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Name: Msgr. Timothy Dyer
Date ordained: May 25, 1974
Parish: St. Columbkille & Nativity, Los Angeles
How and why did you decide to become a priest? Was there one defining moment or a series of events?
As a child, I had a home in which the Catholic faith was integrated as a natural part of everyday experience: prayer, religious pictures and statues in the house, my parents saying the rosary daily and always Mass on Sunday. |
I had a vivid sense of Jesus’ presence at my First Communion, and my mother said I’d talk about being a priest since I was 5 or 6 (of course, mothers sometimes exaggerate, but this may have been an accurate report). I read what I call ”my first big book” when I was nine years old: The life of St John Bosco. I liked all he did with the youth in his parishes. When I reached the final chapter detailing his death, I cried… From then on, I prayed to him to help me become a priest.
In eight grade, a newly ordained priest came to our parish. Both he and the 8th grade nun influenced me when I was weighing and hesitating over a decision to go to the minor seminary.
In college, I think it was my it was my childhood sweetheart coming to tell me she was engaged to be married that set off a crisis , which led to a final decision for priesthood. I was at the point of leaving the seminary after talking to her – thinking that if I had strong feeling for her still, I was probably not cut out for life without a partner. It seemed to me I did not have a good reason to think I should stay. Then in my prayer, I had a deep and personal experience of Jesus indicating that He was the reason for staying – should I choose the invitation.
What do you love about being a priest?
I love the people: celebrating the sacraments with them and reflecting on the gospels has always been a powerful experience of Christ’s presence; I love visiting families in their homes; I love being out on the streets, in neighborhoods – particularly the experience of running into people who want to talk about God, the Church, their problems. I love to find myself “over my head” in situations where I have “no answers” and can only be “present to” or “in sympathy with” people, who are in need (in those instances I have the strongest sense I am where I’m supposed to be, and I tell the Lord ”okay, say something for them” and it seems to me that he never fails to do so…
I love preaching, but I talk too long… I love getting together with a group of priests and parishioners to plan or brainstorm about possibilities in parish ministry. Presently, I love being part of creating family catechesis programs, men’s retreats and small groups of couples formed around the program of “Christian Family Movement (Movimiento Familiar Cristiano).
What would be your best advice/ counsel to someone who a) is discerning the priesthood b) has been recently ordained ?
a) Develop personal prayer with Christ. Ask yourself if you are peaceful with the direction you are taking. Spend as much time as you can in parish settings and involvement with all ages of people in parish settings and involvement with all ages of people in your parish and then ask yourself if you “like it.” Of you don’t enjoy, like, desire to be with people in tese parish activities, perhaps parish priesthood is not your calling. I’m convinced Christ calls us to what is “natural to us and therefore to what we like.” Being a parish priest is not a penance.
b)
Get in a prayer group. Have people outside your parish and rectory with whom you meet regularly for support and friendship as well as other priests with whom you share your journey. Get a confessor or someone with whom you can review your life and to whom you owe accountability to your ministry. Prayer and Friendship are essential to a balanced happy life.
What are your interests?
Travel, e.g. to the National Parks
Reading: Scripture commentaries, American history and biography
What are your favorite movies?
To Kill a Mockingbird
Chinatown
Chariots of Fire
What are your favorite books?
Parting the Waters and Pillar of Fire by Taylor Branch
No Ordinary Time and a Team of Rivals by Dolores Kearn Goodwin
Marginal Jew by John Meir
What is your favorite quote?
Don’t be afraid, everything is going to turn out alright – My Dad |