What is your full name?
Fr. James Michael Houbeck

What is your current Assignment/Parish?
I am currently the Associate Pastor of St. Anastasia in Troy, MI.

What is the greatest gift about being a priest?
One of the greatest gifts of being a priest is the ability to point people to Jesus for salvation, love, grace and mercy. I do this in the Mass, in the Confessional, and wherever the Lord calls me!

What would you say to a young man discerning the priesthood?
I always share the words of Our Savior and of St. John Paul II: “Do not be afraid.” If Jesus is calling you, be generous in considering His invitation and follow Him boldly.

How can people at your parish best support you?
The people of St. Anastasia can best support me by praying for me, specifically: That I may be a holy priest of Jesus Christ; that the joy God has placed in my soul may never waver; that Jesus may shine in me and my ministry.

How do you see the Holy Spirit working in the Archdiocese of Detroit?
I see the Holy Spirit bringing the light of Jesus Christ into the hearts of those trying to navigate the darkness in our times. I feel that there are a lot of messages of darkness in our society (fear, anxiety, rebellion, mistrust) that can cause Catholic hearts to waver, but the Holy Spirit brings us into the truth of Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the One that makes the Lord’s words in the Gospel of John a living reality: “Remain in Me as I remain in you.”

Describe the first moment you knew God was calling you to the priesthood.
I was studying to be a teacher at Oakland University, and I was one year away from my degree. I was sitting in class and listening to a stark presentation on the many difficulties of being a teacher, and as I listened my desire to teach disappeared. I felt a sense of panic and chaos, questioning what I was going to do. I then heard a voice (one I had heard a few times before, actually): “What about the priesthood?” I paused and said, “What about it? Is this what you want for me, Lord Jesus?” I felt a great sense of peace and calm arrive, and so I picked up my books and left the class.

What should all young people know about discerning a vocation?
Be open to what God desires, not just simply what you want. On the one hand, be very clear and explicit in telling God what you want and what you desire. On the other hand, ask the Lord what He desires for you.