>>>>The story from our local paper chronicles the retirement of Msgr. Allen Roy and the love his parish has for him. That love, in great part, comes from the sheer joy that always exudes from the beloved pastor. On a personal note, Msgr. Roy was a huge help to the diaconate program post-Katrina. After Katrina destroyed the seminary classrooms where the diaconate met, and with no funds to spare, the diaconate had no home. All formation activities were threatened to be delayed for quite some time. Msgr. Roy graciously offered his parish center, unharmed from the devastating hurricane, and both our 2006 and 2008 classes were able to complete formation activities and 40 plus new deacons were able to be ordained in post-Katrina New Orleans. My class was the 2008 group and I know personally how thankful we were to Msgr. Roy. I pray that his retirement continue to be a source of great joy and God continue to bless this holy man who gave so unselfishly of his time and talent!
Retiring pastor of Holy Spirit Church in Algiers praised by parishioners
By Amy Hubbell, Algiers Columnist The Times-Picayune
Monsignor Allen Roy is retiring as pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Algiers, the only priest at the church since the parish began in 1972.
Fr. Allen Roy, Pastor, reacts as he was given a gift check of $50,000 for his retirement after giving his final mass at Holy Spirit Church before his retirement at the church where he has served since 1972 on Sunday, June 26, 2011 in Algiers, New Orleans, La.
Phyllis Robert, secretary of the Holy Spirit Parish Council, said, “He has touched the lives of every single person who has ever been a parishioner here.”
Barbara Donlon agreed, saying, “He has given 100 percent of himself to the people, 100 percent of the time, 24/7 for 39 years.”
And Gene Barnes added, “To me, he is the essence of what a good pastor should be. He is kind, welcoming, funny, smart, humble, patient and forgiving. He calls everyone by name.”
His memory for names is legendary in the parish, and he even gives Communion by name.
“I’ve not known, in my 74 years, any other man or priest who is more beloved,” Barnes said.
He doesn’t stop at names, though. He truly takes notice of each person. When Kim Barrett started attending Holy Spirit, her husband was not yet Catholic. She said that Roy approached her and said, “I’ve noticed that Miles doesn’t go to Communion. Is he not Catholic?” When she confirmed it, he said, “I’m not pushing you, but we’re having a class. We’re introducing people to Catholicism. Why don’t you come and check it out?”
They’ve been coming to Holy Spirit ever since, she said.
“Something about Father Roy’s genuineness appealed to him (Miles). He has baptized all my babies,” Kim Barrett said, and Roy will be coming out of retirement to officiate at her daughter Christine’s wedding.
Robert said that when Vietnamese Catholics started arriving in Algiers in 1975, “Many of them were going to Mass at Holy Spirit. Roy noticed that most of them would come to Mass every morning. They were very devout, but they wouldn’t receive Communion. Roy was confused by that,” and asked the man who spoke the most English what the reason was. “He said, ‘It’s because they’re waiting for a Vietnamese priest who can give them absolution. They haven’t been to confession in so long.’ I guess they came from Vietnam and they went to California first, then eventually made it down to New Orleans, but they hadn’t been to confession.”
Roy gave them absolution and said, “Come on, you can come to Communion now,” Robert said. “That’s just the kind of priest he is. It’s like, ‘OK, we have a problem. Well let’s solve it.’ ”
At Communal Penance services, Barrett said, “He stands up at the pulpit in front of the people and confesses his sins, out loud. He says, ‘You have come to me to ask forgiveness, and I am coming to you to ask forgiveness.’ He’ll lay it on the line what’s bothering him or what he’s struggled with the past few weeks. It just shows you how humble he is.”
Warm and fun-loving, Roy has created a community that will never forget him. He has created traditions that have brought people together, and forged bonds as a trusted friend. Barrett said, “I don’t think it’s particular to me that I’m just extremely comfortable in talking with him, just sort of friend-to-friend chatting. I’ve been very fortunate not to have huge problems in my life, but I’m sure to some have, and I would think anyone would feel comfortable going to him and asking for advice or help or prayer.”
Jerry Becker said, “He has a sharp mind. He’s very, very good with the Scripture. He gives super-interesting homilies; he just nails it every time,” focusing on the spirit and the essence of the message, drawing people in and keeping them for decades.
Barrett said, “Even though he’s humble and a little Cajun guy from the country, he was also a little ahead of his time.”
Robert agreed. “For years and years and years, the church said, ‘No altar girls.’ Well, as soon as they even started talking about it. I mean, I don’t even know it if was officially OK, but he started trying them out. Finally, when it was OK’d,” and Holy Spirit had its first class of altar girls, ready to serve.
Barrett said, “He’s very inclusive. It’s a wonderful thing. We are a very mixed and diverse group. It’s just been a delight to be a member of the parish. We consider ourselves a family. We’re a very caring group. We’ve seen everybody’s children grow up, we’ve been there to grieve when someone’s loved one dies.”
The strength of Roy’s character has created a strong community, and his qualities are not lost on children or animals. On Christmas Eve, Barrett said, “He invites the little children, toddlers on up, to sit on the altar and around the altar on the floor. Those little kids, they just sit right up there all around his feet, and we do Christmas Mass and they are as good as gold. It’s quite something to see. He just loves having them around.”
There’s also an annual Pet Blessing Mass. “What’s so wonderful is, you would think with all the dogs and cats in a tight area, maybe a dog or cat fight would break out. But never; everyone always behaves,” Barrett said.
It seems the appreciation goes well beyond the parish. Although the pet blessing services take place outside on the lawn, “We have never been rained out in 30 years, not once.”
Roy seldom asked parishioners for financial contributions. Becker said, “He puts a little basket at the back of the church. If you want to contribute, you do,” but if you can’t or don’t want to, that’s fine. It’s amazing, the generosity.”
Without pressure to contribute, the parish has raised ample funds over the years, and Roy is leaving the parish in a good financial position, even after constructing a Parish Life Center that more than doubled their available space.
Fiscally, Becker said, “He’s very conservative. He never overspends. He really built the church. When he took over, we didn’t even have a building.”
Sylvia Schwarz summed it up: “He’s a very happy soul.
“He perfectly delights in being exactly what he was, and that was a pastor. He knows people. He loves what he does, what he did,” she said. “He’s definitely a gift from God.”
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