"This Is Where God Has Placed Me"

Deacon Kevin Roelant is a fourth-year graduate seminarian studying for the Archdiocese of Detroit. He is scheduled to be ordained to the priesthood on May 14, 2016.

Q: What were you doing before you came to Sacred Heart?

A: I went to Catholic High School in Monroe, St. Mary's Catholic Central. I graduated in 2007, and then I entered Ave Maria University in Florida. I spent a year down there. Priesthood was still on my mind, but I didn't know how seminary worked exactly. It was my intent to study philosophy at Ave Maria.

So I did a year there, and then I spent a year with the religious community of the Companions of Christ the Lamb, in the Upper Peninsula. I moved to Sacred Heart in 2009 and spent the first few years in the college studying with that community. Over time I realized more deeply where my heart wa—working for the Archdiocese of Detroit as a parish priest. So I joined the archdiocese in 2012.

Q: Our rector, Msgr. Lajiness, and our dean of studies, Fr. Laboe, also grew up in Monroe. What is it about Monroe that is turning out all these great vocations?

A: In my first year here, there were about six or seven of us present. It's my intent in my first Mass to try and promote vocations, especially in Monroe County.

Q: What was surprising to you when you arrived at Sacred Heart, things you weren't expecting?

A: I had an idea of what it would be like, since I came on a discernment weekend when I was a senior in high school.

The one thing that really surprised me was the fraternity and friendships that form with the brothers. You really grow together throughout your time here and through different events, through praying together, through pilgrimage, through fraternal things like playing basketball through the whole season. Relationships form, and I think those can really help be fruitful and can help you grow in the Lord, including in your priesthood.

Q: How would you describe your Theology IV class?

A: We're a fun loving class. I believe we're easy going, personal. I think we can relate well to people. I think the guys really want to go out and serve and bring people to Christ.

Q: Do you feel like you're ready for that?

A: Yes, I think we're ready for that. We've been prepared well and have lots of training, formation, prayer, classes, and pastoral ministry to help prepare us to be shepherds.

Q: What has been challenging as part of your training and formation?

A: I think in every person's spiritual past, the Lord has places he wants you to grow, especially preparing us to be future shepherds. To be this shepherd, to lead people better, he may want you to grow in your prayer life or do your studies more, or work on relationships. It could be learning a language. It could be many things.

The Lord helps purify things in a good way, to help strengthen someone. That can be a challenge for guys, but ultimately you see God's grace and you see that it's a gift. God is really is helping you grow in love.

Q: It's good to hear you feel equipped, but I'm sure you're happy to being close to being done.

A: Yes! I think my class is very happy that we have one semester left.

Q: Detroit is not that far from Monroe, but its different living in the city. What can you say about your seven years in an urban environment?

A: Being in the Archdiocese of Detroit has helped me to grow in knowledge of the region, of our particular diocese, of the parishes, of the people. Being from Monroe, I really didn't come up north too much.

I think formation wise, Monroe isn't rich but it isn't poor, so I've been in a few ministries to help those who are less fortunate in Detroit. I think that helps form us, helps understand more that poverty is real and we need to help minister to others, so I think it has helped form us to have a more compassionate heart.

Q: Can you talk more about the call to being a diocesan priest?

A: I think it's partly seeing where God's heart is. You see in the Gospel, where Jesus says, His heart was moved for them. He had pity for them for they were like sheep without a shepherd. God wants to bring his love, he wants to bring the good news of salvation, he wants to bring people into an intimate relationship with him.

So that's really in my heart. This is where God has placed me. I'm sure I will learn a lot from future parishioners to help bring people closer to the Lord and reveal Jesus to them.

Q: Was faith a big component of your family life?

A: I was very blessed to be brought up in a very Catholic family. I am the second of six siblings and my dad [Paul] has always been a great role model for all of us. He's a very prayerful man. He always taught us right from wrong, taught us a good work ethic. My mom [Amy] was Lutheran; she came into the Church in 2007. I would say my family experience was very formational for my discernment and myself moving into the seminary.

Q: 2015 was a big year for you. You were ordained a deacon in April, so that's a big deal. You are very close, hopefully, to priestly ordination.

A: It's been a great blessing to be a deacon, ordained to serve. I really tried to dive into my parish ministry to serve in many different ways, at the liturgy, to serve others by bringing them Holy Communion services, and try to help out with different ministries when available, including ministries to those less fortunate and being a Servant of the Word, and especially being a deacon who preaches and tries to make the Word of God a part of my life.

I'm applying God's Word to myself and letting it also bear fruit for the people of God, letting the word of God penetrate your heart and hopefully being an open vessel for God to speak and to work through.

Q: So this will be your seventh year at Sacred Heart? That's a long time in one place.

A: Yes, but there have been many blessings. I've grown more in love with the Lord and grown in my prayer life. I think there are many opportunities here, growing amidst your brothers, even to learn about other cultures. Our time down to Mexico [for the six-week undergraduate cultural immersion experience] I thought was very valuable. It helped with the human formation and understanding people you could be ministering to.

Q: Did you get to go to the Holy Land as part of the Desert Formation Experience?

A: That was another blessing. We did not go to the Holy Land. My class traveled throughout Europe for five weeks. We were in Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy getting to go to holy sites to pray, especially at places like Fatima and Lourdes. It was my first time to Rome. You grow as a class being able to pray in all those holy sites.

Q: Did you get a feel for the universal Church in Rome?

A: Definitely! You see so many priests and religious sisters there, like you're [Catholics] the majority. It was really cool to see. And all the different churche—it's every seminarian's dream.

Q: Did you get involved with any other things here, as far as human formation?

A: I've been on the basketball team every year, barring one year I had a serious knee injury. It's been a great fraternity amongst brothers. I think sports can really help to promote virtue, and helps one to be physically fit. I've always greatly enjoyed that and being with the brothers, especially for tournaments.

Q: What position do you play on the team?

A: This year I'm playing guard. Depending on what the team needs, I can play guard or forward.

Q: Final question: I know the Sacred Heart Lions, our basketball team, will be traveling to Chicago and Columbus to attend the Mundelein Seminary and Josephinum Seminary basketball tournaments. Do you think we have a good chance? Can you make any guarantees?

A: I can guarantee a win! I'm not going to guarantee we can win the whole tournamentbut that's our hope and our goal.