Michael Kalkowski

Both my wife and I are life-long Catholics, and when we moved to LaGrange in 1985 we intended to register at St. Francis Xavier.  Our call to the parish office yielded a reply from the then-current pastor, Father James Kill, that he would come to the house to handle the registration.

Until then I had never experienced a real-time home visit from a priest, and to the best of my knowledge, neither had my parents nor my siblings.  My wife Nancy’s extended family included an ordained priest, Fr. Wayne Prist, who visited the family from time to time, and I saw a picture of a young Fr. Wayne, taken in the family living room, blessing one of the younger sisters.

So, I was genuinely excited that we would have a “Bells of St. Mary” or “Going My Way” experience. “Let’s make coffee, and I will go get a pie to serve,” I told my wife.  No sooner did we set 3 places, when the doorbell rang.

Fr. Kill appeared, was welcomed into the living room, thanked us for our interest in St. Francis, asked us if we would be interested in using envelopes (we would), completed a short form, gave us and the house a blessing, and departed.

We looked at one another. That was fast. No coffee. No pie. Didn’t take off his coat.  But, we were registered.  Father blessed us and the house, and so we began 33 years as St. Francis parishioners.  Other priests have since visited, stayed a little longer, shared great conversations and many kindnesses.  We still make coffee, sometimes serve pie, and welcome in members of the St. Francis faith community – a tradition begun with Fr. Kill.