Richard Elmer entered the world on May 3, 1928, a few months before Detroit Catholic Central welcomed its first freshman class.
Little did he know, when he first set foot on the school’s Belmont Street campus in 1942, that the school would have a pivotal role in his adult life. Or that over the next seven decades, he would work tirelessly to help secure the school’s future for several generations of Shamrocks.
On Saturday, May 12, this humble priest will share his ninetieth birthday celebration with his alma mater. “Celebrating Father Richard Elmer’s 90th Birthday and Detroit Catholic Central’s 90th Anniversary” begins with Mass at Catholic Central, followed by a reception.
His commitment to Catholic Central began as a student. Elmer served as the class president and yearbook editor. Post-graduation, he became increasingly intrigued by the lifestyle of the Basilian priests who had educated him.
The Basilian Fathers are a community in The Congregation of St. Basil, who seek the glory of God through education and evangelism.
Elmer continued dating his serious girlfriend while attending Assumption College, a Basilian school in Windsor, while he prayed for guidance — and received it.
“I had a dream one night, Saint Peter appeared to me and said, ‘You are to be a priest,’ and that was it.”
After a year in Basilian “boot camp,” the young Elmer returned to Catholic Central to teach for two years, then headed to the University of Toronto, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and was ordained on June 29, 1957, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
Returning once again to Catholic Central, now located on Outer Drive in Detroit, he remained there for 15 years, serving as a counselor and eventually as principal. He departed for a few years, honing his leadership skills as the convention director for the National Catholic Education Association, then as dean of Student Services and Activities at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, before Catholic Central beckoned once again, in 1990.
Over the last 28 years, Elmer has worked tirelessly on the school’s behalf, building alumni relations, rewriting the school’s constitution, and serving as its first president. He led the effort to locate and build the Wixom campus, and still maintains regular office hours as the school’s president emeritus. He also played a pivotal role in the creation of Wixom’s St. Catherine of Siena Academy, serving as its first principal.
Dedicated to supporting faith-based education, Elmer has no plans for slowing down.
“I just want to keep doing the Lord’s work as long as he will let me — continue being a hammer in the hands of the Almighty carpenter.”
• “Celebrating Father Richard Elmer’s 90th Birthday and Detroit Catholic Central’s 90th Anniversary” begins with Mass at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at Catholic Central, followed by an adults-only reception at the high school. Reservations are required; contact Sharon Bowling at 248-596-3838 or by email at sbowling@catholiccentral.net by April 30 to attend.