Well, this is my farewell reflection / thought as we end the last week of June. Of course, as I am packing the boxes; and, like Philip (cf. Acts 8:26-40), I let the Spirit lead me. I (in the back of my mind) keep hearing the famous quote ( from an old army ballad) of Gen Douglas MacArthur reminding Congress in 1951: “’Old soldiers never die--they just fade away.” So, allow me to decrease as now Fr. Larry Regynski (the newly assigned pastor of St. Joseph Parish of Wessington Springs) must increase.
Allow me to introduce to you: Father Larry Regynski
My hometown is Woonsocket, South Dakota. I went to nursing school and when I graduated I worked as a registered nurse at a long-term care facility in Woonsocket. I loved nursing: taking care of residents, their families, and the camaraderie I had with all the nursing staff. We were a great team.
I see my priesthood as an extension of what I did as a nurse. It’s all about serving God and neighbor. (Nurses do that every day, too!) I was inspired to become a priest by another priest, Fr. Rudy Roxas, who was the chaplain at the college I went to at the time. He was one the happiest, smartest, funniest, and most compassionate priests I have ever known. His personal example inspired me to look closer at becoming a priest.
After working for a couple years as a nurse, I entered seminary to see if it was something I could do the rest of my life. After I went to seminary, it reconfirmed God’s call to serve him as a priest. I kept working as a nurse during the summer months of my seminary years, but I finally had to turn in the stethoscope when I was ordained. I still have my nursing license on inactive status.
I have been a priest (now going onto for 28 years). It has been a joy to get to know so many people and be a part of so many lives, both in joy and sorrow.
Please keep Fr. Larry, Fr. Terry (and all who minister to your community) in your prayers. May God Bless all of you.