Detroit Stories

Each year, thousands of sick and injured people travel to Lourdes, France, seeking a miracle — and receive something far greater Show notes: (0:03) The narrator introduces Kathy Lewis and her husband, Philip, who in 2011 were both struggling with the difficult diagnosis of cancer. A friend suggested they take a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. (3:21) Each year, the Order of Malta brings thousand of...

Gesu parishioner Pat Jones is on a mission to capture stories of faith, resiliency and courage from community's senior members Show notes: (0:02) Emmett Moten Jr., a 79-year-old member of Gesu Parish in Detroit, talks about growing up Catholic as an African-American in the South, where racism and segregation were prevalent parts of daily life. (2:00) Pat Jones, a writer, producer, storyteller and...

Spared on her deathbed, Catherine Lanni's visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus inspired a movement of mercy in Detroit Show notes: (0:04) Catherine Lanni recounts a harrowing deathbed experience, during which she received a message from God that completely changed her life. (1:38) Catherine describes the plan she had for her own life — getting married, having a family — and how starting a...

How an 11-year-old girl's zest for life inspired her family to help children battling cancer find joy, even after she died Show notes: (0:03) Brett Kast and his mother, Paula, describe Brett’s late sister, Jenna, a spirited young girl who battled brain cancer. At age 9, she was granted a wish from the Make-a-Wish Foundation, but it was a party thrown by members of her parish, St. Anastasia in Troy...

How a rotating warming shelter is more than a service for Royal Oak's homeless; it's a blessing for guests and volunteers alike (0:02) Laura Mills, a volunteer at the rotating warming shelter at St. Mary Parish in Royal Oak, talks about “Santa Claus,” one of the shelter’s longtime guests, who was able to find housing and rehabilitate after a lifetime of addiction. Mills says his “feel good story”...

Plymouth author's mysterious worlds capture truth, goodness and beauty of God in the mold of Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' (0:01) Tom Doran, known to his fans and readers as mystery novelist T.M. Doran, reads a passage from his most popular fantasy novel, “Toward the Gleam.” Doran is a parishioner at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth, and a modern-day J.R.R. Tolkien — or at least an author in t...

Canton native Shawn Reynolds is the funniest comic east of the Mississippi — but his devotion to God and family is no joke (0:02) Canton native Shawn Reynolds reflects on how a mundane job at a Dunkin Donuts as a teenager foreshadowed both his personal and professional life — one in which he’d marry the love of his life and end up touring the country as a full-time comedian. (2:18) Reynolds and hi...

Detroit native Bro. Guy Consolmagno, SJ, director of the Vatican Observatory, gazes at the stars and finds God gazing back. (0:03) Jesuit Bro. Guy Consolmagno, director of the Vatican Observatory and a Detroit native, describes growing up during the height of the 1950s space race. (2:42) As a student at University of Detroit Jesuit High School, Bro. Guy describes how his Catholic education and upb...

Jonathan Blevins tried video game streaming at his internet star brother's suggestion; now, he evangelizes with it 0:02: Jonathan Blevins, a video game streamer on the popular gaming site Twitch, engages in a discussion about faith with his followers. It’s an unlikely place for such a discussion, but Blevins, a lifelong Catholic with thousands of followers, sees this as his unique mission field. 1...

Parents of Archdiocese of Detroit priests talk about the joys, challenges and blessings of raising a member of the clergy (0:04) The narrator talks about Catholics’ perspectives about their priests, who can take on a larger-than-life persona and at times seem almost superhuman with everything they take on — caring for their parishes, being a spiritual refuge for their flock, and providing God’s pe...

When a local teenager noticed his peers weren't returning to Mass after the pandemic, he took matters into his own hands. (0:02) In early 2021, as Catholics slowly began returning to church after the COVID-19 pandemic, 16-year-old AJ Schena made a startling discovery: Not many people his age were in the pews. Statistics backed up Schena’s observation — 34% of Generation Z reports being “religiousl...

When St. Alexander Parish in Farmington Hills closed in 2014, a former parishioner resolved to carry on its legacy of service. (0:01) Todd Lipa describes growing up at St. Alexander Parish in Farmington Hills. It’s where his large family was baptized, and where his mother was buried in 1968. The parish, led by Fr. Jim Wright, was also a lifeline when the Lipa family fell on hard times, providing f...

How a 19-year-old college student defeated anorexia with the help of her family, doctors — and a renewed relationship with God. (0:07) The narrator introduces Maureen Cole, a spirited 19-year-old student at Hope College and an avid dancer. Usually sunny, Maureen’s positivity disappeared as she fell into habits that led to an eating disorder, at first unbeknownst to her parents. Marlise Cole, Maure...

A chaplain, a funeral home director and a cemeteries leader explore Catholic beliefs and experiences about death and dying. (0:02) Fr. Rich Bartoszek, chaplain and director of spiritual care for Beaumont Hospital in Grosse Pointe, talks about his experience ministering to the dying. Often, he says, those at the end of life report mystical experiences, such as a visit from a long-deceased...

Pulling back the curtain on the foster system, a foster family and case workers explain the joys and challenges of fostering (0:06) Tom and Anne Marie Malysz of St. John Fisher Chapel University Parish in Auburn Hills discuss how becoming foster parents has changed them, relying on the Lord’s help. (2:09) In Part 1, the Malysz family talks about how they became involved in fostering, the expectati...

Loyola principal's first book, 'The Urban Playbook,' a blueprint for empowering young Black men with the tools to succeed (0:05) Wyatt Jones III, Ph. D., reads an excerpt from his book, "The Urban Playbook," about when he told his father, Deacon Wyatt Jones II, about his new job as the dean of students at Loyola High School. Deacon Jones was at home in hospice care and didn’t respond to the news v...

A struggling writer and atheist, Jeff Jay's battle with alcoholism led him to the brink — and finally back to the God who loves him (0:03) The narrator tells the harrowing story of Jeff Jay’s near brush with death on a rickety sailboat in the dark and stormy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. A December gale nearly destroyed his ship and left him clinging to life for seven days until he was miraculousl...

On World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, Catholics recognize the importance of engaging the 'backbone of our parishes' (0:02) The narrator offers depressing statistics about the state of elder loneliness in America, including one statistic that shows up to a quarter of those 65 and older are considered “socially isolated,” which comes with its own set of health risks. The COVID-19 pandemic e...

A post-abortive couple describes the healing, forgiveness and peace they found through Rachel's Vineyard retreat (0:01) Beth Bauer, who coordinates Rachel’s Vineyard retreats for post-abortive men and women in southeast Michigan, talks about the importance of supporting people who’ve suffered hurt, trauma and pain in choosing abortion, and helping heal their spiritual and psychological wounds. (3:...

Inspired by his life, a group of young adults wrote, directed, cast and performed an original musical about St. Ignatius of Loyola (0:11) When Paul Center, a 33-year-old Catholic and automotive engineer from Rochester Hills, and his friends discovered they had some free time during the COVID-19 pandemic, they decided to write a musical. (1:29) Center recruited his sister, Danielle, and friend...

How one woman's inspiration to pray for her priest launched an archdiocese-wide movement of spiritual support (0:01) Fr. John Kopson, pastor of St. Anne Parish in Warren, describes a homily he once heard describing the priesthood as analogous to the military. If priests are the soldiers of the Church, the “boots on the ground,” they can only be effective if they have “air support” — i.e., the pray...

Can the rise of digital assets help or hinder human flourishment? We speak with three Catholic financial experts to find out Disclaimer: Detroit Catholic and the Archdiocese of Detroit do not offer financial advice. The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this podcast should be construed as financial advice. (0:02) Amid the rise of cryptocurrency and a constant s...

After meeting a man with no arms and no legs, Notre Dame Prep students devise invention to make his life easier — but he changes theirs, too (0:03) Listeners are introduced to Gary Miracle, a 40-year-old father of four from Florida who was a healthy sales associate, athlete and crew member of a Christian band until a sudden illness two years ago resulted in the loss of both his arms and his legs....

How can sacred music evangelize? Can drums and chant coexist in the same Church? And what does it mean to have 'unity without uniformity'? (0:38) Horst Buchholz, Ph. D., director of sacred music for the Archdiocese of Detroit, explains why St. Augustine’s famous saying, “He who sings prays twice,” is actually a misquote. The narrator introduces the topic: Why does sacred music matter? (3:32) Buchh...

People whose lives have been touched by adoption share their perspectives and the complexities of adoption – from the joys to the sorrows (00:00) The narrator discusses the stereotypes and tropes that have been used to characterize stories of adoption and foster care in literature and pop culture. However, the realities of adoption and foster care are more complex than usually portrayed. The narra...