Detroit Stories

As Michigan's sports gaming industry reaches new heights, moral theologians and addiction experts weigh in on a Catholic's responsibility

(0:02)The narrator tries (tongue-in-cheek) to interest the listener in various bets related to sporting events this year — the Super Bowl, Final Four and Kentucky Derby — to make a point about the prevalence of sports gambling since Michigan legalized the practice in 2020.

(1:53) As Michigan sports betting operators raked in millions last year, Catholics might well be wondering: Can a Catholic in good standing place a bet? And are there limits and sins to be aware of?

(3:30) Listeners meet Fr. Patrick Kelly, SJ, professor of religious studies at the University of Detroit Mercy and an expert on sports and spirituality. Fr. Kelly discusses the value of sport from a religious and human perspective, including what the popes have said on the subject.

(6:07) Fr. Kelly warns about the temptation to view sports as a means to other ends: glory, money and fame among them. When a person gambles on sports, he or she loses the focus on the team and community, instead thinking about what he or she might gain.

(8:39) But is gambling immoral? The narrator introduces moral theologian Fr. Peter Ryan, SJ, of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, to answer that question.

(9:48) Fr. Ryan quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which says gambling is not “contrary to justice” as long as certain conditions are met: namely, that a person doesn’t gamble in excess of what he or she can afford to lose — including meeting one’s obligations to oneself, one’s family and those in need. A person must also be careful not to become addicted, Fr. Ryan says.

(13:23) On the subject of addiction, listeners are introduced to Jeff Henrich, CEO of Guest House, an addiction treatment facility for clergy and religious in Lake Orion. Henrich discusses how addiction begins, the warning signs to watch for, and how concerned family members can broach the subject.

(15:49) Henrich talks about the fact that gambling addiction is on the rise among young people, primarily due to two factors: a willingness to engage in risky behaviors that’s more prevalent among the young, and the ubiquitous access to smartphones and mobile technology.

(18:12) Fr. Ryan discusses the need to weigh carefully the temptations to addiction before engaging in gambling, especially if one knows they have a predisposition. One also ought to consider whether gambling brings joy, or simply detachment, Fr. Kelly adds, suggesting the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola can help people discern.

(20:30) Henrich recommends listeners turn to prayer when looking for guidance about gambling. Like anything in the Christian life, placing one’s faith in God and following His commandments is the surest bet for keeping a clean conscience.

Reporting by Daniel Meloy; script by Michael Stechschulte; narration and production by Ron Pangborn

This episode is sponsored by Michigan Catholic Conference. Visit micatholic.org/signup to join the Catholic Advocacy Network. You’ll receive email updates and action steps to have your Catholic voice heard on bills in the Michigan House and Senate that impact human dignity and the common good.

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com.

Four women religious tell their stories about what brought them to the convent — and why sisterhood is still a vocation worth considering

(0:14) We meet Sr. Nancyann Turner, OP, a member of the Adrian Dominican Sisters for more than 60 years. She hints that over that time, her life has never been what she’d describe as “boring.”

(2:21) The listener learns about National Catholic Sisters Week. Begun in 2015 and celebrated March 8-14, the week honors women religious for their faith, dedication and service to the Church and humanity.

(3:05) We learn about Sr. Nancyann’s vocation, which began when Catholic nuns and sisters were much more common than they are today. Sr. Nancyann describes the evolution of religious life since her first profession at age 18 — including her own transformation.

(5:59) After recounting her many stops and ministries, Sr. Nancyann describes her passion project, the Rosa Parks Children and Youth Program, which she founded 20 years ago. The program helps inner-city youths resist violence and become the best version of themselves through art, dance, music and education.

(8:20) Listeners are introduced to Sr. Felicity Marie Madigan, CSSF, a younger sister in her mid-40s. Sr. Felicity’s vocation started as a child, when she and her twin were surrounded by religious sisters growing up. Sr. Felicity describes a pivotal moment in her life — her father’s diagnosis with cancer — and how that impacted her decision to enter the convent.

(12:30) Sr. Felicity describes her ministry as a combination of prayer and work — just like St. Francis of Assisi, whose charism the Felicians emulate. She describes her work with the Deo Gratias Café, an outreach program at St. Jude Parish in Detroit, as a manifestation of her thankfulness to God for her vocation.

(15:46) Sr. Carla Reyna, a 35-year-old member of a new religious community, the Women of Jesus’ Merciful Passion, enters the story. Sr. Carla describes the fledgling community’s commitment to a ministry of prayer and hospitality through the Shrine of Jesus the Divine Mercy in Clinton Township.

(19:35) Sr. Carla describes how, as a young person entering religious life in the 21st century, her decision wasn’t accepted by everyone. As a college student, she had questions about life and faith, but a reckoning with “truth” changed her perspective.

(22:03) Sr. Carla’s decision caused her to lose friends, but she doesn’t regret it. She prays for them, and recounts the many blessings of religious life — including reactions from those she meets for the first time.

(24:11) We meet a fourth woman religious, Sr. Dominic Maria St. Michael, OP, a member of the Cloistered Dominican Sisters at the Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament in Farmington Hills. Sr. Dominic and about two dozen other sisters spend their lives in prayer and community, interceding for the world.

(26:03) The narrator describes the cloistered nuns’ typical day, which, despite the stereotype of cloistered life, is anything but “peace and quiet.”

(27:44) Sr. Dominic discusses the importance of the prayer apostolate, expressing her hope that others will learn more about the nuns’ way of life and imitate their prayer — just as they are imitating Jesus’ prayer.

(30:43) The reporter asks Sr. Dominic for her response to the notion that “contemplative life must be so boring.” Sr. Dominic laughs. They don’t know what they’re talking about, she says.

Reporting by Casey McCorry; script by Michael Stechschulte; narration by Emily Mentock; production by Ron Pangborn

This episode is sponsored by Michigan Catholic Conference. Visit micatholic.org/signup to join the Catholic Advocacy Network. You’ll receive email updates and action steps to have your Catholic voice heard on bills in the Michigan House and Senate that impact human dignity and the common good.

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com.

Doctors told Nora Mies' parents her seizures as a newborn meant she wouldn't live a normal life; then, they prayed to Blessed Solanus Casey

(00:02) We meet 9-year-old Nora Mies, a student at St. Michael’s School in Livonia.*

(00:24) Nora’s dad, Patrick Mies, talks about how Nora excels in school, in her many sports and extracurriculars, and how she shines socially and spiritually. However, Nora is different from other girls her age in that her hero isn’t a pop star or cultural icon – Nora looks up to Fr. Solanus Casey. Nora’s devotion to Fr. Solanus is deeply personal, as she almost wasn’t the thriving young girl she is today. Norah believes she is a miracle girl.

(1:41) Nine years ago, Patrick and Shelby Mies waited in a delivery room preparing for the birth of their firstborn. The delivery was difficult, and the doctors were concerned for newborn Nora. Nora was having a seizure caused by a stroke covering a large part of her brain — an extremely serious situation for a newborn — and doctors whisked her away for emergency care.

(3:48) Nora spends the days following her seizure in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). The Mies are told Nora has the type of brain bleed that disrupts normal blood flow, depriving the brain of oxygen and resulting in brain cells dying. This is associated with a high mortality rate and neurological deficits, and the couple is told Nora will likely never walk or talk.

(6:39) The narrator introduces Brother Thomas, a Capuchin friar at the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit. He talks about Nora’s hero, Blessed Solanus, a simple priest who served as the doorkeeper for the monastery.

(8:27) Solanus’ superiors begin to notice that people who come to the friar for prayer often experience miraculous physical or spiritual healing, Brother Thomas says. After his death in 1957, devotion to Fr. Solanus exploded, and people continued to pray for his intercession. A cause for his sainthood is investigated and in 2017, he was declared “Blessed.”

(9:32) One of the thousands devoted to Fr. Solanus during his lifetime was Patrick Mies’ grandfather, resulting in a devotion passed down to Patrick himself.

(10:41) Flashing back to the hospital, Patrick and Shelby leave the NICU hungry for spiritual guidance and solace. They take Nora to the tomb of Fr. Solanus at St. Bonaventure and request a blessing for Nora. The Mies leave St. Bonaventure with the assumption that nothing had changed, but an overwhelming sense of peace.

(12:30) To everyone’s surprise, Nora reaches her developmental milestones and begins doing well. The Mies decide to stop using special education services, and her doctors tell the couple that Nora is “a miracle child.”

(14:13) Today, Nora is a healthy, thriving girl. She has just turned 10 years old, and there are no repercussions from what happened to her at birth.

(14:30) The Mies talk about their renewed devotion to Blessed Solanus Casey, to whose intercession they attribute Nora’s healing. Nora is enthusiastic about her connection to Fr. Solanus, and the family talks about the story often.

(15:59) Patrick talks about how Fr. Solanus was an ordinary person with extraordinary faith who can lead believers and nonbelievers alike to Christ.

*Although Nora was 9 years old at the time of recording, she recently turned 10.

Reporting by Gabriella Patti; script by Casey McCorry; narration and production by Ron Pangborn

This episode is sponsored by Michigan Catholic Conference. Visit micatholic.org/signup to join the Catholic Advocacy Network. You’ll receive email updates and action steps to have your Catholic voice heard on bills in the Michigan House and Senate that impact human dignity and the common good.

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com.

How a once-juvenile lifer found redemption by finding the good in himself, with the help of a Catholic deacon

(0:00) We meet James Thomas, a.k.a. “Jaymo,” who shares a memory of his younger life. He was 15, entering the juvenile justice system, and a psychologist at his trial — whom he’d only met briefly — described him for the court. It was the first time he was in trouble, but he was written off as a “sociopath” — a young man with no hope, no future. Jaymo disagreed.

(1:57) Jaymo describes how this formative experience shaped who he ended up being — but not in the way the court expected.

(3:38) Jaymo talks about his upbringing, being raised by his grandmother until he was 6 years old because his mother — who had him when she was 13 — was too young to care for him. His father, then 16, was in juvenile prison when Jaymo was born. He would only see his father six times in his life.

(4:34) Jaymo and his mother moved to Georgia, where his mother worked at an Army base. She married and had another son. He describes this part of his life as a “middle class suburban life,” where he wanted for very little.

(5:03) It wasn’t until his mother and her husband became caught up in the drug trade that things began to fall apart. His mother — like many members of his family — was incarcerated, and Jaymo and his brother moved back to Detroit.

(6:40) Left to fend for themselves, Jaymo and his brother began selling drugs. After about a year, he was arrested and given a sentence of life in prison. It was then that Jaymo realized that if he wanted a second chance in life, he’d have to seize it.

(8:48) We meet Deacon Mike Chesley, executive director and the founder of the Wayne County Jail Outreach Ministry, who has devoted his life and ministry to helping those in Jaymo’s circumstances.

(10:47) Deacon Mike describes his first visit to a prison, and how much the inmates appreciated the chance to talk to a Catholic chaplain, have Bible studies, Communion services and pray. Some even joined RCIA.

(13:18) Because of his love for those incarcerated, and his belief in the human capacity for redemption, Deacon Mike worked to develop ways to help those recently released from prison adapt to life on the outside, including the Wayne County Jail Outreach Program.

(16:24) Jaymo re-enters the story. He was released from prison after 31 years behind bars after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled sentencing minors to life in prison was “cruel and unusual.” He describes how his prison experience changed him for the better. He prayed, became a spiritual mentor to other inmates, earned his GED and began to pick up the pieces. He became connected with Chance for Life, a similar outreach program whose volunteers help inmates like Jaymo.

(19:14) After his release, Jaymo began working with Deacon Mike to help others in similar situations fight to become the best versions of themselves.

Reporting, scripting and narration by Casey McCorry; production by Ron Pangborn

This episode is sponsored by Michigan Catholic Conference. Visit micatholic.org/signup to join the Catholic Advocacy Network. You’ll receive email updates and action steps to have your Catholic voice heard on bills in the Michigan House and Senate that impact human dignity and the common good. 

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com.

Mercy High alum Sheri Crawley created a club exclusively for black and brown girls to give them an empowering place to call their own

(00:03) Mercy High School alum, Sheri Crawley was celebrating her daughter’s birthday at the Chicago American Girl store where the girls were allowed to each pick out a doll to sit with them during the birthday brunch. To Sheri’s surprise, the four black girls in the group didn’t choose dolls that represented their own reflection; instead, they came back with blonde-haired, blue-eyed white dolls. Sheri realized to her dismay that the only black doll available was of a former slave.

(2:00) The experience at the American Girl store prompted her to take action and find a way to help little black and brown girls see and believe in their inherent dignity and change the narrative being fed to these girls.

(2:30) In 2010, Sheri was a successful, social entrepreneur living in Chicago with her husband and two daughters. After receiving bad news about a family member’s health, Sherri found herself uprooting her family to go back to Detroit to start anew. Sheri realized that whatever she did next, she needed to help others and make an impact on her community.

(5:10) Sheri’s family relocates to a suburb outside of Detroit, where her daughter started kindergarten. In their new primarily white suburb and school, Sheri saw her intelligent daughter’s self-esteem plummet, something that Sheri herself could understand having been one of the few black girls at Mercy High back when she was a student.

(6:30) Sheri overhears something which inspired her to start the Pretty Brown Girl Club and she buys the domain name and forms a business plan. Inspired by the experience at the doll store, Sheri decides to create a line of brown and black dolls, offering an alternative to the European standard of beauty pushed in magazines and even toy stores, With no products yet in hand, she brought the idea to the Detroit community to an overwhelming reception and show of interest.

(9:00) Sheri realizes that the need for Pretty Brown Girl is bigger than she originally anticipated. Sherri decided to expand beyond dolls and merchandise and create a club model that would educate girls of color and create self-acceptance and social, emotional and intellectual well-being.

(9:40) Within 18 months of formation, the club membership soared and over 200 clubs formed across the United States. Since then, membership and clubs numbers have increased exponentially.

(10:40) Sheri discusses why it's important for girls of color to have this type of representation, especially from a young age. She talks about the false narratives fed to young girls of color and how she wants to reach these girls to help them understand their inherent dignity and beauty.

(13:10) The narrator introduces one of the newest chapters of Pretty Brown Girl and the first-ever at a Catholic school to host a club – Sheri’s alma mater, Mercy High School.

(13:20) We hear from Traci Smith, the first director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Mercy High School about the demographics of the school. Traci was instrumental in bringing Pretty Brown Girl to Mercy.

(15:00) Sheri discusses how having the club at a Catholic school allows the Christian principles that went into the founding of the club to be spoken allowed in ways that they couldn’t be at a public school.

(15:40) the narrator introduces Aisha Cunningham, a school counselor and the facilitator of Mercy’s Pretty Brown Girl Club. Aisha said that at the request of the girls, the club’s first topic of focus was mental health.

(16:40) The Mercy club is now full of girls who are finding success and giving back to their communities, including Alexis Roberts who was the recipient of one of Sherri’s scholarships allowing her to attend Florida A&M University – Sheri’s alma mater. Alexis discusses how the club helped her grow and reach outside of her comfort zone.

(18:30) Traci talks about how Sheri Crawley’s experience at Mercy High School is an example of the value society gets when we pour into young women and women of color, bringing it full circle as to why the Pretty Brown Girl Club is so important not only to Mercy but nationwide.

Reporting by Gabriella Patti; narration by Emily Mentock; script by Casey McCorry; production by Ron Pangborn

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com.

How God's gentle nudge led one Detroit man to share his faith on street corners — and the idea spread like wildfire

(00:03) Narrator sets the scene of what a typical St. Paul Street Evangelization outing may look like at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit.

(01:00) Listeners are introduced to Steve Dawson, founder of St. Paul Street Evangelization, a Detroit-based grassroots nonprofit that focuses on evangelization and meeting people where they are — literally.

(03:43) Steve explains how in 2012, he and his wife were noticing a lack of Catholic evangelists in Portland, Ore., where they lived, and wanted to do something about that.

(04:51) The narrator describes those first days of evangelizing in Portland, and the reaction he received evangelizing in what might be the “least religious city in America.”

(06:13) Listeners learn about Steve’s youth. Raised without any religion at all, Steve got in a lot of trouble. He doesn’t even remember how many times he’s been arrested, he said.

(07:44) Steve talks about how his mother re-verted to the Catholic faith, but he wasn’t interested in the Church.

(08:20) Steve describes his conversion to the faith, how God “gave him a supernatural grace to have the desire to search for Him.” That grace led to his desire to share God’s grace with the world.

(11:07) Steve discusses those first evangelization opportunities, handing out Miraculous Medals and having conversations with random people about the faith, and how St. Paul Street Evangelization took off from those simple early conversations to form an apostolate spread across four countries.

(15:02) Listeners are introduced to Bob Wilson, present-day director of St. Paul Street Evangelization, who describes his first evangelization outing at a “Noel Night” in downtown Detroit.

(17:03) Evangelist Carol LaPalm describes how she got involved in street evangelization in Royal Oak. Evangelists rarely get the chance to follow up with the people they encounter with on the streets, the rest left in God’s hands.

(19:59) Donna Spivey describes how she came into the faith because of the witness of St. Paul Street Evangelization. Donna describes how the interaction sparked something in her: a desire to explore the Catholic faith.

(22:32) Donna describes previous experiences that turned her off to the Church, but adds how St. Paul Street Evangelization helped her feel welcome, explaining the faith in a way that is warm, inviting and enticing.

(24:53) Donna says how much St. Paul Street Evangelization changed her life, her family’s life, and what it means to find faith in Jesus and wanting to share Jesus with others.

(25:46) Steve and Bob talk about the great urgency for Catholics to evangelize, with God guiding each and every Catholic to proclaim the Gospel and further the Kingdom of God.

Reporting by Daniel Meloy; narration and production by Ron Pangborn; script by Casey McCorry

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com.

How a Christian service coordinator’s tragic passing brought a family of parishes together for ‘Mercy in Action’

(00:03): The narrator introduces Mercy in Action Day, where parishes in the six counties of the Archdiocese of Detroit mobilize to perform acts of service.

(01:13) Listeners are introduced to St. Lucy Parish’s particularly robust Christian service ministry. This is due in large part to Donna Belli, the Christian service coordinator at St. Lucy’s, who served the parish for 12 years.

(02:02) Fr. Jim Commyn, pastor of St. Lucy, explains how Donna was the kind of person who needed to be involved, needed to serve.

(03:36) The narrator describes how Donna loved Mercy in Action Day, a celebration and culmination of all the things the parish did in Christian service year-round.

(04:30) Christian service members and Fr. Commyn describe the extent of what Donna had planned for Mercy in Action Day.

(05:27) A description of the expansive service project Donna Belli had planned for St. Lucy’s on Mercy in Action Day -- how Donna had planned for everything, including getting more volunteers, what to do if it started raining, or if the parking lot would have to be used for a funeral. Tragically, the funeral would end up being Donna’s own.

(07:37) A St. Lucy’s Christian service member describes how Donna always went above and beyond, never saying “no.”

(09:33) Donna’s family asked to have the funeral on Mercy in Action Day, but with everyone in the parish wanting to go to the funeral, Fr. Commyn called out to the community to make sure both could happen on the same day.

(10:51) St. Isaac Jogues and Our Lady Star of the Sea parishioners come together to help for Mercy in Action Day at St. Lucy during Donna’s funeral.

(14:32) Fr. Commyn talks about how “mercy in action” described Donna’s approach to life.

(15:58) Parishioners talk about what can happen when parishes work together for a common good.

(17:12) Fr. Commyn speaks to how the wider community effort is an example of what “Families of Parishes” can offer.

(17:59) In a video message from earlier this year, Donna gives a reflection on the week’s reading from a March 2021 Mass, reflecting on God has put her on earth to help others.

Reporting by Dan Meloy; narration by Andrew Kleczek; production by Ron Pangborn

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com.

The importance of Catholic Central’s 77 year-long tradition, The Boys Bowl, is explained and elaborated on by the first hand experiences of a coach, athletic director, and most importantly, students.

(00:02) The narrator begins to introduce Catholic Central’s long standing tradition of The Boys Bowl, noting how it’s much more than just a football game.

(01:49) Part one: the history of The Boys Bowl. Catholic Central’s athletic director, Aaron Babicz, simply describes The Boys Bowl as a tradition and shares about the team’s very first opponent out of Nebraska 77 years ago.

(02:06) The narrator describes in greater detail the history and evolution of The Boys Bowl, noting how it has been firmly established as a tradition promoting comradery, frenzied excitement, and blood-deep devotion to cheering on and supporting the team.

(04:03) Part two: Catholic Central today. The narrator elaborates on how the tradition has evolved into a week-long celebration which culminates Catholic Central’s homecoming and of course, the game. Through this celebration, money is raised for varying charities and the students’ efforts are celebrated as a collective effort.

(05:17) Jack Kirkwood, a senior and the drum major at Catholic Central, shares some examples of the frenzied excitement during this week-long celebration and explains why he considers it the most fun time of the year.

(06:15) Senior center for the team, Jason Sod, gives some of the fun activities that take place during The Boys Bowl week.

(07:08) Athletic director Aaron Babicz asserts how Catholic Central seeks to instill rich tradition and strong brotherhood in its students .

(08:07) Part three: game day. Senior center Jason Sod and Senior quarterback Declan Byle share their excitement for The Boys Bowl returning this year after COVID and how they’re feeling on the long awaited game day. Coach Dan Anderson shares how his pep talks are all about remembering the team as a family and fighting adversity together.

(09:58) The game begins and the narrator gives play-by-plays of different Shamrocks team members. The Shamrocks gain their seventh victory in a row, and Catholic Central goes wild. Coach Dan Anderson gives some feedback on how the players did, and athletic director Aaron Babisz shares his love for celebrating educational, faith-based athletics. The narrator reflects on society’s need to invest in something exciting and light-hearted, and that perfect thing is football.

Editor’s note: The Boys Bowl was one of the highest attended football games in Detroit in the 1940s, not all of Michigan, as reported in the podcast. Detroit Catholic regrets the error.

Reporting by Dan Meloy; narration by Casey McCorry; production by Ron Pangborn

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify . Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com. 

John Daraban shares his testimony of being a soul so far gone to the point of extreme hopelessness, led back onto the path of Christ through visions at St. Lawrence, an appearance from the Blessed Mother and Solanus Casey.

(00:10) The narrator gives a preface to the story being shared on the Detroit Stories podcast, accrediting the production and hard work all to John Daraban, who will be sharing his testimony.

(2:02) John describes what his home life and faith life looked like in his early upbringing. From his brother’s diverging interests of the faith to sharing his break up with a high school sweetheart, he walks the listeners through the history of his early years.

(04:29) The narrator tells how John’s brother Rick begins to turn his life around for his son, Cody. Tragically, John gets into a devastating car accident, losing his brother Rick, and begins to cling to destructive coping mechanisms. This leads to the destruction of a mentally, physically and spiritually healthy life.

(06:14) As the drugs began to take over, John’s soul became more and more lost. He began tirelessly searching for something to give meaning to his life, but looking in the wrong places--the bottom of a bottle, or the next high. He quickly began to lose everything, submitting to self-induced homelessness as his addiction habits became more demanding.

(08:09) The narrator introduces an intense spiritual experience John has one freezing night spent homeless. John’s life was spared that night and he had a vision that he was inside of St. Lawrence's church. Although he had never been there or even knew how to get there, his heart yearned to find a way and live “to be more.”

(10:54) John’s first impactful spiritual experience led him to desire sobriety, struggling to control his addictions in AA for three to five years. He needed something greater to help him overcome these struggles. One night spent at his parents’ home, The Blessed Mother appeared to him saying, “Your mother cannot lose another son.” From that moment, he never touched drugs or alcohol again.

(15: 58) Sober John was doing better, but still was struggling to return to church, until one day, Fr. Solanus Casey appeared to him in a dream saying, “Come find me.” Shortly after, John saw Fr. Solanus, the monk he dreamt of, appear on TV and decided to venture out to his center in Detroit.

(17:47) The narrator shares that the John that entered the doors of the Fr. Solanus Casey Center church for the very first time was seldom seen outside church after. He elaborates on John’s life going forward and how he strives to live his life “All for Jesus.”

Reporting by Gabriella Patti; narration and production by Ron Pangborn

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com.

Dcn. Steve Morello was uniquely positioned to serve the Lord and the American people in the aftermath of the tragedies of September 11th, 2001.

(0:23) Dcn. Steve Morello pondered and prayed about why God had brought him to his job, until one day, six weeks into his tenure as General Counsel for the United States Army, when the answer became very clear.

(1:30) We learn about Dcn. Steve’s background in law and what brought him to his position as the army’s General Counsel.

(4:06) We discover more about what the Chief Legal Officer for the Department of the Army does, and what working in the Pentagon overseeing nearly 5,000 lawyers was like.

(5:50) Dcn. Steve talks about flying to Virginia Beach on September 10th, 2001 for an onboarding seminar — and about his discovery there of the attack on the Pentagon on September 11th.

(7:26) We discover the state of the Pentagon and the landscape to which Dcn. Steve returned on September 12th. He shares about his responsibilities in recovering from the event, both as General Counsel and as a deacon.

(11:44) Dcn. Steve shares his experience celebrating Mass on the side of the Pentagon in the aftermath of the attack, and the profound encounter with the Lord he’d had through the eyes and experiences of the relief workers in attendance.

(13:48) Dcn. Steve reaffirms the life-changing impact that Mass made on his ministry today throughout our archdiocese.

Reporting by Dan Meloy; narration by Casey McCorry; production by Ron Pangborn

Listen to ‘Detroit Stories’ on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify . Podcasts also will be posted biweekly on DetroitCatholic.com.