Latest 'Nods
Nod to the Collar

Want to acknowledge a priest who has made a positive impact on your life?

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Want to acknowledge a priest who has made a positive impact on your life?

SHARE YOUR STORY

Written ‘Nods

Below are ‘Nods to priests who have made a favorable impression in someone’s life. It’s important to let our priests know they are appreciated, respected, and supported.

Want to create your own ‘Nod? Click the “Create a ‘Nod” button to learn how you can submit a video or audio recording, orgininal artwork, or a written statement.

Fr. Andrew Ricci

A ‘Nod for the steady and faithful way you’ve lived out your priesthood through years of pastoral ministry and evangelization. From your work at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior to your years serving clustered parishes, your ministry has clearly been rooted in walking with people in real, everyday faith. Through Catholic Inspiration and your reflections on Scripture, you’ve made it easier for so many to pray with the Church and stay connected to the Gospel in a consistent, meaningful way. Your simple but powerful focus on study, prayer, and service has helped shape a rhythm of discipleship that feels both accessible and deeply grounded. Thank you for the way you continue to show that faithful, consistent priesthood—lived with joy and clarity—can quietly reach people far beyond a single parish

Lindsey

Fr. Guilherme Peixoto

The creative and unexpected way you’ve used your gifts in ministry, especially through DJ-ing and music. The way you’ve stepped into spaces that don’t usually feel “churchy” and still carried a sense of joy, faith, and presence is something really powerful. It’s clear that what you’re doing isn’t just about music or attention—it’s about meeting people where they are, especially younger people who might not otherwise step foot into a church. Your ability to bridge that gap between culture and faith has helped open doors for conversations about God in places where they might not have happened otherwise. Thank you for being willing to use your creativity so boldly for evangelization, and for helping many people encounter the Church in a way that feels alive, welcoming, and real.

Staff Submission
Source: https://www.ewtnnews.com/?redirectedfrom=cna

Fr. Craig Giera

A ‘Nod to you for the way you show up so genuinely in the work of vocations and for the heart you have for helping men discern the priesthood. Through your work with vocations in Detroit and Men of the Hearts, you’ve helped make conversations about priesthood feel approachable, honest, and full of hope. The way you talk about saying yes to God feels real—it comes across as something you’ve truly lived, not just something you teach. That kind of witness matters. Thank you for the way you encourage men to listen for God’s voice without pressure, but with trust, joy, and openness to whatever He’s asking. Your love for the priesthood and the care you have for the people you serve is so evident, and it’s clear that your ministry is helping others see the beauty of giving their life to God and His Church.

Andrew

Fr. Josh Waltz

Thank you for the way you’ve poured yourself into the work of vocations and for the steady, faithful witness you’ve given to the priesthood. Through your years of serving as Director of Vocations, teaching, preaching, and walking closely with young men discerning God’s call, you’ve helped make the possibility of saying “yes” to the priesthood feel both courageous and attainable. The way you speak about vocation—with clarity and real trust in God’s will—has encouraged so many people to listen more closely for His voice. Your commitment to strengthening parish life, supporting Catholic education, and using every avenue available to share the faith reflects the heart of a priest who takes his spiritual fatherhood seriously. Thank you for the joy, steadiness, and leadership you bring to the Church, and for the countless lives you’ve influenced simply by helping others hear and respond to God’s call.

Staff Submission
Source: https://frwaltz.com

Fr Michael Schuetz

I wanted to acknowledge you Father for the steady way you’ve shown up in parish life, doing the kind of priestly work that doesn’t always get attention but carries people through real moments of their lives. In your preaching, in the sacraments, and in the simple rhythm of being present to a community, there’s a sense of grounded care that helps make faith feel close and lived rather than distant or abstract. Thank you for the way you’ve taken on the quiet responsibility of parish ministry—celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, walking with families in both joy and struggle—and for doing it with a spirit that feels centered and sincere. Priests like you remind people that the Church is still held together in the everyday consistency of men who keep showing up, and that kind of faithfulness matters more than it often gets named.

Lisa

Fr. Dave Pivonka

Thank you for the way you’ve used your priesthood to meet people right where they are, especially young people who are still trying to make sense of faith, identity, and where God fits into their lives. The retreats and youth conferences you’ve been part of carry a weight that isn’t always easy to measure, but it’s felt in the quiet moments when someone actually encounters Christ in a new way. Your work through media, whether it’s teaching on the Holy Spirit or speaking about conversion and healing, extends that same invitation beyond the room—into homes, phones, and places where someone might be searching but not sure what they’re looking for. Thank you for showing that priesthood isn’t only lived at the altar, but also in the willingness to go out, speak plainly, and help people believe that faith is still alive and reachable. Priests like you make that harder work of reaching souls feel possible, and that matters more than it probably gets said out loud.
Peter

Fr. Dalton Rogers

A ‘Nod to you for the way you’ve stepped into priesthood with a steady, quiet kind of faithfulness. At St. Joseph’s, your presence in a parish that runs so many moving parts doesn’t go unnoticed—especially in the everyday work that often happens behind the scenes, like supporting the parish food pantry ministry, where families are met with dignity and care when they’re going through hard stretches. There’s something meaningful about a priest who shows up not just at the altar but in the practical rhythm of parish life—checking in, encouraging volunteers, keeping ministries connected, and making sure people feel seen. Thank you for the good you’re doing, for the way you’re building trust in the community, and for saying yes to the ordinary and holy work that keeps a parish alive.
Staff Submission

Canon Jean Baptiste Commins

A thank you to Father Jean-Baptiste Commins for the way he lives his priesthood so fully—both in the quiet of the altar and in the unexpected moments of real life that most of us would never be ready for. He is, in every sense, a bridge between the sacred and the everyday. One moment you are offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the next you are stepping into the chaos of the neighborhood with courage, presence, and a sense of responsibility that feels deeply rooted in Christ Himself.  What stays with me most is that you never separate who you are as a priest from where you are as a man in the community. Whether it’s the altar at St. Joseph Shrine or the streets just outside it, your ministry doesn’t stop—it simply moves where it is needed.  Thank you, Father, for reminding us that the Church is not only something we enter, but something that goes out into the world with us.

Gerald
Source: https://nypost.com/2026/06/04/us-news/french-american-priest-hailed-as-hero-after-stopping-fleeing-suspect-at-detroit-area-shrine/?utm_source

Fr. Jose Diaz

I want to take a moment to thank Father José Díaz for the way he lives out his vocation among us. What stands out most is how he serves as a bridge between parish life and our young adults—he meets them where they are, without losing the heart of the Church, and somehow brings them closer in the process. Father Díaz reflects that same foundation—faith shaped by sacrifice, culture, and family—and he carries it into every homily and every conversation.  Most of all, I appreciate that he reminds us that ministry doesn’t only happen at the altar. He lives it in the everyday life of the neighborhood—on the sidewalks, in the school halls, and in the small moments where people just need to be seen and heard.

Fr. John E. Donia

A ‘Nod to Fr. John Donia not only for answering God’s call to the priesthood, but for embracing the vocation of education with the same passion and dedication. There is something truly special about having a teacher who is also a priest—someone who not only teaches lessons from a textbook, but models faith, integrity, and service through his own life. Fr. Donia’s presence in Catholic education reminds us that learning and faith are not separate paths, but journeys that strengthen one another. Thank you, Father, for investing in your students, guiding young minds toward truth, and showing us that the pursuit of knowledge is at its best when it is rooted in Christ.

Staff Submission

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