A time to remember, to smile and be sad

Tomorrow will be my pastor’s last day at our parish. He is retiring after 44 years of service as a priest in our diocese. My family will surely miss him.

Thirteen years ago I had two little boys, ages 6 and 2, and another little one on the way. I was almost completely back to my Catholic faith, I was becoming active in the parish and I was friends with our pastor emeritus. So I was rather anxious to meet our new priest! The first time I saw Father K, he was sitting up at the front with our retiring pastor. I thought he was very handsome with his full head of silver hair! (In fact our family nick name for him has been the Silver Fox, because he was also an avid runner and bicyclist.) I quickly found out that he was very friendly and personable.

He heard my first confession in over 15 years. That was exciting. By then I had my two little boys plus my newborn. I wanted to go to confession, but I couldn’t leave the door to the confessional closed with my little boys outside and I had absolutely no one who could babysit for me. As I tended to the baby, Calvin ran into the confessional and started jumping on the kneeler making the light flick on and off! I was so embarrassed but Father K was a good sport about it. I ended up making my confession with all 3 little boys in there with me. It wasn’t my best effort considering the situation, but Father took it all in stride and handled us well.
Father K baptized Gabe.

He also came out to the cemetery to help entomb my father’s ashes.

Every summer he would take a group of parish kids with him on a 10 mile bike ride. Mr. Pete would come along with him but usually had to drop out to do bike repairs for one of the kids.

Three of my sons have served mass with him. Father K took an interest in Calvin’s swimming times. All three of those boys are taller than he is now!

My favorite Father K story is the one I like to tell at Pre Cana. Mr. Pete and I asked Father K to bless us on our 25th wedding anniversary. He was very happy to do it. Right after a regular weekday mass, we came up to the sacristy, renewed our vows and received Father’s blessing.

A few weeks later Mr. Pete and I were in the bathroom looking at my positive home pregnancy test! I liked to tell my couples that when you were blessed by Father K, you were really, really blessed!

I told that story once at Pre Cana when Father K was in the room. He got a big laugh out of it!

We had our bad moments too, but overall he has become a very comfortable presence in our lives and I will truly miss him.

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