Celebrating 100 over years in Irondequoit
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Archived Catholic Courier Story
This story was published 06/12/2003 by the Faith & Family desk.
Priest's column finds Web audience
Mike Latona/Catholic Courier
The lasting influence of a saint hinges not only on the acts of that person, but also how faithfully his or her life has continued to be promoted. In that vein, one can imagine many thank-yous by saints descending from heaven and tickling the ears of Father Robert F. McNamara.
The 92-year-old (update: he is now 97 and still publishing) priest authors a weekly column, "Saints Alive," for the parish bulletin at Irondequoit's St. Thomas the Apostle. And thanks to the Internet, his readership now reaches far beyond parish boundaries.
In the mid-1980s Father McNamara, the diocesan historian and archivist, began penning Saints Alive for St. Thomas the Apostle, where he had arrived in 1981 to live in retirement. Each column profiles a historical figure who has achieved either sainthood or beatification.
Although Father McNamara moved to McAuley Residence at the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse in April 2002, his column still runs in St. Thomas' print bulletin. When the parish's elaborate Web site (www.stthomasirondequoit.org) was launched in 2001, Saints Alive became one of the featured links. (Update: Now located on www.irondequoitcatholic.org)
According to Ellen Brannin, St. Thomas parish secretary, nearly 350 historical Catholic figures are featured on the Web site -- all of whom have appeared as Saints Alive profiles over the years. Brannin, who has archived the Saints Alive link and assists Deacon Thomas Beck, pastoral associate, in maintaining the Web site, said many more saintly figures are in the process of being added to the lists. In addition, Brannin said that Father McNamara "still has a couple that he's thinking of writing fresh."
"It's a wonderful reference," Father McNamara said of the Saints Alive link, saying it proves the positive value of the Internet "although people are griping about the pornography."
Brannin said the geographical increase in readership has been pleasantly surprising for Father McNamara. "He's tickled pink," she remarked.
"A few months ago we began getting replies. A couple of really interesting ones came back," Father McNamara said. Brannin reports that feedback has come from Missouri, Korea, Thailand, Croatia and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Father McNamara has been impressed to receive correspondence from England as well as Italy. In fact, a relative of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925), who was beatified in 1990, e-mailed from Italy to point out that a Saints Alive column on Blessed Frassati contained errors. Father McNamara, who explained that his sources had been inaccurate, created a revised version.
In addition to offering comments about his columns, Brannin said Internet readers request further information about saints. Brannin then consults with Father McNamara by phone or through visits, saying the priest does not personally respond to the e-mails.
Brannin said Father McNamara's eloquent style makes Saints Alive an easy and interesting read. "A lot of sites you see about saints are so dry," she remarked.
An example of Father McNamara's poetic wording can be found in a column about Blessed Jeanne Jugan of France (1792-1879), who founded the Little Sisters of the Poor order: "As she served devotedly in one house or another of her growing community, she was content to have her role in founding it forgotten. Not until after her death did her own sisters fully realize that this serene, wise and witty old servant of the poor had established their sisterhood," Father McNamara writes.
Father McNamara, who taught church history for 43 years at St. Bernard's Seminary, has many other writings to his credit. He has written, and assisted on, numerous parish histories. His 1998 book, The Diocese of Rochester in America: 1868-1993, is an updated version of his original release covering the diocese's first 100 years. It stands as the most comprehensive account of Rochester diocesan history on record. In addition, Father McNamara has been a frequent story contributor to the Catholic Courier and continues serving as a valued source on other Courier features.
Copyright June 12, 2003, Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. Reprinted on the St. Thomas the Apostle Web site by permission of the publisher. This article may not be published, rebroadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or other copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the publisher's consent.
Second Archived Courier Article - (Publication Date: 11-02-2005)
Diocese's historian nears century mark
By Rob Cullivan/Catholic Courier
BRIGHTON -- The Diocese of Rochester's historian Father Robert F. McNamara sits in his room at the McAuley Residence, shuts his eyes a moment and recalls his father, Dr. Thomas A. McNamara, former mayor of Corning.
"I remember very well when my father let me drive his buggy," the priest said. "I was a wee, wee sort of kid ... 2 years old."
The man who let him hold the reins was born five years before the Civil War. The future priest himself had been born on Nov. 3, 1910, less than two years after the first bishop of the Diocese of Rochester, Bernard McQuaid, had died. Hence, it seems fitting that the life of the diocese's greatest chronicler has spanned most of its history since its founding in 1868 -- but don't look to Father McNamara for any grand musings on what it all means.
"I'm not a theorist," he said. "I'm not a philosopher."
What he is is a storyteller, and he's told more stories about the Rochester Diocese than anyone. Indeed, his entire career as a priest could be summed up in the provision of his storytelling gifts to both the diocese and the wider church.
He's the author of The Diocese of Rochester in America: 1868-1993, which itself was an updated version of a history originally released in 1968. He's also the author of a monograph on Catholic preaching in America; a history of his home parish, St. Mary's, Corning; a centennial history of Pontifical North American College in Rome; and his latest book, Good Old Doctor Mac: 1856-1927, a biography of his father.
Father McNamara noted he was born into a prayerful family and that he enjoyed the Sisters of Mercy who taught him.
"Sister Gerard who taught first grade -- she was a dear," he said with a smile.
He added that he felt the call to the priesthood at 14.
"It was one of those convictions that you don't refuse," he said.
Ordained in 1936, Father McNamara taught church history at St. Bernard's Seminary from 1938-81. He has authored numerous parish histories or assisted in generating them. He's served as an associate editor of the Catholic Courier and has been both a frequent contributor to the paper as well as an oft-used source for stories. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the diocesan archives, located at the diocesan Pastoral Center in Gates.
The priest has also served parishes and was priest-in-residence at Irondequoit's St. Thomas the Apostle from 1981-2002. The parish will honor him with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 6 to celebrate his 95th birthday. Every week, the parish bulletin features his "Saints Alive" column, which details the biography of a canonized person. The column may be found at Saints Alive.
Despite his many accomplishments, Father McNamara is quite modest about his role as a priest. He summed up his priestly life simply.
"It's amounted to be what I hoped it would be, what I expected it to be," he said. "I've not been displeased."
Reprinted with permission from the November 2005 monthly edition of the Catholic Courier. Copyright 2005 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. May not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the publisher's consent.
