The Challenges of Racism
and the Priestly Ministry
Dr. Isaiah McKinnon and Fr. Donald Archambault
speak to seminarians about race relations.
Dcn. John McKenzie
Dr. Isaiah McKinnon, former
deputy mayor and police
chief for the city of Detroit,
speaking to Sacred Heart
seminarians about the
challenges of racism.
O
n Thursday, January 25, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Conversion of St.
Paul the Apostle. It was certainly a day that offered the opportunity for all semi-
narians to reflect on our own conversions. As some of us draw closer to our ordination
dates when we will forever be configured to the crucified Lord, it was fitting we end the
evening feast day with a more serious conversation regarding challenges we will face as
priests ministering in different communities of our home dioceses.
As part of our monthly “Seminarian
Formation Nights,” Msgr. Todd Lajiness,
Sacred Heart rector, invited Dr. Isaiah
McKinnon, the former deputy mayor and
police chief for the city of Detroit, and
Rev. Fr. Donald Archambault, pastor of
Corpus Christi Parish, located on the west
side of Detroit, to speak to the seminar-
ians about race relations. Each man pro-
vided a testimony of his life and discussed
exposure to issues sprung from past and
recent racial tensions. In so many ways,
their experiences resonated, as there are
seminarians with a strong desire to work
in an inner city or a minority community
in urban and rural areas.
Dr. McKinnon shared his experience as
one of the first black police officers in the
city of Detroit. One of his reasons for join-
16
ing the police force back in the 1960s was citizens. After sharing other great stories,
due to an altercation he had at age fourteen Dr. McKinnon spoke about an encounter
with a white police officer. Dr. McKinnon he had with the late Nelson Mandela on
one of Mandela’s official
explained that although he
trips after his unjust impris-
had done nothing wrong,
onment. Mandela expressed
the police officer brutally
great compassion toward
beat him and he did not
“We mu