Most parishioners of Cristo Rey know that Fr. Michael grew up in Kansas (but was born in Independence, Missouri). As a young child, his big dream was to become an airplane pilot (that’s interesting because he is not a big fan of flying!)
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| Fr. Michael, age 3. |
He began his Catholic education with the Benedictine Sisters, and throughout his grade school years, baseball was his favorite sport and he played right field (see photo).
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| Fr. Michael on the Sacred Heart "Bulldogs" Baseball Team in 1962. |
Later he developed an interest in swimming and was on city swim teams (no photo attached!) During his early years in school, the priests and Sisters would encourage the students to consider the possibility of a religious vocation. Every year he would look forward to the missionaries who would visit the classrooms with their exciting stories of serving in different countries and often in very difficult situations. From early days, the thought of ministry in the church was always present.
After graduation from St. Joseph High School, Shawnee, KS, in 1970, he enrolled in a Catholic Community College which was also staffed by the Augustinian Recollects from the nearby Monastery of St. Augustine. He had known the Augustinians growing up as they would assist in his parish on weekends, but this was the first time to have them as college instructors.
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| Fr. Michael with grandparents and parents. |
He soon began to visit the monastery, joining the community for Mass and prayers. He was accepted into the monastery and after initial formation as a novice, he professed his religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience on August 18, 1974.
A vocation to the priesthood or religious life is a mystery, a gift. Fr. Michael says that “It’s often a very humbling experience and many times we want to think that we are not worthy of serving the Lord. We think that others would be more capable to do the Lord’s work, but that gentle tap on the shoulder is our call. God calls and we respond, and a response given out of generosity will always be rewarded with the grace that is necessary to be of service.”
After completing college at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, KS, he was assigned to teach at San Miguel School in the Watts section of Los Angeles. He worked closely with Fr. Alphonse Gallegos (who later would become pastor of Cristo Rey and eventually Auxiliary Bishop of Sacramento. The cause for possible Beatification and eventual Sainthood for Bishop Gallegos is presently being studied in Rome).
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| Fr. Michael as a school principal. |
Soon after beginning his ministry as a teaching Brother, he was assigned as a school principal and obtained his Master’s degree in Education from Loyola Marymount University. He continued as school principal until he was elected to the Provincial Council of the Augustinian Recollects in 1978 and was assigned to the monastery in New Jersey. He remained in this position for 16 years and returned to California in 2000 for teaching and administrative assignments. During these years he was fortunate to visit Augustinian Recollect communities throughout the United States, as well as in Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Rome and Spain.
It was during one of his trips to Rome that he was invited to join a group of 18 members of his religious community for Mass with Pope John Paul II in his private chapel at the Vatican, followed by an audience in the Papal Library.
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| Fr. Michael meets Pope John Paul II |
He eventually entered St. John’s Seminary for theological studies and was ordained to the priesthood on May 22, 2008, the feast of St. Rita of Cascia, Augustinian Nun. His first assignment after ordination was to Cristo Rey and later he was assigned to the monastery in Oxnard, where he assisted in the care for the elderly and infirm religious. The religious superior asked him to return to Cristo Rey and he agreed, remaining here and in 2013 he was assigned as superior of the local community and pastor of the church.
We congratulate Fr. Michael as he celebrates his 40th anniversary of religious profession during this year in which we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of our parish of Cristo Rey!