About Fr. Bob, Priest in Residence

Father Bob Singlyn was born April 7, 1935, but he usually gives April 1st as the date. Fr. Bob grew up on a farm, part of St. Andrew Parish Rochester, and later at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. He went to Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and St. John Proavincial Seminary, Plymouth, MI. He was ordained on Penticost weekend in 1960.

Fr. Bob's assignments include 3 years at St. Benedict, Highland Park; 7 Yeaars at Bishop Gallagher High School in Harper Woods as Chaplain and Guidance Counselor. While there, he lived at several different locations and helped out wherever invited (read assigned). These assignments included: Queen of All Saints, Frazer; Holy Cross Hospital E. Outer Drive; Sacred Heart Roseville; St. Bernard, on Mack; St. Daniel, Clarkston; Army Reserve Chaplain then helping out at St. Leonard, in Warren.

About the only place he was not asked to fill in, was the Downtoown Chancery Office, but his did not make him sad.

In 1970, he joined the Detroit Mission Team in Recife, Brazil and has found a safe haven there ever since. Though the Archdiocese closed its mission to the parish in Brazil in 2006 when he became a "Senior Status" Priest, he still returns to the neighborhood and the local Parish, Our Lady of Lourdes, to spend Advent, Cristmas, Lent and Easter. These warm days in Brazil just happen to be the same times in Michigan when the weather is freezing and during St. Mary's recent church renovation. Very coincidental!

Since Fr. Marc invited Fr. Bob to store his gear and himself (i.e. to reside) at St Mary, he finds that Fr. Marc, the Staff, and the people make Monroe a most congenial place to live. "Their welcome and dedication in the many programs serving the parish and wider community are both inspiring and engaging. It is easy to be drawn into projects so cheerful and well organized."

This summer, Fr. Bob's two older sisters Mary, in Marine City, and Harriet, an IHM living in Monroe, are regular stops on his rounds of visits. He also spends time at the family cabin between Gladwin and West Branch on the Tittabawassee River. A couple of Fr. Bob's favorite activities include looking at trees, making the Sign of the Cross, and hearing "AMEN" loud and clear.