Introducing Father Mike Cassar, the new Vocations Director of the Diocese of Lansing.
“My first task as Vocation Director is to not mess up a good thing. The Diocese of Lansing has not only had a strong history of having vocations to the priesthood, but those ordained have also been good men and loving shepherds. So, let’s keep that going,” said Father Cassar, August 2.
“By and large, I see my role as a just filling a small niche in the Church’s broader mission of revealing God to the world, introducing Jesus to people, and creating saints. Our life of faith is not supposed to be tepid or half-hearted. We were designed to give the whole of ourselves to the God who created us and who gave himself to us on the cross. This is true regardless of one’s state of life.”
“My job is just to help men discern in what way God is calling them to live out their lives as a committed follower of the Lord Jesus. Any time that happens I consider it a success, regardless of where God leads them.”
Father Mike Cassar was raised in a Lutheran home in the Ann Arbor area. He always thanks his parents for giving him a “loving upbringing and an appreciation of God”. While studying at Eastern Michigan University, he was received into the Catholic Church.
He then studied at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and was ordained to the priesthood in 2020. Since then, he has served as parochial vicar at Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish in East Lansing and Saint John Student Center at Michigan State University.
Father Cassar takes over as Vocations Director from Father John Whitlock who is the new pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Fowler.
The Diocese of Lansing has been blessed with 26 new priests over the past decade and currently has 28 young men studying for the priesthood in seminaries. Deo gratias. Please do keep Father Cassar in your prayers in the months to come.
• Father Cassar will be hosting a Priesthood Discernment Dinner for young men along with Bishop Boyea and many of the Diocese of Lansing seminarians on Sunday, August 20, at 4pm. Registration here: https://2023bishoppriesthood.eventbee.com
• If you have any other questions regarding vocational discernment or seminary formation, please contact Father Cassar by email at mcassar@dioceseoflansing.org, or call 517-342-2507 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.