Annual tradition allows neighbors to meet seminarians, spend evening of safe fun for kids

Detroit — Before opening the original main entrance of the seminary for the evening’s activities, the seminarians and Sacred Heart Major Seminary staff members come together in prayer.

“The success of our neighborhood Halloween is not measure by the amount of candy; nor by the number of children who come,” prays a staff member or seminarian, depending on who is selected that year.

Rather, “the ‘success’ of tonight is measured by the new relationship each of us has with a neighbor we meet tonight, and by a change that happens in me because I live in this neighborhood,” the prayer continues.

Not every Oct. 31 evening of trick-or-treating begins like this — but for the community at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, this has become the focal point of a tradition that has continued for 25 years at least.

Joshua LaPeer, a philosophy I seminarian originally of St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Allen Park, summed up the annual event hosted for the seminary’s neighborhood families.

“Sacred Heart’s continued tradition of hosting trick-or-treating for the neighborhood not only provides a safe environment for the children but allows the seminary community to provide the light of Christ in the city’s renewal,” said LaPeer.

“It also provides us with the opportunity to invite the neighbors into our home and to give them a personal encounter with the love of God,” he added.

 

Longstanding tradition

Fr. Tim Birney was a young seminarian in 1989 when assistant professor of theology Sr. Mary Finn, HVM, approached him and some fellow seminarians about organizing a Halloween party for the neighborhood.

“If my memory is correct it had been done in the past, but it hadn’t been continued,” said Fr. Birney, who today serves as director of priestly vocations for the Archdiocese of Detroit.

The nearby Brady Elementary School was still operating at the time, and as part of their ministries several seminarians would tutor students, remembers Fr. Birney.

Sr. Finn and the seminarians initially geared the Halloween party toward the Brady students, but news about it spread through word-of-mouth. The first party had around 100 attendees as Sacred Heart opened its doors for the local kids to dress in Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat on the property.

But also thanks to word of mouth, “each year it just got bigger and bigger,” said Fr. Birney.

The tradition continued – and expanded – after Brady Elementary closed in 2008.

“It’s quite a crowd,” said Fr. Birney, explaining that originally the seminarians would fundraise to purchase the candy and small toys for the children. Today the seminarians collect candy donated by archdiocesan parishes and other members of the community.

Halloween 2013 saw 2,000 attendees, and the seminarians expect even more this year.

 

Meeting the neighbors

Adam Nowak, a pre-theology II seminarian whose home parish is St. Cyprian in Riverview, explained that though Sacred Heart is in the middle of the Boston-Edison Historical District, “we do not, unfortunately, see our neighbors enough.”

Though many of the seminarians and priests go walking or biking around the neighborhood, this usually offers only a brief chance to say “Hi” to the neighbors: “But it is not often that they get to visit our community of Sacred Heart.”

On Halloween, the neighborhood families form a line starting at the building’s entrance, entering the vestibule area outside of the seminary chapel. The children receive a prayer card with Sacred Heart’s iconic “Black Jesus” statue on it, as well as generous handfuls of candy.

“On their way out they are treated to a cookie or donut,” he said. “Additionally, our transitional deacons are always outside asking our guests if they would like to be prayed with as they leave.  The total event usually lasts around 3 hours.”

Deacon Brian Meldrum, a Theology IV seminarian originally of St. Thecla Parish in Clinton Township, explained that besides the “candy, a smile (and) a prayer” shared, the seminarians have the opportunity to share “an encounter with Christ in our neighbors.”

A big undertaking

Nowak said not all of the seminarians are able to participate in the event due to the studies and formation priorities, but most of them do.

“Our Halloween ministry is a huge undertaking and would not be successful without the help of all of the seminarians and the entire Sacred Heart community,” he said, detailing eight sub-committees to help what they call their “Halloween ministry” run smoothly.

“We usually start preparing for Halloween as soon as the new school year begins, around the beginning of September,” Nowak added.

He said he believes the entire Sacred Heart community sees the event as an opportunity for evangelization.

“Oftentimes, however, it is us who are evangelized by our neighbors,” he said. “One great thing about the city of Detroit is that its people are full of faith. Their love for the Lord and their desire to know Him is an inspiration to all.”