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June 6, 2019“LIVING THE GOSPEL, CHANGING LIVES” -- 2019 BISHOP’S APPEAL ~ Through the end of June we are focusing on our 2019 Bishop’s Appeal. Our goal this year is $191,199. To date we have received 228 gifts and pledges for a total of $98,862 toward our goal. Thank you in advance for your generous support.
CONGRATULATIONS to the families of the following children who were baptized recently at St. Thomas: Natalie Marie Brockett, Lucas Gregory Stephen DeMarco and Kendall Grace Mahan.
WELCOME NEW PARISHIONERS ~ Jessica Spicer and Juan Carrascal and their children, Sebastian and Eliana.
Father Daley’s 65th Ordination Anniversary Tribute ~ On June 12, Father Daley will celebrate the 65 th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. This is quite a milestone – though Father Daley would prefer to think of it as “just another day.” Our St. Thomas School students – especially those in younger grades – beg to differ. They wanted to name something after him to celebrate the occasion. Principal Kane cautioned them that Father Daley would never allow that. True enough. But please allow me to reflect on some of my own recollections and connections with Father Daley. It all began in 1966 after I graduated from Catholic High in Troy and was accepted into Mater Christi Seminary on New Scotland Road. Father Daley was on the faculty. He taught Greek but was also the Dean of Students. The Greek lessons helped us to better understand the Scriptures. His talks as Dean scared us with the vivid descriptions (and chalkboard illustrations) of what could happen to us if we neglected our personal hygiene. A multi-tasker long before it became fashionable; Father was also the Seminary librarian. How many of you folks reading this even know what the Dewey decimal system is/was? A seminary is a place of formation and Father and his collaborators were quite effective in helping us to focus on what should be important about being a priest. Early on, Father was known for his insightful and moving homilies (back then we called them sermons) – and to this very day I sometimes still plagiarize a thought or story from his past and current homilies.
Father Daley has served with six different Bishops. Each recognized his abilities and appointed him to various positions and assignments. His curriculum vitae reads like an index of ecclesiastical offices: high school educator, graduate school for further education, seminary faculty, CYO moderator, Tribunal auditor and Defender of the Bond, Director of Vocations, Dean, and member of the Diocesan Board of Consultors. In 1970 he was appointed Pastor of St. Thomas, a ministry he served faithfully until his retirement in 2002. Since then he continues to touch the lives of literally tens of thousands of people.
Five years ago on his 60 th anniversary of ordination Father reflected:
"I have had wonderful experiences as a teacher in the seminary and as a parish priest. I've met wonderful people and traveled to exciting places (Rome and the Holy Land, for example). I've shared important moments with countless families: births, deaths, new jobs, promotions, engagements, graduations, marriages, ordinations and anniversaries.”
Interviewed by The Evangelist in 2012 under the headline “Lord to whom shall we go?” Why I haven’t really retired,” Father got a little more personal:
“I've had a number of mentors in my life, none better than my dad. I learned a lot from him. He lived into his 90s; he was alone for more than 10 years after my mother died. He had a little plaque next to his bed. It was the first thing he saw when he awoke in the morning. It said, “Keep me going, Lord! That's my prayer: "Keep me going, Lord." I love what I am doing: I love to offer Mass; I love to preach; I love to celebrate the sacraments; I love to visit the sick; I love to teach. I love being a priest. How could I retire?”
With heartfelt gratitude, let this be our wish and prayer for Father Daley: thank-you! … “KEEP on going!!!”