FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Michael Stechschulte
Fr . Stephen Burr is no stranger to Sacred Heart Major Seminary . A member of the seminary ’ s faculty since 2008 and its vice-rector and dean of seminarian formation since 2017 , he loves spending his days teaching , mentoring , and praying alongside those studying within the 102-year-old institution ’ s winding Gothic walls .
He loves the community — eating meals together daily , celebrating Mass , praying the Liturgy of the Hours and venturing into the neighborhood to serve others .
He loves the seminarians , especially watching them grow into the men God intended them to be as they prayerfully discover their vocations . It ’ s a part of who he is as a priest . “ Seminary priesthood is a heightened level of spiritual fatherhood . A priest is always a father to his community , but here we live with the seminarians . We ’ re always there for them . We ’ re not only the spiritual fathers , the leaders , the teachers , but also the protectors , the ones who guide and the ones who challenge , just as a father would be to his son .”
Fr . Burr , 45 , became Sacred Heart ’ s 14th rector and president on July 1 , succeeding Msgr . Todd Lajiness , who has served in that role for the past nine years .
“ I love Sacred Heart . I love its mission ,” Fr . Burr said . “ I love working with the seminarians , and for those reasons I ’ m happy to serve in whatever capacity the bishop asks me to serve .”
Ordained in 2002 , Fr . Burr has spent a majority of his priesthood within the seminary he once called home as a student . After early stops at St . Andrew Parish in Rochester ( 2002 – 05 ), Divine Child in Dearborn ( 2005 – 07 ) and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth ( 2007 – 08 ), Fr . Burr was appointed to the seminary ’ s full-time faculty in 2008 by Cardinal Adam J . Maida .
Since then , he has served as a theology instructor , formation adviser , director of undergraduate seminarians , director of undergraduate pastoral formation , and , most recently , as vice-rector and dean of seminarian formation . And he ’ s enjoyed every minute of it . “ We need priests ,” Fr . Burr said . “ And not only do we need priests , we need healthy , good , dynamic priests . And this is where we do that , here at Sacred Heart . I want to ensure , through my own ministry and through the priests that I work with here , that we do everything the Lord guides us in our power to do .”
A new leader in a new era
Last November , Archbishop Allen H . Vigneron had another request of Fr . Burr : to become rector of Sacred Heart .
“ To be honest , I was surprised , mostly because I didn ’ t expect Msgr . Lajiness to be moving into another role ,” Fr . Burr said . “ But I ’ m very happy for him , and I ’ m happy to serve because I love this place .”
While Fr . Burr hasn ’ t had time yet to formulate a long-term vision , he knows he wants to build on the foundation Msgr . Lajiness and others have set for the seminary ’ ss future .
“ Sacred Heart is a great seminary , and we ’ ve done great work in formation . We have an outstanding intellectual life here with an outstanding faculty ,” Fr . Burr said . “ First off , I want to make sure all of the good work that ’ s been done by Msgr .
Lajiness and others who ’ ve come before him is maintained .”
As a leader , Fr . Burr said his primary job is to listen to the Holy Spirit .
“ I know that God will guide us . If I have a philosophy on being a leader , it ’ s to be open to God ’ s will and to see where he wants to take us ,” he said .
Sacred Heart educates and forms seminarians for thirteen dioceses — including six of Michigan ’ s seven dioceses — and three religious communities . Fr . Burr said it ’ s a great blessing that so many bishops send their men to be formed in the Archdiocese of Detroit , and it ’ s a responsibility he doesn ’ t take lightly .
“ These bishops are entrusting us with their men , and that ’ s a great relationship of trust ,” Fr . Burr said . “ We keep in close contact with vocation directors and bishops , making sure they know the men ’ s progress and can track their formation . It keeps the building very lively with the number of men we have here in a big , healthy community .”
As rector , Fr . Burr also will oversee Sacred Heart ’ s lay formation programs — a new responsibility for him — a critical part of the Archdiocese of Detroit ’ s future .
“ As the archdiocese begins its shift toward Families of Parishes , we ’ ll be ready to recruit and train lay ministers to assist in parishes ,” Fr . Burr said . “ That ’ s one of the ways we ’ re here to serve the diocese .” shms . edu 25