Celebrating Glenmary's jubilarians

Celebrating Glenmary's Jubilarians

Four honored for decades of ministry

Humanity seems hardwired by God to mark the passing of time through milestone events.

Fathers Frank Ruff, Chet Artysiewicz, Neil Pezzulo and Brother Dennis Craig are celebrating a combined 185 years with Glenmary. Looking back on their ministries, they remain full of hope that the best is yet to come.

Father Chet Artysiewicz

Father Chet Artysiewicz, Glenmary’s president for the past eight years, is wrapping up his tenure on the Executive Council the same year he celebrates 50 years under oath. The 74-year-old priest has seen Glenmary rise to many pastoral challenges in his five decades with the society.

“I was witness to tremendous growth and expansion since I joined Glenmary in 1963, but I’ve also seen some contraction,” Father Chet says. “We were able, to a great extent, to collaborate with lay coworkers in an era when that was still not quite as common.

“The Hispanic phenomenon has been a major factor as well,” adds Father Chet, who can celebrate Mass in English or Spanish. “We’ve adapted to serve the people who live where we are.”

Father Chet’s mission work brought him to seven states and the District of Columbia before returning to Cincinnati as president in June of 2011. Glenmary is served by four men who professed their Final Oaths during Father Chet’s presidency, and the community opened six missions during that span.

“Nobody aspires to [be president], but you know someone is going to have to do it, so you take your turn,” Father Chet says. “I’m humbled by our donors, by seeing the big picture and interacting with our men.”

Father Chet has not determined his next move since turning the presidency over to Father Dan Dorsey. He intends to take a sabbatical before returning to ministry. When he does return, Father Chet hinted at the possibility of exploring a new mission territory.

Brother Dennis Craig

Brother Dennis Craig was featured as the cover subject in the 1972 Glenmary Challenge magazine, just months after making his Final Oath. The article noted his skills as a handyman and his conviction as a man of faith. Fifty years later, he’s still giving his all to the home mission cause.

“I decided through much prayer and discernment during my formation, that when I made my original commitment to God and Glenmary I would, with the help of God, give 100 percent effort to each assignment,” Brother Dennis says. “I was blessed to have enjoyed each of my assignments over the years even though some of the assignments would not have been what I would have chosen. God gave me the gift to go into those assignments with a positive attitude and I trusted that I would be given the gifts that I needed to do the assignments well.”

Brother Dennis’ assignments have included working on the Brothers Building crew, Glenmary’s formation team, Mission office, pastoral ministry and senior member ministry.

Now 73, Brother Dennis lives at the Glenmary residence in Cincinnati. He maintains a part-time maintenance and repair ministry at Glenmary’s headquarters and in the missions.

Father Frank Ruff

Father Frank Ruff isn’t one for dwelling on the past, but for what it is worth, he considers his 60 years with Glenmary “blessed.” The 83-year-old missioner and former Glenmary president remains active in a variety of ministries.

“I continue to work for unity with other churches serving God's people, preaching on behalf of the poor and Glenmary, and walking with the sick as a hospice volunteer,” Father Frank says. “I find that I am happier than when I was 25, in fact, happier than I ever dreamed possible.”

To young men discerning their own future, Father Frank suggests God may use Glenmary to bring out the best in them.

“When I joined Glenmary I knew there was a great need in the rural South and I wanted to help but I could not visualize all I was going to be doing,” he says. “Glenmary has tapped into more creativity in me than I dreamed I had, and I continue to grow. I learned how to build community with Protestant churches and love them; how to work for racial reconciliation; and how to be a priest in an area where less than one percent of the people are Catholic. I came to help Glenmary, but Glenmary has helped me.”

Father Frank lives in Trenton, Ky., where he assists at the local parish and fills in for area priests. He is often onthe road, preaching on behalf of Glenmary or Unbound, aCatholic nonprofit.

Father Neil Pezzulo

Like Father Chet, Father Neil’s anniversary is lining up with the end of his second term on Glenmary’s Executive Council as first-vice-president. Celebrating 25 years as a missioner, Father Neil, 57, can’t help but think of his earliest experience with Glenmary.

“In the Gospel of John we read and are invited to ‘come and see.’ When I accepted that invitation to actually come and see Glenmary, I fell in love,” he said. “I fell in love with what the Church could be, the limitless possibilities. I fell in love with the idea that what we are trying to create is not so much a Church for today but the Church of the future. It's larger than me and you. It’s something we can leave as a legacy for future generations.”

A native of Schenectady, New York, Father Neil has worked to leave a legacy in North Carolina, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas and Kentucky, as well as through his work in administration. Just as important as the mission work he has done, however, is the work that remains.

“A community that is small and growing or is not yet totally established has to be creative in order to survive,” Father Neil said. “They cannot rely on programs or tradition. As a missionary I am allowed to be part of that creativity and it's exciting. Each day God reveals something new, something challenging and something that allows us the be part of building the future for the next generation.”

In May, Father Neil was succeeded as first-vice-president by Father Aaron Wessman. Beginning in January 2020 he will become pastor of Glenmary's missions in Maynardville and Rutledge, Tenn.