Contacts & Publisher

Subscription Form

Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  Golden anniversary

by Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published July 11, 2008

St. Athanasius

Gregg McIntosh | The Michigan Catholic The members of St. Athanasius Parish, Roseville, gathered June 29 to celebrate 50 years as a community.

Detroit — Hundreds of people, both current and former parishioners, gathered at St. Athanasius Parish, Roseville to celebrate the past, present and future of the community June 29.

Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Flores celebrated the anniversary Mass at "St. A's," as it's affectionately known in the community, and he talked about the importance of community in a church, said pastor Fr. Ronald Victor. Fr. Victor estimated that 500 people attended the special Mass, including a significant contingent of original members.

"I think it's really important that we honor the past," Fr. Victor said.

Jim and Rita Lentz of Roseville have been active parishioners for 43 years, and Rita Lentz' parents were founding members. Her father had been an usher and her mother had been active in the Altar Society. During the celebration, she said, the memories of the different priests who had been at the parish went through her head, "so many that have touched our lives." She added that Fr. Victor is "just the best." "It just meant so much to know the Church was still there," she said. "That day was just really, really special."

Gregg McIntosh | The Michigan Catholic From left, Deacon Frans Hopper, Deacon Michael O'Keefe, Deacon Ron Chetom,Bishop Daniel Flores, Fr. William Seibert, pastor Fr. Ron Victor, and Fr. Achilles Kiwanuka were all a part of St. Athanasius's golden anniversary celebration.

The Lentzes, who just celebrated 50 years of marriage, have three children, the two youngest baptized in the parish, and the oldest a former student of the parish school before its closing. Rita Lentz, 69, said the community itself is warm and helpful, and although it's been 50 years, it is still open to new ideas: The parish recently changed the way communion is taken to the homebound, so the same people don't do it week after week.

"It's a very caring community," she said. "No matter what you ask somebody to do, they do it."

Jim Lentz, 70, said the parish was "like a family" to him, which means more to him as he gets older. He has stayed active by serving as the finance chair for the parish festival for 28 years. "It's a place to get involved with the other parishioners," he said. "Everyone's friendly. It's a nice community."

Robert Cory, of Roseville, moved to the parish right around the time of its dedication and has worked as its business manager for the past 14 years. He said he's always been active in the parish, ever since the early days.

"It's very much a parish that got together and helped to do what was needed to get the parish going," he said. Cory, 75, and his wife, Mary, raised six children in the parish. It's supported community programs, such as Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and it's not unusual for parishioners to volunteer their time to take care of the grounds and help in the office.

"It's my parish," he said. "Priests come and go, but it's my parish."

George Corey, of Fraser and an original parish member, serves on the altar during the week at daily Mass and funerals, and is also in the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He's one of the co-founders of the St. Athanasius Credit Union, now ARC Credit Union.

He remembers when the parish had more young couples and young families, although he joked that the "old-timers" still in the parish are just as active as the younger members. Corey, who will be 80 on Monday, and his wife, Eva, 72, raised their combined nine children in the parish, and were married at St. Athanasius in 1966 by founding pastor Fr. Jerome Krieg — who joked that all their children made it a "Sound of Music" wedding, Corey remembered.

"The church was just a part of you," he said.

He said the 50th anniversary celebration was "awesome." "There was such gaiety by the parishioners, much more taking before Mass," he said. In fact, Fr. Victor had to tell people to take their seats to he could begin Mass.

"The music was tremendous," he added — and he was one of those who complained that there was too much singing after the Second Vatican Council, he laughed.

The reception afterward was also well-attended, he said. "I'm pleased with the amount of people that were there," he said. "There was good fellowship there.

"It was really a joyous occasion," he said.