The Members of the Assumption Schola


Timothy Keenan -- Started singing in the St. Jude Choir of Men and Boys at the age of eight. He continued with the group as it moved from St. Angela to St. Mark's Old Catholic to Most Holy Trinity and St. Joseph churches. A 1983 graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in political science, he has been a journalist since 1980. He is currently President of Phoenix Communications,  a PR agency based in Royal Oak, MI.


Michael O'Brien -- Started singing in the St. Jude Choir of Men and Boys at the age of eight. He continued with the group as it moved from St. Angela to St. Mark's Old Catholic to Most Holy Trinity and St. Joseph churches. He served as the groups director while it was at Most Holy Trinity. He was president of the Ars Nova chamber chorale and an accomplished Irish folk music performer. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in English from Wayne State University in 1983 and 1986, respectively. He currently works at a company that provides Internet services for General Motors.



Fr. Eduard Perrone -- A native of Detroit, Fr. Perrone majored in music studying piano, organ and theory. Following theological studies at St. John Provincial Seminary (Detroit), he was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood for the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1978. He has been pastor of the Assumption Grotto Church since 1994. Besides his pastoral work, he often speaks to special groups and directs the parish choir in some of the great choral and orchestral Masses of the Church's heritage.  He is founder of Grotto Press (which publishes and distributes books on religion, philosophy and science), and Grotto Productions (which has released several CDs of classical music). He co-founded and serves as spiritual director to Call to Holiness Inc. and is spiritual director of the St. Joseph Secular Discalced Carmelite Community in Detroit. Fr. Perrone is also a board member of Mary's Children (a facility for the care of brain-damaged children and adults) and an advisor for Our Lady Academy in Burton, Mich. In September 1997 he was awarded the St. Charles Borromeo Pro Musica Sacra Award during the Midwest Conference on Sacred Music.

 


Paul Avery -- Started singing in the St. Jude Choir of Men and Boys in 1964. He continued with the group when it moved to St. Angela. He joined the Trinity Men's Choir in 2000. He remains a member of St. Jude Parish and presently servers on the Stewardship Commission. He also serves as a board member of the Christian Financial Credit Union. He is currently vice president of export and warehouse for the Romulus-based Trans-Overseas Corp., an international logistics provider.

Robert Babinski -- Joined the St. Jude Choir of Men & Boys in the early 1970s as a candle bearer. He became the choir's thurifer in 1976, a position he held until 1980. He moved with the choir to St. Mark's Old Catholic and stayed with the group throughout its stay there. He joined the Trinity Men's Choir in 2000 and stayed with the group when it moved to St. Joseph Church. He is assistant chief of elevator safety for the State of Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Development.


Roberto Garcia -- Began singing in the St. Jude Choir of Men and Boys at the age of nine. He continued with the group as it moved to various parishes over the years and is the choir's crucifer for ceremonial functions. A 1983 graduate of Wayne State University with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, he has worked for the U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command since graduation.


David Grabowski -- Started singing in the St. Jude Choir of Men and Boys at the age of eight. He continued with the group as it moved from St. Angela to St. Mark's Old Catholic to Most Holy Trinity and St. Joseph churches. A 1987 graduate of Michigan Technological University with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, and worked in manager of plant engineering and maintenance since then.

Michael Keenan -- Started singing in the St. Jude Choir of Men and Boys at the age of 10. He continued with the group as it moved from St. Angela to St. Mark's Old Catholic to Most Holy Trinity and St. Joseph churches. A 1983 graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in operations research, he has been in various roles in information technology since then.


Walter Rybak -- Started singing in the St. Jude Choir of Men and Boys in 1972 at the age of eight. He continued with the group as it moved from St. Angela to St. Mark's Old Catholic to Most Holy Trinity and St. Joseph churches. He also sings with his family in the Treble, Parish and Schola Choirs at the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak. He holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Detroit and a masters degree in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of Michigan. He began his career with General Motors Corp. as a co-op student in the robotics group and continues to work at GM in advanced manufacturing technologies.


David Steinberger -- Sang as a soprano in the St. Jude Choir of Men and Boys from 1974 to 1980. Joined the Schola Sancti Josephi in the fall of 2004. Initially attended Ferris State University then the University of Detroit Mercy completed undergraduate course work in Biology, then completed U of D's Physician Assistant Program.  Future plans include completing remaining 3 courses to complete my Master's Degree. Currently employed as a physician assistant for Preferred Urology Consultants of Southfield.