Supporting our retired priests

By Bill Doyle 

CFP Correspondent 

Father Richard A. Jakubauskas, 77, moved to the independent living section of Southgate in Shrewsbury in October after serving as a priest for 21 years. Heart and breathing issues forced him to retire.  

Father Jakubauskas said the priests at Southgate have various health issues. Some use wheelchairs, some have vision problems and several have memory difficulties. He’s one of the few priests healthy enough to celebrate Mass at Southgate.  

“There is a need for support for these guys,” Father Jakubauskas said, “because like our Lord said, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”  

Southgate is a nice facility, but Father Jakubauskas insisted that life is difficult for the retired priests.  

“It’s not like an easy ride up here, like you’re living in a hotel or something like that,” he said. “I think there’s a stereotype with some people who’ve been here and they see how beautiful it is and they think it’s like a hotel here, but it’s not. It’s a grind for all the priests who are here because they’re pretty sickly.  

“One of my great joys,” Bishop McManus said in a letter to the faithful, “is to work with so many dedicated priests who have served you and our diocese faithfully throughout their lives. One of my weighty responsibilities is to care for them in their old age.”  

His letter to the faithful asks for support for the new Ash Wednesday Collection that will assist the retired priests. 

Father Jakubauskas served at St. Cecilia Parish in Leominster, St. Casimir Parish in Worcester, Our Lady Immaculate and St. Francis of Assisi parishes in Athol, St. Peter Parish in Petersham, St. John Parish in Worcester and most recently St. Joseph Parish in North Brookfield and St. John the Baptist Parish in East Brookfield.  

“It was such a great privilege because you’re helping people understand who God is,” he said, “and bringing order into their lives. Some hope, joy and happiness. As a priest, you’re like a bridge to God.”  

Father Jakubauskas always knew where to look for inspiration.  

“Who wouldn’t want to work for God? He’s the best boss you could ever have.”  

Father Paul T. O’Connell, 86, retired in 2010 after spending 50 years as a full-time priest, but he still celebrates about eight Masses a month and an occasional funeral as a senior priest at St. Anne Parish in Shrewsbury.  

“I’m retired,” he said, “but I’m just doing what I can do for the diocese and I prefer to live in a parish. I prefer to be connected to an active community of Catholics.” 

Father O’Connell has touched a lot of lives. He estimated he’s officiated at 500 weddings, 1,000 baptisms and 1,000 funerals. He also ran the marriage tribunal for the diocese for 25 years, helped start the Pre-Cana program for couples preparing to be married, opened the Office of Marriage and Family, and formed support groups for divorced and separated Catholics. Then he served as pastor at Christ the King Parish in Worcester for 12 years and at St. Mary Parish in Shrewsbury for 13. He still helps out at the tribunal once a week as associate judicial vicar so he doesn’t think of himself as retired. 

“But my bones tell me different,” he said.  

Father O’Connell, who lives on a small pension and Social Security, said he appreciates whatever help the people of the diocese can provide. 

According to Bishop McManus, there are currently 50 retired priests and in the next nine years 42 others will reach the retirement age of 75. Current annual costs for supporting retired priests run between $2.2 million - $2.6 million, he said, and deficits up to $374,000 per year are projected through 2031. A committee studying the retirement issue has made recommendations for dealing with the costs.  

– The Priests’ Retirement Report can be found at worcesterdiocese.org


LETTER FROM BISHOP MCMANUS