Awards at Royal Oak basilica honor St. Therese of Lisieux's feast day, spirit of patroness' humility and generosity

ROYAL OAK — Members of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica gathered at the Royal Oak church to commemorate their patroness’ feast day and celebrate two of the community's most dedicated parishioners.

The sixth annual “Little Way Awards” recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the parish in the spirit of St. Therese of Lisieux’s own “little way,” said Shrine pastor Msgr. Robert McClory.

The Oct. 3 gathering — which took place on St. Therese of Lisieux’s pre-1969 calendar feast day (her current feast day is Oct. 1) — was an opportunity to commemorate two lifelong parishioners, Marge Caram and Jack Salter, and to hear a presentation by nationally known speaker Fr. Roger Landry of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass., who spoke about St. Therese’s “little way,” and what it means to follow in the footsteps of the Little Flower.

In a church decked with roses and portraits of St. Therese, along with a new icon of her parents, SS. Louis and Zelie Martin, Fr. Landry spoke about what it means to follow St. Therese’s life.

“To celebrate St. Therese, it’s more than roses in the church building, beautiful artwork or to even pray to her for intercession. It is to follow her way with confidence,” said Fr. Landry, a friend of Msgr. McClory's, who was making his third trip to the basilica. 

“With many saints, it’s hard to imitate what they did on earth,” Fr. Landry continued. “It’s hard to be Padre Pio and live with stigmata. It’s difficult to be St. John the Hermit and live in a cave. It’s hard to be St. Catherine of Siena, to have the opportunity and the chutzpah to call the pope to conversion.

“But St. Therese left us a way to follow,” Fr. Landry continued. “The best way to follow St. Therese is to follow her ‘little way.’”

St. Therese’s “little way,” Fr. Landry explained, is a child-like dependence on the grace of God to carry one through the world, just as a child depends on a parent. Such dependence means living the life God has given and finding grace in it, he said.

“St. Therese knew that not everyone could be roses, that to be a poor flower without distinction is to let the roses show,” Fr. Landry said. “To her, the ‘little way’ was perfection. She said, ‘I’ve discovered a way, an elevator to God,’ one level where God comes down, like a porter, saying, ‘Would you like a lift?’”

Following Fr. Landry's talk, the parish recognized two parishioners who lived the “little way,” each in their own way. 

Jack Salter has been a parishioner at Shrine since marrying his wife, Patti, in 1962. Salter started the Boys and Girls Club in Royal Oak, served in the military during the Korean War, worked at the probation department of the 44th District Court, and served at the YMCA, Salvation Army and at Royal Oak Youth Assistance.

As a parishioner, he was involved with the school board and the Dad’s Club.

“We all work together for a common purpose to make the community a better place to live,” Salter said. “Shrine parish is called the Little Flower, and St. Therese’s ‘little way’ is about helping people.

“This parish has done more for me than I have done for it; it made me a better Catholic,” Salter added. “The church helped me and my family through difficult times, they backed us so much. You always get more from giving than receiving, and this church has given us a lot.”

Margaret (Marge) Caram was the other Little Way Award recipient, a catechist at Shrine before becoming a teacher at Shrine Grade School in the 1980s and later principal of nearby St. Mary School in Royal Oak. In 1992, then-Shrine pastor Msgr. Alexander Brunett offered her a position as principal of Shrine Grade School. 

Caram has also worked with the Shrine Ladies Guild, assisting with receptions and the biannual Ladies Guild bake sale. For nearly 20 years, she chaired and managed Operation Layette, the primary ministry of the Council of Catholic Women in the Archdiocese of Detroit.

“It’s very humbling, also thrilling, to be part of this community at Shrine and to be recognized,” Caram said. “The people make the place here. We have beautiful priests who are so giving. Sometimes, you hear people come to church and say it’s cold. But the building might look cold, but it’s the people who make it warm. And we have wonderful people here, and I’m blessed to be a part of it.

“One of my sayings is, ‘Little things mean a lot,’” Caram continued. “And it’s the little things I try to do to emulate St. Therese. I’m overwhelmed by this honor; to be honest, I’m humbled by it. There are more who are deserving, and I guess I have to thank God in my heart that I’ve been recognized with this.”