I have a confession to make. No pun intended, but every time I meet up with Father Paul McDonnell, I walk away feeling great.
I’m probably not the only one that feels that way. He has that effect on most people whether you are meeting him for the first time or of you’ve known him for decades such as I have.
Growing up Catholic and going to church and church school under an Oblates of St. Joseph church may have been a different experience than others in the Catholic faith. As I had a discussion with Father Paul this past week for an article appearing in today’s Sunday Dispatch, we talked about how the Oblates churches provide a family feeling and I would agree with that.
Father Paul grew up right across the street from St. Anthony of Padua Church on Erie Street in Exeter. Needless-to-say, the church was a huge influence on young Paul McDonnell. In fact, so much so, Paul’s calling to the priesthood happened for him at a very early age.
His father Tom once told me Paul built an altar in the basement of their home before the age of 10. I’d say that was a pretty good sign were young Paul was heading.
Fast forward to today, Father Paul can look back at his choice and career knowing it was the right thing to do.
When you speak to Father Paul, you get to see a humble servant of the Lord and he has had quite the career track that would make a CEO of a business envious.
Growing up in West Pittston and graduating from Wyoming Area in 1982 gave him a great base with his sense of family and dedication.
During his priesthood, Father Paul has traveled globally, meet with popes, lived in Rome for years studying as well as learning to speak fluent Italian (making his mother Shirley very happy), he’s pastored churches and eventually rose to the rank of the highest position as the head of all United States Oblates, a position he held for eight years.
If fact, Father Paul was in consideration to lead the Oblates around the world for a six-year term in Rome recently but made a decision he would better serve those back home. Anyone with an ego would have taken that position, but not Father Paul.
He knew there was one person more suited for the job, and although I know he would have done a great job, in his heart of hearts there was a better person for the position. That’s the kind of person, Father Paul is.
Now that he’s back in Greater Pittston primarily overseeing the Oblates in Laflin, there is only one church run by the Oblates and that is in Hazleton.
Father Paul is not one to rest on his laurels; he’s ready to roll up his sleeves and see where he will point his ship, with of course, and God’s guidance.
There is so much potential at the property owned by the Oblates, in fact, 20-acres to be exact. That’s a lot of land just sitting there waiting to be utilized in one form or another.
After being home for over a month, Father Paul already has irons in the fire and a few tricks up his sleeve.
The Oblates has been a seminary for incoming priests for decades and let’s face it, not a lot of young men are stepping forward to serve the Lord and that’s a pity. Will that tide turn one day? Hopefully, but in the meantime, Father Paul is searching for better ways to both serve God and to serve the fine people of Greater Pittston.
One use of the property that he may entertain is housing for senior citizens. Another would be possibly a hospice care facility. Or how about a college campus extension?
With limitless potential of the facility and 20 acres, Father Paul will not sell his soul to the devil for the almighty dollar. As he said to me, the place will never be a “Joe’s Used Tire place.”
Even though he’d love to see expansion, he wants to keep that in line with the mission of St. Joseph Marello.
You know, while Father Paul was the pastor of then Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, I had lunch with him at the Gramercy one afternoon, and I told him that I really could see him being elevated to Bishop one day and even though I missed the mark, being charge of St. Joseph Marello churches in the United States was a pretty big job.
I know he’s happy to be home. I know he’s happy to be within minutes of his parent’s home. I know he will be able to see his older brothers, Tom and Kevin, and their children. I know he missed the warmth of the people of Greater Pittston and he really is truly happy to be home.
It will be great to see my friend, our friend, out and about, serving the people he loves so dearly while serving the Lord in whatever capacity he is needed.
I know whatever Father Paul will do from here on out, will be for the good of the Oblates and the good of the people and I for one, can’t wait to see were the future lies.
From an early age knowing what you want to do until now is an awesome accomplishment in itself, and he’s not done yet.
Quote of the week
“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.” – James Dean
Thought of the week
“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” – Maya Angelou
Bumper sticker
“What we think, we become.” – Buddha
