A number of years ago, I read George Bernanos' novel, The Diary of a Country Priest, I recall one of the opening lines of that book being, "When writing about oneself, one should show no mercy."

--So, I will present a few unblemished facts to you this weekend as we view each other for the first time.

I was born in Detroit, baptized at St. Clement Church in Center Line, went to St. Anne Elementary School in Warren, and for a brief time attended St. Joseph High School in Detroit. Than my father's job took our family to Europe and eventually Asia.

In 1960, I returned to the United States to join the Congregation of Holy Cross at Notre Dame, IN. Holy Cross has both priests and brothers; I entered the Brothers' Society and taught school (grades 4-12) for many years in six states. I also worked in Vatican City for the Roman Curia for a while and did translation work (French, Latin, and Italian) at the Holy Cross Generalate in Rome for a few years. Because it was not customary to change societies within that religious community (a brother could not become a priest, nor a seminarian decide to be a brother), I was dispensed from my vows and then ordained, a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1986. Father Creagan and I met while I was studying at St. John Seminary in Plymouth, MI, 1984-86.

Since ordination, I haved served the Archdiocese in Plymouth, Mt. Clemens, Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms, Livonia, Center Line and Warren.

I am happy to be assigned here to assist the priests at St. Joseph and to teach in the high school, too.