The Passing of Father Jim

In Miscellany on 18 November 2009 with no comments

I know it’s stu­pid to think, “But I just saw him!” when you hear that some­one has died.

But it was my response. I just saw Father Jim on Friday.

I just received an email that the pas­tor of my daughter’s school passed away unex­pect­edly dur­ing the night. He was found dead this morning.

I didn’t know him. I’m not a Catholic and never attended Mass with him. In fact, I would never have known who he was at all except that I was at school with my daugh­ter last Friday, stand­ing the park­ing lot, when Father Jim walked by. My daugh­ter smiled and waved to him. “Hi, Father Jim!” she called. He grinned and waved back.

He wasn’t old. Maybe in his 60s? I can’t be sure.

It just doesn’t seem right.

I know that see­ing some­one on Friday doesn’t stop them from dying in their sleep on Wednesday. But it sure feels like it should.

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