Changing of the Board
Seminary gains three new trustees as two
trustees end their praiseworthy service.
T
he Trustee Development Committee of the Board of Trustees at the April board
meeting presented three new candidates for service on the board—and all of
them were approved. The newest members of Sacred Heart’s Board of Trustees are
Bishop Francis Kalabat, Fr. J.J. Mech, and Mr. Patrick O’Brien.
24
Bishop Francis Kalabat heads the Chaldean Eparchy (Diocese) of St. Thomas the
Apostle. The eparchy encompasses the eastern half of the United States, with 150,000
Chaldean Catholics residing in Metro Detroit. Seminarians from the eparchy, located
in Southfield, Michigan, have received their
educational formation at Sacred Heart since
1986. Currently, twelve Chaldean seminarians attend the seminary. Bishop Kalabat is a
seminary alumnus, Class of 1995.
Bishop Kalabat is a passionate advocate
for the wellbeing of Chaldean Christians in
Iraq, which is the cradle of the worldwide
Chaldean Catholic Church.
Fr. J.J. Mech serves as the rector of the
Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament,
which is the episcopal seat of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Before assuming his duties as rector in August 2015, Father Mech
was pastor of St. Anastasia Parish in Troy,
Michigan. He also serves as pastor of the
local chapter of the Patron of the Arts in
the Vatican Museum, a worldwide organization dedicated to preserving the artistic
treasures housed in the Vatican Museums.
Father Mech has been pastor and associate pastor of three archdiocesan parishes since graduating from Sacred Heart in
1995.
As president and CEO of FAITH Catholic,
Mr. Patrick O’Brien heads one of the leading Catholic media companies in the U.S.
FAITH Catholic is a non-profit outreach
of the Diocese of Lansing. It publishes
forty-one print periodicals, thirty-five digital publications, manages twenty-seven
websites, produces a weekly television
program, and produces almost two hundred products that build up the faith of
Catholics.
Mr. O’Brien is a member of the board
of trustees of Catholic TV, a broadcast network that produces Catholic programming
for cable television.
“We are blessed to welcome these three
new members to the board of trustees.”
Monsigor Lajiness says. “Each one will bring
a unique set of talents and experience, as
well as a deep passion for our mission.”
Two longtime board members were
honored for their years of contributions at
their final board meeting in April. Msgr.
John Zenz, pastor of Holy Name Parish in
Birmingham, has helped set the direction
of Sacred Heart since becoming an ex-officio member in 1990. The Hon. Michael
Talbot, chief judge of the Michigan Court
of Appeals, has served on the seminary
board since 2008.
Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Fall 2016