Saying Goodbye, to a Brother, a Friend
August 13th was the day our community
said “Goodbye” to a loved confrere, Father Daniel Homan as he was laid
to rest with his fellow monks who preceded him in life. As the
hundreds of people came to the funeral Mass at St. Joseph’s Church in
Lake Orion, one could hardly avoid being amazed about the immense
influence that one man had on people of various ages. Fr. Dan’s
68 years of life enabled him to share wisdom with the young who face
the challenges of maturing in the world, guidance for adults in their
commitments in life and support for the elderly in the twilight of
their lives. Father was a great gift to our monastic community
and we are grateful to God for the blessing that he has been for
us.
Born in 1942 with the given name “James”, he was
raised in a devout Catholic home in Detroit. He attended shrine
of the Little Flower Grade School and Church in Royal Oak as a child
and later completed his primary education at Benedictine High School in
Detroit . James was inspired to become a monk and priest at a
young age and soon after he completed his high school education, he
went to a relatively new foundation (at the time) called St. Benedict
Monastery in Oxford, Michigan. Upon entry into the novitiate
James took on the name “Daniel” after the Old Testament prophet.
On August 15, 1961, Brother Daniel professed the monastic vows and
began studies at Ss. Cyril & Methodius Seminary in Orchard
Lake. A year later, another native Detroiter named Br. Michael
Green made his profession and began studies at the same
institution. Later, both monks continued their education at the
University of Toronto in Canada where they both, played hockey
whenever the opportunity availed itself.