Detroit – Archbishop Allen Vigneron called it “a blessing to the whole Church that we have two more priests to celebrate the glory of God,” in his homily at last Saturday’s presbyteral ordination Mass.
Before a near-capacity congregation at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit, Archbishop Vigneron ordained transitional Deacons Eric Fedewa and Stephen Pullis as priests for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Fr. Fedewa, 29, of Shelby Township, is the son of William and Agnes Fedewa and entered Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, from St. Lawrence Parish, Utica.
Fr. Pullis, 27, is the son of Kenneth and Ann Pullis, and entered the seminary from SS. Cyril & Methodius (Slovak) Parish in Sterling Heights.
Both received their Master of Divinity degrees from the seminary this spring.
Referring to the fact that the new priests would now be able to celebrate Mass, Archbishop Vigneron said, “It is in the liturgy that the self-gift of God in his son continues in the life of the Church.”
He pointed to message of the psalmist in Psalm 89: “This psalm text reminds us that the ordination of a priest is a covenant.”
The psalmist speaks of the covenant God made with David, and, Archbishop Vigneron added, “We know that the promise made to David was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.”
Addressing the two candidates for ordination, he told them they were “about to enter into a new covenant with God,” and that there would be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
“God will make you the sacramental presence of Jesus Christ, the ruler, the shepherd,” he told them, and that covenant would never be broken.
“You will be priests eternally, because God acts eternally. God is faithful. God keeps His Word,” the archbishop continued.
And he remarked that it was appropriate that Father’s Day was coming up soon, because their ordination “makes you fathers of the people of God.”
After the ordination Mass, Fr. Fedewa, as spokesman for the ordination class, expressed their thanks first to God and the Blessed Virgin, the angels and saints for helping bring them to this day.
He thanked the archbishop, the seminary faculty and administration, and all others who had played a role in their formation.
“I want to thank the two people in each of our lives, our fathers and mothers. Mom and Dad, without your support, both spiritually and financially, I could not imagine how I could have reached this joyous day,” Fr. Fedewa said.
And it was a joyous day for the parents of both of the new priests.
“It was a tremendous experience,” Agnes Fedewa said about seeing her son being ordained to the priesthood.
For his father, William Fedewa, “It was exhilarating – it brought tears to my eyes. We feel very blessed.”
Agnes Fedewa recalled that she had been very pleased when her son first mentioned that he intended to pursue a priestly vocation.
He father, however, admitted, “I was skeptical, but I was supportive.”
That skepticism was to melt away, however. “As he was in the seminary longer and longer, I became aware of the drive that was within him to become a priest,” William Fedewa said.
Both parents said they were confident Fr. Fedewa would make an outstanding priest. For his mother, it is “because of his great love of the Lord and of the Church.”
His father said he felt confident “because of how he’s developed during his formation in the seminary – he feels deeply his love for the Church, his love for Christ and his desire to bring souls to Christ.”
For Ann Pullis, seeing her son being ordained was “breathtaking, wonderful.”
She recalled that she learned of her son’s intentions to pursue a vocation after she suggested it to him herself.
“He was talking enthusiastically about what they were doing at Orchard Lake to promote the thought of Pope John Paul II, and I said to him, ‘Did you ever think you might have a vocation to the priesthood?’ And he said he had just to Fr. Ben (Kosnac, their pastor) the other day.”
Kenneth Pullis said he was very proud to see his son ordained, and very happy to have a vocation in the family.
“I think he’ll make a very good priest, because he really loves his religion, he’s very good with people, and he really wants to do this,” Fr. Pullis’ father continued.
Ann Pullis said she is confident he will bake a great priest because he is “an active, energetic, happy person.”
“I can just picture him doing that kind of work and loving it,” she added.
Related Link: Watch Video of the Event from CTND.
