Can you imagine living on almost nothing in a tent not far from the heart of Traverse City in January? Sadly, for hundreds of individuals in Northern Michigan, homelessness is a reality. While many organizations and individuals have made huge progress in serving the needs of the homeless, the increasing costs of rent, food, health care and other essentials continually drive more people out onto the streets.
Authentically Present
“January is an especially difficult time to experience homelessness in Northern Michigan,” says Father Wayne Dziekan, vicar for the Hispanic Ministry of the Diocese of Gaylord. Father Wayne oversaw a three-week poverty immersion experience for seminarians Michael Bauer and Joe Kern of St. Paul Seminary in the Archdiocese of Minneapolis as part of their propaedeutic year in priestly formation.
The seminarians were introduced to various organizations that serve the homeless population in Traverse City.
While Michael and Joe’s experience is related to developing the necessary ministerial skills to eventually become priests, their experience speaks to the broader call of all Christians: serve those less fortunate.
“Don’t be afraid of the homeless, but rather learn who they are and the struggles they encounter,” suggests Father Wayne.
“Most of our immersion experiences were spent volunteering at the Jubilee House in Traverse City, which is a day shelter for the homeless,” shares seminarian Joe. “I enjoyed talking to people and getting to know more about them. Unfortunately, many have challenges typically caused by addiction.”
“My heart desires to help people who are in these vulnerable situations; this experience has helped me to care more about their struggles,” offers seminarian Michael.
Father Wayne says: “The men’s main ministry was simply to ‘be present’ to the homeless. On the surface that may sound like a simple assignment, but most of the time, we pass by the homeless like the people at the beginning of the parable of the good Samaritan. We are busy. We have places to go and things to do. At least that is what we think.
“We always need to look to the Gospels for clues on how to form ourselves as followers of Christ and especially on how to form our spiritual leaders, our priests,” he continues.
The Gospels’ Message
“The Gospels are clear that Jesus regularly pointed out that the poor are by nature closer to God than anyone else,” explains Father Wayne. “To even begin to understand who Jesus was and to even begin to make sense of his teachings and of our faith, one needs to see things from the eyes of the poor.”
This message was witnessed firsthand as the men went into the homeless encampments of Traverse City to experience the struggles and challenges of the homeless. Michael, Joe and Father Wayne were provided a guided visit to “The Pines of Traverse City”—a wooded area near the former state hospital—that is home to individuals who cannot find a way out of homelessness. Sadly for many, the origins of their situation is addiction.
volunteered at the Jubilee House,
a day shelter for the homeless.
“Michael and Joe took the time to get to know the names of most of the homeless population,” says Father Wayne. “They learned the personal stories of many. They learned how ‘normal’ these people really are and how much they have working against them because of the way society tends to pass them by.”
Joe shares, “The receptiveness of these individuals to share their stories gave me an opportunity to directly speak to the human heart and offer the healing love of God’s mercy. I listened to the people’s stories and, when appropriate, I shared elements of my struggles and how the love and mercy of God has impacted my life.
“I am making a daily rosary offering for all those I encountered with prayers that they will encounter God’s merciful love through Mary,” he continues.
“Serving the homeless manifests a willingness to give of myself as a total gift to those that Christ is calling me to serve,” stresses Michael.
Partnership Births Opportunity
Michael and Joe’s immersion experience in the Diocese of Gaylord was hosted in partnership between the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Diocese of Gaylord and the Justice and Peace Advocacy Center (JPAC)—a Catholic-based independent nonprofit—co-founded by Gladys Muñoz of Traverse City and Father Wayne.
JPAC was invited by the CCHD in fall 2023 to host Michael and Joe, and, with the agreement and permission of Bishop Jeffrey Walsh, a partnership was born and the poverty immersion became a reality.
“JPAC focuses on immigrant and migrant issues that are prevalent in the warmer months,” explains Father Wayne. “Given that the immersion was planned for January, the main focus was instead placed upon the realities of those experiencing homelessness.”
Joe reflects, “My service to the homeless offered me a reflective opportunity. I learned how to overcome personal obstacles through the tremendous gift of God’s grace, love and mercy.”
“The central objective for all the faithful is to find Christ in the other person. The Catholic faithful must be Christ for all vulnerable populations by listening, walking and loving them until they can do so individually,” ends Michael.
What is the Propaedeutic Year?
Father Wayne Dziekan
The propaedeutic year is a 12-month experience for men discerning the priesthood that allows them to lay a foundation for a new way of life centered in Christ through involvement in parish settings and in charitable works.
“That is a huge question that the Church has carefully pondered through the ages, and which it continues to ponder. Certainly, the most basic, most important component is that a vocation to the priesthood needs to stem from a call from God,” instructs Father Wayne Dziekan, vicar for the Hispanic Ministry of the Diocese of Gaylord.
“Careful discernment is required, not only by the man considering priesthood but also by his spiritual director and the people designated by the Church to help in his spiritual and personal formation,” he continues.
In an effort to enrich today’s priestly formation experience, Pope Francis instituted the propaedeutic experience in 2016 as an opportunity for discerning seminarians to immerse themselves into the formative pillars—human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral—necessary for priestly ordination and ministry.
“The formative experience of engaging in charitable works organically improves the presbyterate by ordaining better equipped clerics who are more understanding of poverty and those who know how to minister in the peripheries,” says Father Wayne.
