The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-07-24
THE HEART OF The PASTOR

morning mail. AS he glanced through
the letters he laid the more important
ones to one side Suddenly he stop
ped, gasped a little, as he examined
critically the address on certain en-
yelope; held up the letter for a few
seconds, then slowly turned 1t over.
Yes, there was the Bishops seal and
the words, ITO direct the feet in the
way of peace"
Father Dams hand trembled as 1T
held the letter. True, he had expect
ed it. But, as many of us do when
expecting disagreeable things, he had
half-persuaded himself that 1t would
never come. But there it was; the
large envelope such as the Bishop al
ways used, the plain vertical writing,
and the seal. He trembled at the
thought of what must be within.
The Bishop, God bless him, had al
ready limited in his own gentle way
that it would be we'll for Father Dan
to rest little after his long years of
strenuous work for the Master in the
scattered mission of Wright River.
But His Lordship had not said it
would be better for the flock; for al
though few people loved their pastor
as Father Dan Cleary's loved theirs,
still, many of the young people we're
becoming restless. The years were
telling on Father Dan and his move
ments in the sacred ceremonies were
becoming very slow. His sermons
were becoming longer and his voice
lower. He did not hear so well as for
merly, in the confessional, and some
times he admonished aloud. However,
the people had not complained;
though some did not attend Mass at
Father Dams church, but went fur
Their to the next parish; and they
were usually home before the others.
in the course of time the Bishop
learned all; and for these and many
kind and thoughtful reasons he wrote
to Father Dan.
The old pastor reached for his pa
per-knife and as he did so he raised
his eyes to where, above his desk, a
beautiful imperial engraving of Flock
horst's Good Shepherd hung-the Good
Shepherd in the midst of His flock.
The tears came to the eyes of the pas
tor of Wright River, and they flowed
over and down the kind old cheeks, as
he read the part which signified so
much: I'VE know that the long sick
calls in the cold nights, the trying
hours in the confessionals of your diff
ferent missions are almost too much
for you, who have worked long and
faithfully in SO active part of Gods
vineyard; so we are drawing you a
little apart where the work will be
more restful and peaceful for you, and
in September you will go to Dourel
and take charge of the Sisters there,
and may Almighty God bless YOU"
The old priest placed the letter on
his desk and looked with appealing
sadness at the Good Shepherd with
the lamb in His arm. For long time
he sat there silently.
After dinner he took pen and paper
and wrote ia the Bishop: Il thank
Your Lordship for your deep consid.
GRAFTON. / am getting old and it is
true l cannot bear the burdens and
fatigues of Gods ministry so we'll as
did in the days when the oils were
still moist on my hands. Many things
were easy then which now are diff
cult. 1t was with light heart and
clear mind that I promised obedience
to the Bishop and his successor, the
morning of my ordination Now ]
humbly do that which Your LordshiI
bids me do. i shall be ready to leave
at the appointed time
And SO in September, when the
fruits and grain were ripe and the
people were busy at the harvesting, OF
preparing to leave for the lumber
woods, and when the little children
had returned to school, Father Dan
went away quietly from the scene oil
his thirty-seyen years active ministry
The good Sisters were kind, very
kind, to the gentle old priest, but their
little thoughtful acts and deep solici
tude disconnected him at times! II
was so different from what he had
been accustomed to. And as the days
went by, gradually he became preoc.
cupied and nervous. Everywhere he
went he seemed to miss something. A
vague consciousness as of something
wanting was always with him, but he
could not analyze the feeling. He did
not know that his great work of serv-
ice was not needed here.
The spring drew near, and often as
he sat at his desk in the convent and
his eyes rested on a picture of a for
mer chaplain. which hung above his
desk. the kind old heart would long
to leave the ninety-nine and go out
into the desert after the one which
was lost
One day visitor came, a young
priest who had been Father Dams
neighbor. Father Deane brought news
of the mission work How the peo-
pie often spoke kindly of their old
pastor; how a little band of children
were coming to visit him in the sum-
mer. They talked long and sympa-
thetically of the great work to be
done for souls out on the mission A
week after steel engraving of Flock
horst's Good Shepherd replaced the
picture of the former chaplain Of the
convent Father Deane had sent it.
At last the spring came with all its
freshness, bearing tokens of beautiful
promise to tree and plant, and many
things revived under the touch of the