The entire school was abuzz about the upcoming Silver Jubilee (1943-1968) for Monsignor John A. Weier which was going to take place at St. Albert’s and would be one of the first “official” events in which the Class of ’75 would participate.

Sister Vincent’s class was going to do a musical number using drums and triangles along with their voices. The boys were all to wear bow ties with mitre’s while the girls all wore ribbons in their hair. When the boys received their mitre hats, Mike O made the discovery that if you were to wear the hat sideways on your head, it would look like a pirate hat. During the rehearsals more and more of the boys were turning their mitre’s into pirate hats until they eventually caught the wrath of the nuns who did not appreciate the pirate idea.

Sister Teresa’s class was going to do a dance with rings. This required much preparation and several members of the class would work on making cardboard rings and learning Irish dancing that would be used in the ceremony. Diane O was the leader for this particular act.

When the big day finally came, both classes walked single file into the gymnasium where each class was about to make their stage debut. Everyone in both classes had a part to play and each class performed brilliantly. After each class performance the audience gave the respective class a huge ovation of applause. Even Msgr. Weier seemed impressed with the choreography and dedication of these two fine classes.

As the children progressed through school they would see Msgr. Weier more often, and especially on report card day. Msgr. Weier would hand each child their report card, talk to them, and sometimes ask them a religious question. One such time he asked a young girl if God created everything. The girl responded “no”. This answer stunned the rest of the class and most of them thought that would be the end of this girl.

But Msgr. Weier was not upset at all and gently asked the girl “what did God not make?” “He didn’t make my house!” the girl replied as the class continued to cringe. Msgr. Weier then explained that God made the materials so that her house could be built. The girl nodded her understanding and the class breathed a collective sigh of relief as the girl went back to her desk with her report card in hand.

One year he showed up with a toupee which confused the little friends greatly, but no one dared say anything or make fun of it. It was easier to believe a miracle had grown Msgr. Weier’s hair back and leave it at that rather than risking his wrath by making fun of him.

There was little doubt that Msgr. Weier did not tolerate monkey business and could shut it down with just a sharp glance from his eyes. He rarely smiled, I don’t think anyone ever saw him laugh, but he was never cruel to the children. In fact, he was over protective as he forbid the boy students to play CYO tackle football while he was Pastor.

He had many offers from sponsors to provide the equipment but money was not his reasoning; he wanted children safe while they were at St. Albert’s. He did compromise and allow St. Albert students to play for St. Sebastian if they really wanted to play that badly. Danny P and Brian W tried out and made the St. Sebastian team in 1974.

Children knew almost instinctively not to cross Msgr. Weier and this was doubly true in Church. Some of the students would “sneak out” early during Communion when other priests were handling the Mass. They would walk up to receive the body of Christ, then as they walked back to their seat they would just walk right past it and head toward the back of the Church and exit, usually picking up a chronicle on the way out in case anyone questioned if they actually did attend Church that day.

While this might sound silly to some since they were only missing the last ten minutes of the Mass, there was a certain logic to this move. Sometimes in these final minutes there would be a surprise speaker, or maybe an introduction of new parishioners, or even the dreaded tape from the Arch Bishop. These tapes would be played on a portable tape player and placed next to the microphone. The sound quality was terrible and so very often the voice on the tape had an accent which made listening to it that much harder. These would always be played after communion and were rarely pre-announced.

Leaving early never happened at a Msgr. Weier Mass. You received communion and you went right back to your seat and you listened intently if an Arch Bishop tape ended up being played over the microphone. You did not dare skip or sneak out on a Msgr. Weier Mass … ever! Long after leaving St. Albert’s the little friends still carried this respect (or light fear) of Msgr. Weier with them. One time when they were in their early thirties Gary Z got married and had the little friends all at the same table near the bar. The little friends were happy and complimented Gary on his wise placement of the table. In fact they complimented Gary on everything … “boy that Gary did it right. The meal was great, the reception beautiful, Gary was certainly on his game this day”.

All of a sudden Msgr. Weier entered the reception and the little friends table went silent. Instinctively they put their hands over their beers and looked around sheepishly. “Who invited him” one said under his breath. “That Gary can’t do anything right”, came the reply.

It seemed the little friends had skipped the Mass part of the wedding and went straight to the reception. Had they gone and celebrated the sacrament of marriage with their friend, they would have found out it was Msgr. Weier who married their friend … and no one skips or sneaks out on a Msgr. Weier Mass, not even 20 years later.

Here is a little bit of history on Msgr. Weier. He was ordained April 17, 1943 by Archbishop Edward A. Mooney in Detroit. He was named pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish from 1961 till 1978. Msgr. Weier left St. Albert’s in 1978 and became pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Wyandotte. He was granted senior priest status in 1997. He died on Sept 16, 2006 at 89 years of age. Msgr. Weier was the only pastor the Class of ’75 had during their tenure as students at St. Albert’s school.

MSGR WEIER SILVER JUBILEE PROGRAM REPRINT
This Program is presented in honor of
MONSIGNOR JOHN A. WEIER
on the occasion
of the 25th Anniversary
of his
ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD
1943 – 1968
“AD MULTOS ANNOS”
LITTLE GIPSY GAY
OPENING SONG “Romany Road” (Gipsy Children)
SONG WITH CHORUS “Romany Rof” (Anyeta, Tarna, Michel, and Chorus)
SONG WITH CHORUS “The Tinsmith’s Song” (Marko, Marilescu, and Chorus)
SONG WITH CHORUS “Sometimes” (Michel and Chorus)
SONG AND DANCE “Twinkling Feet” (Gay and Chorus)
SONG WITH CHORUS “Willow Witches” (Gipsy Children)
RECITATIVE “Sometimes” (Michel and Chorus)
SONG AND DANCE “This Little Chicken” (Marko, Michel, Marilescu, and Chorus)
SONG “Gipsy Fortune Teller” (Thirza)
DANCE “Twinkling Feet” (Full Company)
FINAL CHORUS “Romany Road” (Gipsy Children)

LITTLE GIPSY GAY – THE STORY
A crowd of gipsy children are sitting round a brazier, and singing an old gipsy song “ROMANY ROAD”. They start quarrelling, but old Marta stops them by threatening to tell Romany Rof, the head of the tribe. They sing: “ROMANY ROF”

In the middle of the song Romany Rof himself comes along, and shows interest in the work of Marko and Marilescu, who are mending tins and pots. Then comes “THE TINSMITH’S SONG”. The boys have made a tin toy for Gay’s birthday – in fact everyone has a present for her. When Gay comes in with Thirza, the fortune teller, Anyota sings Michel’s Song: “LITTLE GIPSY GAY”, which gives the contrast between her and the other children. Gay says that she feels different too, and against a background of music, we hear SOMETIMES”.

The children, saddened by this song, decide to dance their cares away, and they sing and dance: “TWINKLING FEET”.

Then they all present their gifts, including Michel who sings: WILLOW WITHES”. After that the children dance out, and Romany Rof tells Gay that she is not really one of the tribe, but was found by them when she was a baby. Gay then recites “SOMETIMES”. Romany Rof gives her a string of pearls that was found with her, and she begs to wear them on this, her birthday. The children dance back, bringing the provisions they have foraged, and sing “THIS LITTLE CHICKEN”. Jorga and Tarna announce that some strangers are coming, and Thirza sings: “GIPSY FORTUNE TELLER”. She tells the fortune of the lady, who is so stirred that she tells Thirza of how she lost her baby girl – and how her pearls were stolen from her.

Romay Rof tells her the glad news that Gay is her child. Gay’s new-found father offers any reward to the gipsies, but Romany Rof asks for one thing only, that on this anniversary Gay shall come to the gipsies, wherever they are. This is gladly agreed.

Gay, half gladly, half sadly, goes, after begging the children: “Not like that. I want to see you Happy Dance for me. Dance, dance – So that you won’t know I’ve gone”. The gipsies break into a wild dance. When the dance is over, they look after her – and then one by one return to the brazier, and to their song: “ROMANY ROAD” as final chorus.

Dance Sailor’s Hornpipe
Drill Hoop Drill
Choral Speaking The Cats’ Tea Party

GREETINGS TO MONSIGNOR