Alliance for Catholic Education
“You’re going to Detroit!” I can still remember hearing those four words and being excited, yet unsure. I did not know what to expect. What would it be like living in an unfamiliar city? Would living in a community with current strangers be awkward? These questions and many others flooded my mind leading up to that day in June when we arrived in Detroit. However, what I would quickly come to realize is that it is truly the people who make the place.
My three fellow Frassati interns and I have found both a home and a family within the old St. Josaphat rectory. From countless nights spent watching Detroit-based movies to the laughs shared over Tommy’s burnt lasagna, this summer has taught me what it means to live in an intentional community.
Our intern family has found beauty and joy amid the mundane routines. There is something incredibly sacred about turning the ordinary into something meaningful just by sharing it. It was our makeshift pickleball court situated in the rectory parking lot that became the site of competition, but more importantly, endless laughter. Grocery runs quickly became mini-adventures. And dinner, whether a culinary success or a mess, was always about breaking bread. Even silence came to have weight when we would pray together or quietly enjoy our bowls of cereal in the morning.
Community life is imperfect. There were times of miscommunication and navigating tension. But being part of a group that is committed to showing up for each other every day, even in minute ways, is where I have found real grace.
And, for what it’s worth, Detroit has been a pleasant surprise. The city is full of history, heart, and deeply faithful individuals. We have had the opportunity to venture to various churches and parishes each week that were architecturally beautiful, but more importantly, each one held such devotion and love. We have tasted the infamous Coney Island hot dogs, Mexicantown tamales and fajitas, Buddy’s Detroit-style pizza, and have immersed ourselves in all of it. We have wandered the Belle Isle conservatory and aquarium, and gotten lost in the Detroit Institute of Arts museum. Looking back on it all, I recognize that slowly we have let this city leave its mark on us.
What I will remember most is not St. Josaphat’s creepy attic, the Chancery, or any other specific place, but ultimately the people. The people I came with and the plenty of people I met along the way. I am walking away from this summer with three close friends, a fuller heart, and a deeper understanding of what it means to live in a community rooted in faith.
When we visited the Solanus Casey Center, a local site dedicated to Blessed Solanus Casey, my eye caught a quote on the wall. It read, “What does it matter where we go? Wherever we go, won’t we be serving God there?” Detroit was certainly not where I expected to find home, but somehow, that is exactly what it has become.
