Longtime Detroit-area priest, funeral and cemeteries chaplain died Oct. 1 at the age of 77

ROCHESTER — A great storyteller who possessed a wealth of knowledge, Fr. Tim Babcock had words of wisdom for all to hear — especially those who needed a kind word or a shoulder to cry on.

As the Archdiocese of Detroit’s delegate to Catholic Funeral and Catholic Services, Fr. Babcock counseled grieving families, supported cemetery staff and preached a message of hope.

Known for his happy-go-lucky attitude and caring smile, Fr. Babcock died Oct. 1. He was 77.

“He was truly the best,” said Bob Hojnacki, director of Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services in the Archdiocese of Detroit. “He was a mentor to me when I came into the business.”

Fr. Babcock served as the link between the archdiocese and the area’s Catholic cemeteries, answering families’ questions, celebrating services on the cemetery grounds and providing a priestly presence.

“He guided us through any task that needed to be done with families, helping us with decisions and the details necessary to follow through on those decisions,” Hojnacki said. “His biggest contribution was his experience with all the years in the Archdiocese of Detroit, the Chancery and the challenges, the history and relationships with all the area funeral homes.” 

Tim Babcock was born in Grand Rapids on Aug. 26, 1942, to John and Catherine Babcock. He was ordained in Grand Rapids on June 1, 1968, but transferred to the Archdiocese of Detroit that year to serve as associate pastor at St. Sylvester Parish in Warren until 1972, and St. Eugene Parish in Detroit until 1974.

Fr. Babcock then served as pastor at St. Eugene from 1974-79, as coadjutor pastor at St. Genevieve in Livonia in 1979, associate pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington from 1979-80 and pastor at St. Mary in Royal Oak from 1980-81.

Fr. Babcock then served on the Detroit Metropolitan Tribunal from 1981-90 before serving as pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Rochester (1989-98) and St. Mary Parish in Monroe (2002-05).

In 2006, he became chaplain to the Felician Sisters' Presentation Convent in Livonia until his retirement, while also working in the archdiocese's Clergy and Consecrated Life Office as a delegate for international and religious order priests.

Deanna Cortese, outreach director for Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services, said Fr. Babcock strongly advocated running the archdiocese’s cemeteries as a ministry, reaching out with compassion to families grieving the loss of a loved one.

“Fr. Tim was very involved and hands-on,” Cortese said. “He showed that cemeteries were for the living. Fr. Tim walked during our infant loss commemorations to show his support, and he was super hands-on with any family he came in contact with, bringing that comforting presence of a priest.”

In addition to his ministry to those in mourning, Fr. Babcock was called upon often to serve in temporary roles as a parish administrator. Over the past 15 years, he filled in at more than a dozen parishes, including Corpus Christi in Detroit (2007), SS. Simon and Jude in Westland (2008), St. Owen in Bloomfield Hills (2008-09), St. Joseph in South Lyon (2009), Sweetest Heart of Mary, St. Josaphat and St. Joseph in Detroit (2010), St. Priscilla in Livonia (2010), St. Scholastica in Detroit (2011), St. Ronald in Clinton Township (2013, 2014-18), Resurrection in Canton (2014), St. Kenneth in Plymouth (2015), St. Aloysius in Romulus (2016) and St. Sebastian in Dearborn Heights (2017).

On July 1, 2018, Fr. Babcock was granted senior priest status.

Through all of his assignments, those who knew Fr. Babcock could always count on him to tell a good story and really listen to what people needed, Hojnacki said.

“When it comes to his smile and going around providing good guidance, he was invaluable,” Hojnacki said. “That’s really it. His general knowledge as a priest for 50 years, a pastor at several parishes, was in dealing with families and sharing that experience with us. His compassion for families, for listening with great intent, is something I’ll miss.”

Fr. Babcock’s funeral was celebrated Oct. 7 at St. Andrew Parish in Rochester. He was laid to rest at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield. 

Fr. Babcock is predeceased by his parents, John and Catherine; brothers, John Peter (Margaret), James Allen, Edward Michael, and Paul Willard (Janet). Fr. Babcock is survived by his brother, Allen (Mary Ann); sister, Sr. Margaret Ann Babcock, IHM; sister-in-law, Mary; 19 nieces and nephews; and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

“Fr. Babcock was a priest who exuded his faith, both in ministry and when you saw him day to day,” Cortese said. “During the homily at his funeral, Fr. J.J. Mech talked about how Fr. Tim lived his life to the fullest and was so on fire for his faith, that you wanted that fire to be in you. That is how I’ve grown because of Fr. Tim; I saw the fire for the faith in him, and I wanted that same fire to show through me.”