Pastor’s Corner — April 23rd, 2023
Goodbye Reception for Deacon Kevin Darwent, April 30 after 9:30am Mass
Next weekend we’re going to have an opportunity to say thanks and goodbye to Deacon Kevin Darwent. Since the April 29/30th weekend is his last weekend at St Pat’s, he’ll be downstairs during Coffee and Donuts receiving people who want to wish him the best after he’s ordained a priest in June. Please consider offering him a prayer or two as he moves onto priesthood. It’s been such a joy to have Deacon Kevin here. He’s a fast learner and incredibly zealous to serve people and bring others closer to Jesus. I’m going to miss him.
Welcome (Deacon-elect) Josh Fons!
In a few weeks Lansing seminarian Josh Fons will be assigned to St Pat’s for a year after he’s ordained a transitional deacon on Saturday May 13th. His assignment will be like that of Deacon Kevin, but since he’s a Lansing seminarian he will be with us for the summer as well. I asked him to write a few words about himself:
“Hello St. Patrick’s, my name is (soon-to-be) Deacon Joshua Fons, and I am looking forward to spending the upcoming year with you serving as a Deacon! Born and raised in the great city of Ann Arbor, MI, I grew up at Christ the King Parish and attended Father Gabriel Richard High School. Both of these communities were instrumental in introducing me to Jesus. I am particularly grateful for the many witnesses I was surrounded by: men and women who loved Jesus and were seeking to follow Him wherever He was leading! It was during my time in high school that I began to discern the priesthood, and I decided to apply for seminary and attend St. John Vianney Seminary in St. Paul, MN.
After four years, I discerned not to continue on in seminary. During my time in college, I was on the Track and Field team, and from that experience, I saw the need for evangelization efforts directed at college athletes. Providentially, a friend invited me to consider the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS). I started looking into their ministry, and I found out about their “Varsity Catholic” outreach to athletes, and I was sold. I ended up spending four years ministering full-time to college students in North Dakota and Minnesota, mostly reaching out to athletes. It was a really blessed time, and I didn’t intend to come back to seminary, but the Lord had other plans. It was December of 2019, the middle of my fourth year in FOCUS: I was in the chapel praying my daily hour, and the Lord broke in and made a few things very clear: 1) He was still calling me to the priesthood. 2) He had been using the time as a full-time missionary to prepare my heart for the priesthood. There was incredible joy and peace in receiving this call! I was grateful that the Diocese of Lansing was willing to welcome me back with open arms. It has been a beautiful past three years at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, and I am very excited to be ordained a Deacon on May 13th! Please pray for me! I look forward to meeting you soon! God bless!”
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias