Detroit — Fr. Robert J. Wojciechowski was a “very kind, very giving” priest, said Tom Rys, who worked with him at St. Francis d’Assisi Parish on Detroit’s west side.

“He was rough on the exterior, but he had a heart of gold,” Rys said Monday.

Fr. Wojciechowski was found dead of a heart attack in his living quarters the afternoon of April 8. He was 54.

Although Fr. Wojciechowski had long suffered from migraine headaches, Rys said there had been no prior indication of heart trouble that he knew of.

Fr. Wojciechowski had served for the past 23 years as pastor of St. Francis d’Assisi and, since 2004 of its nearby cluster partner, St. Hedwig Parish, as well.

“This was his family, and when St. Hedwig was added, the people there became his family, too. He lived for these two parishes,” Rys said.

Fr. Wojciechowski worked hard to meld the parishes’ traditional Polish American members with their newer Hispanic members.

“He was trying to learn enough Spanish that he could celebrate Mass in Spanish and let the deacon do the homily, when his Spanish-speaking associate couldn’t be there,” Rys continued.

His charitable giving included helping poor families in the parish with funeral expenses out of his own pocket, he said.

Fr. Wojciechowshi emphasized that the Church was more than just one’s individual parish, Rys added, and his explanation of the archdiocesan Changing Lives Together capital campaign so impressed the children in religious education classes that they decided on their own to devote their Lenten self-denial money to the campaign.

Fr. Ed Zaorski said Fr. Wojciechowski had been a strong advocate for Catholic education, but when the parish school had to close, he invited a charter school to take over the building; he then became so well known and liked by the administrators, teachers and children that the charter school closed for the day of his funeral.

And he was no less concerned for the parishes’ older members, making frequent visits to the hospitalized and homebound. “He had his challenges, with the migraines, but he did minister to his people as best as he could,” Fr. Zaorski added.

Fr. Wojciechowshi’s interests included travel and collecting American Indian statuary and craft objects.

Born Oct. 4, 1956 in Detroit to Stanley and Anna Wojciechowski, the young Robert J. Wojciechowski attended St. Lawrence Grade School, Munger Junior High School and Chadsey High School, all in Detroit.

He went on to study for the priesthood at Sacred Heart Seminary and St. John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth Township. He was ordained Dec. 10, 1983 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Detroit.

Fr. Wojciechowski served as associate pastor of St. Patrick Parish, White Lake Township, St. Christopher Parish, Detroit, and St. Anne Parish, Warren.

He became pastor of St. Francis d’Assisi Parish, Detroit, in 1989, and responsibility for St. Hedwig Parish, Detroit, was added in 2004.

He is survived by three brothers, Dennis, Robert and Timothy; three sisters, Diane Skelly, Marlene Wojciechowski and Patricia Henry; and by nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, and by two sisters, Elaine Onderko and Sandra Demsky.

A funeral Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Allen Vigneron April 12 at St. Francis d’Assisi Church, Detroit, with Fr. Zaorski as homilist.

Burial was in St. Hedwig Cemetery, Dearborn Heights.

Memorials to Changing Lives Together, in care of either St. Francis d’Assisi Parish, 4500 Wesson, Detroit 48210, or St. Hedwig Parish 3245 Junction Ave., Detroit 48210.