Father Joseph Breen enriched my life and exemplified welcoming the stranger | Opinion

One Sunday morning in 1988, I had the great fortune of oversleeping, which caused me to miss Mass at the church I normally attended.

As any "good" Catholic will tell you, missing Mass (aka one’s Sunday obligation) is not okay. So, I did what any guilt-driven Catholic in a similar situation would do; I grabbed a phone book and frantically scoured the Yellow Pages for a church with a noon Mass.  I found St. Edward Church.

That fateful Sunday I listened to a priest, Father Joseph Patrick Breen, deliver a riveting homily that included surprising references to people and places that were an integral part of my life – St. Ambrose College in Iowa (my alma mater), his mentors Fathers Ed and Bill O’Connor (my cousins), and Irish heritage.

He concluded by saying that we’re all immigrants, or the sons and daughters of immigrants, so we need to maintain a welcoming spirit toward all.

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Father Joe Pat was an outspoken advocate

As a recent Yankee transplant, I was immediately enamored with this kindred spirit’s larger-than-life personality and progressive philosophy. Who exactly was this charismatic priest with the booming voice, twinkling blue eyes, and stature of a saint?

Father Joe Pat (as he was affectionately known) would prove to be a lot of things: beloved pastor, loyal friend, outspoken critic of the arcane rules of Orthodox Catholicism, community activist, and honorary family member in thousands of families across Tennessee.

Most of all, Father Joe Pat was a true disciple of Christ who always held the hands and hearts of his family and friends. And always will.

In 1996, while a columnist with the Tennessee Register (official newspaper of the Catholic Diocese), I nicknamed St. Edward’s the Cheers church, “where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came.”

St. Ed’s, I wrote, “was a refuge for thinking Catholics, a place where debate and dialogue are encouraged, where innovation coexists with tradition.”  All due to a progressive pastor who places relationships above rules.

The Bishop was not thrilled. Rather, he was furious, according to my then-editor.  Apparently his phone had been ringing off the hook since the story broke – fans of Father Joe Pat’s from all over the diocese were calling to congratulate the Register for finally acknowledging what a great pastor he was. My contract would not be renewed at the end of the year, predicted my editor.

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He missed his brother Father Philip every day

Years later, Father Joe Pat would be formally reprimanded by the Bishop and forced to retire. St. Edward Church was essentially dismantled and reconfigured in the image of orthodox Catholicism. So be it. Physical buildings come and go, but for many of us, Father Joe Pat remained our pastor, in both fact and symbol.

On May 18, I called to check on Father, and his caregiver said things were not looking good. I raced over to Mary Queen of Angels for what would be my final visit. We talked a bit about how much he missed his brother, Philip, who died in 2016.

Father Philip, the long-time pastor of St. Ann’s Catholic Church, was his brother’s staunchest supporter, and an activist in his own right.  Father told me that he missed Philip “every day.”

And then he took my hand in his and fell asleep.

I looked down at our entwined hands and felt a profound sense of peace. A chance encounter 34 years ago had brought us to this beautiful moment.  This amazing saint had held my hand through many losses – how blessed I was to return the favor as he prepared to leave this world. Our relationship had come full circle.

Farewell, good and faithful servant. You were the face of integrity and inclusion.

May heaven welcome you as you welcomed everyone at St. Edward and beyond.

Shalynn Ford Womack is a progressive Catholic writer and co-owner of Twice The Talent Editorial Services. She lives in Nashville.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Fr. Joseph Breen enriched my life and exemplified welcoming newcomers