Page 21 - Priorities #60 2014-November/December

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Father Martin came out from Saint Anselm’s while I was at the Priory. He quickly became friends with my whole family, even the 3 of 7 who did not attend the Priory. I was the third of the four boys in our family to graduate from the Priory, but I was clearly the one he felt needed the most supervision.
That will soon be 40 years ago, and a lot has happened, most of it with his help: • Father Martin was our priest when my wife Margie and I got married in ‘88, • He baptized our first daughter, Sophie, in ‘92,
• He baptized our second daughter Gracie in ‘93
• He baptized our third daughter Mia in ‘97,
• He was the priest who performed my Dad’s funeral in ‘98,
• He repeated that performance for my Mom’s funeral earlier this year,
• .and I suspect he’ll still be available for mine whenever that time comes.
When Margie was pregnant with Sophie I decided to buy a cheap table-saw and some hardwood, thinking that building a crib couldn’t be nearly as hard as a grandfather clock. As soon as I asked him a few simple woodworking questions, the project moved from my garage to his clock shop and the quality went up exponentially. All three of my daughters spent their early years in that work of art and five other nieces and nephews have as well, making it the most loved piece of indoor furniture of his that we have.
When my Dad died in ‘98, we asked Father Martin to turn a small load of teak into an outdoor bench to install at the Little League field on Alpine Road, where my Dad had coached and watched hundreds of our games. That bench has been out there under the red- woods in right-center field for 16-years now and has just been restored and re-installed for the next 25. The brass plaque Fr. Martin had made in my Dad’s honor has been moved over a couple of inches to make room for a matching one in memory of my Mom. Even though my parents are buried only 15 minutes from my house, I strongly prefer this bench as a place to go to remember them. Ask any little league parent and they’ll tell you it will always be the best seat in the house at game time.
Almost all of you have seen his amazing photography, heard him play his guitars and banjo, witnessed the frenzy at auction time for those unbelievable custom designed and hand-made grandfather clocks, and probably heard a sermon or two. Don’t discount that last talent. Father Martin is a very accomplished and giving individual, and in addition to all that, he is a very wise monk.
Read Tim’s full speech at: http://prioryca.org/alumni/alumni-speeches/
photo by Jim Kirkland