Rev. Raymond N. Suriani
25th Anniversary
Homily by Rev. Francis J. Giudice
1957 WAS A SIGNIFICANT YEAR: RUSSIANS LANDED SPUTNIK ON THE MOON…, WESTERLY WON THE THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL GAME (14-9)..., and RAYMOND NICHOLAS SURIANI WAS BORN TO LOUIS & DOLORES SURIANI IN THE LITTLE TOWN OF BARRINGTON, RI.
1962 WAS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT YEAR—WHEN I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE LITTLE PARISH OF HOLY ANGELS IN THE LITTLE TOWN OF BARRINGTON, AND, INTRODUCTED TO RAYMOND AS A CANDIDATE FOR ALTAR SERVER. MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF LITTLE RAYMOND HAD TO BE A POSITIVE ONE, SINCE I HAD A HIGH REGARD FOR HIS PARENTS, BOTH OF WHOM WERE GENEROUS VOLUNTEERS IN THE PARISH: LOUIS WAS A TALENTED “MR. FIXIT”, WHO COULD REPAIR OR REPLACE ALMOST ANY BROKEN ITEM… IN HIS SPARE TIME. DOLORES WAS THE FIRST RECEPTIONIST-SECRETARY- COLLECTION COUNTER-SANDWICHMAKER—AND LATER, SHE EVEN COUNSELED PARISHIONERS IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PASTOR.
SO, I ASSUMED THAT WITH THESE OUTSTANDING CATHOLIC GENES, RAYMOND WOULD EXCEL AS WELL. HIS YOUNGER SISTER, DONNA, WAS MY GOOD INFORMANT WHEN HE DIDN’T EXCEL AT HOME. PREDICTABLY, HE DID TURN OUT TO BE A REGULAR PARISH VOLUNTEER FOR MANY YEARS, EVEN AS A COLLEGIAN AT PROVIDENCE COLLEGE, DOING HIS BEST SERVICE TO THE PARISH AS A RELIGIOUS ED TEACHER, HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE PREPARE FOR THE RECEPTION OF SACRAMENTS.
IN THE YEARS AFTER I WAS REASSIGNED FROM HOLY ANGELS PARISH, I ALWAYS HAD TIME TO RETURN THERE FOR A VISIT WITH THE PASTOR AND A ROUND OF GOLF AND A GOOD ITALIAN DINNER – AND OFTEN TOOK THE OCCASION TO CHAT WITH RAYMOND, NOW A COLLEGE GRADUATE. I LEARNED THAT HE WAS TAKING THEOLOGY COURSES IN CANADA.
ONE DAY, I REMEMBER ASKING HIM HOW OLD HE WAS…AND HE REPLIED: “25” AND, THEN, I FELT THE SUDDEN URGE TO NEEDLE HIM…”AND, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? (STRONG EMPHASIS ON THE LAST TWO WORD)…, HE RESPONDED, HESITENTLY, “OH, MAYBE A LAY THEOLOGIAN…”AGAIN, I HAD THE STRONGER URGE (WHICH I’M SURE, CAME FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT) TO INSULT HIM, SAYING: “OH, WE NEED A LOT OF LAY THEOLOGIANS …OF COURSE, WE DO NEED PRIESTS – BUT YOU WOULDN’T AIM THAT HIGH – YOU PROBABLY COULDN’T MAKE IT AS A PRIEST, ANYWAY.”… I HELD MY BREATH… NOT KNOWING WHAT REACTION WOULD COME..; AND SURPRISINGLY, A CALM DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE REVEALING THAT HE HAD THOUGHT ABOUT A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD, BUT WAS HESITANT ABOUT THE DIRECTION TO TAKE. I TOOK THAT AS AN INVITATION FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GIVE DIRECTION IN ANSWER TO ANY QUESTIONS HE POSED. AND AS HE SEEMED RECEPTIVE TO MY ANSWERS, I FELT THE THRILL OF A FISHERMAN, LANDING A BIG FISH! WITHIN A SHORT TIME, HE HAD DECIDED TO APPLY FOR THE DIOCESAN PRIESTHOOD. AND I LEARNED AGAIN THE MEANING OF THE PHRASE: “THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKS IN STRANGE AND WONDERFUL WAYS”.
HE WAS ACCEPTED AS A CANDIDATE THE FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER AND SENT TO PURSUE THEOLOGICAL STUDIES AT ST. JOHN’S SEMINARY IN BRIGHTON, MASS. AFTER FOUR YEARS STUDYING PHILOSOPHY, THEOLOGY (HIS FAVOITE SUBJECT), SACRED SCRIPTURE, CAN0N LAW AND RELATED PASTORAL DISCIPLINES, HE WAS READY TO RETURN FOR ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD AT THE CATHEDRAL OFF SS. PETER & PAUL, WHERE, INCIDENTALLY, I WAS RECTOR FOR 21 YEARS. (I WAS SO PROUD TO HOST HIS PRIESTLY ORDINATION THERE!!)
THE DATE OF HIS ORDINATION WAS SIGNIFICANT IN THAT YEAR OF 1985; OCTOBER 12, THE DAY HONORING CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, DISCOVERER OF THE NEW WORLD. THAT DAY WE WELCOMED FATHER RAYMOND SURIANI INTO THE NEW WORLD OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. AFTER THE ORDINATION, HE GAVE ME A “LOOK…” WHICH I INERPRETED AS: AND YOU SAID I COULDN’T MAKE IT! (I’LL NEVER LIVE THAT ONE DOWN).
THE DAY OF HIS FIRST SOLEMN MASS IN THE LITTLE TOWN OF BARRINGTON UNLEASHED TORRENTS OF JOY AT THE RETURN OF THE FIRST NATIVE SON OF THE PARISH AS A PRIEST. HIS FAMILY, ESPECIALLY HIS AGED GRANDPARENTS, WHO HAD LIVED IN THE PARISH FOR OVER 50 YEARS, WERE MOVED TO THANKFUL TEARS OF JOY…
I REMEMBER PREACHING THE HOMILY THAT DAY, EMPHASING HOW GOOD GOD WAS TO GIVE US THE GIFT OF THE PRIESTHOOD, COMMISSIONING SERVANT LEADERS, TO ACT IN THE NAME AND PERSON OF HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST. IN THE PRIESTHOOD IT SEEMS JESUS FINDS A WAY TO WALK AMONG US ONCE AGAIN: NOW, IN A CLEAR SACRAMENTAL SIGN OF HIS PRESENCE, AND A PERMANENT REMINDER OF HIS PROMISE TO REMAIN WITH US UNTIL THE END OF TIME.
FATHER RAY’S FIRST PARISH ASSIGNMENT WAS AT ST. FRANCIS DE SALES PARISH IN NORTH KINGSTOWN, WHERE HE READILY ENGULFED HIMSELF IN THE BUSY PARISH MINISTRY. I TOOK THE LIBERTY TO INQUIRE A COUPLE OF PARISHIONERS THERE TO GET THEIR ASSESSMENT OF HIS SERVICE THERE. I LEARNED THAT HE WAS “A GOOD FIT” FOR THE PARISH, EXPECIALLY WITH THE MANY YOUNGER PARISHIONERS. HE ENJOYED BEING THERE SO MUCH THAT HE WAS CONTENT TO STAY THERE FOR A LONG TIME…AND WHEN, AFTER ONLY TWO YEARS THERE, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO – OF ALL PLACES – ST. PIUS X PARISH IN WESTERLY. HE DID NOT RECEIVE THE NEWS WITH ENTHUSISM AT THE TIME – BUT I TOLD HIM HE WAS LUCKY TO BE COMING TO MY HOME TOWN AND HE’D LEARN TO REALLY LIKE IT THERE, AND SO, HE BEGAN HIS MINISTRY HERE, FIRST, AS ASSOCIATE TO FATHER JOSEPH BESSE FOR TWO YEARS, AND THEN WITH FATHER LAWRENCE TOOLE FOR FIVE MORE YEARS. AND FINALLY AFTER BEING ORDAINED ONLY ELEVEN YEARS HE WAS ELEVATED TO PASTOR, WITH FULL ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY HERE AT ST PIUS X PARISH.
NOW AT THIS POINT, MY OWN EXPERIENCE AS ADMINISTRATOR, PASTOR AND TEACHER INCLINES ME TO GRADE HIM ON HIS PERFORMANCE AS PASTOR, BY USING THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE U.S. CATHOLIC BISHOPS COMMITTEE ON PASTORAL MINISTRY. THEY IDENTIFY FOUR MAJOR CATEGORIES: THE PASTOR AS PROCLAIMER OF GOD’S WORD, AS LEADER, AS COMMUNITY BUILDER AND PASTOR AS STEWARD OF PARISH RESOURCES… IN EACH CATEGORY I WILL ASSIGN A GRADE FOR PERFORMANCE: “EXCELLENT”, VERY GOOD, GOOD ENOUGH, FAIR AND “NO COMMENT”.
FIRST, THE PASTOR AS PROCLAIMER OF GOD’S WORD:
THE BISHOPS’ COMMITTEE SITUATES THE PASTOR AS SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE PARISH AND ALSO STRESSES REVERENT PREPARATION OF HOMILIES, SPIRITUAL RENEWAL, RENEWAL PROGRAMS, AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION.
IN THIS CATEGORY, I WOULD GIVE HIM AN “EXCELLENT” RATING WITH AN ASTERISK, NOTING THAT SOME THINK HIS HOMILIES TEND TO BE A LITTLE LONG – AND AT TIMES SPILL OVER ON THE OPINION PAGE OF THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER.
SECOND: THE PASTOR AS LEADER OF WORSHIP:
IN THIS CATEGORY, THE BISHOPS’ COMMITTEE STRESSES HIS ROLE AS PRESIDER AT THE EUCHARIST, WHO DOES CAREFUL PLANNING AND TRAINING FOR THE VARIOUS MINISTERS. IN THIS CATEGORY, I WOULD OFF AN “EXCELLENT” RATING.
THIRD: THE PASTOR AS BUILDER OF COMMUNITY:
HERE, THE COMMITTEE IDENTIFIES COORDINATION OF THE COMMUNITIES GIFTS AND THE UNIFIER AND FACILITATOR OF THE CHARISMS, AND A PROMOTED OF LINKS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS – AS A SORT OF “ORCHESTRA LEADER”.
IN THIS CATEGORY, I WOULD OFFER AN “EXCELLENT” RATING.
FOURTH: THE PASTOR AS STEWARD OF PARISH RESOURCES:
IN THIS BROAD AREA, THE COMMITTEE IDENTIFIES MANY AND VARIOUS FACTORS SUCH AS PRUDENT ADMINISTRATION, EFFICIENT ORGANIZATION AND PROVISION OF PARISH FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO CARRY OUT THE PARISH MISSION; ALSO, EFFECTIVELY UTILIZATION OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WITH CLEARLY FINED POLICIES AND RESPOSIBILITES. IN THS CATEGORY, EVEN THE BISHOP’S COMMITTEE HINTS THAT PRACTICALLY NO PASTOR ACHIEVEN AT A HIGH RATING, BUT I WOULD OFFER A “VERY GOOD” RATING – AGAIN, WITH AN ASTERISK NOTING THAT HE WORRIES TOO MUCH ABOUT PARISH FINANCES. (EVEN BISHOP TOBIN TOLD HIM ONCE TO TURN DOWN THE “WORRY METER”, I UNDERSTAND.)
NOW IN THIS CATEGORY OF PARISH RESOURCES, I MUST ADD A DIMENSION THAT THE BISHOP DID NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTION – AND THAT IS THE PRIORITY THAT FATHER RAY HAS PLACED ON MAINTAINING A CATHOLIC SCHOOL, AS ALL THE PASTORS BEFORE HIM: IN THAT ADDITIONAL CATEGORY, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY OFFER AN “EXCELLENT” RATING WHICH I AM CERTAIN HE WOULD SHARE WITH THE PARISHIONERS OF ST. PIUS PARISH WHO SHARED HIS HIGH REGARD FOR A SOLID CATHOLIC EDUCATION TO BE AVAILABLE TO ALL YOUNG PEOPLE OF SOUTH COUNTY.
SO, ALL IN ALL, FATHER RAY RATES VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT IN THE CATEGORIES OF PASTORAL PERFORMANCE. BUT, LEST I LEAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT HE IS NEAR PERFECT, LET ME ADD ONE MORE AREA OF ACTIVITY OF HIS – NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THOSE WE HAVE RATED, BUT NEVERTHELESS, A SLICE OF HIS LIFE TO SORT OF COMPLETE THE PICTURE: I REFER TO HIS ROLE AS HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD ACROSS THE STREET AT 44 ELM STREET – OF WHICH I HAVE EYEWITNESS INFORMATION. HE THE REVEREND OF “MR NEAT AND CLEAN THERE”. ANY ANT, ROACH OR BUG THAT DARES SHOW YOU THE PREMISES TRIGGERS THE FASTEST REACH FOR THE DISINFICTINT BOTTLE SQUIRTING THEM OUT OF EXISTENCE. HE REMINDS ME OF ONE THE CHARACTERS IN THE NEIL SIMON PLAY – FELIX UNGER “IN THE ODD COUPLE”, OF COURSE. I IMAGINE THAT TO HIM I RESEMBLE THE OTHER CHARACTER, OSCAR MADISON. AND WE HAVE A GOOD TIME TEASING ONE ANOTHER IN A MUTUAL ADMIRATION FASHION!
I HAVE KNOWN HUNDREDS OF PRIEST IN MY LIFETIME. FATHER RAY, WITHOUT EXAGGERATION, IS ONE OF THE VERY BEST. I LOVE HIM DEARLY, AS A BROTHER PRIEST – AND I’M SURE YOU LOVE HIM DEARLY, TOO!!!
“AD MULTOS ANNOS” FATHER RAY
Now a few pictures from the Mass . . .
