Saturday, November 2, 2013

Who Knew that our Former Pastor Was Famous?


Who knew that Father Brady Williams, SOLT, former pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish in Phoenix, was, well, actually famous?

Apparently, the 5th through 8th graders at Most Holy Trinity Catholic School knew. 

The SOLT Community was well aware that Father Brady was recently appointed to be the new General Secretary to the General Priest Servant, which required him to leave Phoenix and relocate to the Generalate’s headquarters in Corpus Christi. 

We also knew that he was not only the former pastor of one of the largest and most diverse parishes in Phoenix, with 7 weekend Masses, an elementary school, an active youth ministry project and center, and 24 Hour Adoration Chapel, but that he was a gourmet cook, gardener, golfer, runner, pianist, comedian, and (limited) actor. He was also a scholar and former Rector for the 15 SOLT seminarians attending Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.

But famous?

Listen to what the teacher of the 5th through 8th grade students at Most Holy Trinity, Sr. Mary Claire of the Holy Family Strasser , SOLT, had to say:

“When Father Brady heard I was teaching about latitude and longitude, we came up with a project where Father could keep in touch with the kids when he journeyed to the Philippines for the recent ordinations. Father Brady has a twitter account where he posted about his travels and his current location. 

“The students would find his location (latitude and longitude) and discuss what they were observing.  It was a great little interactive learning project to keep them connected with Father, their old pastor, who they think is famous and to see SOLT’s missions. I heard one student tell her mom:  ‘Father Brady is spreading the Good News in Asia!’

“Father also posted pictures of his subsequent visit to the SOLT missions in Thailand and China, where we even Skyped with him. The kids had some great comments afterwards. ‘I didn't realize there were so few Catholics in Thailand. We need to spread the Gospel more over there’, one said. Another observed: ‘You always hear about prophets, but it is rare that you ever know them.’"  

Where will the famous Father Brady be off to next?

For now, Father Brady is back at his office work in Corpus Christi, as SOLT prepares for another 4 priestly ordinations on January 24 in Corpus Christi, besides the recent ordinations on September 28 in the Philippines. Keep in touch for further Father Brady sightings from the SOLT community and Sr. Mary Claire and her wonderful students at Most Holy Trinity Catholic School!