On Saturday, October 7 parishioners of the Church of the Holy Family in Novi, Michigan, celebrated with great joy the priestly ordination of Father James Houbeck. In the presence of Sacred Heart community, family, friends, and fellow clergy, Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron, archbishop of Detroit, conferred the sacrament of holy orders.
Unlike his fellow Detroit classmates—who celebrated their ordinations over the summer at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament—Fr. Houbeck's ordination took place at the Church of the Holy Family, where he is assigned to serve as the associate pastor. Months prior to the ordination, Holy Family parish underwent extensive renovation of the interior of the church. The renovation finished just in time to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Orders
“One of the first things I marveled at was the new church, how beautiful it was to see it filled with people and priests... I thank God for the hard working people that helped create something new and beautiful,” said Fr. Houbeck. “And then to celebrate a priestly ordination, which had never happened at Holy Family before, it was very humbling.”