By: Gena Johnson | West Bloomfield Beacon | Published June 13, 2026
ORCHARD LAKE — It was a whirlwind weekend for the Rev. Daniel Whalen.
On May 23, he was ordained a priest in Detroit, and on May 24, he celebrated his first Mass as a priest at his home parish in Orchard Lake.
“Going into the ordination, I was filled with a lot of excitement, and throughout the whole Mass just overjoyed,” Whalen said. “It was wonderful. And seeing everyone’s faces just brought more joy.”
Whalen’s parents, three siblings, and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins were in attendance for the two-hour ceremony, held at the Most Blessed Sacrament Cathedral on Woodward Avenue in Detroit.
“Everybody was having a really good time and just loving it,” Whalen said.
The ordination was followed by a reception at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary, on Chicago Boulevard in Detroit. Whalen was joined by three other men who were ordained that day.
The next day he celebrated his first Mass as a priest at Our Lady of Refuge, located at 3700 Commerce Road in Orchard Lake — the same church he attended growing up.
“The first Mass, I had more excitement and nerves going into it, to make sure it went well and everything was done well,” Whalen said. “Once I started Mass, everything just fell into place.”
Whalen attended Our Lady of Refuge Grade School from kindergarten through eighth grade and then attended Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Preparatory High School, across the street from the grade school.
“Our Lady of Refuge laid the beginnings of my faith life and my relationship to Christ and to the Church,” Whalen said. “My pastor there taught me how to altar serve and experience the Mass in its fullness.”
His pastor at that time was Monsignor Gerald McEnhill, who has retired from parish responsibilities but is still involved with the Archdiocese of Detroit, according to Whalen.
“Father Suresh (Rajaian), who is the current pastor there, has guided and supported me and helped me in seminary and currently,” Whalen said.
The young priest first received his calling as a sophomore in high school.
“It first started as an inclination, and an option. As I altar served and attended Mass, it just increased in desire, growing and growing,” he said. “And by senior year, I was looking at colleges and seeing where I should go, and then the life of a priest became more and more present and more fitting, as being called by Christ.”
After graduating from high school, he attended Sacred Heart Major Seminary. There he studied philosophy as an undergraduate and received a master’s degree in divinity and theology.
The inclination turned into a certainty during his second year in seminary.
“I was sure of it, sophomore year of my undergrad degree,” Whalen said. “I became sure of it through hours of prayer, direction, and living and studying at the school.”
The seminary program took eight years to complete. This is the usual timespan for someone coming out of high school, he noted.
“Father Whalen is a wonderful man, and he will be a wonderful priest. He has a heart for service and proclaiming the Gospel,” said the Rev. Mario Amore, a priest and director of Parish Renewal with the Archdiocese of Detroit. “He is genuine in his love for the Lord and desire to serve the Church. I am grateful to have the opportunity to welcome him into the presbyterate of Detroit.”
Whalen will start his duties at the Church of Divine Child, in Dearborn, on July 1. He described the parish as “large” with around 1,500 families, as well as a co-ed grade school and a co-ed high school with about 400 students and 850 students, respectively.
There, Whalen will celebrate Mass, weddings, funerals, baptisms and confessions. He will also visit hospitals for the anointing of the sick, bless homes, and go into schools and give presentations to the students.
According to the Archdiocese of Detroit, fewer men are becoming priests, Mass attendance has been declining for decades, and parishes are currently undergoing a restructuring.
“I hope to bring more people into the Catholic Church, by living a life of Christ and presenting it and sharing Christ to others, wherever I may be,” Whalen said.
The Rev. Bob McCabe, a priest and pastor of the Church of the Divine Child, is looking forward to Whalen’s arrival.
“I was so excited when I heard Fr. Dan Whalen would be our new priest at Divine Child. I know him and am confident that he will shepherd our flock well,” said McCabe. “With a strong parish, elementary and high school, an assignment at Divine Child is a magnificent opportunity for any priest.”
The pastor continued: “I pray that in the coming years, Fr. Dan’s time at our parish will be a great opportunity of spiritual growth for him, our parishioners and our students. Our Divine Child family will value and cherish his ministry, and I am certain he will come to love our community.”