Last week in my letter I wrote of the Jesuit who made the greatest impact on me in spiritual formation, John McAnulty. This week I present the Jesuit who mentored me in my pastoral ministry, Bob Curry.

Bob and I met in the summer of 1983 at the Institute of Jesuits in Parish Ministry in Santa Clara. At the time Bob was the pastor of Old St. Joe’s in Philadelphia, founded in 1737 and located very close to Independence Hall. I had just been named pastor of Christ the King in San Diego, a poor inner city parish with a mixed congregation: black, white, Hispanic. After the conference I went to another conference and then took my vacation. When I returned to my office some three weeks later, filled with much anxiety, I clearly remember seeing one of those pink “while you were out of the office” memos on the top of the stack of mail. It was from Bob welcoming me to my first day as pastor and extending a hand of help and guidance. I took him up on his offer. I was so glad I did.