Metro area — Every Catholic parish and school have a handful of people who serve as pillars of the community.

And, quite often, they’re senior citizens.

The names of all the seniors who give life to our local Catholic Church are too numerous for a single newspaper to hold, but here are just a few shining examples offered by parishes and schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit:

Victor McDonald, a 73-year-old GM retiree, is the volunteer groundskeeper who maintains the property of Holy Cross (Hungarian) Parish in Detroit– where he graduated from school. Lucy Sadler Schreiner, a 93-year-old volunteer at Holy Cross, put her five children through the school – two of whom are now Catholic school teachers.

At 75 years old, Mary Jo Stenger Johnston of Holy Name Parish in Birmingham for decades has helped comfort mourning families as part of the bereavement committee, and also serves on the Christian service commission, and as a sacristan, eucharistic minister and choir member.

Minnie Kline, 89, drives people to morning Mass during the week at Good Shepherd Parish, Detroit. She also helps children with their homework.

St. Aloysius Parish in Detroit considers a number of seniors as parish leaders. They include Thomas Hinsberg and Connie Soma on the worship commission; John Flemming, 89, who serves and coordinates altar servers and leads prayer in the church; and Cora Krisel, a parish council member who volunteers at St. Al’s Community Center.

At 93, Wladyslaw Budweil is now serving in his 60th year as organist at Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church in Hamtramck. He is a WWII concentration camp survivor.

At St. Clare of Montefalco School in Grosse Pointe Park, 83-year-old Mary Sharp has volunteered her time as a tutor three days a week for the past decade.

Maryann Fox, at 80, is the leader of the RCIA program at St. Damian Parish, Westland. A founding member of the parish, she was a longtime director of religious education there and served on the building committee for the church.

Carol Lemelin is the worship coordinator at St. Ronald Parish in Clinton Township and also leads a women’s group called the ‘Soul Sisters.’

At Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish,  Carrie Moore volunteers to help children attend the faith-building experience of the Vincentian summer camps each year.

Marilyn Kramer at St. Michael Parish in Sterling Heights serves as sacristan, setting up weekday and weekend Masses, and also serves as lector and a member of the Resurrection Choir.

Pranas Zaranka, an 85-year-old member of Divine Providence (Lithuanian) Parish in Southfield organizes music for the Lithuanian liturgy and has done so for many years as a volunteer.

For 20 years, Mary Kraatz of Holy Redeemer Elementary School has given two days per week to tutoring students. At 90 years old, she also serves on the parish council and worship commission; as a Eucharistic minister and lector; and she brings Communion to the homebound.

Mary Daniels has greeted and served those seeking assistance at the St. Mark Food Pantry in Warren for 15-plus years.

At St. Justin Parish in Hazel Park, 76-year-old William Nicholls is known for volunteering each day as the parish’s custodian and also for assisting the developmentally disabled through the Catholic International Order of Alhambra.

Tony Mattar of De La Salle Collegiate High School in Warren is instrumental on the school’s board of trustees at 78. He spearheaded an important fundraising drive and, as an alumnus, rallied his classmates to help the school.

At 78, Anna Viane inspires others through her volunteerism at Macomb County’s Food Pantry. She is a member of St. Mary Mystical Rose Parish in Armada.

At St. Genevieve Parish in Livonia, 79-year-old Dolores Zimmer organizes the volunteers who distribute Communion to the home- and nursing home-bound. She attends Mass there daily.

Ninety-seven year old Edna Julian has been sacristan at St. Richard Parish in Westland for more than 30 years. She also assists pastor Fr. Terence Treppa with Masses at Marquette House Senior Residence and Hope nursing home.

After losing her husband of 60 years, Shirley McDonnell gives her time volunteering at the Waterford Senior Center and giving transportation assistance to home-bound seniors. An 81-year-old charter member of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, she has served there as president of the Rosary Altar Society, president of the school board, and a parish council member.

At 90, Margaret Catteeuw inspires others at St. Stephen/Mary Mother of the Church Parish in Detroit. She is a Eucharistic minister and a money counter there.

A parishioner at St. Joseph Parish in Orion Township, Martha Grimm, 81, has volunteered for three decades at Providence Hospital in Southfield. Terry Craig is a senior who has volunteered in the parish office for 20 years, is active in a knitting ministry and in the parish Bible studies.

Those who take parish bulletins from St. Sabina Parish in Dearborn Heights can thank Eighty-year-old Velma Clearwood for helping to arrange them each week. Velma also helps at daily Masses and organizes the books in the pews and assists others with transportation.

Patricia Wojciak, 76, of St. Thomas à Becket Parish in Canton volunteers four mornings a week in the religious education office. She also helps as a money counter, setting up funeral luncheons, signing people in at blood drives and at other parish events.

Edward and Flora Commyn of St. Philomena Parish in Detroit have been active in the parish for more than 50 years. Edward is 91, Flora is 92.  They’re a huge help to the pastor of St. Lucy Parish – their son – Fr. Jim Commyn. They help there with mailings, the parish festival and a number of other projects.

Helen Switanowski, 84, is a pillar of St. Donald Parish in Roseville. A founding member there, she’s president fo the seniors club, founder and vice president of the Ladies Guild, CSA chairperson, sacristan, office volunteer and a leader in the Daughters of Isabella. She also ran the parish Bingo program for 37 years.

Margaret Johnson, 74, of Christ the King Parish in Detroit, helps decorate the church, sews, bakes, helps the worship commission and serves as a Eucharistic minister – just to name a few things, says pastor Fr. Victor Clore.

At St. Linus Parish in Dearborn, 84-year-old Dottie Wait is active in the Christian Women’s Club, takes communion to the homebound, volunteers at Angela Hospice, serves as Eucharistic minister and lector, and leads an exercise class at the Dearborn Heights Senior Center.

Raymond Lauwers, 73, serves as a mentor and teacher to students of St. Mary Catholic Central in Monroe. He teaches morality classes to sophomores, is moderator of the Internet club, co-leads the juniors on retreat, and assists with volunteer service trips.

Eighty-five-year-old Peggy Chatell organizes all the funeral lunches at St. Mary Parish in Rockwood and cares for the altar linens and priest and altar-server vestments. She also provides hospitality for numerous parish functions, and can always be counted on for a smile.