And Here Comes the Holy Spirit!

May 16

Oblates at reception for Fr. Joe Dumphrey, OSFS (Center)

I was educated by the Oblates at St. Francis de Sales in Toledo and DeSales University in Center Valley. I continue to learn from Oblates.

One of my favorite vocation stories is from Fr. Clark Kelley, OSFS. At every pivotal moment of his story he would say, “And here comes the Holy Spirit!” I lived with Fr. Clark when I was newly ordained, and he was newly retired. I won’t give the whole story, I save that for in person, but I will share my favorite piece. Clark was a clerk typist in the United States Navy. He went through a long discernment, first to Catholicism and then to religious life. He found himself in the Pacific Ocean looking at this large book that contained all the religious orders of men in the United States. The Franciscans had a beautiful, full-page ad. Same with the Dominicans. Then he came across the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. We had a half-page. As he looked at our description, he noticed typos, margin issues, and spelling errors. And here comes the Holy Spirit!… Clark saw our ad and said to himself, “Looks like they need a clerk typist.” I lived with Clark until he died at 84 years old, 59 years as a professed Oblate, and 50 years ordained. I know what he said at the moment he saw eternity, “And here comes the Holy Spirit!”

A few weeks ago, I was in Lockport, NY with one of Clark’s ordination classmates, Fr. Joe Dumphrey, OSFS. We just celebrated Joe’s jubilee, 70 years professed and 60 years ordained. It was incredible. The church was packed for a Saturday morning Mass where Joe preached. His homily was similar to Clark’s reflection on his vocation, God is present and the Holy Spirit is at work! When Joe was first ordained, he was assigned to Lockport by the Provincial. This was highly unusual because Joe also grew up in Lockport. I’m sure he had mixed emotions about being assigned to his hometown. Every subsequent assignment was to the same area. He’s lived and ministered around Lockport for all the years of his ordained life. I believe Joe has directly impacted every family in that city. I found out that the night before his jubilee Mass, he went to the hospital at 10:30 PM to anoint someone in need. And here comes the Holy Spirit.

As I prepare for Pentecost, I think of Clark, and I think of Joe. The work of the Holy Spirit in their lives has made my life richer. And here comes the Holy Spirit.

May God be praised!