Holy Family

Rev. Michael J. Shea, C.M. was born in Brooklyn, New York as the youngest of six children. After graduation from high school, he entered the Vincentian minor seminary in Princeton, New Jersey. He was ordained a priest in 1970 and for the next 13 years he taught in a number of high schools in Philadelphia.

From 1983 to 1993 Father Shea divided his time between Niagara University, NY and Auburn Univ., AL. In 1993 he was assigned to St. Lazare Retreat House in Spring Lake, MI and served there until his recent assignment as the Associate Director to the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal.

Fr. Shea is a 2005 Life Achievement Award recipient of the Right to Life of Michigan.

Father Leonard Peterson was ordained for service in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1967. After two years as a parochial vicar, he spent the next 23 years in the Education Apostolate. In 1991, he was appointed pastor of St. Bridget parish in Philadelphia until 1993, followed by a dual assignment as parochial vicar at St. Anastasia Parish, Newtown Square, PA and adjunct professor at (then) Immaculata College from 1993 – ’97. In 1997, he was appointed pastor of St Maria Goretti Parish in Hatfield until 2012.

For more than 20 years, he wrote both op-ed pieces and homilies for the Catholic Standard and Times archdiocesan newspaper. Retired in 2012, Father now assists part time at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Marmora, NJ.  He also writes weekly Scriptural Reflections for the John Patrick Publishing Company.