FR. MARY CLEMENT SUHY, OSB, MONK OF THE MONASTERY OF SAINT BENEDICT IN NORCIA, ITALY
The seed which our Lord plants for every vocation is the discovery of how awesome it is to be a Christian. This happened to me when I was about 9 years old: laying in my bed at night, I would weep as I had the profound realization of how much the Father loves us in that He gave us His Son, Jesus, and that Jesus died on the Cross for us.

       My initial response was: I want to give all that I have back to God!

       I was born and raised in a wonderful Catholic family: my mom and dad had seven children. I am the third of six boys in a row, and then our Lord blessed my mom with her first and only daughter.

       It was in my freshmen year at Detroit Catholic Central when our Lord planted the seed of my vocation to the priesthood.  Encountering a holy Catholic Priest, Fr. Ned Donoher, I had a spontaneous prayer in my heart: I want to love Jesus and His people just like Fr. Ned!

       During my senior year of college at Magdalen College in Warner, NH, I was invited by a monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana, to join him in starting a new Benedictine community in Rome, Italy. I was the first young man to make vows for the new community on July 16th, 2000 in Rome.  That very same year, our young monastery moved from Rome to the birthplace of Saints Benedict and Scholastica in Nursia(Norcia), Italy.  I made my solemn vows on the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on June 28th, 2003 and was ordained to the priesthood on February 10, 2005, the feast of St. Scholastica.

       On October 7, 2007, I became the pastor of a small parish in the mountains that covered a vast territory: 18 villages and over 75 Churches were part of my parish.

        Just recently, my prior granted me permission to spend a year in the Archdiocese of Detroit to be closer to my family in a time of need and to serve as an associate in a parish.

        I am excited and grateful to be able to serve the parish under the guidance of Fr. Doug: the first days have already been a great experience of being close to God’s people as a priest of Jesus!