Alumni Spotlight

Monsignor Chuck Kosanke, Class of 1977

As a high school junior, Chuck Kosanke was the assistant editor of the yearbook, and looking forward to senior year. He would become editor - an important role in his Class of 1977. But Brother Malachy Biller, Yearbook Moderator, noticed that Chuck was often tired, and pulled him aside and said “What’s going on? You’re always sleepy.” Chuck had an easy answer, “Well, I’ve got school and studying, and yearbook. And I do a lot at St. Raymond. “Brother Mal told me I had to make a choice. He said the yearbook is important and we want to have a quality product. He gave me a week to decide. I came back and said I enjoyed being involved at St. Raymond a lot more. I was training the altar servers. I was on the Worship Commission and was the youth rep on the Parish Council.” As a senior, Chuck faced another dilemma. He liked his business classes with Mr. John Schmid. Chuck was thinking about attending Western Michigan University to study accounting and business law. But he also thought about attending Sacred Heart seminary - a thought he had had since seventh grade. So, he decided to give the seminary a year, to test it out. And the first year of seminary led to a second, and a third, and finally to ordination.

Full Circle

Now, as a parish priest, Chuck has come full circle - he is assigned to both Ste. Anne and Most Holy Trinity parishes in Detroit - two poor parishes. And his accounting

and business knowledge are put to work as he seeks funding for the various programs operated by both. And even more full circle is Chuck’s role at Most Holy Trinity, where he served while a seminarian with the legendary Msgr. Clement Kern. Kern died in 1983 while Chuck was still in the seminary, but Kern’s sister gave Chuck Kern’s clerical collar after his death. Chuck wore that collar for his 1985 ordination. Chuck returned to Sacred Heart Seminary in 1992, after his first parish assignment at Shrine of the Little Flower, in Royal Oak, and after completing a doctorate in Biblical Studies in Rome. While on the Seminary faculty, he also served as Pastor at three inner-city parishes - St. Benedict, St. Cecilia, and Church of the Madonna. In 2002, he became Pastor of Guardian Angels in Clawson, and President of Bishop Foley High School. During his time at Guardian Angels, he was named a Monsignor by Pope Benedict in 2005. But a “simple” parish life was not in the cards. Cardinal Maida appointed Msgr. Chuck as Rector of Saints Cyril and Methodius Seminary (the National Polish Seminary), in Orchard Lake, MI, in 2005, a post he held for six years. During this time,

Alumni Spotlight

Chuck led the process to have the seminary reaccredited with the Association of Theological Schools. In 2011 Msgr. Chuck was appointed Pastor of St. Regis Parish in Bloomfield Hills, MI, where he reduced the debt, restored the church, strengthened the school, and built a chapel. Perhaps more significant was his work as the first Chairman of Catholic Charities of Southeastern Michigan. He led the restructuring of six county Catholic social services into one regional entity. And then came the call from Archbishop Allen Vigneron in April 2016 to take on Ste. Anne’s and Holy Trinity.

God’s sense of humor “I was surprised,” says Chuck. “I wasn’t looking for a move. I was perfectly happy where I was. We had just finished a major project, and were starting plans for another. I got the call on Good Friday that the pastor at Ste.

Anne’s, Msgr. Russ Kohler, had died. The Wednesday after Easter, the Archbishop called and wanted to see me. He said I would like you to become the new pastor of Ste. Anne and Holy Trinity. I was in shock. He said you’re the one I think can do the job. I’ve prayed about this. I’ve consulted with the other bishops, and your name came up every time. I believe you’re the one to do this. “The Archbishop went on to explain the importance of both parishes in the civic life of Detroit, and that their legacy needs to continue. He needed me to reach out to the young people who are moving into Midtown and Corktown.” From April 25 to June 30, 2016, two months, Chuck administered all three parishes - St. Regis, Ste. Anne’s and Holy Trinity, and two schools, St. Regis and Holy Trinity. Chuck calls his assignment, “God’s sense of humor. Most priests apply to the bishop for a particular parish. That’s never been my case. Every assignment has been here’s a situation I need you to help with. Many have been financial. I’ve used my De La Salle accounting knowledge after all.” Chuck notes that he had just finished a $5 million dollar project at St. Regis, and “that prepared me to take on a bigger project.” When the Parish Council at St. Regis found out Chuck was leaving, they wanted to plan a farewell. Chuck agreed under two conditions: one was for the farewell to be simple, and the other was for people to be generous and donate to the Holy Trinity Foundation. Parishioners donated over $35,000. “There are a lot of good people at St. Regis, and they have been willing to help, and continue to be interested in helping in some way.” The last year has been a time of transition for Chuck and St. Anne’s. There is a lot of work to be done. The church’s five buildings are all in use: the Church, the rectory, the convent, the school, and the parish hall. The convent is leased to the non-profit organization Freedom House. It’s three floors are filled with bunk beds, and 40 people seeking political asylum, mainly from Africa, are living there. The school space is leased to the Detroit Public Schools for its “Academy of the Americas,” where children learn both in Spanish and English. The church hall, both an upstairs hall that was once a gymnasium with a stage and a lower hall, are used for parish activities. At Holy Trinity, the grade school serves 170 students. Chuck says most families cannot afford tuition, and so he works to

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Alumni Spotlight

raise money for financial aid. “We also need to keep our technology updated. Currently, I’m receiving some assistance from DLS alumnus Mark St. Peter, ‘81, owner of Computing Source.” Holy Trinity offers a free clinic, the oldest operating free clinic in the United States, providing medical care to the homeless and uninsured three days a week. Nearly 100 volunteers, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and non-medical people help out. A free legal aid clinic is open on Thursday evenings, with pro-bono attorneys. And of course, Holy Trinity, as the centerpiece of Corktown, is the site of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Mass, attracting the city’s “movers and shakers,’ and serving as a signature fundraiser for the parish. “Msgr. Kern got people of various occupations - medical, legal,

political - to use their influence and affluence to come together to help those who are poor and less fortunate. “My parents sacrificed so that my brothers and I could go though De La Salle. We’ve all done fairly well, and DLS provided us with a good education to pursue whatever life we chose.” As a pastor for 30 years at several parishes with schools, Chuck is in a unique position to promote education. “Probably because I had such a positive Catholic education at St. Raymond and De La Salle, I have always been passionate about good quality education. I have an opportunity to really do that for the children here who would otherwise not have an opportunity. A good education is the best way out of poverty for these students.” Chuck is no stranger to the Holy Trinity students. He is in the school several times each week, and offers the weekly school Mass. “The students know who I am.” He’s “re-learned” Spanish in the last year, and offers Mass in Spanish with a homily also in Spanish on alternate Sundays at the two parishes. “I hadn’t spoken Spanish since 2001.”

Optimism for Detroit

In his spare time - “And I don’t have a lot” - Chuck likes to travel. “I take vacation breaks seriously. Over the last 30 years, I’ve visited almost 50 countries, including Italy every year. I’ve made pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Travel is a way of getting away from the office.” He also enjoys some occasional golf and reading and relaxing by a pool. He enjoys getting to Florida for some R and R. And he sees his parents, Charles and Catherine Kosanke, who live in Grosse Pointe Woods, once a week, usually on the weekend. Four of his five brothers, who were all DLS graduates, live in the area, and are married with families. They include Mark (‘79), Stephen (‘82), John (‘84), and Patrick (‘98). Only Tom (‘78) lives out of state. Chuck is optimistic about Detroit, now about to note the 50 year anniversary of the 1967 riots that tore the city apart. “This is an exciting time to be in downtown Detroit,” says Chuck. “It’s a part of Detroit that is coming back, and I’m helping these two parishes to become stronger. Our two churches are becoming popular for downtown Catholic weddings.

Class of 1977 Reunion

Msgr. Chuck Kosanke will be celebrating Mass in the DLS Chapel to kick off the Class of 1977 40th Reunion celebration on Saturday, June 10, 2017. See page 14 for details.