Osmosis brought Gaffigan trinity to their vocations

"She used to feed us angel-food cake," joked Rev. Charles Gaffigan.

Laughing along with him were his brother, Rev. William Gaffigan, and sister, Sister Anne Gaffigan, CSJ.

The priests are, respectively, the pastors of Holy Infancy parish in Lake Luzerne, and Ss. Peter and Paul in Canajoharie. Sister Anne handles purchasing for the Provincial House of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in Latham.

Holy family

However, Sister Anne remarked that the siblings' vocations have sparked a teasing nickname from friends: "The Holy Family."

The puzzle of how three members of one family ended up in religious life can be easily solved with two words: good examples.

Religious atmosphere

Two uncles in the family who were priests and an aunt who was a nun provided the Gaffigans with a constant look at life in the rectory and convent.

"We would visit our aunt, who was a Sister of the Presentation at St. Colman's Home [in Watervliet]," Father W. recalled. "A sister there told me afterwards, `We were praying there would be vocations in your family.'"

An interest in religious life "rubbed off subtly, by osmosis," he added. "They were happy being who they were."

Examples

Still, the siblings' parents didn't try to influence them toward religious vocations, choosing instead to say, "You have a choice. Whatever you do, be happy about it."

Father C. dated as a teenager; and when someone asked him whether he'd ever considered the priesthood, his initial answer was a definite "no." He didn't think he could handle the strenuous Latin studies that were a requirement.

One by one

"Sister Mary Robert -- she laughed at all my jokes," Sister Anne said with a smile.

Father C. was the next to realize he had a vocation. He was given a book on St. John Vianney (the Cure of Ars), a French priest who struggled with his schooling but became the patron saint of priests. "It changed my whole mind," said Father C., who has been a priest for 36 years.

Some families hand down outgrown clothing; Father C. "passed on" the idea of religious life to his little brother. "I wanted to go to RPI to study engineering," said Father W., who celebrates 34 years of priestly life this year. "He said to me, `Have you thought about the priesthood? Why don't you?' I prayed about what he said -- and I guess I got caught."

Hearing a call

"God blessed us, and we were open to receiving His blessings," said Father W., quoting the Scripture passage, "`You didn't choose me; I chose you.'"

Having a brother or sister sharing the same call has proven a boon to the trio. The priests vacation together every year and get together with their sister for dinner and conversation about parish and convent life.

They also pass on the same question once asked of them: Have you thought of religious life? "I got a call two-and-a-half years ago from a former parishioner who said, `This might sound crazy, but I keep thinking about the priesthood,'" Father C. told The Evangelist. After their conversation, the parishioner began studying for the priesthood for the Albany Diocese.

Never lonely

"We're perceived as being alone and lonely, but the perception's not accurate," added Father C. His sister noted that "I've got a big support group right here" in the Provincial House.

It takes just three things to be happy in religious life, the siblings concluded: A wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.

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