By Joe Winter
Catholic Herald correspondent

New Hudson pastor 'on loan' from LaCrosse

HUDSON -- There is little doubt that Fr. John Parr has brought a different dimension to proceedings at St. Patrick Parish.

Parr came to Hudson with a reputation for being progressive. Although well grounded in love of the Catholic liturgy, he's also fond of Bruce Springsteen lyrics that champion the disenfranchised, and fond of the paintings of saints on the walls of his new office.

Parr is the new associate pastor at St. Patrick, replacing Fr. Ryan Erickson, who has moved to duties at a pair of northern Wisconsin parishes. Parr says that although in the future he'll go in whatever direction he's called to by the Holy Spirit, it's likely "at this juncture" that he will minister in the Diocese of Superior for a long time.

Officially, Parr is 'on loan' from the Diocese of La Crosse and could be called back to service there, although he said that is unlikely to happen.

Parr has been a priest for 25 years, starting with a stint working at the Newman Center at UW-Eau Claire, then at a parish in Stevens Point. He also worked in the diocesan offices in La Crosse, and at parishes in Wausau and Fountain City. All are in the Diocese of La Crosse.

Like many priests, he has at times been reluctant to transfer after he became rooted at a parish, but once he did move has been happy with the decision. "It has always worked out. They have all been wonderful places," he said. Such transfer usually is required about every five years.

Parr said he will be open to whatever service he finds the parish needs. After having spent only a few weeks at St. Patrick, he was concentrating on getting the pulse of the community.

"There are many talented, generous people here," Parr said.

One of his growing concerns is that the overall church is more frequently following the letter of the law, not its spirit, striving to "be correct, not good," he said.

"It concerns me when people say they have God figured out and that they know God with certainty, when he rather is calling us to trust him and follow him wherever he leads," Parr said.

"Jesus always was asking questions" when among his followers, Parr said, adding that this is a way he has called people to get to know him better.

Parr brings with him a reputation of being a good homilist, which he says takes lots of preparation and prayer. This is an area many Protestant preachers do well and priests could learn from them, Parr said.

His peers need to remember that "God's word is as a sacred as his Eucharist," he added.

Also, Catholics know truth, but are less successful with the "delivery system," Parr said, adding that priests need to effect change where they can, and it's not always far afield. "We preach about international justice, but we don't always reach our young people."

Both Catholic hierarchy and lay people need to share their experiences of Christ with each other and support each other, he said. That means speaking with conviction. "Sunday Mass and Eucharist is prime time," Parr said.

Those gatherings of God's people are still what burns passionately inside him. "I can't imagine doing anything else but being a priest," he said.

Sacraments are a moment of grace for both priest and lay person, Parr said. "We need to live off the faith of other people. Sometimes the word is more alive in them than it is in me.

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2004