'I believe that Christ continues to "step and act in this world" through His priests'
SHELBY — Shelby is a long way from New Brunswick, N.J., where Father Michael Kottar served in his first parish after his ordination for the Diocese of Metuchen 20 years ago. In 1994, he was ordained by Bishop Edward Thomas Hughes, and five years later he found himself in North Carolina, where he now serves as pastor of St. Mary Parish.
As he looks back over the past 20 years, Father Kottar shares with the Catholic News Herald some of his memories:
CNH: What was your first assignment?
Father Kottar: My first assignment was St. Peter the Apostle in New Brunswick, N.J. What do I remember? City life! St. Peter's was an old Irish parish with both a parish grammar and high school. It was a big stone church with no air conditioning. The Northeast Corridor high speed rail line runs right behind the church.
In the summer, when all the windows were left open during Mass, you could hear the blast of the trains and the station announcements for the next train to New York. That was where I developed my pulpit voice!
The rectory and offices were located in an old converted mansion with four large white pillars in the front. In reality it was run down, but from the street it looked impressive. One of the neighborhood boys, after asking where I lived, said, 'Man, you live in a judge's house.' I won't forget that.
CNH: What have been some of your favorite assignments?
Father Kottar: In 1999 I received permission to work in the Diocese of Charlotte for three years. Bishop William Curlin welcomed me to the diocese. (Bishop Peter J. Jugis has since incardinated me, and I say a special thanks to both bishops.)
I drove straight down from New Jersey to the south side of Charlotte – St. Matthew Church – the largest in the diocese and I guess the largest in the country. The Capuchins were leaving and Monsignor John McSweeney had just arrived the day before. I think we were both in shock. Thousands of families! Two priests! Monsignor McSweeney told me the last time he was there it was all farmland.
Another assignment was the smallest parish in the diocese, Holy Redeemer Church in Andrews and Prince of Peace Mission in Robbinsville, in the beautiful Smoky Mountains. Less than 100 families. The first time I drove out there I was almost two hours from Asheville and wondering how long the state of North Carolina could be. It's long! Route 74 became two lanes and I entered the Nantahala Gorge.
I said to myself, "This is really the end of the world. What have I got myself into?" The little church and rectory in Andrews has the best view of any in the diocese. Half of Graham County is in the Smoky Mountains National Park. I used to joke that we had more black bear as parishioners than humans. And they all tithed!
CNH: What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned over the past 20 years?
Father Kottar: I have learned that people love priests because they bring them Christ – the Holy Eucharist and all the sacraments and blessings when the priest acts in persona Christi.
Pope Francis, as archbishop of Buenos Aires, said priests have been "anointed to anoint ... anointed to make every person who comes into this world, everyone who loves the Lord, feel the goodness and tenderness of God."
The priest has been anointed with the oil of gladness, so his oil will never dry up. It is also just the presence of the priest, like a home visitation or at a social function, which calls to mind the love of Christ. God is not somewhere off in the distance, but Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI once said that what's essential about Christianity is Christ Himself. "God stepped into the world and acted; so it is an action, a reality, not only an intellectual entity." I believe that Christ continues to "step and act in this world" through His priests."
CNH: What advice would you give to a man discerning a vocation to the priesthood?
Father Kottar: For a man discerning the priesthood, I recommend prayer, the Holy Eucharist and frequent confession. Start praying the rosary and develop a relationship with the Blessed Mother. She told us to do that at Fatima.
As Pope Francis recently said to seminarians, a strong relationship with Mary helps us have a strong relationship with the Church. Both are mothers. Speaking of Pope Francis and those great images in his homilies, I would encourage a young man to start reading the daily Mass homilies of Pope Francis. They are in summary form on the internet, and they are chock full of great lines and ideas that you can really sink your teeth into.
One that stands out is that the priest must really know his people. He has to "smell like the sheep." And a young man discerning should watch out for those "intellectual aristocrats." The intellect is necessary, but study always lead to a deeper relationship with a person – the Divine Person – Jesus Christ.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Pictured: Father Michael Kottar was ordained in the Diocese of Metuchen, N.J., in 1994 by Bishop Edward Thomas Hughes, where he served until moving to the Charlotte diocese in 1999. (Photo provided by Father Michael Kottar)
Other anniversaries
Also celebrating their ordination anniversaries are:
55 years – Father Gabriel Meehan, retired
30 years – Father Peter L. Fitzgibbons, pastor of Our Lady of the Annunciation Church in Albemarle, and Father Philip X. Kollithanath, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Asheboro
25 years – Father Conrad Hoover, retired