St. Al's alumni. Where are they now? Dan LaCroix '18

Dan LaCroix came to Michigan Tech to become an engineer. But along the way, while earning his two bachelor of science degrees in mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering, he felt a calling to the priesthood.

After much prayer, adoration and talking with Fr. Ben Hasse, Dan said God may be calling him to the priesthood. “I don’t know if this is what God wants me to do. But I want to go to seminary and find out and be confident in God’s will for my life.”

After graduating from Tech in December 2018, Dan headed to an internship at Adrian Steel in Michigan for four months. Then, he moved to Hudson, Michigan in January to experience life at Sacred Heart Parish.

Serving at Sacred Heart has given him the opportunity to visit the homebound, to serve at Mass, and to help teach the Confirmation class. His time there and at St. Al’s are helping Dan to prepare for the next step, entering Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit in fall 2019 for the Diocese of Lansing.

As a student, Dan says St. Al’s became not only his parish but the place where his friends were and where he would go to hang out and do homework. He also became a Chapel Rat, one of the students who live and work at St. Al’s. “It was so cool working for the church. I think we called each other into holiness to do things. We got each other to Bible Study but we also waxed the floor at midnight together. It was service for the Church, and the experience was great.”

Dan says St. Al’s was a good introduction to being a parishioner. “There is a lot of guidance, but there is so much run by students from serving on parish council to events and activities.”

While Michigan Tech gave Dan a really good practical engineering education, St. Al’s helped to learn and grow in this faith. “You go to confession, spend more time in prayer, meet with FOCUS missionaries, and attend Bible Studies; there is a lot of spiritual formation. St. Al’s is the place to go. It’s right in the middle of campus and students have an opportunity to grow and maintain their faith.”