Florida Catholic | Despite Infirmities, Priests Want To Serve

Despite infirmities, priests want to serve

Some priests continue their ministries despite infirmities that would discourage many laypeople from attending Mass, much less leading it.

JANET SHELTON | FLORIDA CATHOLIC ST. PETERSBURG BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 03.21.08

Msgr. John Scully, who is celebrating his 60th year as a priest, listens to Bishop Robert N. Lynch deliver a homily at the Chrism Mass March 18.

ED FOSTER JR.
Msgr. John Scully, who is celebrating his 60th year as a priest, listens to Bishop Robert N. Lynch deliver a homily at the Chrism Mass March 18.

ST. PETERSBURG | Father Paul Bondi doesn’t move as quickly or as smoothly as he did more than six decades ago when he was newly ordained.

Today he uses a cane to steady himself as he walks down the main church aisle of Blessed Trinity Parish in St. Petersburg, accepting the arm of an altar server as he takes the steps of the sanctuary. When he celebrates Mass, a chair waits for him behind the altar on a lower level than where the priest’s chair is usually located.

“It is difficult for me to walk,” Father Bondi said. “It’s just hard to do it. The body is disintegrating and you don’t have the strength. I can’t walk up the steps.”

He is physically frailer than in years past and yet, in some ways, Father Bondi is stronger. The impact he has on the Blessed Trinity community could be more powerful now than when the priest’s stride was solid and his voice strong.

“It’s very moving,” said parishioner Susan Wannemacher. “It makes you realize how important Mass is because he is struggling and because of how difficult it is for him. … It’s not just his job; (the Mass) is important.”

At the chrism Mass, Bishop Robert N. Lynch congratulates priests celebrating milestone anniversaries. Out of the 32 priests honored this year, 12 have 50 years in the priesthood, eight will mark 60 years of ordained life and one, Msgr. Alfonso Palladino, will celebrate his 65th year of priesthood.

Many of those priests are still saying Mass and serving. Some, such as Father Bondi, do so despite infirmities that would discourage many laypeople from attending Mass, much less leading it.

What keeps them going? Those ordained to the priesthood receive the Holy Spirit and the power to change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, Father Bondi explained. When God has given such an important and needed gift to his people, he said, a priest has to give his all. People need the Eucharist.

“It is for the people that we do it,” he said. “I want to give back what almighty God has given to me.”

Father Bondi said that, like the people he serves, he draws strength from the Mass.

“It’s difficult, but at the end I’m rejuvenated by it,” he said. “God has given me the right and the power and I’ll do it as long as I can.”

Msgr. John Scully was ordained a priest May 6, 1948. Even after he was well past the usual retirement age, the monsignor led the diocese’s Office of the Propagation of the Faith and occasionally took physically grueling trips to the missions. He celebrated his 80th birthday in Africa while helping a mission priest there. At home, Msgr. Scully liked going door to door in his parish neighborhoods so he could talk to people and invite nonpracticing Catholics to come back to church.

He suffered a broken leg more than a year ago.

“I had a temporary setback,” the priest said. “I walked into a church — it was raining — and I slipped in the water and broke the left leg.”

The injury required surgery and extensive bed rest. That didn’t keep the monsignor from celebrating Mass, however. He drew inspiration from his memories of another ailing senior — Pope John Paul II.

“I said Mass in bed. … I said Mass while on the flat of my back for a while, (then) I said it on a table by my bed,” Msgr. Scully said. “The ordained should do the work of Christ and the Mass is at the heart of the work of the priest. It’s the peak, the heart, the mountaintop of the Catholic priesthood. In it, all the life of Christ moves down that mountain to the people and all over the world. … The peace and the joy that you have in that you can’t put into words.”

Msgr. Scully said his leg is healed and he is getting his strength back. He talks eagerly about his work at St. Stephen Parish in Valrico, where he assists the pastor, Father William Swengros. It is a busy parish, he said, and he likes that he can help.

“I’m actually doing a lot of work, thanks be to God,” he said. “I go on sick calls. I go to the school and I instruct. I’m going to be baptizing.”

One of the things that keeps Msgr. Scully motivated is that there is so much work to be done, especially in a growing parish like St. Stephen. The shortage of priests means “retired” priests are needed more than ever.

“I see now the tremendous shortage of priests,” he said. “When I was a young priest, that parish would have had four priests assisting the pastor.”

Blessed Trinity’s pastor, Msgr. Anton Dechering, said his parishioners like Father Bondi. He understands why senior priests continue to serve despite physical limitations.

“We kind of see ourselves there sometime in the future,” he said. “(The priesthood) is part of our lives and it’s an important part to be able to pray and offer Mass, not only by ourselves, but in the way we’ve been doing it all our lives — in front of the people.”

Wannemacher said watching Father Bondi celebrate Mass helps her through the distractions and difficulties that are naturally part of taking children to Mass. Seeing Father Bondi makes her refocus, she said. Seeing Father Bondi leaves her inspired.

“If he can get up there at his age and his level of deterioration, I can get my butt to church,” she said. “It’s just moving. It gives me a lot of faith.”

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