Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2008 / Two Melvindale parishes become one, look to the future with hope
Two Melvindale parishes become one, look to the future with hope
by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published July 11, 2008
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic
Parishioners of St. Mary Magdalen and St. Conrad parishes prepare to combine the holy water, holy oils, and books of records from both parishes during Mass at St. Mary Magdalen Church last weekend. St. Conrad Parish, which originally was formed from members of a once-overflowing St. Mary Magdalen Parish, closed in June after 42 years. |
Melvindale — For some, it was a homecoming. For others, it was a whole new experience.
Last Sunday, the parishioners of the now-closed St. Conrad Parish in Melvindale joined the faith community of St. Mary Magdalen Parish, a couple miles away. The move completed a circle, in a sense — St. Conrad was founded 42 years ago by parishioners of the then-overflowing St. Mary Magdalen.
"The Church that is built on Peter the Rock is both human and divine," said Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss during his homily at the 11 a.m. Mass July 6. "You and I are the human part of the Church. … We have to be open to the renovation that the Father gives us — that is the divine part of the Church."
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic
Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Francis Reiss elevates the chalice during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. |
Bishop Reiss was the main celebrant at the Mass, which commemorated the joining of the two parish communities.
Fr. Jeff Anifer, pastor of St. Mary Magdalen and also formerly of St. Conrad, concelebrated and took vows to lead the joined parish. St. Conrad parishioners also took part in the Mass, bringing the holy water, holy oils, Easter candle, and books of records from their former parish into St. Mary Magdalen.
"You have to remember, Melvindale is a small city," Fr. Anifer said following the Mass. "For a lot of (St. Conrad parishioners), it's a coming home."
Fr. Anifer said that when St. Mary Magdalen grew too large 42 years ago, some parishioners didn't want to leave the church. As it is, the St. Conrad and St. Mary Magdalen parishioners had been neighbors.
"These people work together at different organizations in Melvindale, so they're doing something that's very familiar," Fr. Anifer said. "Everybody took well to this."
Many parishioners present at the Mass recalled their ties to St. Mary Magdalen prior to their time at St. Conrad.
"My kids were baptized at St. Mary Magdalen, but then they received their first Communions at St. Conrad. My kids got married at St. Conrad and a couple of my grandkids were baptized there," said Joyce Garcia, who had been at St. Conrad Parish the full 42 years of its existence.
Echoing the sentiments of many former St. Conrad parishioners present, Garcia said it would be a difficult transition. St. Conrad Parish, the membership of which had dwindled to about 200 families, had just last week celebrated its last Sunday liturgy.
"This weekend was still a little bit hard," Garcia said. "Changes are changes. If it has to be, it has to be. It's still the Catholic Church, no matter where you're at."
Gary Vaillancourt had been a parishioner of St. Conrad for 40 years. His wife, Donna, worked there as the office manager. Gary was familiar with St. Mary Magdalen because his father was buried from its former church in 1955, and he had attended the parish grade school.
"It's like me coming back to the church," he said. "I went here to St. Mary Magdalen when I was a kid."
Vaillancourt added that he's hopeful for the merged parish because the people of St. Mary Magdalen are willing to work together.
"There's a lot of friendly people, a lot of helpful people," Vaillancourt said. "Everybody likes to help everybody else. There's no animosity."
Still, for the founding parishioners of St. Conrad, the transition to — or back to — St. Mary Magdalen doesn't come without some heartbreak.
"Personally, it will be hard," said Vincent Agius, one of the charter members of St. Conrad. "But I'm willing to accept what has happened. It's not easy. Don't let anybody tell you it's easy. It's very hard. But, it will be OK."
Both Agius and his fellow parishioner Vito Angileri said the friendships made at St. Conrad are what make the parish a memorable one.
"St. Conrad, it's a very unique parish," Angileri said. "Not because I said so, but because it is. We became friends with everybody."
Angileri recalled groups of parishioners meeting on Tuesday to care for the parish property and join each other for lunch.
"It was my family away from my house," he said.
Meanwhile, parishioners of St. Mary Magdalen are hoping the people of St. Conrad find a welcoming atmosphere in their new parish community.
Teresa Trouten, a mother of two and the St. Mary Magdalen Parish Council secretary, said her hope is that the two communities come together as one.
"I hope just for the unity of both churches, of St. Mary Magdalen and St. Conrad — of a family congregation," she said.
Helen Samson, a long-time St. Mary Magdalen parishioner who served desserts at a reception following the liturgy, also wished the former St. Conrad parishioners a welcoming new parish home.
"It really means a lot to me," Samson said. "I enjoy the people from St. Conrad, and I'm glad they joined us. They're friendly and they bring a lot of faith."
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