April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.

One Day in the Life of a Priest


By PAUL QUIRINI- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

Perhaps the message on the coffee mug Rev. Dominic Isopo handed to me best describes what a day in his life is like:

"A pastor is one who speaks to your spirit, listens to your heart and understands what words can never say."

After spending a recent Thursday with Father Isopo, pastor of St. Luke's Church in Schenectady, as he met with parishioners, St. Luke's School students and faculty, hospital patients, and neighborhood folks, it's evident that he lives by those words and has earned the respect of the people he encounters in his ministry.

Morning Mass

Father Isopo's day begins with 7:30 a.m. Mass at the Monastery of St. Teresa of Jesus, where the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Schenectady reside. The nuns attend Mass but are concealed off to the side of the sanctuary; an additional 30 people, several of whom are St. Luke's parishioners, make up the remainder of the congregation.

After Mass, we return to St. Luke's rectory for coffee -- Father Isopo's beverage of choice throughout the day -- and chat about his upbringing. The second oldest of seven children, Father Isopo and his family lived in Schenectady and worshipped at St. Anthony's Church.

After graduating from the former Linton High School in 1971, he entered St. Bernard's Seminary in Rochester and was ordained in May 1980. During one summer break from the seminary, he was a writer for The Evangelist, and he recalled the subject of his first story: Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Hitting the ground

Within one month of his ordination, Father Isopo was appointed to St. Vincent de Paul Church in Albany, where he served for two years. His next assignment was Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Schenectady, where he remained for 12 years before getting his long-awaited wish and becoming pastor of St. Luke's.

Although Father Isopo, 44, welcomed the opportunity to serve a parish as pastor, he didn't want to perform what he called "maintenance ministry," or staying with the status quo. Upon arriving at St. Luke's, therefore, he gradually brought new members to the school board and the pastoral council, and encouraged women to participate in lay ministry.

Those changes have helped to breathe new life into the parish, which now includes 1,200 households, Father Isopo said.

Among the kids

Around 10 a.m., we walk over to St. Luke's School to visit the students and faculty. Father Isopo tries to stop in once each week; and judging by their reaction, the children look forward to seeing him very much. Every time he steps into a classroom, the students, dressed in their royal blue gym uniforms, rise and gleefully exclaim, "Good morning, Father Isopo!"

A few students run up to Father Isopo and throw their arms around him, but they're all happy to see him, whether it's the second-grade students in Sister Grace Bacon's class who are practicing readings for Ascension Thursday or kids in pre-kindergarten and nursery quietly watching a movie.

After visiting the school, we return to the rectory, where Father Isopo catches up on paperwork and phone calls for an hour or so until lunch. Msgr. Howard Manny, who is in residence at St. Luke's and continues to celebrate 11 a.m. Mass daily, joins us for lunch, and the three of us discuss such topics as travel, Msgr. Manny's recent birthday celebration, and the upcoming weddings in the parish.

More to do

When lunch ends, Father Isopo has an appointment with a parishioner, which lasts about an hour, and then visits patients at two nearby hospitals, Ellis and St. Clare's.

He stops in at the pastoral care office in each hospital and checks on a computer to see if any parishioners or neighbors have been admitted. Then, he takes the elevator from floor to floor and visits each patient.

One man, Joe Winkler, appears to be in good spirits and is surrounded by family and friends when Father Isopo arrives. They all exchange some light-hearted remarks and smiles, and Father Isopo wishes him well and promises to visit him again.

Father Isopo's presence seems to lighten people's moods in both hospitals. There's something reassuring and comforting about seeing a priest, and Father Isopo believes that there's a strong connection between a patient's physical health and spiritual health. Even visitors and hospital staff, many of whom know him by name, say "hi" as he performs his ministry.

At the wheel

It's back to the rectory, and Father Isopo, sporting sunglasses behind the wheel of his charcoal gray Volvo, tells how his parents gave him the car as a 40th birthday present. He mentions how Volvo has a one-million-mile club and how he wouldn't mind joining the club. That might be a stretch, but Father Isopo gives the impression that he plans on driving for a while: his goal is to drive to his 100th birthday party on Sept. 22, 2053.

At the rectory, Father Isopo puts on a fresh pot of coffee and waits for a couple that's coming to discuss marriage preparation. Once their appointment has ended, it's after 5 p.m., and Father Isopo decides to dine at Da Vinci's Ristorante up the street. He's a regular there, and patrons and employees greet him warmly when he walks in the door.

Over dinner -- he chooses Chicken Da Vinci -- he shares stories about his recent trip to Ireland. He was surprised to learn that his fellow priests were reluctant to discuss the proposed peace settlement in their parishes, and he attests that people aren't kidding when they say that there's 40 shades of green in the Emerald Isle.

Over the meal, Father Isopo also shares some of his likes and dislikes. He enjoys cooking, especially Italian cuisine, and seeing movies, but he's not much of a sports fan and doesn't surf the Internet.

Into the night

It's now 6:30 p.m., and Father Isopo needs to go back to St. Luke's School for a meeting. Despite his mild protestations, the meal at Da Vinci's is on the house -- and a delicious meal it was. Father Isopo stops by the rectory briefly before driving to the school.

The meeting is an informational session on a proposed business park near the school. Father Isopo serves as moderator for the meeting, during which city officials present environmental and traffic study results, and concerned residents ask about compensation for their homes and effects upon taxes.

This was the third such meeting for residents to learn about the plan, and Father Isopo has played a key role in making sure that they have a forum in which to learn about the plan.

Full day

From 7 a.m. Mass at the Carmelite Monastery to the 7 p.m. meeting at St. Luke's School, Father Isopo had a busy Thursday, but not too busy to connect with the people he met, from young students to elderly hospital patients, from parishioners planning to marry to neighbors worried about their futures.

Through it all, Father Isopo maintained a sense of dignity and an easygoing nature, and he showed how even during one day in his life, he touches many other lives.

(05-28-98) [[In-content Ad]]


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