Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2009 / Incoming education director will bring experience, passion for catechism
Incoming education director will bring experience, passion for catechism
by Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published August 28, 2009
Detroit - The archdiocesan Department of Education will have a new face at its helm beginning next month.
Margie Crooks, D.Min., is to take over the position of director as of Sept. 28. Fr. Daniel Nusbaum has been serving as interim director since July 1, 2008; he replaced Sr. Fran Nadolny, OP, when she left to serve as Great Lakes Dominican Mission Chapter Prioress.
Crooks, currently director of the Pastoral Office for Family Life and Hispanic Ministry in the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana, said she was excited to continue "sharing Christ in and through the Church."
"Catechetics and Catholic education is my passion," she said. "When we're talking about education, we're talking about forming the whole person."
She said the position of director of education will be a "great opportunity" to use the knowledge she's accumulated through 17 years of her work, ministry and educational experience. She worked in health care for 15 years, while teaching for the permanent diaconate and director of religious education programs, holding both administrative and instructional positions over the years. She said she spends much of her time in parishes and schools as part of her work.
Msgr. Robert J. McClory, Moderator of the Curia for the archdiocese, pointed to Crooks' background in parish catechetics, service to the 24 counties of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana, and knowledge of the faith as assets to Detroit-area Catholics. He added that her fluency in Spanish will help with the needs of the growing, and important, Spanish-speaking community in Detroit, as will her "enthusiasm to share Christ with others."
"We're delighted to have her come to the archdiocese," he said. "It will be wonderful to have her as part of our team."
In Indiana, Crooks has been in her current position in Family Life and Hispanic Ministry for six years, overseeing programs for family life, marriage preparation, natural family planning, pro-life mission, Catholic social justice concerns, ecumenical commission, youth ministry, diocesan youth scholarships, Hispanic ministry and formation, and training and faith formation, while also serving as an instructor for the permanent diaconate program.
She has a master's in theology, with a catechetical specialization, from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, and was conferred her Doctor of Ministry in May in practical application of catechism from the Graduate Theological Foundation, based in Mishawaka, Ind. She did her undergraduate studies at Purdue University, is a licensed health facility administrator in the states of Indiana and Kentucky, and is also certified in project management.
She said she's excited to work with Archbishop Allen Vigneron and his emphasis on education and catechism.
Crooks said she's a member of St. John Vianney Parish in Fishers, a northeast suburb of Indianapolis, where she lives with her husband, Bill, and 3-year-old son Joshua, who has been playing with his toy tools in anticipation of building a house in Detroit. She's been to the area a few times to visit, she said, and although it will be sad to leave her current home, she accepts it as part of the sacrifice of God's mission after praying about where God was calling her and her family.
Fr. Nusbaum will continue to serve as interim director until Crooks comes on board. He has already taught full-time at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, for a semester, and will continue to teach third-level Latin, world literature and church architecture at the college level, as well as serve as a spiritual director. He'll also continue to serve as weekend assistant at several parishes.
Fr. Nusbaum said he's happy to see his interim assignment come to an end, as he's very busy with his other ministries, especially at this beginning of the school year.
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