Fr. George Rutkowski“If you needed help of some kind, he was willing to take the time to listen,” said Deacon Marion Jurewicz of St. Martin de Porres Parish in Warren, where Fr. Rutkowski often served Mass after his retirement from active ministry in 2004. “He was the visible face of Christ to the people. He thought, ‘If I couldn’t listen to them, who will listen to them?’”
Fr. Rutkowski, who served 24 years as pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Detroit, died Feb. 27 at the age of 81.
Fr. Rutkowski was there for his fellow clergy members as well as his parishioners, for whom he was a compassionate face and a sturdy shoulder to lean on.
“I served Mass with him several times at our church when our pastor was in need of help, and it was so gracious to talk with him and learn from him. Just by being with him as a deacon, I learned how to be more in tune with the people,” Deacon Jurewicz said.
Deacon Jurewicz described Fr. Rutkowski as “very outgoing” and undeterred even when his own health began to fail. Despite using a cane to get around, Fr. Rutkowski would call and offer his services for Masses whenever he was needed.
“He bore his crosses very strongly, and you learn from that,” Deacon Jurewicz said.
George Anthony Rutkowski was born June 5, 1934, in Detroit to Peter and Clara Rutkowski, and studied at St. Mary’s College in Orchard Lake and St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit on June 4, 1960.
Fr. Rutkowski served his early years as associate pastor of St. Stanislaus Parish (1960-64), Corpus Christi Parish (1964-68) and St. Louis the King Parish (1968-79), all in Detroit. In 1979, he was assigned temporarily as administrator of St. Philip Neri Parish in Columbus Township, and in 1980 he became pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Detroit, where he would serve until his retirement in 2004.
Fr. Rutkowski relished his role as a priest and loved to clown around, former parishioners recalled.
“I remember Fr. George dressing up as Mickey Mouse at the festivals at St. Louis the King Church. He was such a kind and gentle soul with a smile on his face all the time,” Janice Hunter Goodwin wrote in an online remembrance.
Becky Tripp remembered how in grade school, each of the classes would sing different parts of the song “It’s a Small World” for Fr. Rutkowski on his birthday, a song the priest loved, while others related various stories of Fr. Rutkowski coming to the aid of family members in the midst of illness and lending a listening ear.
“He was a very good role model for everybody,” Deacon Jurewicz said. “We all need to follow men like him whether you’re in ministry or not. He showed what it meant to serve the people of God. Whether you’re an ordained clergy or a layperson, you take the time to listen to people when they’re hurting.”
Fr. Rutkowski is predeceased by his parents and a brother, Myron Rutkowski. He is survived by nephews and nieces. A funeral Mass for Fr. Rutkowski was to be celebrated March 3 at St. Faustina Parish in Warren. Interment will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Detroit.
—Mike Stechschulte
