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ST. MARY'S, GRANVILLE

Parish thefts gave priest perspective on forgiveness

After his home was broken into repeatedly, Rev. Thomas Zelker of St. Mary's parish in Granville learned a lesson of Christian forgiveness - although not the one he had expected.

The quiet community of St. Mary's was shaken when the parish office and rectory were broken into several times last September. Each incident occurred when Father Zelker was either out working or away on vacation. 

At first, only worthless receipts and papers from the office were stolen. A frequent supporter of local sporting events, the pastor then returned home one night from a Granville High School football game to find that his wallet had disappeared.

It became clear the incidents were connected, and the Granville Police Department opened an investigation of the burglaries. Late one stormy night, a witness appeared at Father Zelker's door, claiming to know the identity of the thief. 

"It was like something out of an old Jimmy Cagney crime movie," the priest recalled.

Cracking case
Several other witnesses soon came forward as well, claiming to have seen the missing wallet in the possession of a man residing in Granville. With the cooperation of the witnesses and the Granville Police Department, the suspect (whose name is being withheld) was apprehended and arrested. 

According to Father Zelker, further investigation revealed the culprit - who was charged with possession of a handgun - had been watching him to learn his daily schedule, with the intention of eventually stealing from the church safe. The suspect had three prior felony convictions for crimes committed in Granville.

A plea bargain was reached in May, including a sentence of 10 years in Washington County Jail. Knowing his actions would serve as an example for the parish, Father Zelker arranged a visit to the jail, prepared to extend the "life-changing mercy and forgiveness of Christ."

He arrived with high hopes, but was informed that the man had changed his mind and was no longer willing to go through with the meeting.

As the priest left, a sympathetic guard apologized for his wasted time. Reflecting on that apology, the initially disappointed Father Zelker realized that his extension of forgiveness had not been meaningless, regardless of how it was received. 

Offer anyway
"Evangelization is not concerned with results," he explained. "It is living out the Gospel to the people right now, without any concern for their frame of mind and whether they will accept it or not."

He refuses to let the robberies damage the small-town community of St. Mary's. "I ride my bike on Communion calls," he noted, laughing. "The church is open 24 hours a day for people."

Father Zelker believes the experience has served as a reminder of a Christian call to duty to himself and his parish. It sends an important message to all Catholics about the necessity of spreading God's Word, despite the response. 

"Some people say yes; some people say no," he explained. "Jesus kept going and lived out the Good News. I really did what I had to do."

(07/02/09) [[In-content Ad]]

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