Still a priest after all these years

"I would be lost and depressed if I didn't have a place on Sunday" to celebrate Mass, declared Rev. Leo O'Brien.

Seventy-five years old and 50 years a priest, Father O'Brien still has places to minister not just on Sunday, but every day of the week.

Although he retired last summer from his pastorate of St. Vincent de Paul parish in Albany, he still:

* celebrates the Saturday evening vigil Mass at St. Vincent's, as well as weddings and funerals;

* celebrates a Sunday morning Mass at St. James parish in Albany;

* serves as vicar general emeritus for the Diocese, available to assist Bishop Howard J. Hubbard if current vicar general Rev. Michael Farano is out of town; and

* is resident chaplain at the Avila Retirement Community in Albany, serving more than 200 senior citizens of all faiths at the independent-living complex.

Keeping busy

"I'm getting away from administration. It only took me 50 years," the busy retiree joked.

Father O'Brien believes schedules like his will become the norm as the Albany Diocese looks to better utilize retired priests to serve its parishes and institutions.

He became Avila's chaplain in 2005, easing into the job even as he was easing out of 34 years as a pastor. He noted that he's now "a renter like everybody else" at Avila, with a cozy one-bedroom apartment and a rule that residents must call to arrange times to chat, not knock on his door.

Availability

Nevertheless, the priest makes himself available constantly. He sits in the main building's interfaith chapel every Monday afternoon for anyone who wishes to stop by; he makes a point to eat meals with different residents so that he can get to know everyone; and every Friday, he leads a Bible study group for 15-30 residents.

Father O'Brien even takes a few classes led by others: He's already learning to play bridge and trying water aerobics in the community's pool.

"My schedule is pretty much when I make it," he told The Evangelist.

Serving others

The priest is planning an Anointing of the Sick for residents in October and an interfaith ceremony in November to remember those who have died.

Many of those who come to talk with him, said Father O'Brien, want to talk about personal issues or health concerns.

"We are older people," he explained. "Health issues bring out the great care people have for each other."

Back to parishes

Although his position at Avila keeps him busy, the priest was adamant about keeping his Sundays free: He knew the Diocese would need him to help out at parishes.

Besides, he admitted, "it's kind of hard" to stop being a pastor after three-and-a-half decades at the same church: "I love St. Vincent's. I miss the music. I'm letting go of that."

Now, Father O'Brien hopes to encourage the two-year "Called to be Church" process the Diocese is undertaking to plan for its future (see previous articles at www.evangelist.org), particularly that of parishes. He often tells Catholics his personal motto: "If you want your Church to keep going -- keep coming!"

Changing times

"I'd like to be a listener, to have people keep an open mind about how to pass on the faith to their children," the chaplain said. "I think the question should be, 'How can we develop our resources to continue to grow?'"

One resource, he believes, is retired priests who choose to remain active in ministry to some extent.

"It depends on your energy. Being here, helping at St. James [and] St. Vincent's -- I get energy from that more than it tires me out," he noted. "This was my choice."

(Serving a population of many faith traditions at Avila has meant learning about unfamiliar beliefs and practices. Father O'Brien sometimes calls his friend Rev. James Kane, head of the Diocese's Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, with questions about other Christian denominations and faiths.)

(11/02/06)