Detroit — Five men have just begun their ministries as priests of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Full of confidence, vigor and the faith, these men are ready to be ambassadors for Christ.

As they begin their ministry, perhaps the priests who can best relate to them — last year’s ordination class — say they’ve unquestionably made the right choice.



“It’s been a tremendous joy to administer the sacraments and visit the schools’ kids,” said Fr. Paul Graney, associate pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows in Farmington, about his first full year in the priesthood. “The more you give yourself to the priesthood and everything that it involves, the more fulfilled you are.”

Fr. Graney was pleased to be assigned to a parish with a school, noting how he spends more time with the students than he originally thought he would.

“It’s not something I thought too much about when my priesthood started, but it’s one of the biggest joys of my priesthood so far,” said Fr. Graney, who was ordained with three others last year at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

Fr. Dominic Macioce said the hustle and bustle of ministering day to day at a parish isn’t something one can prepare for in the seminary, but he enjoys bringing Christ to all who walk through the doors at St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Allen Park.



Fr. Macioce admits there are days when parish ministry is difficult, and finding Christ in everybody can be harder than originally expected.

However, “even on the tough days, the days that are hard with someone dying or situations with drama at the parish or when personal times are tough, the ministry is still beautiful,” Fr. Macioce said. “When people come to you with a whole slew of problems, or come to you angry or with presuppositions in their minds … to show Christ to them, I can see God’s power working directly through them.”

Fr. Macioce’s advice to this year’s new priests is to have patience with people.

“In the seminary, you get the mindset that as long as you say or do these things, have good arguments and a charitable attitude, you’ll win them over,” Fr. Macioce said. “It’s not like that; sometimes it takes multiple conversations, multiple encounters.”

At the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, Fr. Kevin Roelant feels blessed to work with Auxiliary Bishop Robert Fisher, who has guided Fr. Roelant during his first year in the priesthood.




“It’s a blessing to be at Shrine; it’s a very active parish with so many places to serve. It’s been joyous,” Fr. Roelant said. “Bishop Bob is a good, humble man, a great listener. He realizes the importance of the laity, the wisdom of seeking their guidance and their input.”

Fr. Roelant said one of the biggest things he’s learned is to rely on the laity, because a priest is never really “off the clock.”

“You hear about it from other people, but you don’t realize how much you are always on call,” Fr. Roelant said. “But that’s good that people want a priest; they want your advice, your counsel.”

As Frs. John Bettin, Andrew Dawson, Grayson Heenan, Matthew Hood and Craig Marion set out to begin their ministry, last year’s class of new priests shared one more piece of advice: pray.

“Keep to your prayer life,” Fr. Roelant said. “We are first called to be disciples of Christ. Make sure you stay with your prayer. You can’t give what you don’t have.”