tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15621027.post4996891471078967716..comments2024-02-23T15:50:19.097-06:00Comments on Curmudgeon's Cave: Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eisCurmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16958570482046462392noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15621027.post-53964704466908267782007-12-31T11:16:00.000-06:002007-12-31T11:16:00.000-06:00The KCK diocesan paper ran a lovely profile of Msg...The KCK diocesan paper ran a lovely profile of Msgr Mejak in 2003.<BR/><BR/>http://www.theleaven.com/archives/feb03.html<BR/><BR/><BR/>The Leaven <BR/>7 Februrary 2003<BR/>Faith of our Fathers: He's ancient of days. He can't<BR/>see very well. And he has been known to be slow to<BR/>change. But at age 93 Msgr. Heliodore Mejak has no<BR/>intention of calling it quits.<BR/>By Bethanne Scholl<BR/>Special to the Leaven<BR/><BR/>The joke goes something like this: Old priests don't<BR/>retire, they just . . .<BR/><BR/>Having trouble filling in the blank? <BR/><BR/>Maybe it's because there is no punch line. <BR/><BR/>Out of a lifelong love of their priestly vocation and<BR/>a concern for their parishes, many old priests just<BR/>don't want to retire.<BR/><BR/>It is safe to say that Msgr. Heliodore Mejak, who will<BR/>turn 94 on St. Patrick's Day, is one of the oldest<BR/>active priests in the country, perhaps even in the<BR/>world. <BR/><BR/>He is by far the oldest active priest in the<BR/>archdiocese, celebrating Masses seven days a week for<BR/>the 200 or so families of his Kansas City, Kan.,<BR/>parish of Holy Family.<BR/><BR/>At 93 and counting, Msgr. Mejak could be said to be<BR/>stubborn, firmly set in his ways. He is a little shy<BR/>and has been described as "not exactly gruff." <BR/><BR/>He does not mince words, but speaks his mind - a<BR/>sharp, intelligent and driven man. He shepherds his<BR/>flock with the love of a strict parent.<BR/><BR/>Holy Family is one of the few remaining "national"<BR/>parishes in the archdiocese - that is, a parish<BR/>founded, usually in the early 20th century, to meet<BR/>the spiritual needs of a particular immigrant group.<BR/>Holy Family was founded in 1907 to serve the influx of<BR/>Slovenian immigrants to the Strawberry Hill area.<BR/><BR/>"They wanted another Slovenian priest to take over,"<BR/>said Msgr. Mejak, of his assignment to the parish. "So<BR/>the bishop sent me here 68 years ago." <BR/><BR/>"I can understand Slovenian, but I can't talk a word<BR/>of it," he said. "My mother was Bohemian; my father,<BR/>Slovenian. But the official language in Yugoslavia at<BR/>the time was German, so we spoke German in the house."<BR/><BR/>"I still hear Slovenian and Croatian confessions,"<BR/>said Msgr. Mejak, "but no more German. They're all<BR/>gone now."<BR/><BR/>Msgr. Mejak's father died when he was nine, leaving<BR/>him as the head of the house. He took on his new role<BR/>willingly, using his quick mind and capable hands to<BR/>help his seamstress mother take care of his two<BR/>younger sisters.<BR/><BR/>"I've always been very handy," said Msgr. Mejak. "I<BR/>remember wiring our house when I was 16 years old. I<BR/>could figure out everything. I was the first one to<BR/>build my own radio when they came out. I had the best<BR/>one in town."<BR/><BR/>Msgr. Mejak's pride and joy are the five brass model<BR/>trains he has built over the past 40 years. Each part<BR/>was painstakingly handcrafted with steady hands and a<BR/>keen eye.<BR/><BR/>"I loved working with my hands," he said.<BR/><BR/>But about 10 years ago, Msgr. Mejak was diagnosed with<BR/>a degenerative eye disease, leaving him legally blind.<BR/>He no longer works with his hands or drives a car. And<BR/>he has never been able to master the latest<BR/>technological advances of a computer - he simply can't<BR/>see the screen.<BR/><BR/>"Father has always been self-sufficient," said a<BR/>parishioner. "He has never asked for help. I can't<BR/>remember if he ever did. He never wanted a secretary<BR/>or a live-in housekeeper. <BR/><BR/>"If he ever got a tear in his clothes, he'd just get<BR/>out his Singer sewing machine and fix it," she said.<BR/>"See, he learned that from his mother. When she was<BR/>sewing and cooking, Father was right there, learning<BR/>it too."<BR/><BR/>"Slovenians are a very determined people," she added.<BR/><BR/>That character trait served Msgr. Mejak well when the<BR/>deterioration of his eyesight made it harder and<BR/>harder for him to celebrate Mass. <BR/><BR/>"He enlarges the readings," said one parishioner, "by<BR/>wearing large (magnifying) goggles over his glasses.<BR/>He just has to read slowly [relying primarily on his<BR/>peripheral vision].<BR/><BR/>"Sometimes he loses his place and he has to refocus.<BR/>Then we go on. He is very dedicated and very<BR/>determined and doesn't want to give up."<BR/><BR/>"We take it day by day together," she said.<BR/><BR/>"I memorize the prayer and the Gospel the day before,"<BR/>said Msgr. Mejak. "The Gospel is no problem after all<BR/>these years, but sometimes the prayers are difficult."<BR/><BR/>"I can't see the headlines in the newspaper. They're<BR/>too big, and I can only see a part of those letters,"<BR/>he said. "I magnify everything only about a quarter of<BR/>an inch.<BR/><BR/>"I work that Xerox machine to death." <BR/><BR/>Msgr. Mejak still types the weekly bulletin, despite<BR/>his failing sight.<BR/><BR/>"He has always been an excellent typist," said a<BR/>parishioner. "He does make errors. He'll say, 'Was it<BR/>very bad?' And we'll tell him, 'No, Father, it wasn't<BR/>that bad.' He wants to do it."<BR/><BR/>While lay lectors have been a part of most parishes<BR/>since the Second Vatican Council changes were<BR/>implemented in the '70s, it has only been in the last<BR/>four or five years that Holy Family has seen them.<BR/><BR/>"We don't have the sign of peace, no eucharistic<BR/>ministers. I call it a 'chapel' type of service," said<BR/>a parishioner. "Father started letting the children<BR/>from the school read a few years ago, and after a<BR/>while we were quite sure Father was OK about lectors.<BR/>It was time for him to say 'yes.' <BR/><BR/>"When he absolutely cannot do it anymore, he'll say<BR/>'yes.'" <BR/><BR/>Holy Family still has a Communion rail that is used<BR/>daily as well as tabernacle veils - vestiges of a<BR/>church many Catholics today have never even seen.<BR/><BR/>"Father takes care of ordering the candles and the<BR/>missalettes," said a parishioner. "He sets up the<BR/>vestments and takes care of the tabernacle veils. We<BR/>have things at Holy Family that you'll never see in<BR/>any other church anymore. But we've never heard a<BR/>complaint, ever." <BR/><BR/>Msgr. Mejak makes no apologies for the way his parish<BR/>is run.<BR/><BR/>"I am old and traditional," he said. "I believe in<BR/>old-fashioned things. I must do something that<BR/>attracts people here. People come here from six other<BR/>counties that don't really belong here. People go<BR/>where they feel comfortable. A lot of people feel at<BR/>home here. We're down to earth, not snooty."<BR/><BR/>When asked about retirement, Msgr. Mejak is matter of<BR/>fact.<BR/><BR/>"If I got sick and I had to retire, I think I'd die in<BR/>six months - out of boredom," he said. "At the end of<BR/>seminary, I was told I'd never be a preacher. That's<BR/>true. I'm a lousy preacher, but I'm a good lover, so<BR/>to speak. I love the people here in the parish, and I<BR/>think they love me. That makes up for a lot of it."<BR/><BR/>"Because of the shortage of priests, they're not going<BR/>to send another priest here," said Msgr. Mejak. "Maybe<BR/>they'd combine this parish with another or just close<BR/>it down. I've baptized and married three generations<BR/>here."<BR/><BR/>"We all talk about [his retirement] and think about<BR/>it," said a parishioner. "But Father doesn't make any<BR/>definite comments. He isn't interested in retiring. He<BR/>wouldn't have anything to do."<BR/><BR/>"I don't know what I could do if I retired," said<BR/>Msgr. Mejak. "I've never taken a vacation in 25 years.<BR/>All my buddies died, you see. <BR/><BR/>"I still have friends. A group of us priests get<BR/>together at Bishop Forst's and play cards and have<BR/>dinner - talking the bull. They demand that I make<BR/>chili for them."<BR/><BR/>"I still have friends," he added, "but not buddies." <BR/><BR/>"I was ordained to serve the people," said Msgr.<BR/>Mejak, "and I can do it. That's a beautiful thing." <BR/><BR/>"I'm very happy here," he concluded. "We're out of<BR/>debt. We have money in the bank. I love this parish."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15621027.post-57660598624262817612007-12-27T08:51:00.001-06:002007-12-27T08:51:00.001-06:00Thanks Curmudgeon. It's a sad day. Your prayers...Thanks Curmudgeon. It's a sad day. Your prayers are appreciated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15621027.post-73826046320762643962007-12-27T08:51:00.000-06:002007-12-27T08:51:00.000-06:00Thanks Curmudgeon. It's a sad day.Thanks Curmudgeon. It's a sad day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com