Priests pitch in for traveling peer

In his absence, there will be some new faces during weddings and Sunday Masses. Several priests from the South End Expanded Cluster have agreed to assist with liturgical celebrations while Father Walsh fulfills his duties as a member of the new diocesan Vocations Team. He's grateful that his fellow priests are helping out at his parish.

"I couldn't do what I'm doing without the help of the priests in the cluster. I'm very appreciative of their willingness to help," he told The Evangelist.

Pitching in

They decided to fill in for Father Walsh at the 7:30 a.m. Sunday Mass and one of the other Sunday Masses on an interim basis. Rev. James Daley, pastor, already takes care of the 5 p.m. Saturday Mass and two of the Sunday Masses.

Rev. Robert Hohenstein, pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians, celebrated the 7:30 a.m. Masses each Sunday in February, and Rev. Robert Roos, a retired priest who lives in Albany, also helps out. Other priests who have offered to assist with weddings and wedding preparations are Rev. William Pape, rector of the Cathedral; Rev. John Kirwin, parish priest at St. John/St. Ann's; and Rev. Vincent Ciotoli, pastor of St. Patrick's. Deacon Alfred Manzella also is available for weddings and communion services.

Seeking vocations

In his work with the Vocations Team, Father Walsh helps men who are discerning whether or not to become a priest; he also leads a support group and assists them with the application process.

BY visiting parishes, Father Walsh hopes that Catholics "become active recruiters in identifying people who they think would be a good priest. We're trying to get the message out that we really need to be encouraging and to pray for vocations," he said.

Although Father Walsh is away from St. Thomas almost every weekend, he will be there for First Communion and Easter. "I try to be at St. Thomas once a month -- for the community and for my own good," he said.

Supporting peer

"Father Walsh's new assignment is highly commendable. The work he's doing is paramount. We have to make some contact and make people in the pews aware of the need for vocations," he said.

He hopes that Father Walsh's absence will remind people that the need for priests is an issue that needs to be addressed in more ways than one. Obviously, more priests will help alleviate the problem, but parishes can take other steps, such as cutting back on Masses and sharing resources, to enable priests to minister most effectively.

"Clustering is more than just covering Masses. There are a lot of things we can do that go beyond the Mass," he said. "None of us priests want to be circuit riders. We have to be aware of people's needs."

(03-11-99) [[In-content Ad]]