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Eight New Deacons For Detroit Archdiocese

Cardinal Adam Maida ordained eight men to the diaconate in a ceremony Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.

Permanent deacons perform numerous functions in many parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit, besides their most visible role of proclaiming the Gospel at Mass. They preside at weddings and rosary services for the dead, they visit the hospitalized and homebound, and they exercise their mission of service in other ways. A few serve in paid positions with parishes or the archdiocese.

Here are the eight men who will be joining their ranks this Saturday:

Kevin M. Breen of Livonia

Age: 45
Place of birth: Detroit
Family: He and his wife, Sheila (Fronimos), have three children
Occupation: Pastoral associate at St. Genevieve Parish.
High school: Aquinas High School, Southgate.
College: University of Detroit, BS, 1982; Central Michigan University, health care administration certificate, 1996.
Home parish: St. Genevieve, Livonia.
Pastor: Fr. Howard Vogan.
Intern parish: St. Stanislaus Kostka, Wyandotte.
Administrator: Fr. John Hedges.
Intern supervisor: Deacon Kenneth Trabbic.
Field experience: Marriage, RCIA, baptism preparation, teacher of religion at St. Clement Catholic High School, volunteer in the Archdiocese Refugee Services and in the Capuchin Summer Camp for kids.
Hobbies: Outdoor activities -- camping, hiking, fishing, cross country skiing, and reading.

His vision of ministry: "My ministerial role as a deacon has two distinct elements. One is to be in the community as a touchstone for Christ and the Church. This is the most challenging, since it is by nature spontaneous and unrehearsed. It means to be open to the Holy Spirit, to be His instrument. The second is to support and augment the ministry of the pastor of our assigned parish, to be a servant of the people as Christ taught us."

Frederick F. Burrell of Westland

Age: 61.
Place of birth: Ann Arbor.
Family: He and his wife, Mary Lou (Robinson), have two children.
Secular occupation: Supplier development engineer at Visteon Corp.
High school: St. Thomas High School, 1961.
College: Eastern Michigan University, BS in geography, 1965; MBA in business, 1979.
Home parish: St. Raphael the Archangel.
Pastor: Fr. Scott Thibodeau.
Intern parish: St. Edith, Livonia.
Administrator: Fr. Paul Ballien.
Intern supervisor: Deacon John Kenny.
Field experience: Hospice at St. Mary's Hospital in Livonia, volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul Society store in Inkster.
Hobbies: Woodworking and fishing.

His vision of ministry: "My ministerial role as a deacon has two distinct elements. One is to be in the community as a touchstone for Christ and the Church. This is the most challenging, since it is by its nature spontaneous and unrehearsed. It means to be open to the Holy Spirit, to be His instrument and doing His will. The second is to support and augment the ministry of the pastor of our assigned parish. To truly be a servant of God's people as Christ taught us."

Stephen L. Bussa of Dearborn

Age: 66
Place of birth: Antrim County, Mich.
Family: He and his wife, Carol Marie (Verreau), have four children.
Secular occupation: Retired engineer manager.
High school: Elk Rapids High School.
College: General Motors Institute, BME, 1960; Wayne State University, MSEM, 1967; Michigan State University, MBA, 1976.
Home parish: Sacred Heart, Dearborn.
Pastor: Fr. Larry Kaiser.
Intern parish: St. Aiden, Livonia.
Administrator: Fr. Ron Kurzawa.
Intern supervisor: Deacon Bill Meahan.
Field experience: Hospital ministry; visits to people in assisted living and nursing home facilities; delivering meals to shut-ins; parish ministry for shut-ins.
Hobbies: Woodworking, restoring old cars, building, collecting, playing folk music and golf.

His vision of ministry: "My ministry to the people of God will focus on the spiritual care of the sick and shut-in people. I will visit homes, hospitals and nursing homes as required to bring Christ to these people in the words of Scripture and in the Eucharist. At my assigned parish, I will also assist my pastor in preparing parishioners for marriage and baptism. I will conduct weddings, baptisms and funerals as required. In all things as a deacon, I will strive to remain open to the people of God, wherever I meet them and to walk with them in service and prayer."

Henry J. Kibit Jr. of Dearborn

Age: 54.
Place of birth: Detroit.
Family: He and his wife, Janice (Fader), have three children.
Secular occupation: Project manager for TEK Systems.
High school: Dearborn High School.
College: Henry Ford Community College, Dearborn; and master certificate in project management from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Home parish: St. Stanislaus Kostka, Wyandotte.
Pastor: Fr. John Hedges.
Intern parish: St. Albert the Great, Dearborn Heights.
Pastor: Fr. Dan Zaleski.
Intern supervisor: Deacon Ray Gabel.
Field experience: Catholic Youth Organization, parish council, Archdiocese of Detroit Refugee Program, visiting the homebound, youth retreats, nursing home visits, summer evenings of prayer, and leading effort to expand Eucharistic Adoration.
Hobbies: Gardening and golf.

His vision of ministry: "To serve in whatever capacity God calls me to serve. I pray that others will experience the love of Jesus through my humble service to them. The grace and love of God, received through the sacraments and prayer, helps us to cooperate with the grace of God making this loving service to others possible."

Paul T. Lippard of Warren

Age: 49.
Place of birth: Mount Clemens.
Family: He and his wife, Patricia (Chavis), have two children.
Occupation: Pastoral minister, St. Gertrude Parish, St. Clair Shores.
High school: Fitzgerald High School, Warren.
College: Macomb County Community College, Warren; Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit; University of Detroit (Degrees: B.A., M.A.)
Home parish: St. Gertrude, St. Clair Shores.
Pastor: Fr. John McGreevy, OP.
Intern parish: Our Lady of La Salette, Berkley.
Pastor: Fr. Patrick Connell.
Intern supervisor: Deacon Daniel Darga.
Field experience: Eucharist home visits, youth group work camps, Tribunal service.
Hobbies: Collecting baseball cards; music – especially singing.

His vision of ministry: "It has been said, 'No one can please God without adding a great deal of happiness to his or her own life.' Ministry is serving God and others by using the gifts that God has given us. All of us, by virtue of our baptism, have been called to serve one another, just as Christ has served us. True joy and happiness comes from giving ourselves to others. I truly feel blessed. You can't out-give God. Whatever good we do, whatever we share with others, God blesses us 10 times back."

Lawrence Lee Ruehlen of St. Clair Shores

Age: 60.
Place of birth: Ionia.
Family: He and his wife, Roseanne (Zoch), have two children.
Secular occupation: Clinical nurse educator, William Beaumont Hospitals, Inc.
High school: Lincoln High School, Warren 1963.
College: Wayne State University, BAs in sociology and history; Central Michigan University, MA in health care administration; Western Michigan University; EdD in educational leadership.
Home parish: St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Clair Shores .
Pastor: Fr. Ronald Kurzawa .
Intern parish: St Isaac Jogues, St. Clair Shores
Pastor: Fr. Timothy Mazur.
Intern supervisor: Deacon James Berch.
Field experience: Jail ministry, Capuchin Order Ministries, Heartland Hospice.
Hobbies: Numismatics (the science of coins and medals), world cultures, travel.

His vision of ministry: "The diaconal vocation, in my life at least, is a confirmation or public acknowledgement of a calling that has been present in my life since my years in Boy Scouting. It is an opportunity to live out my baptismal call to holiness and to serve God in a deeper way while I am still here on Earth. I do not count myself worthy but rather extremely blessed for the opportunity."

Vincent R. Small of Farmington Hills

Age: 59.
Place of birth: Sioux Falls, S.D.
Family: He and his wife, Joanne (Clark), have three children.
Secular occupation: Finance.
High school: St. Francis de Sales High School, Detroit.
College: University of Michigan-Dearborn (B.S. in Administration); Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit (M.A. Pastoral Studies).
Home parish: St. Alexander, Farmington Hills.
Pastor: Fr. James Wright.
Intern parish: Our Lady of Good Counsel, Plymouth.
Pastor: Fr. John Sullivan.
Intern supervisor: Deacon Tim Sullivan.
Field experience: Worked with Sign Me Up evangelization program; PBJ Ministry in Detroit's Cass Corridor; and taking Communion to the homebound and nursing homes.
Hobbies: Golf.

His vision of ministry: "Ministry, for me, springs from the innumerable gifts of faith and love that I have experienced in my lifetime from family, friends, community and the Catholic Church. For me, ministry is primarily a natural response to God's abundant blessings, helping others to more fully experience the joy of his love. Toward this end, the deaconate offers a special sacramental opportunity to make an important contribution within Christian ministry. Diaconate begins publicly at the altar with the presentation of God's Word and the Eucharist. Diaconate continues by going out into the community and making God's Word live and thrive in less public works of service and charity. Diaconate ultimately demonstrates how disciples of Jesus live, work, serve and love, as His servants in the world today."

Kenneth R. Weiss of Macomb Township

Age: 58.
Place of Birth: Detroit.
Family: He and his wife, Rosemary (Boddy), have one child.
Secular Occupation: chaplain at St. John Macomb Hospital.
High School: St. Joseph High School, Detroit 1964.
College: Macomb Community College; Sacred Heart Major Seminary, theology and diaconal studies.
Home parish: St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Sterling Heights.
Pastor: Fr. Gerry LeBoeuf.
Intern parish: St Isidore, Macomb Township.
Pastor: Fr. Michael Hrydziuszko.
Intern supervisor: Deacon Tony Kendzierski.
Field experience: St. John Macomb Hospital; Heartland Hospice; Courtyard Manor Assisted Living.
Hobbies: Stamp collector; Department 56 Snow Village collector; reading, avid sports fan.

His vision of ministry: "My vision of ministry is that I hope, with God's graces, to be able to do all that He asks of me and to help His people in every way that I can."