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Revived by Revive
Besides the five seminarians , the SOLTs currently have three priests at Holy Redeemer , which is one of the largest parishes in Detroit and was once the regional base for the Redemptorist Fathers and Brothers . Most Rev . Donald Hanchon , auxiliary bishop of Detroit , began serving as pastor in 1999 after the Redemptorists ’ departure , and he stayed until after his episcopal ordination , when the SOLTs arrived .
Fr . Dennis Walsh , SOLT , was installed as pastor of Holy Redeemer in 2011 , and has served since then , with Fr . Richard Klepac , SOLT , as his associate pastor . Father Mark rounds out the congregation ’ s trio in residence at Holy Redeemer .
“ I ’ m feeling well five years in ,” says Father Dennis . “ Still , I ’ m always seeing a lot more that we need to do .”
He points to the Revive program as one of the SOLTs greatest successes . Revive is a Spanish version of the Alpha program , a twelve-week course on the fundamentals of Christianity , with talks on Our Lady and the saints added to give the program a Catholic perspective . Revive always has a waiting list of people wanting to participate when it is held each fall . Revive includes a three-day retreat
“ The Lord is preparing me to be ready for anything and to serve anywhere .”
midway through that teaches participants more about the Catholic faith , gives them the opportunity to discuss their faith in small groups , and encourages service work .
Brother Tim was amazed at the change he saw in the members of his Revive group .
“ For most members , it was their first opportunity to have real fellowship with other Catholic men and to openly discuss issues of faith ,” he explains . “ By the end of the eleven weeks , all the men at my table had developed a bond with each other and felt open to share their faith and their struggles . Each member of my group grew in their knowledge of the faith and came to a deeper relationship with Christ .”
The retreat is especially powerful . Given the economic status of most parishioners , a weekend away is not a luxury they are often afforded — even at a rustic camp , according to Father Dennis . To ensure retreatants are focused on prayer and exploring their relationships with God , mobile phones are even taken away .
The number of parishioners who are now more active at Holy Redeemer proves the Revive program ’ s success .
“ People really are taking ownership of the
parish , which is great ,” Father Dennis says . “ When I got here , I had to cut back on expenses because of the debt . Now , volunteer teams take care of lawn care . People volunteer to clean the church twice a week .”
Reaching Out from the Heart
Brs . Jacob Wisenbaker and Nicholas Hamilton , both in their first year of undergraduate philosophy , teach religious education to the parish ’ s fourth- through sixth-graders as their apostolates . After addressing the children ’ s initial curiosity about what brothers are , how they cannot get married , and why they live “ at church ,” the two men set out to translate what they have learned in the seminary to non-seminarians — and very small ones at that . This catechetical approach proved to be a challenging task at first , says Brother Jacob .
“ Kids will rise to the expectations we set for them , so I try to explain the truths of the faith and then bring them up as high as they can go ,” he says . “ Allowing the kids to stretch their minds has proven most beneficial . Give them a thought to ponder , and their wheels start turning . The lights come on in their eyes as they begin to ask questions , exploring the topic in ways that I have never thought of .
“ The Holy Spirit definitely takes over during the lessons ; Brother Nick and I just provide the initial push .”
Brother Nicholas feels that serving in Detroit is invaluable to his future ministry .
34 Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Spring 2016