“I love the local parish… it's where God acts in most people's lives…It's just a real place of grace for people.”
Jacqueline Marie | Feb.14, 2024
Bill and his wife have seven kids and live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they are part of a thriving DR-accompanied parish, Christ the King Catholic Church.
Bill grew up Catholic and had a strong connection with God as a child but drifted away as he entered adulthood. Then, when he was at college, he met a couple of guys who were on fire for Christ, they told him “Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” Through them, his relationship with Jesus become central to his life.
Along with starting a successful business and raising his children, Bill has been active in his local parish. One day, he was talking with his pastor, Fr. Ed Fride, who was concerned that Christ the King had become inwardly focused. That began a journey that led to Bill and a few others from his Parish attending the DR ’16 Conference in Halifax.
“It really just comes back to the Lord...He loved me and gave of himself for me. And then seeing the love of God and His generosity to me repeatedly…I just think this ministry is just such a beautiful extension of that.”
He remembers how impactful the experience was – experiencing the hospitality of over 200 parishioners from Saint Benedict Parish, the talks and stories, and the testimony of a woman who had invited hundreds of people to Alpha – and the testimonies of her family members and others they had in turn invited of encountering Christ and having their lives be transformed. Their lives were obviously filled now with joy and love and peace.
Later, Fr. Ed visited Saint Benedict Parish. When he came back, he said: “There are a lot of people who write books about parish renewal but there are very few people that actually live it out.” Christ the King become one of the early parishes to be coached by DR.Since then, the parish has become missional. After a year, Bill was even invited to coaching for DR. He currently serves on the board for DR USA.
Bill is also a donor.
When asked why he gives to the ministry he responds, “I don’t know how to say this…it really just comes back to the Lord. I just remember having that encounter with Him in a special way as a college student, how much He loved me and gave of himself for me. And then seeing the love of God and His generosity to me repeatedly…I just think this ministry is just such a beautiful extension of that.”
Ultimately, he has a passion to support DR because, “I love the local parish… it’s where God acts in most people’s lives…It’s just a real place of grace for people.”
He wants to “invest in my own parish, and then as much as I can in other parishes and then in dioceses” and sees DR as an effective way.
He hopes, “that parishes would become places filled with missionary disciples…people that come to the Lord and then see their lives changed and then go on the adventure of being a disciple.”
