Email: jimcallan@spirituschristi.org
Phone: 585-325-1180 ext 104
I have been an associate pastor at Spiritus Christi since we started in 1999. I have the privilege of celebrating Mass nearly every day and on the weekends. Weddings, funerals, baptisms, and preaching are a big part of my schedule. I supervise the leaders of three outreach ministries: Grace of God Recovery House, Spiritus Christi Mental Health Center, and Spiritus Christi Prison Outreach. I also oversee the Music Ministers and the Tithing Committee and schedule all the preachers. Sprinkled among these responsibilities are individual counseling sessions and visits to hospitals and nursing homes. I love the variety. And I love the people I interact with every day.
Since I was five years old, I wanted to be a priest, and that never changed. I received my priesthood training by studying four years at St. Andrew’s Seminary, four years at Becket Hall Seminary at St. John Fisher College, and four years at St. Bernard’s Seminary (all in Rochester). Ordained in 1974, I spent twenty-five years serving parishes in Canandaigua, Elmira, and Rochester before working at Spiritus. I’ve loved every minute of it.
I really enjoy music. I play the piano every day, mostly classical pieces (Rachmaninoff is my favorite composer). I am also an organist. In my younger days, I played at St. Margaret Mary Church, Holy Rosary Church, and Sacred Heart Cathedral. I enjoy writing books. My first book was about growing up in a big family. Then I wrote the history of Corpus Christi Church, where I served for twenty-two years. My third book was about my college days co-owning a car with four other students. The last three have been biographies of local church leaders: Rev. Mary Ramerman, Sister Margie Henninger, and Jim Smith. All the books are available online or at church, and you can have them for free. I have enjoyed living on Copeland Street in the city since 1984. Dozens of over-night retreats have been held there. It’s also a guest house for international folks visiting the parish.