Date: Fri 03-Sep-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: JAN

Quick Words:

St-Rose-Fr-Towsley

Full Text:

Ministering To The Youth And Families Of St Rose

(with photo)

BY JAN HOWARD

The new assistant to the pastor of St Rose of Lima Catholic Church describes

his ministry as "answering a call within a call."

"I want to help the intact family that's under attack," he said. "Our one

clear moral voice in the world is the Church."

The Reverend Peter Towsley has a long-standing interest in families and youth

and hopes to be involved not only in youth ministry at the church but also in

teaching at the school.

Appointed as a parochial vicar by the Most Reverend Edward M. Egan, Bishop of

the Diocese of Bridgeport, Father Towsley began his duties on August 20. He

replaces the Rev John Castaldo, who recently began serving as chaplain at

Trinity High School in Stamford.

"I like to be in the classroom," Father Towsley said last week. Though he is

uncertain whether he will be teaching one specific class or taking over once

in a while in different classrooms, he is excited about the prospect.

"It's an overwhelming experience," he said. "They want a priestly presence in

the school. There's not a lot of male presence in the school, but they also

want a religious presence."

Father Towsley served previously as assistant to the pastors at Holy Family in

Fairfield and St Jude's in Monroe. He helped out with teaching while at Holy

Family.

"I was asked if I would be willing to take this position, and though we take a

vow of obedience, it's not simply obedience to the Bishop. It's more than

that. I hear the voice of Christ through the Bishop," Father Towsley said.

"I'm excited. There are major changes going on here. The school is here.

There's lots to be done," he said.

"Father Weiss is a real doer," he said of newly appointed pastor Robert Weiss.

"I know a lot of dust is not going to settle around us. There are some

challenges to be met."

"I hope to do a lot with youth ministry," Father Towsley continued. At St

Rose, he will be involved with two existing youth groups for the middle school

and high school age members of the parish.

He also hopes to be involved with retreats, the Pro Life Committee, hospital

ministry, visiting nursing home residents, and working with other religious

communities in town.

While Father Towsley was unfamiliar with St Rose Parish until his appointment

here, he said he knew some assistants who served here previously and some

parishioners. He said the parish is larger than his former parishes.

Father Towsley, 39, was born in northeast Ontario, Canada, one of nine

children, seven of whom are living. "Our family was very happy," he said. "I

come from a religious family. My parents played a major role, but they never

ever, ever, ever said to be a priest."

He was 21 when he responded to the call to the priesthood. He had received his

bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of Waterloo in Ontario and

was working at a finance company, but, "I didn't feel fulfilled," he said. He

signed up to attend a vocational awareness weekend, not fully realizing it was

a religious vocation weekend.

"I knew it was religious, but I had no idea when I went on the weekend that it

was what it was," he said. He thought it was a weekend to explore work-related

options.

"In a way the Lord duped me," he said with a grin. "I walked away from that

weekend knowing I was called to the priesthood."

He studied theology at St Joseph Dunnwoodie in Yonkers, N.Y. and received his

theology degree from Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell. He studied at the

John Paul Institute for Marriage and Family Life in Washington and Rome, and

was ordained in May, 1991 at St Augustine's Catholic Church in Bridgeport.

Father Towsley, who is very involved in the concerns faced by families and

youth today, is the coordinator of the third East Coast Catholic Family

Conference, "Our Father, Our Family, and His Plans for Us," on November 13 and

14 at the Westin Hotel in Stamford and a Youth Conference, "Making Our Way

Home to the Father," at the Holiday Inn in Stamford the same weekend.

He hopes to get St Rose youth involved in helping coordinate the youth event.

The conference includes skits, games, and talks geared to teens.

The conference, which is comprised of three separate programs for adults,

teens/young adults, and children, features Mass, talks, reconciliation, music,

and Catholic fellowship for the entire family.

"A lot of young families will be attending," Father Towsley said. "We expect

about 4,500 people over the weekend."

He is also in the midst of plans for a World Youth Day Conference in Rome that

he and 85 area teens, young adults and chaperones will attend. The trip, which

begins on August 7, 2000 will include visits to other cities in Italy as well

as the conference in Rome from August 16 through 21. Youths from all over the

world are expected to attend.

Father Towsley said the youth of today need to know they are loved, but most

of all, he added, "Teens want direction."