"Vocations are Us" in Ann Arbor
A little note about a couple of those thousand points of light out there that we've encountered out there. First of all, one of our seminarian readers brought the story of one amazing parish to my attention:
25 home-grown priests. 20 men currently in seminary. 15 - 20 women in religious formation. All from one parish?
Yes. If that parish is Christ the King of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
I've heard about Christ the King for years but have yet to have the chance to visit. It is unique: a "personal parish" for the charismatic renewal. Their history is fascinating (from their website)
"In 1981, a group of Catholics in the "Charismatic Renewal" met weekly for Mass and reception of the sacraments with the blessing of the Bishop of Lansing. In 1986, Bishop Povish established us as a Lay Association of the Faithful and we were given the name Christ the King Catholic Association. In 1991, we began the process of becoming a personal parish of the Diocese of Lansing, a process that was completed in 1997."
A charismatic style of prayer is common at Christ the King, including during certain parts of the Mass. Their website describes that as "external markers". Their internal markers?
Internal markers include a radical surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all parts of life, a strong adherance to the Gospel and the teachings of the Catholic Church, and the pursuit of strong friendships centered on Christ. As Catholics, this obviously includes abiding in the heart of the Church in union with our beloved Bishop and Pope Benedict XVI
In other words, this is a parish that treasures and intentionally nurtures a culture of discipleship. Discipleship and formation for all. It sounds like their RCIA program is booming as well with seekers from both Christian and unchurched backgrounds. It probably helps that their dynamic pastor, Fr. Ed Friede, is a convert himself. And priestly and religious vocations are the direct fruit of discipleship.
And their mission statement? I've read hundreds of parish mission statements (which usually amount essentially to "we want to be nice, helpful people doing nice Catholic things in a nice way") and I've never seen anything like this. It begins:
- To be a people committed to surrendering our lives completely to the Lord Jesus, knowing that "Christian living consists in following Christ," we choose in all things to "say yes to Jesus Christ."
(Pope John Paul II, Catechesi Tradendae, #'s 5 & 20)
and then it goes on for another 12 paragraphs - all with magisterial references.
Ann Arbor (and southern Michigan in general) is a Catholic hotbed. I know from my brief time in the area that Christ the King isn't the only parish doing great things there. And alot of dynamic extra-parochial groups are headquartered there: the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, Renewal Ministries, Ave Maria Radio, and another women's community, The Servants of God's Love.
Not to mention Domino's Pizza (I've attended Mass in their quite sumptuous chapel).
And that many of the dynamic faculty at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit live in Ann Arbor.
I'm going to be in the area for 4 days at the end of October (I'm speaking at the Pontiac Vicariate Fall Assembly and then offering a Called & Gifted facilitator training)
Maybe I can finagle a visit to CTK!
More good news in a second post.
posted by Sherry W @ 6:27 AM
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6 Comments:
I live in the area, and attend St. Thomas the Apostle. The Knights of Columbus run a Fr. McGivney House for young men discerning a call to the priesthood. It is the first of its kind in the nation. St. Thomas parish also has a house next door called the St. Catherine House for young women discerning a call to religious life.
thanks, Jim.
I remember Fr. Chas pointing out those houses to me. It was his old parish: St. Thomas, that I was thinking of when I thought of other dynamic parishes in the area.
I attended Christ the King during my six years as a student at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. I had remembered reading about the Church years before in Steve Ray's book Crossing the Tiber, and so I figured the Church had to be a good one.
The first time I attended Mass and heard the Church sing the Gloria, I thought to myself, "I'm home." In fact, people have moved from all over the country to call CTK their parish home. How we must pray for a greater release of the Holy Spirit so that all our parishes can surrender themselves to Jesus as CTK has. I have never attended a Catholic parish whose members were more on fire for Jesus and for the teachings of His Church.
Having since graduated and moved away, not a Sunday goes by that I don't miss worshiping God with this community of believers.
I would encourage your readers to subscribe to Christ the King's podcast, which contains every Sunday homily. Don't know where to begin? Start by listening to the vigils of Easter and Pentacost!
The thunderous, sustained applause that follows the thrice-repeated "Jesus is risen indeed!" at the Easter Vigil brings me straight back to the liturgies of the early church.
You are exactly right, Sherry. Every Catholic parish in the world has Jesus in the Eucharist. The more Catholics can open their hearts to this fount of infinite grace and mercy, the more we will lift our hands and raise our voices in thanksgiving. When this occurs--and praise God it is always already occurring--Christians will reunify and more souls will be saved.
I should mention that St. Thomas is another wonderful parish whose members seem to be in love with Jesus. Fr. Chas was a great role model for many university students who were seeking a more reverent and orthodox liturgy.
How fortunate Ann Arbor is to have at least two incredible Catholic Churches!
Ready:
Thanks for that great first hand picture of life at CTK. Praise God. It sounds simply wonderful. And there is no reason that many other parishes can, in their own ways, be communities of passionate disciples.
Ready:
Fr. Chas is great. We got to know him when he came to Making Disciples and then brought back what he had learned and taught it to his students. Mass at St. Thomas was beautiful.
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