Deacon Kurt Godfryd

REVEREND MR. KURT GODFRYD is editor of Catholic Journal and a permanent deacon of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Married and the father of five children, Deacon Kurt was ordained to the diaconate on October 4, 2008 by His Eminence Adam Cardinal Maida and is assigned to St. Clement of Rome parish in Romeo, Michigan. A native Detroiter, he was educated at the University of Detroit Mercy, where he received a B.S. in finance, M.B.A., and M.A. in economics. His theological training was taken at Detroit's Sacred Heart Major Seminary, where he earned an M.A. in pastoral ministry.

Committed Disciples

In my family, annual vacations have always been a priority. Looking back, all have brought grace-filled moments and, given that there are six of us, always a tussle or two. But, despite the latter, I can’t think of one that I’ve wished we’d never...

Halfway Home

A speaker once opened the Holy Bible and pointed to the intersection of the Old and New Testaments. There, he noted, is John the Baptist’s role and mission within salvation history! Having followed generations of prophets who proclaimed that...

Holy Families

I don’t know about you, but whenever I think of the Holy Family, I’m drawn to images painted by great artists. Most depict Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and animals surrounding the infant Jesus. For me, I also like to envision Mary and Joseph holding...

Practicing Our Faith

In the Acts of the Apostles (6:1-7). Scripture tells us that The Seven were chosen by the Apostles, prayed over, consecrated, and made sacred ministers—deacons! Immediately following their transformation (or ordination, as we know it today)...

The Ultimate Gift

Every Christmas season, I look forward to the “Christmas Letters” section in the various publications that I receive. Many are reflections from readers that go way back, to times past. In reading them, what is most remarkable is that the memories of...

For Me, That’s Joy!

During the 1980s, a saying swooped into American culture that has been attributed to Malcolm Forbes; namely, that “The one who dies with the most toys—wins!” At face value, it implies that the most important thing in life is to collect playthings...

As Advent Begins, Bring it On

There is a modern saying, Bring it On. It refers to a fearlessness of the future. I suppose that if this saying existed in the 16th century, a certain teenager from the south of France would have embraced it.  Having been born into a poor...

The Martian Test

Many years ago, during a semester when I was teaching a course in Business Ethics, I walked into the office of my department chair (a Catholic gentleman) and, in jest, mentioned that I had assigned an article that I had read while a student at...