Pastor's route to parish in Diocese ran through South Korea and Germany

From California to Texas to South Korea to Germany to...Windham, New York? That's the route Rev. James Schiffer, CP, has traveled over the past 20 years to get where he is today: pastor of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus parish.

His path was circuitous because of his previous ministry -- an Air Force chaplain at various locations around the world. That job actually prepped him for his new role, he said.

Father Schiffer, a native of Queens, has been a school teacher, missionary, seminary director and chaplain. He is a Passionist father.

Job training

"My job as chaplain in the Air Force really wasn't all that different from my current position as pastor," Father Schiffer told The Evangelist. "In both, I am serving God's people. The situations might be different, but people are the same wherever you go.

"I love working with people in their wonderful diversity. No matter what your job, meeting people 'where they are' on their faith journey and accepting them for who they are is part of the package. This is what I enjoy the most."

Father Schiffer linked up with the Albany Diocese through another military chaplain, Rev. L. Edward Deimeke, an Albany diocesan priest who is now administrative advocate for priests in the Diocese. Father Schiffer told Father Deimeke that he would enjoy working in a parish after his retirement. After Father Schiffer retired in November, Father Deimeke arranged for him to come to St. Theresa's.

Slippery slopes

"This is a great parish," Father Schiffer said. "We have about 400 registered families; but during ski season, that number just about triples. Right now, we are trying to discern where the Holy Spirit is leading us as a parish. We are in the process of forming a committee to coordinate the formation of a pastoral council."

"The people here have warmly welcomed me into their parish," he said. "Since I love this climate [with the change of seasons], I have settled right in. My arrival has been met with affirmation and every warm kindness."

(Father Schiffer taught grade school for five years before joining the priesthood. He spent time in the Philippines as a seminarian, and eventually became vocations director and rector of the seminary there.)

(01-16-03) [[In-content Ad]]