Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
August 7, 2002
'Whatever happened to Father X ?'
Reflections from Irishman Father Cathal Longwill
By Cathal Longwill
Since people nowadays are writing whole books about anything and everything, about little or nothing, and asking every kind of question about all sorts of things, it's just possible that some reader may have wondered: Whatever happened to Father Longwill?
The quick one-line answer: He's alive and well and living in County Donegal on the west coast of Ireland or somewhere in Europe or the United States or, most of the time, just tanning his toes in the sun on the beach in Miami.
Healthily fit, he doesn't like to be called elderly, loves to be told he's young for his age and is proud to be the oldest member of his hometown fitness club, where, daily, he swims several laps of the 25-meter pool and then walks a couple of miles to fend off incipient arthritis and offset the calories of a couple of cocktails before dinner.
It's imperative that former parishioners should know where their former spiritual fathers are and how they're coping with the sense of loss that follows the apparent betrayal by some of their former colleagues in the beloved Church they have served devotedly many long years.
The three-times use of the word "former" is intentional and certainly expresses my personal sense of missing and almost pining for the active ministry that was my life for more than 40 years. I am, nonetheless, very, very glad I retired when I did, for although my life in the priesthood was always fulfilling, the stress and strain of pastoring a parish can be somewhat heavy. It is never light. I sometimes wonder if parishioners are sufficiently aware of the various burdens their pastors carry.
I was ordained in Dublin, Ireland, at All Hallows College, eight and forty years ago, on the 20th of June 1954. The college, staffed by the Vincentians as was St. Thomas Seminary in earlier days, had been founded specifically for the education of priests to minister in those countries to which the Irish had emigrated in large numbers. All Hallows was not a hotel deluxe; it was more of a boot camp with rigorous rules and regulations. It did, however, during six or seven long years of philosophy, theology, Scripture, sociology, psychology, arts, languages, law, liturgy, literature and various other disciplines, prepare us academically for whatever ministrations the bishops thought the Church might have in store for us.
After a lifetime in parish ministry trying to attend to the needs of the faithful, I still question whether we were adequately prepared for the complex pastoral, parochial, administrative, ecclesial, social and spiritual ministry lying ahead of the young priest, whether he found himself ministering to Irish emigrants or to their descendants who may have married into German or Russian or Slovak or Czech or Hispanic or any of the ethnic groups that constituted the American family.
My priesthood was during a time when the world of religion, rules and regulations was breaking down and leading to ambiguity in one's priestly life. When I read of young seminarians, I pray they realize that ministering today is to a secular world of globalized consumerism and non-fulfilling, destructive hedonism. There is something very wrong with such a society, which at the same time hungers for satisfying, spiritual values.
I'm grateful to have the opportunity and time in retirement to ponder some of the questions that still haunt me. The first chapter in my introduction to the study of theology posed the question: Utrum Deus sit? Does God exist? Tentative responses reminded us that no one had ever seen God; we experience God only through faith.
You might be surprised to learn a retired priest would ever ask himself such questions. I know I certainly ask them and I give constant thanks for the faith and wisdom that assure me: Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.
I am delighted the Register is asking: Whatever happened to Father X? Indeed, Father X is constantly asking what has become of the people he loved, baptized, shrived, taught, prayed with, married, absolved, blessed and tried to encourage in their quest for sanctity. I've certainly had a tortuous maze of priest-to-people relationships that stretch over years of ministry spent in far-off Oceania and in parishes ranging from Sterling and Roggen to Boulder and Craig. My greetings to the other clergy retirees and jubilarians. I pray they are enjoying the reward of their labors as I am. I remember all of you devoutly and fondly in the memento of the living at Mass. If any reader or erstwhile parishioner wants to contact me or would just like to say "hi," my e-mail is clongwill@yahoo.com or write me at 415 NE 105 St., Miami Shores, FL 33138 during winter, or Lisfannon, Buncrana, Co. Donegal, Ireland, during the spring and summer. Love y'all!
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