Fr. Richard Felt, VF

Devotion to sacraments, building community motivate Mesa pastor

By Joyce Coronel | Sept. 17, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

In his four decades as a priest in the Diocese of Phoenix, Fr. Richard Felt, VF, has experienced firsthand the dramatic growth of the Catholic Church in Arizona.

He was ordained a priest in 1969, the year the diocese was created and Ss. Simon and Jude Parish was raised to the status of a cathedral by Pope Paul VI. His first assignment, in fact, was at the Phoenix church.

The story of his priesthood really begins, however, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School during the 1950s. It was while he was an eighth-grade student that the pastor called him into the office — but not because he was in trouble.

The priest told him about Regina Cleri, a minor seminary in Tucson, where boys who were considering the priesthood could study and discern their vocation during their high school years.

“I wonder if you’ve ever thought about being a priest?” the pastor queried him. Certainly he had thought about it. In fact, his parents encouraged this priestly vocation, but as Fr. Felt noted, they didn’t push it.

Out of the four students from St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School who attended Regina Cleri, Fr. Felt was the only one eventually ordained. In fact, of the 50 students in his class, he was ultimately the only one to become a priest.

“I think a lot of young boys think about being a priest and a lot of young girls think of the religious life,” Fr. Felt said, leaning back in his office chair at Holy Cross Parish in Mesa, where he serves as pastor. He’s also dean of the 10 parishes in the East Valley.

Before taking the helm at Holy Cross, Fr. Felt served the people of God at parishes all over the diocese as well as a stint as vocations director.

The mild-mannered priest said he’s often been assigned to a parish in the wake of some difficulty in the community. His steadfast spirit and commitment to rebuilding trust have served to calm the waters in troubled times.

After his first assignment at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral, Fr. Felt went on to minister at several parishes in Mesa, Flagstaff and Glendale.

In 1995, he founded St. Bernadette Parish in Scottsdale, where he served as pastor for 10 years. For the last five years, Fr. Felt has been pastor of Holy Cross Parish, which sits less than a mile from Leisure World, a retirement community in Mesa. About two-thirds of the parish consists of senior citizens.

It was a sizzling hot September day when Fr. Felt sat down with The Catholic Sun for an interview. He strode into the office, a bit behind schedule, explaining that he had been called to a hospice facility where an elderly parishioner lay dying.

Fr. Felt said that his greatest joy in being a parish priest is in these personal encounters of celebrating the sacraments with the faithful. “You could just see the peace the anointing brought to the wife and son,” he said of the morning’s visit. The man would die within the hour, but he and his family had known the presence of God through the hands of Fr. Felt.

One of the most memorable events in his priesthood occurred when he was able to help a couple forgive each other after one partner was unfaithful.

“They moved on and put the marriage back together,” he said.

What are you passionate about as a priest?

The thing I really get into is the community of the Church and trying to build a community of people. To bring the people the sacraments and put them in touch with Christ as a community, as a people. I’ve gone into several situations where the community has been weakened and I’ve gone in and been able to restore a sense of belonging, of people being the body of Christ.

Did someone — a priest or relative or someone else — invite you to consider the priesthood?

My pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle did. My mom and dad encouraged but didn’t push. Mom was Catholic and Dad was a Lutheran who became Catholic. I think my mother thought of becoming a sister herself.

What do you think Catholics, especially families, can do to encourage more vocations to the priesthood?

I think to pray and to be going to Mass. The parents can encourage the children — the parents can be a big influence. Get involved in a ministry at the parish. When I was a kid, my mom used to visit people in rest homes. It really helped me to see we have to be thinking of other people. If the parents and family are involved, that makes a deep impression on a child, [who thinks,] “Maybe I could be doing more of this.” Families that are involved in ministry, that is often where vocations come from.