The timing of Clara Hendrickson’s arrival at our parish could not have been more challenging. She was hired as a politics reporter for The Detroit Free Press and transferred to Detroit from out of state in May, 2020, just two months into the Covid-19 pandemic. Undaunted by the many restrictions on social interaction at the time, Clara quickly set out to find a Jesuit parish community in her new home like the one she had been a part of growing up in San Francisco. She also sometimes attended Mass at a Jesuit parish in Washington, D.C. As she recounts it, she was drawn to SS. Peter and Paul Jesuit’s mission as a city church and its role in the ongoing revitalization of Detroit. But connecting with her new parish community from a distance required commitment and tenacity: she attended Mass through the livestream and joined an online Bible study and other virtual gatherings while social restrictions were in place. Once the pandemic eased and in-person worship became possible again, Clara deepened her involvement in the parish in meaningful ways. For example, she successfully completed the Contemplative Leaders in Action program, an 18-month Ignatian spirituality and leadership program for young adults.
It will come as no surprise then that Clara brings that same tenacity to her professional life, where she has made it a priority seek out the truth. At The Detroit Free Press, she covers Michigan politics with a focus on the Governor’s office and State Legislature. She earlier covered voting rights, election administration, and redistricting in Michigan. She came to the Free Press by way of Report for America to fact-check Michigan issues and politics during the 2020 election. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Clara also previously worked as a research analyst at the Brookings Institution and as freelance journalist in Washington D.C.
Clara says she is grateful to have found such a welcoming faith community here at SS. Peter and Paul Jesuit, a parish where Ignatian spiritual values are put into action.