There is a saying that goes: We stand on the shoulders of the great ones that have gone before us. Our priest and our friend, Father Francis X. Callahan, is certainly such a man. In a priesthood that spanned 70 years, he was most concerned with bringing people to Christ. His inviting smile, his winning personality, and his having a song for every occasion marked this warm and welcoming man, this good and genuine priest. So many of us are better for our interactions with him, and countless people have benefitted from his wisdom and his heartfelt prayers.
As we go forward as a parish, we will always cherish his memory. May we keep his sister Nancy and all his extended family in our prayers. We may look for him and not see him. We may long for him and be disappointed, but the mark he has left on so many hearts helps to keep him ever present with us. As he served at the table of the Lord for so long for so many, may he now serve at the heavenly table of the Lord. We all have a new intercessor with the Lord, as he enjoys the company of the Communion of Saints.
May the Angels welcome him to paradise, may the martyrs come to welcome him on his way. From this day forward, may God hold him close to His heart, in the palm of His hand.