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Jim P.'s story
Father Jim had a knack for bringing out the best in all of us. He enabled some of us to help a lot of unfortunate people, homeless and hopeless. A humble man, who heard my confession in 1999 or so. He held up his hand as I droned on and on, telling me it was Good Friday, so I had to come down off the cross. laughing, he said I was too fat and he needed the cross for the weekend. When I asked him what my penance would be Jim replied that "you can pray for me." That was the Jim McKenna that I knew. Rest in Peace Father Jim.
Joanna F.'s Story
My name is joanna f., i am 22 years of age i came from a broken family filled with alcohol and drugs. both my parents were abusive alcoholiscs my mother died from alcohol in 2004, she was 43 years old. my father is still active. i was in and out of dyfs, always in troulble with the law and always never wanted to be alive. i was in an abusive relationship for 5 years, i was also using heroin since i was 12. i never copleted school, lost my licence at 18, and never held a job more than six months. at such a young age i was headed for death fast. i hung around the streets of atlantic city, with my older sister and boyfriend. i justed wanted my life to be over. because i did anything to make ends meet and support my habbit, the law cought up with me. i was born and raised in ocen county, i landed in jail with three felonies. i was offered drug court, i took it. i was not happy at the time but they guieded me to a better life. i was placed in a thirty day rehab, then to spring house thanks to you and your love and care i was able to learn to love life. im happy i transfered to bergen county and now live in shepard house in englewood. i arrived on may 22nd 2009 to spring house and graduated the program on feb 12th 2010. the hole time being theire your name was metioned on how much you cared and help the women in spring house i want to thank you. i am currently living in engelwood, life gets hard. i was going to scholl for my ged but due to work trying to pay my bills, i had to put it off for now, i am still in after care, on drug court, but want to live i will have a year sober on april 16th 2010. i have a great sponser who went threw spring house 11 years ago, she is taking me threw the steps. i love my life and if it was not for you i dont think i would have been able to do it so thank you, you will never know how much you mean in my heart.
Father Jim's 3rd Anniversary Memorial Mass Reflection
Father Jim was the most extraordinary man I had the privilege of knowing. He made anyone he was with feel special because to him we all were special.
Through the use and abuse of alcohol I hit my bottom on January 6, 1990-ironically the Feast of the Epiphany, and called my parish priest who told me he knew someone who could help me and gave me Father Jim's number. I called Jim and we met in his office at St. Joseph's. It was probably the most important phone call of my life!
He told me that night; "You can't do it alone!" and it was like a gong going off in my head. Those words changed my life, and so my journey to recovery under Father Jim's guidance began.
Over the next sixteen years, Jim gave unselfishly of his time, support, and guidance to me and my family. He became my sponsor, mentor, spiritual advisor and most important my closest friend.
During my first 90 days he asked me to call him every day which I did and even if I just got his answering machine, just the sound of his voice saying; "Hi! This is Jim McKenna. I'm sorry I'm not here to accept your call, but if you leave your name and number, I'll get back to you as soon as I get back here." Then he'd laugh. That was enough to keep me going for another day. Very often I'd just leave a message telling him that I was ok but knew that if I did have a problem he would get back to me and he always did.
Also within my first 90 days I asked him to be my sponsor (not really understanding the concept completely) and I was blessed, he gracefully accepted. He provided me with the foundation and framework that I still use today to stay sober.
Father Jim loved Seton Hall University and basketball. When my daughter attended Syracuse University we would sometimes attend games together and tease each other over which team beat the other. It was during this time that I began to affectionately call him "Coach!"
Father Jim was also our parish priest and oh! How he loved being a priest. I always looked forward to hearing his homilies, as more often than not he would use a Broadway show to illustrate a point and eloquently painted a picture with words that captivated the congregation. Anyone who heard him speak of "A Man for All Seasons," Waiting for Godot," or "South Pacific" understand what I mean.
Jim wore his heart on his sleeve and would often choke up when relating a personal experience in his ministry
One of my most cherished memories with Jim was when 10 years after I met him I walked my daughter down the aisle of his church, St. Mary's on her wedding day. I never thought in all of my wildest dreams that my friend and sponsor would preside over the marriage for our daughter.
Everyone who knew Jim well knows how much he looked forward to his well deserved vacation down the shore for a few weeks every September. Yet, when he learned of my father's death he came up from the shore to celebrate the funereal mass.
Two months before Jim passed away and was very ill, frail and in obvious pain, he came to my mother-in-law's wake and insisted on going up to the casket to bless her. When I told him that we were grateful that he had come but that it wasn't necessary or expected since he was so ill, he simply said; "For you, how could I not."
If I may be allowed to take a page from Jim's book, one of my favorite Broadway shows is Les Mis. In the last scene, the main character, Jean Valjean lies dying surrounded by those he loved and they all sing together; "to love another person is to see the Face of God."
All of us who have been blessed to have been loved by him and loved him trough his ministry know that we have truly seen the "Face of God."
We all miss you "Coach!"
Tom
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