I feel so old! On June 1, 1991, 30 years ago, I became pastor for the first time at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in downtown Augusta (“Georgia’s Oldest Catholic Church”). I left Augusta in 1976 saying good riddance considering all the other places I could have grown up, like Naples or Livorno or Atlanta, not to mention Boston or New York or Chicago. No I grew up in Augusta which I hated. 15 years later, 1991, I returned and stayed until July 1, 2004. That period of time redeemed Augusta for me. Most Holy Trinity will always be my true love. I was 37 when I became pastor. What a great time in my life and truly a blessing.
15 comments:
Great trip down your memory lane.
I have only the memory there of transitting from Basic at Ft Jackson to Ft Gordon and still essentially treated as in Basic while in school, and one leave in 9 mths where I took a shuttle to watch the Augusta Pirates play in their incredible time machine of a small stadium, new, but as a stadium of my childhood with wooden bleachers, giant Marlboro Man standing tall at the centerfield fence, equally giant cups of cheap beer, a night game and the small stadium of 3500 or so packed seats, crushed rock parking surrounded and invaded by moss draped oaks and distant lights reflecting of nearby waterfront, crickets and cicadas buzzing away.
It was a "please set your clocks back to 1965" night I shall never forget and my one pleasant memory of that 9mth slice of my life.
What did you hate about growing up in the garden city?
The wedding photo groom is Pasquale Arace who played for the Augusta Pirates. He got married in 1992 or 93.
I was there '88-'89, I believe. Knew nobody or nothing about the town or team except it was an A-team for Pittsburg. All that was gone, including the stadium, by '94, or so I heard. New affiliation, new name, new stadium. Thanks for the memories, Augusta.
Still remember a Christmas USO show on base, they marched everybody miles in formation on a freezing wet evening to it, the outdoor stage so far away they looked like ants. Distant muffled sound from the PA system with no idea what was going on past us standing there and freezing, finally leaving in full dark and chow hall closed and no supper. The ball park was heaven compared to that morale builder.
Father, maybe you could explain this to me:
Like many other boys who have grown up Catholic, I have entertained the idea of becoming a priest. I fear I am too old for that to happen now, but, looking deeper into my motives, I find that the main reason I would want to be a priest would be to help other people, especially relieve them from the burden of their sins and believe (perhaps naively) that it would be a great joy to hear confessions and confer absolution and share some advice to the penitents. Absolving a dying man or woman with the last sacraments also seems a possible source of satisfaction.
Yet, for many years, I have heard priest after priest talk about how great it is to become a pastor. Most priests talk about the goal of becoming a pastor as the "end all" ambition of the priesthood and can't wait to get their first assignment as a pastor.
Now, I can understand how an associate pastor (or "parochial vicar" as you say around here) might object to having to kowtow to the pastor in charge, but aside from that, why would any sane person WANT to be a pastor? To me it seems like nothing but a tedious burden, as you have to take complaints that range from gravely serious to frivolous and treat them all with equal courtesy, you are responsible for the parish's finances, you have to make all the hiring and firing decisions, if you have a school, that ALONE is a huge can of worms and everyone expects everything from you. WHY, WHY, WHY then, do so many priests persist in this all-consuming drive to become a pastor as young as possible?
Congratulations, Fr. mcDonald and thank you.
Anon908....cannot speak for Father, but many kids as they mature and strive for independence also begin to resent the local town and citizenry foibles of which they become aware as they mature, and can hardly wait to leave their backward home town as they look forward to a new life elsewhere in that bright and shining future. I am glad Father was able to return and reconnect, which is quite rare.
I HAVE TO ASK has their own take on difficulties in being a priest, I had considered such myself, but have never been able to resist trying to buck the system when under the authority of those I saw as careerists and self-servers where their authority and promotability meant more than the mission or job, nor am I well suited for diplomacy nor being a company-man sticking only to the approved company-line of parroting those above when they are dead wrong. I could never have made it through seminary when Father McD did, nor could I survive today in the hierarchy as it exists in general today.
With regard to the question "why become a pastor?", I am reminded of our pastor in 30327 speaking about the growth of retired priests (and where they will live when retirement time comes). He mentioned a lot of priests in their later years wish to continue administering the sacraments, but not wanting the administrative burdens of the pastorate (take your pick, like "the air conditioning is giving out" or "the parking lot needs repaving" or "we are running out of time to come up with our share of the archbishop's annual appeal"). Some priests never become pastors, perhaps for instance serving as a chaplain to a hospital, or campus minister (Newman Society), or in the bishop's bureaucracy, like chancellor, master of ceremonies and so on). And then there is being a bishop...one time, an Episcopal bishop here in Atlanta was asked if he ever wanted to be a priest growing up and he supposedly said, "no, I want to be a bishop." But with all the scandals of the previous decades, ya gotta wonder who would want to become a bishop?
Deo gratias that Father McDonald responded positively to God's call to the priesthood.
Father McDonald, thank you.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
It looks like you have had a joyful priesthood, Father McDonald. Congratulations!
As for "Why?" ...
Yes, the administrative responsibilities can be great. Hiring/Firing involves art, insight, and determination, gifts not shared by all. Monitoring a budget is technical - you HAVE to have good people on staff and among the congregation who get a kick out of accounting. I shudder when spread sheets are placed before me. Working with a staff - in some places a dozen or more - means a pastor has to have interpersonal skills, especially when members of the staff are at odds.
Most of us know what we're getting into, and along the way we learn just how valuable, how essential, capable and generous parishioners can be. Folks like that are indispensable and can save a pastor from himself, really. Some guys try to be the "expert" on all things and end up making a mess of many of them. I think on the whole we find that the joys really do outweigh the administrative burdens.
I remember when I discovered that a member of a parish where I was serving "In Residence" was the synagogue administrator of a local Savannah congregation. She had ALL the administrative duties and the rabbi was exclusively the teacher/spiritual leader. I was immediately envious of the rabbi. Her salary was commensurate with her responsibilities, too, and her office was comparable to the rabbi's.
How I wish we could develop a cadre of administrators for our parishes. Pay them a good wage, allot them responsibility, which would mean changing canon laws, and let them use their talents for service!
Anonymous said..."But with all the scandals of the previous decades, ya gotta wonder who would want to become a bishop?"
From the dawn of the Church to date, Holy Mother Church has experienced one scandal after another...a million scandals...schisms, heresies, countless Catholics having abandoned the Faith.
But among the chaff, the True Church has harvested Her share of good wheat. That is the positive side of things.
Holiness abounds, and is there for us, within the Church. That is why we are blessed always to move forward in joyful, hopeful fashion.
Holy Mother Church will always have, for example, such scandalous mutineers as Viganò.
But the Church will always counter, as well as trump the mutineers, with such holy priests as Father McDonald.
Deo gratias for Father McDonald.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Cardinal Pell declared in regard to the right-wing's vicious attacks upon Pope Francis' orthodoxy:
"To put it politely, I think that’s absolute rubbish!
"Francis said he’s a loyal son of the Church, and his record shows that.
"He’s a completely faithful exponent of Christ’s teaching and the Church’s tradition."
Congratulations! Ad multos anos
If it ever were to happen---and I am not holding my breath---a "Diocese of Augusta" would certainly have its cathedral at Holy Trinity. Such a beautiful place of worship! No "wreckovation" there! You could have a diocese maybe running up to Lake Hartwell, Athens, Milledgeville, Dublin and Swainsboro. But I am not counting on it happening as the Savannah Diocese is not that big anyway and losing the Augusta area would probably cause a big drop in the diocese size. I can dream, though!
I think it would make more sense to create a Diocese of Macon. St. Joseph's could be the cathedral and they could handle western and southern Georgia.
Who the bishop would be is anybody's guess, but I think Fr. Allan McDonald would be an excellent candidate--he's perfect, actually because he doesn't want to be a bishop!
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