Our most precious gift St. Mary’s rejoices in are the vocations to the priesthood and to the permanent diaconate.
Priests
1. Rev. Leonard Gendernalik was the first son of the parish who was ordained a priest May 15, 1971. He enjoyed 35 years of priestly ministry as a member of the Piarist Fathers religious community, a teaching order of priests. His ministry took him to Devon, Pennsylvania; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Buffalo, New York; Martin, Kentucky; Derby, New York and Washington, D. C. He entered Eternal Life on July 2, 2006. Fr. Len was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard on April 4, 1976 and Patricia on July 10, 2003. He was buried from St. Mary’s on Friday, July 7, 2006
2. Rev. John Kopson was the second son of the parish to be ordained to the diocesan priesthood for the Archdiocese of Detroit on June 7, 2014 by Archbishop Allen Vigneron at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. His first Mass of Thanksgiving was here at St. Mary’s on Pentecost Sunday June 8th. His proud mother, Theresa Kopson, continues to worship with us at St. Mary’s.
Permanent Deacons
1. Rev. Mr. Richard Damaske was the first son of the parish to be ordained to the Permanent Deaconate on October 2, 1999 and served at St. Mary’s as his only assignment until his medical retirement January, 2009. He died in April, 2010 and his beloved wife Merry died in October of 2005.
2. Rev. Mr. William Schmitz was the second son of the parish to be ordained to the Permanent Deaconate on October 3, 2009 by Archbishop Allen Vigneron and served at St. Mary Queen of Creation until his death on October 16, 2018.
3. Rev. Mr. Michael Oldani was the third son of the parish to be ordained to the Permanent Deaconate on October 1, 2011 by Archbishop Allen Vigneron. He has been assigned to Our Lady on the River parish in Marine City, MI and shares his ministry with his wife Laura.
4. Rev. Mr. Marc Rybinski was the fourth son of the parish to be ordained to the Permanent Deaconate on October 5, 2013 by Archbishop Allen Vigneron. He has been assigned to St. Paul of Tarsus parish in Clinton Twp, MI and shares his ministry with his wife Sue.
5. Rev. Mr. Lawrence Paczkowski is the fifth son of the parish to to be ordained to the Permanent Deaconate on October 21, 2017 by Archbishop Allen Vigneron. He has been assigned to St. Mary Queen of Creation and shares his ministry with his wife Rita.
** Rev. Mr. Anthony Lewandoski, a parishioner of St. Catherine in Algonac, MI, was not a son of the parish when he was ordained to the Permanent Deaconate on April 25, 1976 by Bishop Walter J. Schoenherr. However, nearly all of his 43 years of ministry were served here at St. Mary Queen of Creation until his death on September 16, 2019.
Religious
Our vocations to the religious life of sisters include:
Sr. Loretta Demick - Adrian Dominican
Sr. Margaret Ringel - Adrian Dominican
Sr. Ellen Leo Marcero - Adrian Dominican
Sr. Ellen Burkhardt - Adrian Dominican