Fr. Tindall has served as vicar of the former Monroe Vicariate (2002-03); and as a member of the archdiocesan Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors.
40 years
Bishop Donald F. Hanchon Bishop Hanchon, 66, was born in Jackson, and attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township; University of Detroit; and the University of Notre Dame.
He was ordained a priest Oct. 19, 1974, by Bishop Joseph Imesch, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Mary Church, Wayne.
Then-Fr. Hanchon was appointed associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit (1974-79); and as associate pastor at St. Mark Parish, Warren (1979-81). Fr. Hanchon was also asked to serve as assistant spiritual director at Sacred Heart Major Seminary (1979-81).
In 1981, he became director of priestly vocations for the Archdiocese of Detroit, serving in that capacity until 1986. During this time, he also served as pastor of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish, Detroit.
In 1986, he took a full year off for preparation to serve in Hispanic ministry, including spending several months in Mexico and Texas to learn the language and culture. He was then appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Monroe (1987-92); and then as pastor of St. Gabriel Parish, Detroit (1992-99). Fr. Hanchon was appointed coordinator for Hispanic ministry in 1992, serving in that capacity until 2007.
In 1997, he was appointed administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, Port Huron, in addition to his duties at St. Gabriel. He continued to serve the Hispanic mission community there until 2004. He returned to serve briefly as administrator of St. Gabriel in late 2004.
Meanwhile, Fr. Hanchon was appointed pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in southwest Detroit, the archdiocese’s largest Hispanic parish, in 1999, and served there until being named an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2011.
Bishop Hanchon was consecrated a bishop on May 5, 2011, by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. He is titular bishop of Orreomargo, and has been regional moderator and episcopal vicar of the archdiocese’s Central Region of Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park since 2009.
Before becoming a bishop, he was named a monsignor by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 19, 2005. Bishop Hanchon had also served as a member of the archdiocesan College of Consultors, Presbyteral Council, and as vicar of the Southwest Vicariate. He earned the Cardinal Mooney Award in 2005, and has been a member of the Jesus Caritas Fraternity of Priests since 1975, holding national and international officer positions. He holds master’s degrees in theology, liturgy and ministry.
Msgr. Robert M. Sable Msgr. Sable, 66, born in Detroit, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township; the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome; and the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
He was ordained June 9, 1974, and celebrated his first Mass at the National Shrine of the Little Flower, Royal Oak.
Msgr. Sable served as associate pastor at St. Anthony Parish, Belleville (1974-75). He worked part-time at the archdiocesan Tribunal in 1975, and after earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University, served as vice officialis in 1979 and then officialis of the Tribunal from 1981-84.
In 1982, Msgr. Sable was appointed spiritual director for the Catholic Lawyers Society. He was appointed first judicial vicar of the Ecclesiastical Court of Appeal for the Ecclesiastical Province of Detroit in 1983. In 1984, he resigned as judicial vicar to pursue full-time studies for a JCD in jurisprudence.
In 1988, he was released to the Archdiocese of Ottawa for military services. Msgr. Sable was appointed by Pope John Paul II to be Defender of the Bond at the Apostolic Tribunal of the Roman Rota in 1989. During that year, he terminated active duty as a captain in the Air Force at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. A month later, he took the oath of office before the Collegium Rotale in Rome.
In 1989, he was re-commissioned as a captain in the Air Force Reserves to Aviano, AB, Italy. In 1993-94, he served as a major in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Msgr. Sable has also served at Wurtsmith AFB, Barksdale AFB, USAF Academy, Dyess AFB, Spangdahlem, Ramstein, as chief of Chaplains Office, Decimomannu Italy, Ghedi, Rimini, and as USAFR liaison for chaplain candidates in Europe.
Msgr. Sable served as chaplain to the USN 6th Fleet at Gaeta, Italy, from 1996-2005. He has served as an auditor at the Tribunal of the Roman Rota since 1993.
Fr. Timothy R. Pelc Fr. Pelc, 66, born in Detroit, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
He was ordained June 2, 1974, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Clement Church, Dearborn.
Fr. Pelc served as associate pastor at St. Henry Parish, Lincoln Park (1974); and St. Mary Parish, Wayne (1979). From 1981-82, he served as auditor of the archdiocesan Tribunal. He earned a master’s degree in liturgy from the University of Notre Dame.
He was appointed temporary administrator at Presentation-Our Lady of Victory Parish, Detroit (1984); associate pastor at St. Mary of Redford Parish, Detroit (1984-86); and temporary administrator of St. Michael Parish, Pontiac (1985-86). He was appointed pastor of St. Ambrose Parish, Grosse Pointe Park, in 1986, where he continues to serve today. Fr. Pelc also served as administrator of St. Martin of Tours Parish, Detroit (1987-89).
Fr. Pelc served on the archdiocesan Presbyteral Council from 2007-09, and again from 2009-12. He was also an auditor for the Metropolitan Tribunal from 1981-82.
Msgr. Ricardo E. Bass Msgr. Bass, 67, born in Detroit, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township; and University of Detroit.
He was ordained June 15, 1974, and celebrated his first Mass at Holy Name Church, Birmingham.
He served as associate pastor of St. Philomena Parish, Detroit (1974-78); and St. Frances Cabrini Parish, Allen Park (1978-81).
Msgr. Bass earned a canon law degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and was appointed pro-synodal judge for the archdiocese’s Tribunal in 1983. He served as adjunct judicial vicar for the Tribunal in 1984. In 1986, Msgr. Bass became a professor of canon law at St. John’s Provincial Seminary. He was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Loretto Parish, Redford (1988-90).
From 1990-93, he served as judicial vicar for the Tribunal before being named pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish, St. Clair Shores (1993-2004). He then served as pastor of Prince of Peace Parish, West Bloomfield (2004-11); and then pastor of St. Hubert Parish, Harrison Township, where he continues to serve today.
Msgr. Bass was named a prelate of honor to His Holiness, the second of three ranks of monsignor, in 1990. He is also a past president of the Canon Law Society of America, and has served several terms on the archdiocesan Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors. Msgr. Bass also earned the Fr. John Farrell Award in 2000.
Fr. Michael G. SavickasFr. Savickas, 66, born in Stamford, Conn., attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit; and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
He was ordained Dec. 6, 1974, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Ambrose Church, Detroit.
Fr. Savickas served as associate pastor at St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Melvindale (1974-76) — and briefly as administrator there in 1976 — and associate pastor at Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson (1979-85). He was appointed pastor of St. William Parish, Walled Lake, in 1985, where he has continued to serve for the past 29 years.
Fr. Savickas also served as vicar of the former Vicariate of the Lakes (2000-04) and two terms as vicar of the current Lakes Vicariate (2004-06, 2006-07).
50 years
Fr. Thomas Lumpkin Fr. Lumpkin, 75, born in Indianapolis, Ind., attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and University of Louvain, Belgium. He also received a Religious Education Certificate from Pius XII Center, Detroit.
He was ordained June 27, 1964, in Leuven, Belgium. He celebrated his first Mass at St. Mary of Redford Parish, Detroit.
Fr. Lumpkin served as associate pastor at Our Lady Queen of All Saints Parish, Fraser (1964-69), and St. Louise de Marillac Parish, Warren (1969-73). He was then pastor of St. Brigid Parish, Detroit (1973-78).
In 1978, Fr. Lumpkin was appointed minister of the Catholic Worker Community and Southwest Hospitals. He continues to serve as chaplain of both Day House and Manna Community Meal outreach services in Detroit.
Fr. Lumpkin also has served on the Presbyteral Council and the Priests’ Senate.
Fr. Julian Chmura Fr. Chmura, 79, born in Rudnik, Poland, attended Institute of Theology, Krakow, and SS. Cyril & Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake.
He was ordained Feb. 25, 1964, in Krakow. He was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1976.
Fr. Chmura served as associate pastor of St. Florian Parish, Hamtramck (1970-76); SS. Peter & Paul Parish, Detroit (1976-82); St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, Madison Heights (1982-84); and St. Cletus Parish, Warren (1984-87). He also was administrator of St. Vincent Ferrer (1982-84) and St. Paul Albanian Parish, Warren (1986-87).
From 1987-2008, Fr. Chmura was pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Detroit, where he was also director of religious education and served in urban youth ministry. He has achieved senior priest status, and continues to help on weekends at SS. Peter and Paul (Westside) Parish, Detroit.
Fr. Ronald Kurzawa Fr. Kurzawa, 75, born in Detroit, attended St. Mary’s College, Orchard Lake; St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township; University of Detroit; and the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. He also studied at North American College, Rome, in 1990.
He was ordained June 6, 1964, at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit. He celebrated his first Mass as SS. Cyril & Methodius Church, Detroit.
Fr. Kurzawa served as associate pastor at St. Cunegunda Parish, Detroit (1964-68) and St. Bartholomew Parish, Detroit (1968-73). He served as pastor of St. Clement of Rome Parish, Romeo (1973-82); Precious Blood Parish, Detroit (1982-92); and St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, St. Clair Shores (1992-2002).
From 2002-08, he was pastor of St. Aiden Parish, Livonia. He was granted senior priest status in 2008.
Fr. Kurzawa was vicar of the Northwest Detroit Vicariate from 1985-88, and served on the Presbyteral Council from 2009-11.
He also has served as chaplain for the Knights of Columbus Gabriel Richard Council No. 2463; faithful friar for the Rev. Paul M. Onderbeke Assembly No. 1795; and as a member of the Knights of St. Peter Claver.
Fr. Kurzawa has been priest chair for the Archdiocesan Development Fund; a pastoral council representative; speaker and consultant for the Archdiocese of Detroit Worship Department; and a visiting faculty member in liturgical theology for SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake, and Sacred Heart Seminary. He was coordinator for Communion for the papal Mass in Pontiac in 1987.
Fr. Kurzawa also received the Archdiocesan Farrell Award in the fall of 1990.
Fr. Raymond J. SayersFr. Sayers, 77, born in Detroit, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; University of Detroit; St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township; and Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. He also attended Marygrove College.
He was ordained June 6, 1964, at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit. He celebrated his first Mass at St. James Parish, Ferndale.
Fr. Sayers served as associate pastor at St. Mary Parish, Wayne (1964-70), then was made co-pastor of the parish from 1970-75. He was pastor of St. Mary Parish, Royal Oak (1975-80). He was director of the Vocations Office from 1980-81. He then was made director of the Office of Pre-Formation from 1981-85. In 1984-85, he also was a full-time faculty member at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. Fr. Sayers was associate pastor pro tem at St. Ephrem Parish, Sterling Heights (1985-86). From 1986-2003, he served as pastor of St. Jude Parish, Detroit.
He was pastor of Holy Name Parish, Birmingham, from 2003-08, when he was granted senior priest status. He has served on the archdiocesan Assignment Board (2004-06); and Pension Board (2010-present).
Fr. Sayers was vicar of the Western Wayne Vicariate (1972-75) and of the Detroit/Grosse Pointe Vicariate (1987-89). He has served as chairman of the Presbyteral Council and of vicars. He also was a recipient of the Cardinal Dearden Award. He received the Wayne Man of the Year Award in 1967.
Fr. William D. Sinatra Fr. Sinatra, 76, born in Detroit, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
He was ordained June 6, 1964, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit, and celebrated his first Mass at Guardian Angels Parish, Detroit.
Fr. Sinatra served as an associate pastor at St. David Parish, Detroit (1964-67); St. Rita Parish, Detroit (1967-69); and St. Henry Parish, Lincoln Park (1969-71). He was associate pastor at St. Aloysius Parish, Detroit (1971-72), then made administrator of the parish (1972-74). In the spring of 1974, he was administrator of St. Agatha Parish, Redford. From 1974-75, he was associate pastor of St. Athanasius Parish, Roseville. He was co-pastor of St. Athanasius Parish from 1975-79. Then, he served as pastor at St. Mary Parish, Milford (1979-89), and St. Mary Parish, Royal Oak (1989-96).
He was pastor of St. Ives Parish, Southfield (1996-2007); and St. Alan Parish, Troy (2007-08). He later served as administrator of St. Thecla Parish, Clinton Township (2009) and St. John Vianney Parish, Shelby Township (2010). Fr. Sinatra also has been vicar of the Farmington-Southfield Vicariate (2002-07) and a member of the Presbyteral Council. He was granted senior priest status in 2008.
Fr. Sylvester J. TaubeFr. Taube, 76, born in Detroit, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
He was ordained June 6, 1964, at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit, and celebrated his first Mass at Holy Name Church, Detroit.
Fr. Taube served as associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Lapeer (1964-70), and Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Detroit (1970-71. He was pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Monroe (1971-80).
From 1980-86, Fr. Taube received a special assignment as the archbishop’s representative in Marriage Encounter Ministry. He was chaplain at Gabriel Richard High School from 1981-82. He then became pastor of Holy Ghost Parish from 1982-89. From 1986-2000, he served as associate director of the archdiocesan Office of Youth, Family and Faith Support.
Fr. Taube was pastor of St. Columban Parish, Birmingham, from 2000-08, when he was granted senior status.
In 1975-76, he served as vicar of the Monroe Vicariate.
Fr. Lawrence H. Kaiser Fr. Kaiser, 76, born in Dearborn, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; University of Detroit; and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
He was ordained June 6, 1964, at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit. He celebrated his first Mass at St. Clement Parish, Dearborn.
Fr. Kaiser served as associate pastor at Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, Waterford Township (1964-69); St. Angela Parish, Roseville (1969-71); and St. Mary Parish, Redford (1971-73). He was co-pastor at St. Gerard Parish, Detroit (1973-80), then appointed pastor from 1980-88. He was pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish, Dearborn Heights, from 1988-99.
He was pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Dearborn, from 1999 until being granted senior status in 2008. He later served briefly as administrator of St. Edith Parish, Livonia (2010).
Fr. Kaiser was vicar of the Dearborn Vicariate from 1995-98, and served on the Presbyteral Council (2007-08). He received the Cardinal Mooney Award in 1982, for which he studied in Dublin, Ireland, for three months.
Fr. Thomas H. Cusick Fr. Cusick, 75, born in Rochester, Minn., attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
He was ordained June 6, 1964, at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit, and celebrated his first Mass at Gesu Parish, Detroit.
Fr. Cusick served as associate pastor at Epiphany Parish, Detroit (1964-73); and St. Christopher Parish, Detroit (1973-77). He then became administrator at St. Christopher Parish until 1978. He then served as associate pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Redford (1978-88). Fr. Cusick served an internship in spiritual direction at Colombiere Conference Center, Flint, in 1988.
In 1988, he was made pastor of St. Anthony Parish, Belleville, where he continues to serve today.
He has also been vicar of the Western Wayne Vicariate from 1998-2004.
Fr. Thomas L. Meagher Fr. Meagher, 75, born in Detroit, attended University of Detroit; Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
He was ordained June 6, 1964, at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Mary Church, Milford.
Fr. Meagher served as associate pastor at St. Raymond Parish, Detroit (1964-72), and St. William Parish, Walled Lake (1972-75). He was pastor of St. Christine Parish, Detroit (1975-79), and St. Benedict Parish, Pontiac (1979-87).
In 1987, he was made pastor of St. Patrick Parish, White Lake, where he still serves today.
Fr. Meagher served as vicar of the Vicariate of the Lakes in 1974 and the West Detroit Vicariate in 1975-76. In 1991, he received the Cardinal Mooney Award, for which he studied in Dublin, Ireland.
60 years
Fr. Valentine A. Gattari Fr. Gattari, 86, born in Detroit, attended Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; and North American College in Rome.
He was ordained June 5, 1954, and celebrated his first Mass at St. Elizabeth Church, Detroit.
Fr. Gattari served as associate pastor at St. Peter the Apostle, Harper Woods (1954); St. Margaret Mary, Detroit (1955-60); St. Barnabas, Eastpointe (1960-65); Nativity of Our Lord, Detroit (1965-67); and Visitation, Detroit (1967-68).
He was associate chaplain at Mount Clemens General Hospital and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital West from 1969-70. Fr. Gattari served as chaplain at DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit from 1970-74, and was also chaplain at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Detroit from 1974-86.
He served as temporary parochial administrator of Annunciation/Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Detroit, in 1987, until he was made pastor there several months later. He served in that capacity until 1998. In addition, Fr. Gattari served as vicar for the East Side Vicariate from 1994-96. He was granted senior priest status in 1998.
Fr. Gattari served as spiritual director for the Legion of Mary Regia Council of Michigan in Canton from 2004-06, and has served as chaplain of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 7011 in Sterling Heights since 2008.
Fr. Daniel C. ComploFr. Complo, 86, 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.
Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka Cardinal Szoka, 86, was born in Grand Rapids and attended St. Joseph Seminary College there; Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township.
He was ordained a priest June 5, 1954, in Marquette.
He was associate pastor of St. Francis Parish, Manistique (1954-55), and then served as secretary to Bishop Thomas Noa of the Diocese of Marquette (1955-62). He also served as chaplain at both St. Mary Hospital and K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base.
In 1957, he was sent to Rome to study canon law at the Pontifical Lateran University and returned to Marquette in 1959.
Then-Fr. Szoka was Bishop Noa’s full-time secretary in 1961, with additional duties on the diocesan Tribunal. He was named assistant chancellor of the Marquette Diocese (1962), and also was appointed pastor of St. Pius X Parish, Ishpeming.
In October 1962, he accompanied Bishop Noa to Rome for the first session of the Second Vatican Council.
From 1963-70, he served as pastor of St. Christopher Parish, Marquette, until he was named diocesan chancellor on July 20, 1970.
He became bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord on June 11, 1971. He served as president of the U.S. Episcopal Conference from 1972-77, and also served as treasurer and secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Michigan.
He was installed as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit on May 17, 1981, where he served until April 1990. On June 28, 1988, he was elevated to the College of Cardinals. On Jan. 22, 1990, he was called to Rome to become president of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See. In 2001,
Cardinal Szoka was asked by the Holy Father to serve as president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, informally as the “governor” of the world’s smallest state.
Cardinal Szoka submitted his resignation to the Holy Father upon his 75th birthday in 2002, but was asked to continue serving at the Vatican by Pope St. John Paul II. His resignation was finally accepted Sept. 15, 2006, by Pope Benedict XVI, and he moved back to Michigan.
His Eminence currently resides in Northville and continues to celebrate Mass on occasion at area parishes.
Fr. Francis A. Weingartz Fr. Weingartz, 85, 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).
Fr. Edward J. Mitchell Fr. Mitchell, 86, 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.
More jubilarians
The Michigan Catholic is also proud to honor those priests celebrating anniversary years greater than 60. This year, those priests are:
• Fr. John A. Blaska (61 years)
• Fr. Frederick A. Bodde (61 years)
• Fr. Donald E. Dacey (61 years)
• Fr. Eugene R. Strain (61 years)
• Fr. Thomas F. Esper (63 years)
• Msgr. Robert V. Montecello (63 years)
• Fr. Edward W. Ritter (63 years)
• Msgr. Peter S. Lentine (64 years)
• Fr. Lawrence T. Fares (64 years)
• Fr. Edward L. Scheuerman (64 years)
• Fr. Edmund D. Muir (65 years)
• Fr. Fabian B. Slominski (66 years)
• Fr. Erwin J. Bauer (67 years)
• Fr. Edward F. Konopka (69 years)
• Msgr. Thomas H. Villerot (71 years)
