The Demon in charge of automobiles determined that I should be walking this weekend and thus I dropped by St Olaf's parish for Mass yesterday. Fortuitously, as a memorial to their longtime former pastor, Monsignor Frank Fleming who died last week, they had reprinted a booklet of many of his bulletin comments and observations that his family had created upon the occasion of his retirement in 1992. The curmudgeonly pastor was much loved and respected for his abilities and is still fondly remembered. I was a member of the parish in the mid 1980s.
In paging through the 44 page booklet, I came across probably the only church bulletin announcement that I ever have had cause to remember, even after all these years. It was a reference to another Minneapolis pastor whose name still regularly comes up, although not always with the feelings of love and respect such as are held for Monsignor Fleming. Father Harvey Egan, the long time pastor of St Joan of Arc parish, the man who created its infamous "gym Mass." Father Egan died earlier this Summer and I attended the somewhat controversial memorial service for him at St Joan's, having been an attendee at St Joan's for the last few years of his residence there.
I wasn't always comfortable with what was occurring at St Joan's, but as I was in the early years of my reversion to the Church after having been away for 23 years, I didn't immediately feel impelled to go elsewhere. But between going to Mass with my parents occasionally and other church shopping expeditions, I was generally aware of how the Novus Ordo Mass was to be celebrated and I sensed that St Joan's was beginning to cross a line that was hard for me to locate. But it still was a Mass, I thought.
But there was something attractive about the welcoming feeling of the parish community, something not often seen in Catholic parishes, the social justice sermons being preached and the vibrancy of the folks nearby in the pews. The lay preachers seemed wrong, but Father Egan always observed the letter of the law by preceding them with three or four minute mini-sermon that did indeed have a strong message delivered to the congregation.
A few weeks after Father Egan's retirement, I sensed that the new pastor was charging ahead, breaking new liturgical ground and I decided that St Joan's was no place for me.
A few weeks later, my decision was somewhat confirmed when I noticed a couple of announcements by Father Fleming in the St Olaf parish bulletin relating to the retirement of Father Egan. One paragraph in particular sums up more than anything else what St Joan's as a parish is all about. And why maybe we need St Joan's. With improvements, of course.
A Friend Retires June 1, 1986
Father Harvey Egan has resigned his pastorate and is entering retirement after spending 18 Fat years as pastor of Saint Joan of Arc parish. As a priest with high profile, strong liberal views, vigorously articulated, the announcement of his retirement will be greeted in the local church with both regrets and alleluias.
To refer to him as not of the common mold is to make the understatement of the century. All his life, Father Egan has challenged authority. He is a skilled infuriator, a fountainhead of contradictions, not the least of which is ruling his liberally-oriented parish with an iron hand. He is hard-working, meticulously clean, bright, well-read, unbelievably imaginative, uproariously funny. His lightning tongue, facile pen, love of the horses and flair for the arts adds to the excitement that surrounds him.
While his theology is wild, his faith is deep and forty-five years of commitment to priesthood speaks for itself.
One of his many contributions as pastor of Saint Joan is offering many troubled souls a last port of call before leaving the church. They came, they saw, they sang, they clapped, they swung, they swayed, they prayed and they stayed.
I’ve known Harvey for over fifty years and while our relationship has been off-again, on-again stormy, bridges have always been repaired and I’m honored to claim him as a friend.
The edited down version of his farewell article to Saint Joan of Arc worshipers carried on the following pages, reflects, among other things, the color of his character and his delightful gift of being able to laugh at himself.
Father Egan is retiring.
Almost.
Wherever he goes, people will get mad, sparks will fly, excitement will prevail. To quote another colorful priest of years gone by, “It’s a great church that holds us all.”
Another Letter June 8, 1986
Frankie:
Everything you wrote about me is true.
Everything you have ever said is true.
Kindly register me at Saint Olaf.
And send envelopes.
Love, Harvey
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