St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Hazel Park, MI

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       Gerald Arthur Louzon was the fifth son born to “Ma” and Dad Louzon. In addition, he has a younger sister with whom he shares a close relationship as well as with his two surviving brothers. One in all attended St. Boniface School/Parish in Detroit where their Dad worked as custodian. The close-knit family’s home was near Tiger Stadium where “Ma Louzen” worked for 35 years in concessions and developed into a local celebrity there. Some of our legendary ballplayers wouldn’t even address the media unless “Ma Louzon” gave approval and was at their side!

“Gerry” graduated from high school in 1953 and at the tender age of 17 on March 12 of the following year joined the Capuchins in Milwaukee, WI at the St. Francis Monastery to begin his candidature and novitiate. In 1955 he became a novice and made his first profession on September 17, 1956 as a brother in the Capuchin Community at what time he took on the religious name of “Bede” which was custom at that time.

Brother Bede’s first assignment was at St. Anthony’s Monastery in Marathon, WI where he honed his talents at tailoring and culinary skills. He spent three years there and then went on to St. Felice Friary in Huntington, IN taking on the same ministry for seven years. In 1966 Brother Bede received his next assignment at St. Joseph’s Church in Saginaw, MI working at the elementary level in Religious Education. Three years later Brother Bede moved on to his longest-term and most treasured assignment in Brisbane, Australia for twelve years. In Brisbane, Brother Bede resided at St. Lawrence Friary where he trained new candidates and novices who were joining the Capuchin order. His most memorable thoughts of Australia are the beauty of the climate and the Gold Coast, the simple lifestyles of the people, and the warm embracement from the people towards the Capuchins.

Returning to the States in 1981, Brother Bede was given an assignment in hospital ministry at Bi-County and Macomb Hospital’s in Warren, MI. It was at this time that Brother Bede through the affirmation of the people made the decision to study for the priesthood at Pope John the XXIII National Seminary in Weston, MA. After studying Theology for four years Brother Bede was ordained as a priest on June 25, 1986 here at St. Mary Magdalen in Hazel Park, MI.

Fr. Bede’s first assignment as an ordained priest was at Sts. Peter and Paul in Huntington, IN as an associate pastor of the parish and elementary school where he remained for seven years. In 1992 he began his ministry in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as pastor of three parishes in the Rockland, Greenland, and Donken area and then still in the Upper Peninsula was reassigned to the parishes of Sacred Heart in Painesdale, St. Anne’s in Chassell, and Holy Family in South Range where his foremost ministry was shoveling snow. Fr. Bede has loving memories of the close-knit families, their ideology and values, and the small town atmosphere where he’s made many a friend.

Fr. Bede was approached by his provincial to assume the ministry of St. Mary Magdalen Parish and School in June 2000 where he happily resides and has taken on the role of pastor with an open-hearted approach to the warm and friendly community of St. Mary Magdalen.

Did you ever wonder? . . . . . . . . .Who are the Capuchins?

      The founder of the Capuchins is St. Francis (1182-1226) who was brought up in Assisi, Italy. He was the son of a prosperous cloth merchant and up to the age of twenty he was one of the leading young men of this important trading town. Then, after becoming involved in a skirmish against the neighboring city of Perugia, he was taken prisoner, and held captive and sick for a year. He emerged from that experience with a growing conviction that challenged materialism. He says in his Testament, that the decisive moment of choice came for him when he embraced a leper, a thing that had seemed repugnant to him before he saw Christ in all creatures. Taking the Gospel as his guide he went about inviting people to praise God for His goodness and bounty.