July 2014 Philadelphia Chapter of Pax Christi U.S.A.
Fr. Kevin Lawrence
Six years ago, our CPF members were experiencing some concerns about our future meetings. For more than 25 years, CPF had been meeting monthly in the large dining room of St. Malachy’s rectory, at the invitation of Father John McNamee, the pastor (and himself a member of CPF) of St. Malachy’s.
In 2008, however Father McNamee was retiring and would soon be followed by a yet-to- be named new pastor. We of CPF wondered who the next pastor would be and how open this new pastor would be to having our monthly meetings continue in his rectory. Today, six years later, we smile when we recall those weeks of apprehension.
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F. McGinty & Fr Kevin |
Father Kevin Lawrence became St. Malachy’s pastor in June of 2008 and from those very early months has been more than supportive of our meetings, making a point of welcoming CPF members who arrive from other parishes for our monthly Sunday meetings. He’s offered us the use of the parish meeting room each time we need to copy and send off our newsletters; in fact, when he knows we are coming, Father Kevin puts on another pot of coffee.
Several years ago, one of our members, Bob McGovern (RIP 2011), an accomplished artist and sculptor, carved a statue of Blessed Franz Jägerstätter as a gift for Father Dan Berrigan. In
2008 when Franz was beatified Father Berrigan gave that statue to St. Malachy’s, knowing it would have great meaning for us.
Father Kevin has seen to it that this statue is always displayed prominently in our Church. He’s well aware that we of CPF are focused on promoting the cause of canonization for Franz and his wife Franziska.
After six short years among us Father Kevin has received a new parish assignment and will be leaving at the end of June 2014. That news has caused all of us to reflect on our time with Father Kevin, and we want to convey to him just why we are truly grieving as we send him off to his new parish.
We certainly appreciate all of his ongoing support of our CPF efforts and for opening his rectory to us whenever we needed the space.
But on a much deeper level we want Father Kevin to know that we are most grateful for his loving presence among us for these six short years. We’ve experienced him day in and day out, living as a priest committed to the Gospel values of peace and justice. It’s very definitely his witty, heartwarming, holy presence among us that we most appreciate and respect and will sorely miss!
How blest we’ve been! God be with you, dear Father Kevin!
Joanne Ennis for Catholic Peace Fellowship June 22, 2014
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