What is your full name?
Fr. Mark Andrew Tibai

What is your current Assignment/Parish?
St. Fabian Parish in Farmington Hills, MI

What is the greatest gift about being a priest?
There are many faithful people who are genuinely trying to live closely to Jesus, but they are struggling because the world, the flesh, and the devil make this very difficult. The devil and the world tell them that a life lived for Jesus is too hard and they should just take pleasure in what the devil and the world have to offer. As a priest, I can help them through confession, counsel, and bringing them Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

What would you say to a young man discerning the priesthood?
There is nothing to lose in discerning the priesthood! If God is calling you to be a priest, it is because He believes that you will be a good shepherd in the world to bring souls to Him. This is profound and something you shouldn’t disregard lightly. The life of a priest is filled with joys, but it is also becoming more difficult as more people drift away from any sort of relationship with our Lord. God will provide for you each step of the way as you discern, and He will provide for you if you say yes to the great journey that is the Catholic priesthood!

How can people at your parish best support you?
Praying for me in very specific ways, especially entrusting me to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Also, asking St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests, to intercede for me. It is also nice to be invited into parishioners’ lives beyond a simple “hello” after Mass. Something as small as inviting me to dinner means a lot to me as a priest as I try to get to know my parishioners!

How do you see the Holy Spirit working in the Archdiocese of Detroit?
We are in tough times here in the Archdiocese. I see the Holy Spirit moving us to face these challenges so that the Catholic Church in Southeast Michigan can be more united to bring the Good News to God’s people.

Describe the first moment you knew God was calling you to the priesthood.
I first felt the call around fourth grade. It was a journey of many joys and difficulties after that first thought of the priesthood entered my mind!

What should all young people know about discerning a vocation? 
You cannot discern a vocation without prayer! I remember a time several years back when I asked a group of Catholic high school seniors if they had prayed about the college they were going to attend next year. Almost none of them raised their hands. This shows how much work we must do in teaching how to discern in general, but especially in discerning a vocation. You will be most happy if you follow the specific vocation God has planned for you, but God often is not going to part the clouds and speak from the heavens to let you know what it is. God wants you to pray, ask questions, reflect, talk to others, and so on. This is what it means to discern. Through the quiet voice of God that comes to you in prayer, you will see whether God is calling you to be a priest, a religious brother or sister, or to get married. You will never regret working with our loving Savior to determine what your vocation in life will be.