A ‘privilege’ to walk with senior priests

When a priest enters into his retirement years, it signals a new chapter in life. There’s typically a shift in responsibilities — often stepping out of the pastor’s role — and a host of new things to consider: what his future ministry will look like, as well as some of the practical details such as health care needs, finances and even end-of-life decisions.

As the archbishop’s liaison to senior priests, Msgr. Kevin Callahan believes it’s a privilege to walk with these men through this time in their lives, offering spiritual, social-emotional and practical support.

“All of you are an inspiration to me and I look at this new assignment as a privilege to work closely with each one of you,” he wrote in a letter to priests when he was appointed to the role in July. “My goal is to make sure that all of you feel that you are still an important part of the priestly brotherhood and the Church of St. Louis.”

Msgr. Callahan, 66, succeeds Father Phil Krahman, who was instrumental in establishing the position about 10 years ago to provide ongoing support to senior priests of the archdiocese. Father Krahman retired in May.

The ministry has been a natural fit for Msgr. Callahan, who served as a pastor for more than 25 years and became a senior associate pastor at Seven Holy Founders in Affton in 2023. He served as director of Priest Personnel for the archdiocese from 2001-05.

There are more than 130 priests in the archdiocese who are age 70 or older. The majority of them are living independently at Regina Cleri home for retired priests in Shrewsbury, at parishes or in private residences. Priests in need of additional care reside in assisted living apartments at St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood, skilled nursing care at Mother of Good Counsel Home in Northwoods and other senior care facilities. There currently are 12 priests in their 90s, 41 priests in their 80s and 82 priests in their 70s.

Msgr. Callahan joins a support team that includes Father Kenneth Brown, the archdiocesan vicar for priests and director of the Office of Priest Personnel; and Stephanie Blackwelder, a registered nurse and archdiocesan director of Priest Wellness. Their roles often overlap in addressing a priest’s care and well-being. He maintains regular connections with administrators of residences where senior priests reside, including Mike Miller, administrator of Regina Cleri.

Each week, Msgr. Callahan visits with priests at Regina Cleri, where he joins them for dinner and conversation. He regularly visits Mother of Good Counsel, St. Agnes Home, and meets one-on-one with priests in other senior residences and those in the hospital. He calls priests who are living on their own just to talk and offer to get together.

“I want to make sure that every priest knows they’re still connected to the diocese and we still care for and love them,” he said. “Some of these guys have families and some don’t. Some are still connected to parishioners and some aren’t. And so I just want to stay connected with them and know that they’re supported.”

Sometimes, those visits last a few minutes; other times, they’re lengthier, depending on the need, he said. Sometimes, it’s helping them sort through mail or answering questions about health care coverage. And sometimes it’s simply an opportunity talk and pray together.

No matter the length or reason for the visit, the time spent together is what’s most important, Msgr. Callahan said. “You might be the only person they see all week to interact with,” he said. “So it’s just to spend the time with them … and to let them know that we care for them and to thank them for their service.”

For priests who are nearing the end of life, Msgr. Callahan increases his visits and will stay connected with the priest’s family to help with funeral details and make sure that other end-of-life decisions are carried out according to their wishes. “And then it’s trying to get in contact with the family, to make sure they know that I’m there,” he said. “So I’ll help meet with families or help them with the funeral and contacting the church.”

Visiting, giving thanks

On a visit to Mother of Good Counsel Home in October, Msgr. Callahan spent the morning visiting with several priests, including Bishop Robert Hermann, who moved to the skilled nursing facility earlier that month; and Father James Schaefer, longtime pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Ozora, who arrived a few weeks later.

Both men taught Msgr. Callahan when he was a high school student at St. Louis Preparatory-North Seminary in the 1970s — Bishop Hermann was Msgr. Callahan’s English teacher, while Father Schaefer taught math and science. The three of them took a trip down memory lane, talking about school assignments and practical jokes the students played on teachers and one another.

As it seems, the leg-pulling hasn’t stopped all these years later. When Msgr. Callahan helped move Bishop Hermann to Mother of Good Counsel, he joked that if he complained he was going to pull over the car.

“It was hard,” Bishop Hermann said with a grin as he shook his head.

“It’s your penance here on earth,” Msgr. Callahan quipped.

When Father Schaefer left Prep North to become pastor at the former Holy Innocents Parish in St. Louis, he hired Msgr. Callahan and a few other seminarians to clean out the rectory. Tales of triggering the fire alarm and damaging a water pipe elicited much laughter among the three men, but the conversation quickly turned back to their examples of faithful service as priests.

“These guys are great, great examples of priesthood,” Msgr. Callahan told them. “What was so great about Prep (North) was that there were so many priests there and different personalities — it’s like, yeah, I could do that, I could be a priest.”

The men ended their visit with a prayer from Msgr. Callahan:

“God the Father, we ask your blessing for Father Schaefer and Bishop Hermann. Help them always know how much they’re loved and cared for, not only with the people here, but the people of the archdiocese and their family and friends. Draw them always closer to you. Help them realize the goodness in their lives that they continue to share with others. Help them to continue to minister well. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”