The Franciscan Friars receive their intellectual formation at Sacred Heart and are stationed at Most Holy Trinity Parish, shown here, in Corktown, Detroit.
“ I FEEL LIKE I’ M IN TOUCH WITH WHAT’ S HAPPENING IN THE CHURCH, WHAT CHALLENGES THE CHURCH IS BEING PRESENTED WITH, AND THEN BEING EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS TO GO OUT AND SERVE AND MINISTER AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.”
rector after he ruptured his Achilles tendon ten minutes into Sacred Heart’ s first basketball game of the season.“ Monsignor Lajiness took me to the ER and stayed with me,” he said.“ That was really great, but it stunk that I injured myself.”
While his future basketball career remains up in the air, Brother Peter Teresa is confident that his formation at Sacred Heart is preparing him to serve alongside his community members in the Diocese of Phoenix on the Gila River Indian Reservation or at the Grand Canyon University Newman Center when he is ordained to the priesthood in 2019.“ With the emphasis on the New Evangelization, I feel like the professors really approach things in trying to make this applicable for a future ministry,” said Brother Peter Teresa.“ I feel like I’ m in touch with what’ s happening in the Church, what challenges the Church is being presented with, and then being equipped with the tools to go out and serve and minister and meet the needs of the people.”
Given all that he and Brother Peter
Teresa are gaining, Father Athanasius hopes the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit are adding to the evangelical and mission spirit at Sacred Heart.“ The seminary is very dynamic in its formation and education,” Father Athanasius said.“ We’ re really happy to be a part of that.”
Fr. Stephen Burr, Sacred Heart’ s vice rector and dean of formation, is pleased to have the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit at Sacred Heart, especially given the energy the community brings to the New Evangelization.
“ They have a real vibrancy to them and a newness of re-establishing themselves within the Spirit of St. Francis and the Franciscan’ s understanding of the Holy Spirit in the Church,” said Father Stephen.
Although Father Athanasius and Brother Peter Teresa are busy with their studies, Father Athanasius often assists on weekends at St. John Neumann Parish in Canton. The two also enjoy exploring downtown Detroit and interacting with people on the streets of the Motor City.
“ Sometimes it’ s just ministry of presence,” Father Athanasius said.“ We’ re wearing our habits and talking to people, blessing people who ask for prayers.”
The Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit is a growing community, with five novices and three men in application.“ They’ re the fish that have multiplied,” said Father Anthony.“ Just like Jesus broke the bread, and the bread and the fish multiplied.”
Once men are ordained for the community, he adds,“ they’ re the bread that’ s been multiplied.”
Father Anthony hopes that as new men enter the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit, the community can send them to Sacred Heart for formation.“ As long as the Lord continues to allow us to grow, I hope this relationship that we’ ve begun, that’ s been so healthy and so beautiful at the beginning, continues to expand,” he said.“ And the men we’ re able to send can be part of the family at Sacred Heart.”
Darci Swisher is a freelance writer who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
34 Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Spring 2018