Bishop Reilly loves being a priest, being with the people, being part of the family of God. And the “family” members he lives around love having him in their home – Southgate at Shrewsbury. Looking toward his 70th anniversary of priestly ordination in a couple months, he reminisced with The Catholic Free Press about his life as a priest, and now as a retired bishop. And his fellow retirees and Bishop McManus praised him. Bishop McManus is also celebrating a special jubilee this year, having been ordained a priest 45 years ago in May. But he focused on Bishop Reilly. Both reared in the Diocese of Providence, they met before either of them were bishops. Bishop McManus said he thought the first time was when he was in high school seminary and the then Msgr. Reilly visited the class and shook hands with the men individually. Later, at various ceremonies, he would see Msgr. Reilly, who worked closely with Bishop Russell J. McVinney, head of the Providence diocese. Bishop McManus ended up working closely with another Bishop of Providence – Bishop Louis E. Gelineau – sometimes as a driver, so he would see Bishop Reilly at bishops’ celebrations, he said. As a bishop himself, Bishop McManus has found Bishop Reilly “a tremendous support,” and a good example of how a bishop should be. “I’m delighted the bishop is at Southgate with other priests,” Bishop McManus said. “I wish him congratulations on this extraordinary jubilee … and prayerful best wishes. Ad multos gloriosque annos (To many glorious years).”
Bishop Reilly reflected on the years past. “I enjoyed every year of my priesthood,” he said. “It wasn’t a hard life at all. … It was a great life. We loved being priests.” What did he love most about being a priest? “First of all, being able to say Mass. … People respected you” for your power to hear confessions and anoint them. “It was a very warm kind of relationship – the priest and bishop and his people.” People wanted the priest to visit them in the hospital or at home, he said; “you would hear about it and you would go.” Priests also made scheduled home visits. “In those days you had parish visitation,” Bishop Reilly said of his days as a curate. Priests would announce at Sunday Mass which neighborhoods they would be visiting. “It was not easy for the families,” the bishop recalled. “It was very important to them, and they wanted everything to be just right. “I enjoyed it very much, having a nice conversation,” Bishop Reilly said. “People had such a respect for the priests. … They were so happy to be with you, wishing the best for you. … It certainly was a way for their faith to grow stronger, and they certainly appreciated it, as did the priest. It made the parish more like family. “I pray to God every day that that wonderful spirit will continue, and the Church will continue to grow stronger, in spite of the difficult days that we live in,” the bishop said. How does he stay involved with the diocese, now that he’s retired and resides in Southgate’s assisted living section? “I have a lot of people from the diocese who visit me,” he replied. “A lot live here.” He sees people he knew before moving there and meets new ones. “People who didn’t know me – it didn’t take them long to get to know me,” he said. “We’re all part of the same family.” “He lives across the hall from me,” said Southgate resident Mary Duffy. “I never knew him before.” She said she visits him frequently, bringing him a little treat. “He’s happy to see you,” she said. “He loves people. … You feel comfortable when you’re there. He’s a very, very kind, gentle person. I can’t say enough nice things about him. And everybody here feels the same way. … He has a lot of people that go in just to say ‘Hi.’” “He’s so happy to be here,” said Father David B. Galonek, a Southgate resident who has been dubbed “pastor” there. “He sings in the corridor. He’s happy to be with the priests here, especially when we eat together. … He participates in some of the activities. … He loves to meet the people.” “He’s a joy,” said Father Charles J. Dumphy, another Southgate resident. “We’ve been blessed with the priests that we have,” and the bishops. “I’m hanging around with the bishop now.” Msgr. Richard E. Collette, who also lives at Southgate, said another resident told him that her parish had three priests, so she felt protected. At Southgate, she feels even more protected, with a bishop, two monsignors and several other priests living there. Southgate residents are very happy to have Bishop Reilly there, Msgr. Collette said. “In knowing him since he moved here, I have never met a more pleasant resident than he,” said resident John Talbot. “He has a smile all the time and he is most thankful for anything one does for him.” “We see him at Mass every day,” said Maureen Bouvier. She and her husband, Jack, are lectors and extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist at Masses at Southgate, where they live. She said Bishop Reilly gives lectors a smile and thumbs up sign after they read. Catholics – and others at Southgate – “are very, very blessed that we have him here and he’s part of the community,” she said. She recalled encountering him in the broader community shortly after he became bishop of the Worcester Diocese. She and her husband were eating at a restaurant in Worcester when the bishop and those with him came out from another part of the restaurant. At every table, he stopped and introduced himself as the new bishop of Worcester, she said. “That was so, so nice,” Mrs. Bouvier said. “His smile is his gift.” Bishop Reilly still tries to be part of the wider community. “If we have diocesan events I like to be part of them,” he said. If he can get to something that is “very important to the diocese” he goes – “to show my interest and that I’m part of the family.”
PHOTO Tanya Connor | CFP Bishop Reilly and Father David B. Galonek greet each other after Mass at Southgate.