Orders of St. Sylvester and St. Gregory the Great honor lay faithful who have served the Catholic Church with distinction
DETROIT — Eight members of the lay faithful were bestowed with papal honors in recognition for their dedication to building up the kingdom of God in southeast Michigan.
During a solemn vespers service in Sacred Heart Major Seminary’s chapel, Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger and Archbishop-emeritus Allen H. Vigneron bestowed the Order of St. Sylvester and the Order of St. Gregory the Great, pontifical equestrian orders, in recognition of their contributions to the Church.
Lory McGlinnen, Kathleen McCann and Mary Erdman were named Dames of the Order of St. Sylvester; Michael Trueman, Michael Vlasic, Paul Propson and Thomas Van Dusen were named Knights of the Order of St. Sylvester, and Isaiah (Ike) McKinnon was named a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great.
The Catholic Church has five papal orders of knighthood: the Supreme Order of Christ, the Order of the Golden Spur, the Order of Pius IX, the Order of St. Gregory the Great, and the Order of St. Sylvester.
The Order of St. Sylvester is intended for Catholic laypeople who are actively involved in the life of the Church, particularly in the exercise of their professional duties; whereas the Order of St. Gregory the Great is for service to the Church through professional labors for those who have served in the military.
McKinnon served in the U.S. Air Force from 1961 to 1965 before serving as police chief in the Detroit Police Department and later as deputy mayor of the city of Detroit.
Archbishop Weisenburger was the celebrant for the evening and delivered the homily, while Archbishop Vigneron bestowed the orders upon seven of the recipients. Van Dusen, who has served the Church in various capacities, including as an advisor to the Archdiocesan Review Board, was unable to attend.
“In the early Church, when coming up with a name for what we do in our key worship of God, they came up with the word 'Eucharist,' which means thanksgiving,” Archbishop Weisenburger said in his homily. “It’s the primary attitude we should always have in everything we do.”
Archbishop Weisenburger admitted it might seem strange or different for the Church to take time to acknowledge or celebrate individual members of the faith, but the ceremony behind the bestowing of papal honors is rooted in the Church showing gratitude.
“When one looks at events like this, granting of papal honors, some people might question it,” Archbishop Weisenburger said. “I think that’s a rather shallow approach. Some people might question it and say, ‘Why are we showing honors to them? Jesus was against such honors.’ Jesus was never against expressing thanks.”
Archbishop Weisenburger also thanked his predecessor, Archbishop Vigneron, for beginning the process of discerning the names of people worthy of such honors. Each of the eight has played a role in building up the Church in Detroit, he said.
“There is not one of the eight of you who says, ‘I just want to go to Mass every Sunday and leave it at that,’” Archbishop Weisenburger said. “But rather, each of you has contributed in a profound way. And I don’t think any of you ever said at one point in your life, ‘I hope one day I get a papal honor.’ The truth is, you don’t need one, but we need to say thank you. So thank you, not only for your work, but for the opportunity today to do what I believe is a grace-filled moment.”
Vespers was followed by dinner for the new knights and dames and their families in the seminary’s Cardinal Mooney Parlor, where Archbishop Vigneron conveyed his personal thanks for all that the newly honored have done for the Church.
“I give God praise and thanks that you put your talents towards the service of the church, and we are the richer for it,” Archbishop Vigneron said.
“We thank you, Lord, for our co-workers in the vineyard, and we give you praise for the talents you’ve given them and the generosity they’ve shown in putting them at the service of your kingdom,” Archbishop Vigneron concluded.
