Father Bob - Leading By Example

You didn't have to be a Roman Catholic to be inspired by Father Robert Ricciardi, the Pastor of Saint Bridget's Church here in town. Father Bob, as he was known, passed away this week. To say he will be missed is an understatement.

In a world where being, well, mean, is kinda the norm, Father Bob was nice. Genuinely nice. Not part time nice. Full time nice. What's more, his kindness carried with it a profound degree of depth. That depth left a mark on many of us who were his fellow Catholics. In short, he was a credit to his faith.

For the record, I didn't know Father Bob for long. In fact, I didn't know him personally at all. Truth be told, I said perhaps a total of ten words to the man. Still, I was impressed from the start.

I'll never forget attending a funeral at Saint Bridget's with my wife. Father Bob spoke of the deceased with both understanding and with great warmth. Like the current Pope, he delighted in sharing his humanity.

Sadly, you don't see many people who connect with others like Father Bob did anymore. Individuals who are understanding and friendly seem to be few and far between these days. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying everyone's suddenly turned bad. It's just that today we're all a bit AFRAID to come across as being genuinely nice.

Perhaps we're being afraid of appearing weak. Or perhaps we're afraid that others won't take us seriously. Perhaps we're even afraid of being called hypocrites and phonies. Believe it or not, it takes real courage to be openly kind in the America of 2013.

Father Bob exuded that courage. It was his lasting gift, both to his parishioners and to all those whose lives he touched.