PROVIDENCE – For many priests, “retirement” is merely a term, as they continue their selfless service to Christ, His Church and the faithful.
Senior priests, as they are often called, work well into their retirement years celebrating Masses, visiting the sick, teaching in Catholic Schools throughout the Diocese, and much more. On the weekend of February 24, the faithful will have an opportunity to support senior priests through a second collection.
Take, for instance, Fr. Eugene Lessard, officially “retired;” however, he spends his summers as chaplain at Camp Ker-Anna in Cumberland or during the school year at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy teaching Family Life classes. Fr. Lessard also devotes his “retirement time” to celebrating Mass, hearing confessions also teaches a 7th grade religious education class and much more. That is merely a small sample of Fr. Lessard’s many contributions to the life of the diocese.
“Most parishes these days have a single priest,” he said in a recent interview with the Diocesan communications office. “So senior priests help out in parishes weekends, weekdays, covering for priests when they have to be away for any reason. They help out with confessions and various other parish needs.”
Fr. Lessard, who was ordained in 1959 at the American College at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, concluded his last official assignment at Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Central Falls in July of 2004. While that summer day in July may have marked the end of parish assignments, Fr. Lessard, like many senior priests in the Diocese of Providence, remains busy assisting overworked priests at parishes, visiting nursing homes and hospitals or leading youth ministry programs. Thanks to senior priests, the work of the Catholic Church in Rhode Island continues to serve the faithful and those in need.
Fr. Lessard is not alone. There are currently 97 senior priests who, after a lifetime of service, continue to share with the faithful the message of the Gospel.
“Just about every senior priest I know who is healthy is helping out in parishes – sometimes more than one,” added Fr. Lessard. “It is what I was ordained for; and as long as I am capable, I’ll continue to do so.”
Taking a reflective tone during the interview, Fr. Lessard expressed confidence in the path he chose.
“If I had to do it all over again, I would certainly follow the same path – becoming a priest – and all of the assignments I had were, I think, good experiences. Hopefully I was able to help some people, young and old, on their path to the Lord.”
