Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2008 / Fellow priests'couldn't help but love' Fr. Sirianni
Fellow priests 'couldn't help but love' Fr. Sirianni
by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
May 23, 2008
Fr. Jasper Sirianni was as kind as he was active — and he was plenty of both during his 62-year priestly ministry, his friends said this week. "He just had a simple quality," said Fr. James Kean, who was an altar server for Fr. Sirianni before getting to know him in the seminary and later as a fellow priest. "He loved his priesthood, loved parish life, too. He would always be in the midst of the comings and goings of parish activities."
Fr. Sirianni died Tuesday at the age of 87. He had served as a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit well into his 80s, and also had served for decades as a chaplain for the Army National Guard and Reserve.
"He was a hard-working man, and every place where he worked he was always well-loved by his people," said his ordination classmate Fr. Walter Stanievich. "He was just a kindly and understanding and loving person."
Fr. Stanievich said he'd never forget Fr. Sirianni's efforts to keep the ordination class in touch. He called him "the most delightful fellow around."
"There was not a bit of guile in the man," he said.
He even recalled some ribbing Fr. Sirianni would take in the seminary.
"He was a short fellow, and we would kid him about it a heck of a lot, but he took it with such grace," Fr. Stanievich said. "You could not help but to love the man."
Fr. Sirianni was born Aug. 14, 1920, to Carmen and Leona Sirianni in Kane, Penn. Fr. Sirianni attended Sacred Heart Seminary High School and College in Detroit. He studied philosophy at Sacred Heart and theology at Mount St. Mary Seminary in Norwood, Ohio.
Fr. Sirianni was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit on Oct. 26, 1946.
He spent most of his priestly ministry in parishes. Upon ordination, he was assigned assistant pastor at St. Alphonsus Parish in Dearborn from 1946 until 1951, then served as assistant pastor at St. Ignatius in Detroit from 1951 until 1954, at St. Clement in Dearborn from 1954 until 1959, and at St. Edward in Detroit from 1959 until 1963.
In 1963, Fr. Sirianni was named pastor of St. Theodore Parish in Westland. He served there until 1967, then served as pastor of St. Philip Neri in Detroit from 1967 until 1970, St. Matthias in Sterling Heights from 1970 until 1981, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Emmett from 1981 until 1991. He achieved senior priest status in 1991, but continued serving as administrator until poor health forced him into retirement in 2005.
He was chaplain for the National Guard and Reserve from 1953 until 1980. Also during his parish ministry, he had served as a notary for the tribunal, on the priest's senate, and as vicar of the North Macomb and Port Huron vicariates.
Msgr. George Browne, who succeeded Fr. Sirianni at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, said he admired Fr. Sirianni's perserverence to his ministry and dedication to the parish community.
"He was there for 24 years," Msgr. Browne said. "Longevity and dedication and leadership — they all go together to give a person that kind of length of service as well as the respect and the love of his people, there's no doubt about that."
Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss also got to know Fr. Sirianni through vicariate councils.
"I think everybody in the diocese knows Fr. Sirianni," Bishop Reiss said. "Considering his age, he was always full of joy and ready to assist us in any way he possibly could. He was a wonderful example for many of the pastors."
Fr. Kean, now pastor of St. Alfred Parish in Taylor, said Fr. Sirianni would "zip" rather than walk when he was ministering at a parish or a hospital.
Fr. Sirianni's friends said, too, that Fr. Sirianni was close to his parents until their death. He also would enjoy company, and playing the violin at celebrations, they said.
Visitation for Fr. Sirianni was scheduled to be from 4 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 22 at Kammeraad Funeral Home, 80375 Main St. in Memphis. On Friday, May 23, his body was to be transferred to St. Peter Parish, 110 New Street in Mount Clemens, and will lie in state from 7:30 until 9 p.m., with a Scripture service held at 8 p.m. His body will be in state on Saturday, May 24, from 9 p.m. until the funeral Mass at 11 a.m.
Related Link:
|
