September 25, 2024

Mary Beth Bracy, Consecrated virgin
Contributing Writer

“It’s a shock not being in seminary anymore . . . this is the big league, I am actually doing this,” said Father Douglas A. Schirmer, a new parochial vicar at Holy Cross Parish in Plattsburgh, who discussed some of the many responsibilities of new priests from administering the sacraments to counseling — and not just as a practice exercise.

“The duties become more intuitive,” he said. “It comes to you, through the Holy Spirit and practice. It starts to become habitual to minister to people, the newness wears off, I feel comfortable engaging with people at that level. After the first month, [you say] ‘oh wait, I am a priest.’”

Following his first three months of priesthood, Father Schirmer said that there are several things to become familiar with from living arrangements to collaborating with other priests and religious. Above all, there is the powerful reality of spiritual fatherhood.

“Every time I’m approached for confession or counsel, there is a soul who is hurt,” said Father Schirmer. “I am not Father Doug, I am Jesus. That’s very palpable for me in Confession.”

The role has also involved some adjustment.

“When I was really sick a few weeks ago, dozens of people were checking on me all day long, and it initially grated on me,” he said. “Monsignor [Dennis J.] Duprey said, ‘I am only going to tell you this once. You are a priest which means you are a public person. It’s not a bad thing, that can be good.’ There are people that really care about me.”

Father Schirmer’s days are full.

“I typically wake up early in the morning at 5:30 or 6 a.m. and try to do mental prayer,” he said. “I have coffee and journal. By 9 or 9:30 a.m. I’m in the office, unless I have an appointment. By 10 a.m. all of my plans derail. People talk to you, there is a project. The office closes at 4 p.m. and the priests usually eat together at 5 p.m. Then I have time to prep my homily for the next day or call a buddy. There are also appointments or impromptu meetings. The idea of radical availability — there may be a homeless person I need to talk to or dry stuff. There are funerals, people who need to talk about family issues, confessions. I also pray the Liturgy of the Hours during the day, then Vespers and Night Prayer.”

Father Schirmer, along with other parochial vicars in the area, have also been visiting the local school, Seton Catholic.

“I have been visiting Seton with Father Carter [G. Pierce] and Father Jude [Nnadibuagha],” he said. “We are hoping to get over there pretty regularly.”

In addition to helping at the school, Father Schirmer said he’s been able to accompany others.

“The life of faith is messy and it works best when we can tackle it together,” he added. “As a baby priest, I get to see the mess of someone’s life... Pope Francis said that Jesus meets us in the mess of daily life. There is effort on our part but most of the heavy lifting is done through the grace of God. I talk to people in wretched situations who trust in God’s goodness, even if they are broken and alone. That they want to talk to priests it is a mind-blowing honor for me.”

The new priest is hoping to continue to grow his ministry.

“I’d really like to push harder for community building activities,” he said. “Young adult groups, OCIA, Newman Center, building a men’s group, continuing ed (for example, on the book Time for God, by Father Jacques Philippe, which provides an introduction to prayer).”

In his free time, Father Schirmer has a few hobbies.

“I’m in the middle of designing a table-top game for priests and like to read and write, philosophy, theology, good classic novels. Now I’m reading ‘Father Brown Mysteries,’ next I’m going to read Tolkien’s ‘Unfinished Tales.’ For writing I do journaling and short stories on the priesthood. Also, I’m working on an Arthurian morality play legend about virtues and vices.”

Additionally, Father Schirmer has a strong devotion to praying the Rosary.

“When I was sort of at rock bottom and had just began to consider seminary, Father [Bryan D.] Stitt suggested that I make up my own meditations on the mysteries,” he said. “That exercise and Father [Joseph W.] Giroux’s example are what brought me to seminary.” Sometimes Father Schirmer spends an hour reflecting on the Rosary meditations during his walk from Mass to work.

“No matter what kind of day you are having, pray a Rosary and everything will be fine,” he said. “Our Lady wears combat boots.”

Father Schirmer looks to share that love of our Blessed Mother and the Rosary with others.

“Father Jude and I are doing an event for the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, a history of the feast and spirituality of the Rosary on October 7 [at 6 p.m.],” he said. “It will be held at Our Lady of Victory [in Plattsburgh],” which was the original name of the feast.

More details may be found in the Holy Cross bulletin at https://holycrosspbg.org/

As he continues in his ministry, Father Schirmer said he does so with gratitude.

“If you would have told me when I was 15 or even 10 years ago that I would be a Catholic priest, I would have laughed,” he said. “It’s the most amazing thing; I can’t think of doing something else. Our Lord has a way of enticing us toward the thing that we are supposed to do. I want to add how grateful I am to the people of the diocese, to the bishop and parishioners here. Seminary was easily the best eight years of life. I had questions about what the priesthood would look like, but it is easy to love what I do.”

Father Schirmer offered advice for those discerning vocations.

“Don’t be afraid to spend time in prayer with the Eucharist and talk to a priest you trust,” he said.