Our Lady of Peace welcomes new priest

By MEGAN HUGHES

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Ironwood — Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Ironwood welcomed Father Brian Gerber on Jan. 2.

“It is a beautiful church,” said Gerber during an interview Tuesday.

Gerber said his earliest recollections of wanting to be a priest was when he was 6 years old. He remembers a project in which he wrote about what he wanted to be when he grew up.

“The first time I really considered it was when I was in high school,” he said.

Gerber has served as a priest for 15 years in several different parishes.

“Before this I was the pastor at Resurrection in Menominee,” said Gerber. “The Bishop asked me if I would be interested in being the pastor at Our Lady of Peace, and I said yes.”

Gerber’s ties to the region run deep. He was born in Ironwood and grew up in Bruce Crossing, attending Ewen-Trout Creek Schools. He became a priest through the Diocese of Marquette, which covers most of the U.P. He said that the place for his seminary studies — Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit — was chosen through the Diocese and selected due to its program of teaching the morals and ideals of the diocese.

At Sacred Heart, he entered an eight-year program, earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a graduate degree in theology.

“We talked about how we preach a homely, how to lead a Mass, how to preach a counsel,” he said. “It was a long program, and for me, it was a longer one because I went straight out of high school. Some guys go into the program with already a degree in something else, so they may end up with just a six-year program.”

One of the most influential people that inspired his path to becoming a priest was Father Francis at his home parish, who Gerber had served under growing up.

“The bishop that ordained me, Bishop Alexander Sample, he’s an archbishop now in Portland, he was the bishop here and was always an inspiration to me,” said Gerber.

Gerber explained that one of the first things he did upon arrival was begin speaking at daily Mass, which on weekends can draw crowds of upwards of 300 people per day. The daily Mass tends to draw smaller crowds, he said, usually around 15-20.

“One of the big things that I have been doing is trying to get to know people, to get to know their names, the community, the parishioners. It’s really a great experience,” said Gerber.

“Being from this area, it’s amazing how many connections I still have,” said Gerber. “I just feel like I am at home.”

He explains the move was also a blessing as it allows him to visit family in Bruce Crossing, including his mother.

Gerber is clear about his mission here.

“My top priority is to preach the gospel, and to help people get to heaven,” he said.

“I encourage people to invite others back to church. I know with COVID-19 that a lot of people have fallen away,” said Gerber. “I’ve said if you see someone invite them to come back.”