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- Installed as the 10th pastor of St. Mary Queen of Creation on September 7, 2014, during a parish celebration led by Bishop Michael Byrnes. This new era begins under a recently developed parish mission statement that sets out our parish mission "… to know, love and serve God and to make Jesus Christ known and visible."
- In 2014, the parish center hall was renamed and dedicated as the “Fr. Nick Zukowski Parish Center” in honor of, and in recognition of, Rev Nicholas Zukowski’s 21 years of dedicated and humble service as pastor to St. Mary Queen of Creation.
- In 2014, our food pantry, which is supported through the food and financial donations of our parishioners, became a “pantry of choice” allowing clients the dignity of choosing foods to take home. The benefit is in tailoring our food distribution to the needs of the clients and avoiding waist.
- During the 2014-2015 program year Deacon Tafadzwa Kushamba, a seminarian for the diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, was sent to St. Mary’s from Sacred Heart Major Seminary to mentor under Fr. Charles in his final year of formation to priestly ordination in June, 2015.
- In 2014, a local hail storm seriously damaged the roof top HVAC units on the parish church and gym. With the help of an insurance claim, the parish was able to fund and replace the damaged units with brand new equipment.
- In 2015, through the generosity of our local Knights of Columbus council our parish gym was renovated to make it a multi-functional facility adding sound-proofing, a sound system and projector screen. In addition the Knights’ contribution included new chairs for the parish center hall to allow the old chairs to be moved to the multi-functional gym. The combined project won our local council a distinguished state service award for their contribution.
- Also in 2015, our local Knights of Columbus council received a distinguished state service award for our now annual “Lenten Onion Bag Food Project.” This was a project the Knights collaborated with our parish food pantry to develop and implement in 2014 to help keep our pantry shelves stocked with food throughout the year.
- In 2015, construction projects included demolition and replacement of the rectory front porch steps and the gym landscaping walls. Repairs were also made to the parish center handicap ramp wall.
- In 2015, the parish began work on development of its new parish goals and objectives. This effort took into consideration the key findings of a survey conducted by Archbishop Allen Vigneron which resulted in development of mission priorities for the Archdiocese of Detroit. This project included collaboration with archdiocesan leaders and staff, vicariate leaders, parish leaders, and parishioners and became the perfect template for the creation of St. Mary’s new goals and objectives which were completed in 2016. This new direction has well prepared the parish for the Archbishop’s newest evangelization initiative to “Unleash the Gospel”; a major push to change the DNA of the Church in Detroit to one of a Body of Christ on mission. Embracing this message St. Mary’s recently hosted:
- A Christ Life program series in both 2015 and 2016; Christ Life equips Catholics for the essential work of evangelization so the world might personally encounter Jesus, Christ and be transformed into His missionary disciples.
- Come Encounter Christ in Feb, 2016; vibrant gatherings featuring inspirational preaching, uplifting live music, Eucharistic adoration, and opportunities for private confession!
- Night Fever in June, 2016; an opportunity for volunteers to go out into the streets and invite people to Christ, and to also reach those who do not believe in Him, or do not think of Him.
- In the fall of 2015 Rick Rhein, a candidate for the permanent deaconate and a parishioner of Immaculate Conception, came to St. Mary’s for his internship year. In addition to his weekend duties at liturgies Rick spent the summer of 2016 working in our parish food pantry. Working alongside parish volunteers, Rick gained a greater understanding that service is not about making volunteers feel good but rather that service is about serving others selflessly which is what Jesus, Christ calls us to. No matter how the clients behave, clients are treated with love, kindness, dignity and respect. Rick will be ordained to the permanent deaconate October 1, 2016.
- During the year Larry Paczkowski, a parishioner of St. Mary’s, continued his journey to the permanent diaconate. The 5th son of the parish that will join this ministry was elevated to Lector on May 24, 2015, and to Acolyte on January 17, 2016 both by Bishop Arturo Cepeda. We continue to pray for Larry as he follows this calling, and God willing, through to his ordination scheduled for October 7, 2017.
- During the summer of 2015 and 2016 Sacred Heart Major Seminary sent one of its seminarians to St. Mary’s to mentor under Fr. Charles as part of his formation and journey to priestly ordination. Deacon Craig Marion, who was ordained a transitional deacon on April 16, 2016, has become a part of St. Mary’s and shown himself to be a true servant-leader. He will continue to be with us every weekend through the current program year in his final year of formation and his anticipated priestly ordination June 2, 2017.
- On April 25, 2016 Deacon Tony Lewandoski celebrated his 40th year in the Permanent Deaconate. Most all of those years have been in service here at St. Mary’s.
- Again in 2016 our local Knights of Columbus council made a significant contribution to install new chairs in our parish center hall.
- In 2016, Eagle Scout Ronnie DePestal, working in collaboration with the parish staff, developed a cemetery project to design, fund raise, construct and install new cemetery signs to help patrons more easily locate graves.
- In 2016, the parish began a development project to upgrade the parish center kitchen. The first such upgrade since the center was built 35 years ago in 1981.
- And in 2016, in conjunction with our parish feast day – The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary – on August 22nd, the parish celebrated its 140th anniversary.