Retired priests at Nazareth Village grateful for support from Diocesan Ministries Appeal

FATHER LANCELOT REIS

CHESTER  Every day at Nazareth Village here, stories of the priesthood are recalled — the baptisms and weddings celebrated, the memories of serving the people at a parish and the difficult times of being there for families who lost a loved one. These stories are shared by a group of priests who have lived them.

The conversations take place among retired priests every day around the table at a home-cooked meal at Nazareth Village, the diocesan priests’ retirement residence, here. This one-of-a-kind residence that these priests call home, allows them to live in fraternity with their brother priests and at the same time serve faithfully at parishes to celebrate Masses on weekends or take part in diocesan events in their retirement years.

Guided by the Diocesan Minis­tries Appeal’s theme, “Let Your Light Shine,” Nazareth Village is one of the ministries supported by the 2021 Appeal, which will also support diocesan Catholic Charities, Catholic elementary schools in inner-city areas and seminarian education. Parishes will also benefit through the appeal’s rebate program.

Father Lancelot Reis, who served previously as pastor of St. Virgil Parish in Morris Plains, has been living at Nazareth Village since 2019, when he retired. The 77-year-old priest said about living in Nazareth Village, “I have very comfortable accommodations here at Nazareth. I have a living room, office, and have a prayer space. I am able to find a space for prayer and spiritual reading.”

He was ordained to the priesthood on July 16, 1967 for the Pallotine order in Augusburg, Germany. He spent 18 years working in schools and seminaries in the Diocese of Raipur and Archdiocese of Nagpur in central India and their missions to the area’s tribal people. He came to the U.S. on a sabbatical in 1986, first to study at the Washington Theological Union and then at Seton Hall University, South Orange. He served at St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, Chester, and he was incardinated as a priest of the Paterson Diocese in 1998. He was also pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Haskell.

Father Reis stays busy serving at many parishes around the Diocese. Every Monday at 12:10 p.m., he celebrates Mass at St. Virgil Parish. He also often celebrates Mass at Our Lady of Fatima in Highland Lakes and at Heath Village, an independent living community in Hackettstown. He is also called upon to celebrate life’s milestones — baptisms and weddings for the faithful. Currently Father Reis is moderating a Bible study at St. Lawrence Parish.

With his brother priests at Nazareth Village, a common conversation is about the parishes they previously served. “We always think about the parishes we served and often happy to see they are flourishing,” said Father Reis.

Each priest-resident at Nazareth has a sitting room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette. In addition, common rooms include a recreation room, library, refectory, TV room, parlors, laundry, physical therapy room, and exercise room. The priests are charged a portion of their monthly pension as rent. Nazareth Village is under the direction of the diocesan Office of Clergy Personnel.

Father Reis told The Beacon, “The staff here are very generous with their time. When a priest is sick, they will immediately be there to help and go beyond the call of duty. We appreciate what the staff does for us.”

The cornerstone and heart of Nazareth Village is its chapel — Our Lady, Mother of Priests Chapel — allowing priests to celebrate Mass when they are not helping out in area parishes.

There are a number of ways to give to the Appeal that will make a difference in people’s lives. Donors can make one-time gifts or gifts of pledges over several months. Credit card contribution can be made, as well as online gifts, at 2021appeal.org.

Father Reis said, “I am always grateful that people care about the Diocese. We are grateful to those who support the Appeal because it is a sign of how grateful they are for the priests who have served them. The Appeal does so much good from supporting seminarians, our schoolchildren and also supporting the charitable works that the diocese does through Catholic Charities. We thank all for their support.”

[To support the Diocesan Ministries Appeal,
go to www.2021appeal.org]