On May 26, Fr. Ronnie celebrated his 40th Priesthood Anniversary and his last mass as Pastor of St. Catherine of Siena. More pictures from the mass and reception will be posted shortly. The following is the homily preached by Fr. Ronnie's friend and classmate, Archbishop Thomas Rodi, the Archbishop of Mobile:
The story is told of a young seminarian named, Ronnie, who in 1973 was assigned to work in the garden of the seminary. Already we know that the mere notion of assigning him to outdoor manual labor was not a well thought out idea. Anyhow, the priest in charge handed young Ronnie a shovel. As it is remembered, instead of taking the shovel from the priest, Ronnie jumped back from the shovel as if it was a snake, and said: “I don’t know anything about machinery.”
Some of you might think that was young Ronnie’s way of getting out of work, but another way of looking at it was that he was allowing someone else’s knowledge of machinery, shall we say, to be developed. He was not getting out of work, but calling forth the talents of others.
In all seriousness, Fr. Ronnie has the enviable ability to call forth the talents of others, not in a sense of taking advantage of people, but out of love. If I had to sum up my friend, Fr. Ronnie, I would say that he loves people and he loves God. He has love in his heart and the light of God’s love shines through him. He brings the love of God to many and many to the love of God. In doing so, he helps people to discover their God-given talents for their own good and for the good of neighbor.
It reminds me of the story of St. Katherine Drexel. As a young lady Katharine traveled to Rome with her father to meet Pope Leo XIII. To get to Rome, the Drexel family traveled through poverty-stricken areas in the Black and Indian communities. She wanted to do something for them and so, when she met the Pope, she asked him to do something for the blacks and Indians and send more missionaries. The Pope looked at her and asked, “Why don’t you do something? ‘Why don’t you become a missionary?’ The rest is history as she ministered for the remainder of her life in the American missions to the poor.
Fr. Ronnie is like Pope Leo XIII. In many ways, he invites and challenges people to bring out the good God has placed within them. In a gifted fashion he calls everyone to be good stewards of their personal blessings.
Jesus tells the parable of the king who gave 10 coins to one servant, 5 to another, and one to a third. Two of the servants doubled their coins by investing them wisely. One of the servants buried his coin. The king rewarded the two who used their coins and punished the one who did not.
Fr. Ronnie calls people to become involved in their parish---to use their abilities and treasure to build up the kingdom of God in our midst---and in the process to flourish as sons and daughters of God.
Now I actually do enjoy outdoor work and working in a garden, unlike some people. One of the things I have learned in gardening is that some plants just need more light in order to flourish. There may be a plant that is just not growing, or not putting out blossoms, but if it is placed where it gets more sunlight, or if overhanging branches are pruned away so that the light can shine on the plant, it is remarkable what a transformation can take place.
As I said before, Fr. Ronnie lets the light of God’s love shine through him to the parishioners entrusted to him as their pastor, and what a transformation a parish experiences with him as their pastor. People and parishes blossom with his leadership.
He makes it looks easy. It isn’t. But he approaches his parochial service with such an obvious love for his ministry that many may not be aware of the challenges he faces. Fr. Ronnie has served in a number of various ministries as a priest: He has been the archdiocesan head of the Catholic Youth Organization, he has been the Archdiocesan Vocation Director, he has been the archdiocesan Executive Director for Catholic Education, but the ministry he loves more than any other is being a pastor. He loves to be a pastor.
Parishes thrive with him as pastor and so do young men when Fr. Ronnie is assigned to be their mentor. When young priests, deacons and seminarians are sent to him, they are allowed to grow. He lets them show their gifts and abilities. Not all pastors would do this.
And his gifted leadership can be seen in his parish ministry as well. Mary Queen of Peace Parish thrived in the light of his leadership for 19 years, even in the difficult days post-Katrina. He built buildings but even more importantly, he built opportunities for spiritual growth to be offered in those buildings.
This is Trinity Sunday. The trinity is a mystery. How can there be one God and yet three persons? But the trinity teaches us that God is a community of love. That is what St. John says in the Gospel: God is love. Fr. Ronnie through his ministry builds loving communities.
St. Catherine of Siena Parish has thrived in the light of his leadership. Unlike MQP which began to build its history during Fr. Ronnie’s leadership, St. Catherine has a long and rich history, but in the past four years, SCS has experienced a vibrancy of parish life which is due directly to Fr Ronnie’s bringing out the gifts of the parishioners here at SCS.
But I don’t wish it to seem that all Fr. Ronnie does is to stand on the sideline and cheer others on. Despite that day in 1973 when he did not wish to get his hands dirty in the garden, he makes it a point to get his hands dirty figuratively by being with his parishioners in all the activities of parish life and in all the joys and sorrows of the daily lives of his people. He doesn’t just let the gifts of others come out. He is a true servant leader whether in making certain the parish school is excellent, the parish ministries are moving forward, and Sweet Caroline is sung at parish events. He offers himself in service to neighbor.
If you have never attended an ordination Mass, I hope one day you will. It is a beautiful and moving liturgy. If you have attended an ordination Mass perhaps you will remember this very special moment in the Mass. It is immediately following the proclamation of the Gospel. The cathedral falls silent and then one person steps to the microphone and says: “Let him to be ordained a priest come forward!” The soon to be ordained man’s name is called, and the man to be ordained stands and says: “Present!”
On May 20, 1978 the person at the microphone said: Let him to be ordained a priest come forward: “Ronald Legendre Calkins!” and a young good looking young man with dark hair stood and said: “Present!”
That word “Present!” was not merely a statement of physical location. It was a statement of commitment that Fr. Ronnie made that day.
Forty 40 years ago he said “Present!” “Present!” wherever and whenever the people of the Church call me: “Present!”
At countless Masses, confession and anointings of the sick. “Present!”
At parish meetings, fairs, and missions: “Present!’
At the joys of baptisms, confirmations, and weddings: “Present!”
At times of sorrows of tragedies, sicknesses, and shattered dreams: “Present!”
At the losses experienced in times of deaths, funerals, and broken relationships: “Present!”
At the loneliness of being home-bound, distraught, or forgotten by others: “Present!”
At whatever hour the phone may ring and someone needs a priest at home, nursing facility, or hospital: “Present!”
That word uttered so clearly 40 years ago, Fr. Ronnie has lived and continues to live. And so we thank you, Fr. Ronnie, and we honor you. Thank you for being “Present!”
There is an old Latin expression that priests often toast one another at a time such as this which in English means: “to many more years.” And so in closing it is my honor on behalf of all of you, and personally to salute my friend, by saying to you, Fr. Ronnie: “Ad Multos Anos!”
(Archbishop Thomas Rodi, Archbishop of Mobile)