For those of us who know him well, that alone speaks volumes. But I'm going to say more because Father Kevin marks the milestone of 25 years since his ordination as a priest on June 10, 2014.
And that's why I got in the family vehicle, having arranged to have use of it for a few hours, and drove 60 miles to Valparaiso, IN, to be present at the celebration of his silver anniversary of priesthood last weekend on Saturday, June 7. (As I think about, I don't think I've ever traveled a further distance than 60 miles to attend Mass before in my life. But Father Kevin and his milestone were enough reason that made the journey, on freeways and tollways, and then getting a bit turned around going through wooded areas, commercial strips, and open farm fields, all the worthwhile.)
What an incredible experience to be part of this magnificent celebration. And how fitting that it was held on Pentecost weekend. We celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, and how the Holy Spirit is still present and active in our midst, including in Father Kevin's ministry, especially at St. Teresa of Avila.
In his homily at Mass, Father Kevin spoke to both occasions. He remarked that at the original Pentecost, the Apostles joined thousands of others for a pilgrim's feast. (In some ways, I guess I can say that my journeying to Valparaiso for this celebration was like going on a pilgrimage.) They came together in one place, as part of a custom, and God changed their lives forever. God changed Father Kevin's life forever when he attended Mass one day, and he was encouraged by the words of the priest to consider the vocation of priesthood.
It was a decision that certainly impacted his life, but also impacted many, many others. I'm sure the huge throng gathered for Mass, and then for the reception afterwards in two of the Harre Union ballrooms represented only a piece of the lives who have left an imprint on Father Kevin, and those on whom Father Kevin has left an imprint.
Certainly, he has reason to leave an impression on whoever he comes into contact with, because he such a lively person--to say the least. He makes people laugh with all his silly antics, and really gets people riled up and excited. And he's so full of energy, like when he leads the gathered assembly in his "Party Hard like Jesus Christ" routine--or is it "with Jesus Christ"?--I can't quite remember--which is probably why, back in the day, he was so good when involved with the cheerleaders in coach capacity.
I still remember the Kairos Retreat I attended my freshman year. Unlike previous retreats, when he came at select times, he spent this entire weekend with the retreat group. It was there that I saw his full self on display, spirituality and antics all. This retreat weekend came a few days after he turned 50, and I remember remarking to friends and family after the retreat how I felt that with the energy Father Kevin showed he had bottled up inside of him that he could live to age 300.
Trivia night is always lots of fun with his serving as master of ceremonies.
And he's always adventurous when it comes to ordering Pizza Hut: he never sticks to getting just cheese and maybe pepperoni, but getting more interesting pizzas like supreme, everything, and white sauced pizza.
Then there was the night of the great blizzard of February 1-2, 2011. In the newly-opened Ministry Life Center's student lounge, students were gathering to have fun on the night before a snow day of no classes. Father Kevin, of course, was there, delighting that this space was being used exactly as he envisioned it. I joined a group of people playing Scattegories, which included Father Kevin. It was interesting to hear his answers, but also his response to the answers another person gave, which Father Kevin found so unusual, he belted out, on more than one occasion, "Can someone please tell me what planet this kid is from?"
By the way, Father Kevin is known for being loud. Once, at the Mass on the Grass, when he started his homily, and, startled by the loudness of the microphone, said to the effect of, "All of campus will now hear me," someone quipped, "That's nothing new."
Then there was the time I attended Father Ted Mauch's ordination Mass, whom Father Kevin mentored during Father Ted's final pre-ordination assignment at St. Teresa's as a transitional deacon. During the lengthy opening procession, which included 60 priests from throughout the Diocese of Gary, I was singing the song as they walked by and sang, when I heard a voice louder than the others--which was none other than Father Kevin.
And once, Father Kevin, at the start of Mass, recounted how a child at St. Teresa's once said, "When I grow up, I want to be loud like Father Kevin." He added that he hoped the child also intended to be loud in the sense of being bold in proclaiming the Gospel.
Father Kevin certainly proclaims the Gospel boldly, and that makes me think about the impact he's left on my life. Never before have I encountered such a rich combination of adjectives in one person: Besides being lively, he's a godly, deeply spiritual, and profoundly prayerful person. Father Kevin showed me how the Roman Catholic Church is an institution full of life, and is a force for positive action in the world, in the way he lives out his faith, and encourages others in the walk of faith.
I still remember the one evening I had dinner with him at the Union. It was my junior year, and it was the day after Ash Wednesday. I went to dinner not looking to meet up with anyone in particular when I encountered him, and he offered to eat with me.
Before we ate, he prayed. Being away at school, I often found myself in different dining situations, not ever really sitting down at the same time as the people I ate with. So I largely got out of the habit of praying out loud with a group of people before meals--I would just pray silently. But that evening, breaking bread with Father Kevin, I was filled with a sense of God present, from the start when he prayed. From that time on, I made a point to be more intent on praying out loud when I sat down to eat a meal with others.
This particular incident reveals how present Father Kevin is to his flock. He could be found on campus from time to time, like on this day. There were other times when he came to Chapel services during the week, sometimes even leading them. In the midst of living my life as a student, I would encounter him, which is something that really stands out about Father Kevin as a spiritual leader, and allowed me the opportunity to get to know him on a more personal level.
During the remarks made at the reception following Mass on Saturday evening, it was clear that Father Kevin was also truly present to the other community members at St. Teresa's. Constantly, whether at Mass or at other church functions, Father Kevin radiates a powerful spirituality in which he comes alongside us to urge us on in our walk of faith, and to strive be a community serving the greater glory of God.
The remarks covered the gamut of Father Kevin's spirituality and antics. One person, who just completed her first year as a ValpU student, remarked that when she talked about Father Kevin to family and friends at home, she would describe him as a "5-year-old inside the body of a grown, bald man".
Another couple shared stories that showed how Father Kevin acts like a child. They profoundly concluded by saying our faith teaches us to embrace Jesus like a child, and Father Kevin has shown us how to do so, even in all his antics.
As I stood there looking out across the many gathered at the reception, I had this sense that while we were there celebrating Father Kevin's milestone, we also had much reason to celebrate our own sense of community at St. Teresa's, which started as the fruition of a dream to provide a ministry to Roman Catholic students at Valparaiso University back in the 1970's, and has grown into a thriving community, thanks in large part to Father Kevin's efforts. It made me realize that I was, and still am, a part of something great. And as Father Kevin has as our motto, "We're all in this together", which was demonstrated beautifully on this Saturday evening. (And how fitting that the founding priest of St. Teresa's was present for this celebration.)
Being present at this celebration was personally meaningful for me. This was Pentecost weekend of 2014. During Pentecost weekend of 2013, I celebrated my graduation from Valparaiso University. So I was back again at ValpU to celebrate another milestone as I thought back just over a year ago to my own milestone that capped off an extraordinary time of my life.
And like in 2014, back in 2008, June 7 fell on a Saturday. And on that Saturday, June 7, 2008, I attended my first--and still my only--wedding ever, for my cousin Greg and Melissa. On that night, we celebrated their choosing to commit themselves to each other in the vocation of married life. Six years later, I was at a celebration of Father Kevin's commitment to the vocation of the priesthood, and how it has impacted so many lives. It was so wonderful for me to realize the juxtaposition of these occasions, and how God gifts each person a specific vocation by which each serves and glorifies Him. It speaks much to me as I think about how I will serve God in my life in the years ahead.
One of those who made remarks at the reception for Father Kevin said she didn't know how to say "just a few words" about Father Kevin. And in this post, I've certainly gone on and on about Father Kevin, but probably still haven't really covered everything. But I think there's enough here to say the obvious: Father Kevin is an extraordinary individual, and God's Church, especially at St. Teresa of Avila, has been blessed to have received such a gift from God.
What a 25 years it's been for him as a priest--17 of them at St. Teresa of Avila. I can't wait to see more of what will come in the years ahead, knowing God has already worked marvelously so far, and confident of more great things.
Thanks be to God.
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| During the Preparation of the Gifts at Mass on Saturday, as a gift to Father Kevin, the community of St. Teresa's fitted the altar and ambo with silvery cloths, to celebrate his 25 years as a priest. Above, Father Kevin comes up to the podium in the ballroom after all the remarks offered in tribute to him. Deacon Bob, dressed like Father Kevin (in White Sox garb) and addressing him, is to his right. |
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