Article Photos

HOUGHTON - For 12 years, he has been the face of Houghton's St. Albert the Great University Parish, but on June 30, Father Larry Van Damme will end his tenure at the church.

The Catholic Diocese of Marquette mandates that its priests spend no more than two six-year terms in one location. Van Damme said this arrangement benefits priests and church members.

"I think too long in one place you might become too comfortable or overly stagnant," he said, also explaining that a new priest will bring a fresh approach and new ideas for the church.

Van Damme will move from the Michigan Tech Christian campus to St. Michael Parish at Northern Michigan University. He said the Tech students have given him a bit of a hard time about moving to Wildcat territory.

"They like to tease me about it, but it happens to be my alma mater," he said. "I did a bachelor's and master's at Northern in the 1980s."

The church also holds significance for Van Damme.

"I celebrated my first mass at St. Michael's as a newly ordained priest," he said.

The transition has been a bittersweet event for Van Damme, who said he has enjoyed the Copper Country, its people and ministering to both Michigan Tech students and non-student parishioners.

With 90 percent of the church's 1,000 registered members students, Van Damme said each year has been different from the previous one.

"Really every year it's a new parish," he said. "It's not unusual for the president of our parish pastoral council to be 19 years old."

Van Damme also said it is not unusual for young adults to take time away from church and that being at St. Albert's has given him the opportunity to work with them. He attributed the large amount of students who worship at St. Albert's to the church itself.

"This parish has always been known to be very welcoming," he said. "The students often feel a spiritual home away from home. We strive to be there for the students that are asking the deeper questions. ... It's a place where they come to be fed spiritually and where they find the opportunity to feed others with their faith."

A highlight of Van Damme's time in Houghton has been helping interested students explore options within the church.

"We've seen four of our alumni be ordained priests and another will be entering the seminary in August," he said. "There are a few female alumni who are considering professed religious life."

Van Damme said his remaining days in Houghton will be spent preparing everything for his successor, Father Allen Mott, an energetic pastor hand-picked by the bishop because of his strong interest in campus ministry. Van Damme said he is confident Mott will do a great job at the church.

Van Damme said he has met several people over the years both in his service at the church and as a chaplain for Portage Health.

"I'd just like to thank the Michigan Tech community and the people of the Copper Country for the privilege of proclaiming the faith and celebrating it among them," he said. "I look forward to coming back often for recreation and fellowship."

A goodbye dinner will be held for Van Damme at 6 p.m. June 26 at the church. People are asked to RSVP by June 19 to Mary Traub at 482-8890 or at mct0626@hotmail.com.

Layla Aslani can be reached at laslani@mininggazette.com.