Old Friends

      I was a Simon and Garfunkel fan in my early days.  I loved their music, attended a concert in Pittsburgh centuries ago and whenever their Concert in the Park from New York is shown on tv, I watch with great nostalgia, singing along to the tunes.
     One of the little ditties that they did was a quiet, sentimental, reflective song entitled "Old Friends/Bookends".  Some of the lyrics are: "Old friends ... sat on their park bench like bookends ... Can you imagine us years from today sharing a park bench quietly?  How terribly strange to be seventy ... old friends ... memory brushes the same years ... silently sharing the same fear ... time it was, and what a time it was ... it was a time of innocence ... a time of consequences ... long ago ... it must be ... I have a photograph ... preserve your memories, they're all that's left you."  As the years go by, this sad little song speaks to my heart.

    A number of years ago a few of us who had attended Saint Francis Seminary in Loretto, Pennsylvania and had continued to keep in touch decided to gather a few times a year for lunch and sharing old times.  We would go to a restaurant and spend an afternoon in fellowship.  When one of us came down with ALS, we gathered at his rectory.  The picture above is of one of those gatherings.  These "old friends" included Father Dennis Colamarino in the bright yellow shirt, behind him John Prosperi, Fathers Albie Schempp, Dave Schorr, Joe Mele, Chet Raimer and myself.  We met at Dennis' rectory and enjoyed our friendship, good food, many memories and the joy of ministry.

     David Schorr, pastor of Resurrection in West Mifflin, passed away unexpectedly in October of 2014 ... Dennis Colamarino, pastor of Christ the Light in Duquesne, passed away in March of 2015 after a long two year battle with ALS that never kept him down ... and just last Wednesday, on July 11th, Chester Raimer, retired pastor of Saints Simon & Jude in Blairsville died after a brief illness.   These three, and the remaining four of us, were the "old friends" of the Simon and Garfunkel tune, with one notable exception to the lyrics - the song says "preserve your memories, they're all that's left you."  We have our memories, but we also have that love and affection of old friends who know and are loved by a merciful and generous God.

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     When I retired last July and moved into the Neumann House retirement residence for priests, Chet and I anticipated spending much time on our "park bench" like bookends, sharing our retirement together.  He took a serious turn in his health in September and moved to Saint Anne Home in Greensburg, where he resided until his peaceful death on July 11th.  He was ready to go home to the Lord.

     Chet was born on May 4, 1944 ... ordained a priest on May 4, 1974 ... and entered into glory on July 11, 2018.  He served as a priest in the Greensburg Diocese for forty-four years and touch countless lives with his love and compassion, generous spirit and his smile and laughter.

     We were friend since college seminary in the mid sixties, ministering together, vacationing together, and journeying together.  He is a great friend and brother.

    His funeral liturgy was wonderful and the remaining four of us from the above picture prayed for, toasted and remembered the good times with Chet, and realized "how terribly strange it was to be seventy".  Where has the time gone?  It was a time of innocence ... a time of consequences.

    May the Lord embrace his friend, my friend, our friend,  Chester, with tender love and compassion and bring him peace and joy.