Paul KeenanA retired American priest working in a Dublin parish describes his faith journey to Paul Keenan
“The oldest boy in a Catholic American family has to become a priest!” Though he is joking, there is a feeling that, even if the words were solid fact, Fr Karl Schray was destined to be a priest regardless.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic from the Dublin parish of Donaghmede that has been his home since late in 2013, Fr Karl sounds like a man just setting out on his priestly life, despite his being ordained in 1965 and pursuing a full and active ministry since.
That service was given fully in the American state of Oregon, where Karl Schray was born in 1939, the eldest of four, three boys and a girl. He describes an upbringing that was “so loving and with good people”, in a family headed by a German father and Swedish mother (whose own grandmother hailed from Co. Galway).
“We did so much together,” he recalls fondly, “including the rosary and Mass.”
The Schray children, he adds, remain “active Catholics” and are now passing on the Faith to Fr Karl’s 15 nieces and nephews.
Outlook
Despite the light-hearted note, the young Karl entertained a future that saw him becoming an archaeologist, but a singular event altered that outlook.
“When I began second-level education,” he explains, “a priest gave a parish mission and I knew I wanted to be like him.”
Eager to help with their son’s discernment of this most important decision, Karl’s parents arranged for their son to discuss all with the priest. An automatic introduction to the priesthood was not a given, however.
“He advised me to finish grade school and progress to Catholic high school,” Karl says. “He said this would let me interact with girls. He was a wise man.
“In addition, he told me to say a prayer every day to know what God wanted me to do.
“If after all that, a vocation was the path, he assured me he would help me at the seminary.”
His prayers subsequently answered, Karl duly entered, at the age of 16, the Mount Angel seminary, still the second largest in the United States.
“I loved the seminary. I had good teachers and classmates.”
Ordained in 1965 for Oregon, Fr Karl, at the behest of his archbishop, pursued studies for a teaching qualification towards meeting demand at the time for teachers in the Catholic school system across Oregon.
The ‘teaching and preaching’ mix is something Fr Karl found immensely rewarding as he juggled his role as a curate with the demands of his teaching position.
Not one to fall into the trap of neglecting his own learning in his roles, Fr Karl reveals a topic of particular fascination for him across the years.
“I remained curious about the Faith and especially the saints.”
It was this interest that has led to something of a personal renewal since his arrival in Ireland.
“I arrived on the Feast of All the Saints of Ireland, and suddenly discovered that Ireland has so many saints I had never heard of,” he says. He describes how this wealth of sainthood led him to research the life of St Laurence O’Toole and how Drogheda, site of the remains of St Oliver Plunkett, is “one of my favourite places”.
Ireland
But what was the path that led him to Ireland in the first instance?
Back in the early days of discerning his vocation, Fr Karl explains, he considered becoming either a Jesuit towards teaching, or a missionary. The final decision was prompted by his pastor, who told him that “Oregon is mission territory, stay here”. The effect of this was to leave with him a lingering desire to travel on mission.
On retirement, that earlier desire seemed at last to be a real possibility, with only the destination to be chosen.
“Ireland struck me,” he says, “as it was a place that had given so many priests to America. So really it was a desire to give back that brought me.”
He adds that two priests who had a particular impact on him during his early ministry were Irish: Fr Patrick Kiernan of Co. Longford and Fr Cathal Brennan of Co. Galway.
“In all, I’ve known about 15 Irish priests well through my life.”
Now in Ireland nearly a year, Fr Karl has remained busy with both parish duties and a return to school – three to be precise – where he teaches Catechism for three days in the week. (When first contacted by The Irish Catholic, Fr Karl was busy with preparations for the parish’s large numbers for Communion and Confirmation.)
In addition, he has undertaken tours to know better the country’s Christian heritage – including five visits to Knock – and is constantly impressed by the numbers who continue to attend daily Mass.
“Oregon was only 11% Catholic,” he explains.
Great sadness
But at the same time is a source of great sadness the numbers who do not come to Mass which he describes as “a precious gift”.
“I have told mothers at rehearsal for Communion: ‘Bring your children to Mass every Sunday’.”
He quotes the late Archbishop Joseph Cassidy in asserting there should be “no missing or messing when it comes to Mass”.
“It’s about reminding people what they were raised with. Whatever about Church sins, we go to Mass because of Jesus. Our ancestors have given us their Church and faith,” he says.
“If we don’t protect it, we’ll lose it and the next generation will not know it.
“Don’t neglect faith, pass it on to children.”
At this point, has the apparently tireless priest done enough to satisfy his missionary spirit?
“I don’t like the word retirement,” he says. “What I want to do is know the name of every one of my parishioners. And I still want to do more traveling, see more of Ireland and at least a portion of the Santiago de Compostella.”
As if this were not enough, Fr Karl is actively engaged, with his parish priest, Fr Eoin McCrystal, in formulating plans for an event to help the next generation of young men discern their calling to the priesthood.
“We have to interest people in a positive way, and the only way is to talk about it,” he insists.
And when he talks to those young men, what message will he pass on from his years of experience?
The answer is surprisingly brief, yet contains a truth to abide by.
“All you can do is be a good priest.”