A Widowed Michigan Priest—and a REALLY Late Vocation

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

A Widowed Michigan Priest—and a REALLY Late Vocation 2016-09-30T16:03:07-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

From the Detroit Free Press, here’s an interesting profile of a pastor who was just ordained six years ago—when he was in his mid-70s—after raising a family.

Snip:

[Rev. William] Spencer, 81, is pastor of Holy Name of Mary Parish, which is composed of two churches that recently merged — Our Lady of Lake Huron in Harbor Beach and St. Anthony of Padua in Helena, both in the Thumb of Michigan. He also oversees Our Lady of Lake Huron Catholic School, which teaches kindergarten through eighth grade.

While rare, his situation is not unheard of in the state.

Of approximately 900 active Catholic priests in the state, there are about six currently working in Michigan who were married, then widowed prior to becoming a priest, according to church officials across the state.

Spencer’s decision to join the priesthood after his wife died didn’t surprise those who know him the best. They say he’s always been active in the church.

“We’ve seen for ourselves growing up how he’s close with the church and close with God,” said his youngest daughter, Elizabeth Gava. “He’s not one to be idle. … He’s happiest when he’s guiding people and helping people.”

Margaret Logan, his oldest daughter, said attending church as kids was a priority, even while on vacation.

On one trip, family members — including extended family — were traveling in two cars when there was a dead deer in the road in Snow Shoe, Pa.

It was winter, her dad hit it and the car became disabled, Logan recalled.

“The problem was this was on a Saturday night,” she said. “Sunday morning, we have to go to church.”

Missing mass, she said, was not an option, so nine family members piled in the single working car.

“We got to church,” she said, laughing.

Her two sons, Spencer’s oldest grandchildren, said they know there aren’t many people who have a grandpa as a priest.

It often raised questions like “They can’t do that, can they?” and requires a story — one grandchildren Matt Logan, 21, and his brother, Sean Logan, 25, have told before — with details of how it came to be.

Spencer attended a Catholic grade and high school in Philadelphia and went into the seminary in 1950, where he spent seven years.

“I had questions about myself,” he said of that time in his life. “Not about anything else. Just whether I could do, should do, would do this.”

He left the seminary in 1957 and was drafted into the U.S. Army shortly after. While on leave over Christmas, he waited to get on a plane, noticed a woman, and went over to say hello.

The two were married in 1959 and shared the same love for God. Spencer’s wife, who went by Peg, battled breast cancer, which came back years later and then spread to the bone. Even when she was sick, the two attended services together.

She died in July 2004, and Spencer’s prayers, he said, led him to the priesthood.

“His retirement is working for the Lord for the rest of his life,” Deacon Larry Randolph said.

Read it all.

And check out the video about him below.

Photo: by Ryan Garza/Detroit Free Press

Priests

Uncategorized

Vocations

Previous Post

July 30, 2013

"Dominant Narrative in the Catholic Church Now is 'Wildly Charismatic Pope Takes World by Storm'"

Next Post

July 30, 2013 The Pope and the Catechism

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism education Education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution Politics politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized VATICAN Vatican vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book includes "A time to weep and a time to laugh"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Judges Ecclesiastes Malachi Genesis

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »