Bishop emeritus David Monroe looks through his busy agenda in his Vancouver apartment. Retired archdiocesan priests like him benefit from the St. Joseph's Society collection Feb. 17-18. (Photos by Agnieszka Krawczynski / The B.C. Catholic)
VANCOUVER—Bishop Emeritus David Monroe has hardly slowed down since his retirement almost two years ago.
“I’ve never stopped being a priest,” said the former shepherd of Kamloops. After his 75th birthday, Bishop Monroe moved into the St. Joseph's Residence for retired priests in the John Paul II Pastoral Centre.
But some days he can be nearly as busy as he was when he was the bishop of Kamloops, offering as many as three Masses a day, baptizing, confirming, leading retreats, giving lectures, and answering calls at any hour of the day or night to visit the hospital down the street.
“There’s a lot of different things, because it’s what I’m asked to do,” said Bishop Monroe.
The biggest demands on his time are requests to fill in for local pastors while they are ill or travelling. When he’s called upon, Bishop Monroe celebrates all Masses and other ceremonies, visits schools, and sits in on meetings with parish groups. These assignments can last for a few days, weeks, or even months.
“While you’re doing that, you could be asked to go to another parish where something is taking place,” he said. For example, he currently celebrates Masses with the Missionaries of Charity at their downtown convent once a week.
Bishop Monroe is also a chaplain on call for B.C. Women’s and Children’s Hospital. He’s taken calls as early as 2 a.m. to rush to the hospital to comfort a family or baptize a very ill child.
Since retirement, Bishop Monroe has also given talks to catechists, ecumenical leaders, and artists, and on occasion celebrates Mass for the deaf.
Between all that pastoral work, he can also be found visiting friends and former parishioners, creating journals about his pilgrimages and work as a bishop, and developing an interest in learning about the history of Vancouver. “It’s being available,” he said.
A special collection for the St. Joseph’s Society coming up Feb. 17 and 18 helps ensure retired priests like Bishop Monroe, as well as ill or disabled priests, are taken care of.
Retired pastor Father Jim Comey is grateful he is “able to have an active part-time ministry and live in an apartment without any financial worries because of the St. Joseph’s Society.”
Nearly three years ago, Father Comey was forced to retire at age 72 due to a minor stroke and knee trouble. Now, the St. Joseph’s Society gives him a modest allowance to complement his government pension.
Lifting that financial burden gives the former rector of Holy Rosary Cathedral more freedom to serve the Church. Since retirement he has filled in for priests on sick leave or holiday, celebrated Masses, heard confessions, held retreats for Catholic teachers and parish groups, and visited the sick in hospitals and nursing homes.
“Not having the administrative duties of a parish has been a real blessing to me because I have more time for prayer and sacramental ministry,” he said. “I have the opportunity to reconnect with former parishioners, couples I have married, and former students of schools where I have ministered over the last 47 years.”
He’s an enthusiastic supporter of the collection. “Generous contributions are more necessary than ever because a large number of us diocesan priests are in our senior years,” while more are on the verge of retirement.
There are currently 22 retired priests in the Archdiocese of Vancouver receiving monthly help from the St. Joseph's Society.