Priest will still serve in retirement

Priest will still serve in retirement

As much as Rev. Paul Cox is looking forward to golf, boating, and some much-deserved rest and relaxation during his retirement, he doesn't necessarily want to give up his priestly duties.

"You just can't stop doing those things," said Father Cox, who retired as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Lake George on June 30. "You still need to feel useful, needed -- that you have things to offer."

Shortly before his retirement, Father Cox reflected upon his 44 years in the priesthood and looked ahead to life beyond parish ministry in an interview with The Evangelist.

Years of service

Born Nov. 2, 1928 in Troy, Father Cox attended Sacred Heart School and Catholic Central High. After graduating from there in 1946, he entered the seminary and was ordained in 1954 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany.

His first assignment was St. Vincent de Paul parish in Albany, where he was one of four assistant pastors who taught at the former Vincentian Institute. At first, Father Cox wasn't aware that the school was affiliated with the parish, but he soon became acclimated to his surroundings.

He served in various capacities at Vincentian Institute, including assistant principal of the high school and moral guidance teacher for seniors.

Turning point

One of the turning points in his ministry came during his stay at St. Vincent de Paul at an event halfway around the globe: Vatican Council II. For years, parish life had been quite routine, Father Cox pointed out. A priest's appointments with parishioners usually were one-on-one, and there were very few meetings or opportunities for laypersons to be active in parish life.

The Second Vatican Council changed all that, however, and Father Cox believed that this shifting of attitudes and policy was appropriate.

"For the most part, this was overdue, and it was a matter of getting back to the way Church was supposed to be," he said.

Key experience

Father Cox remained at St. Vincent de Paul until 1969; his next assignment was as pastor of St. John the Baptist parish in Walton. The following year, he went to Holy Spirit parish in East Greenbush, where he served as pastor until 1977.

While at Holy Spirit, Father Cox participated in what he considers one of the most rewarding experiences of his ordained ministry: attending a Marriage Encounter Weekend. He not only enjoyed helping couples to prepare for matrimony, but also loved meeting happily married couples from all parts of the Albany Diocese and New York State. He attended nearly 25 Marriage Encounters altogether.

Another program that he enjoyed was Residents Encounter Christ, a retreat for prison inmates.

Time to retire

After Holy Spirit parish, he became pastor of St. Mary's parish in Glens Falls and stayed until 1991; he also served as dean of Warren County during part of his stay at St. Mary's.

In 1991, Father Cox arrived at Sacred Heart parish in Lake George and found that many people he met during his previous assignments would travel to the parish just to see him.

At 69, Father Cox hasn't yet reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 for pastors, but with Rev. Nellis Tremblay, pastor of St. Cecilia's in Warrensburg, also retiring, he decided now would be a good time to retire.

He started moving his belongings out of his office and the rectory in February. On the day of this interview, the final pastoral council meeting he would attend as pastor was scheduled, and Father Cox is confident that the group will continue to oversee the parish effectively with his successor, Rev. M. Timothy Harrison, on board.

More to do

Father Cox doesn't have any immediate plans now that his retirement has begun. He plans to golf more with Revs. James Hayes, Nellis Tremblay and James Rosch, all of whom belong to Queensbury Country Club. In addition, he hopes to set sail on Lake George in the boat that he and Father Tremblay own.

But don't think that Father Cox is ready to give up his priestly duties entirely.

"I told the Bishop, anything he wants me to do, I'd be willing to do," he said, mentioning hospital ministry and lecturing in schools as activities he'd enjoy.

Encouraging laity

In an age when parishes are merging and the number of priests in the Albany Diocese is dwindling, Father Cox emphasized that ordained clergy can't lead the Church into the Third Millennium alone.

"There needs to be more training for laypeople," he said. "They look to the priest to do everything, to be at everything. But it's not necessary. It's not possible."

Despite the perception of pastors as being in charge of all aspects of parish life, there are certain responsibilities that priests aren't necessarily best suited to carry out. "We weren't ordained to manage building improvements and repairs," he said.

Priest's best friend

Even though he's retired, Father Cox is so accustomed to rising early, usually at 6 a.m., that he'll probably keep doing so. From now on, he won't be sleeping at the rectory but at a camp that he and Father Tremblay own.

One reason Father Cox figures his wake-up time won't change is because that's when his smooth fox terrier, Kaycee, gets her walk.

Father Cox couldn't think of what he would have done had he not entered the priesthood, although his childhood dream was to become a train engineer.

Now that his ride during 44 years of active ministry has ended, Father Cox can spend more time on the golf course, at his camp on Lake George and in peaceful recollection of a career that touched many lives.

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