A familiar face throughout the years at the annual IRL National Meeting has been Fr. Joseph Presley, IC, a member of the Institute on Charity, more commonly known as the Rosminians. Recently we and many others received a letter from Father that was both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

Father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease about six years ago. Over the years, it has slowly limited his activities but until recently, he has always been able to celebrate the Mass with assistance. Now, he believes he should stop celebrating the Mass on Sundays because he does not know if he will always be able to finish. As he says, “That would mean that some people might not be able to fulfill their grave obligation to to hear Mass on Sunday.”

Father can only see the ground in front of him as he walks, perhaps, he says, emblematic of the imagery in Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman’s famous poem Lead Kindly Light.

“Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see, The distant scene—one step enough for me.

At the conclusion of the letter, he included an excerpt from a letter his brother had written to him a couple months ago. It is worth keeping as consolation to us all when faced with debilitating situations.

Father Joseph, I know that perhaps there is not much I can do for you now, but I know that (my wife) and I think of you often and offer many prayers for you in your ministry and for great strengthening in Faith, Hope and Charity. I recall as one of my finest memories, the Mass you said the day after your first Mass. It was at a nursing home next door to Rosmini House in Peoria and there were half a dozen or so aged nuns who participated in the celebration. I remember how physically broken down they were, some could not even hold their heads up…I remember your words of encouragement to them that after a lifetime of serving others and now finding themselves unable to serve any more and to require others to now serve their needs, it would be easy to become discouraged…but that now they were free to do their finest work of charity: to pray without ceasing for the conversion of sinners. I remind you of this as a way of encouragement and knowledge that your suffering is not in vain: that sinners are watching you and that your response to suffering is a powerful witness and impetus toward conversion.

Please pray for this dear, humble priest, a true reflection of the Fatherhood of Jesus.

“I dearly love each and every one of you,” wrote Father Joseph, “and my one desire for each of you is to see you in Heaven.”