Diocesan
Life Columns
Bishop Paul V. Marshall
Bishop Paul's writes a monthly column for the Diocesan Newspaper, Diocesan
Life, edited by Communication
Minister, Bill Lewellis.
For more features from the life of our diocese, check Diocesanlife....ONLINE; and Bethlehem
News.
Remembering Father Gene Patton
Bishop Paul V. Marshall
[Diocesan Life, December 1997]
Gene's first message on our electronic meeting, "Bethlehem of
PA" contained exactly three words (half of what Alexander Graham
Bell needed with "Watson, come here; I want you"). Gene's message
was, simply, "Here I am." A number of clergy colleagues responded,
pointing out how biblical a thing it was to say. To this, Gene
responded, "You don't know how hard it was for me not to write, "Here
I am; send somebody else.'"
There it was. In simple, clear. and direct words, he expressed
one of the basic tensions of the Christian life, and a struggle
that he knew personally as he attempted to know his own call to
full-time priesthood. Gene was equally articulate whenever he expressed
his faith.
In the week following Gene's death, a day did not go past in my
travels through the diocese without several people stopping to
tell me of their love for him, and what he had meant to them in
the parish or in Cursillo. Father Scott Peoples wrote from Ireland
about how Gene (and Nancy!) had become beloved there when Gene,
at the tender age of 72, did parish work for Bishop Walton Empey
of Meath and Kildare.
The most articulate of the messages was an email posting from
Father Everett Francis, who began, "Thank God for Eugene Patton." Everett
remembered Gene's gentleness, his work on Cursillo, and the kind
of love he gave to and received from Nancy and their daughters.
Then he added something of tremendous importance: "Gene obviously
liked me and appreciated me."
I have not met anyone who felt differently. Gene had the gift
to make the person with whom he was speaking feel that he or she
was valuable - and interesting. He could do it with his smile and
those wonderful eyes. I can still see them. And because, as Nancy
says, Gene "refused to be in awe of anyone," he could be teacher,
evangelist, and servant to whomever he met.
Gene taught me something one day that leaves me in his debt permanently.
As I was coming up toward my 50th birthday, I was feeling my mortality
in a new way, and was telling him about perception of death as
an enemy clouding my enjoyment of the present. He could have lectured
me out of the New Testament; he could have recited great passages
of the prayer book. Instead, he fixed those eyes on me, and in
words simple, clear, and direct, said only, "But it can also be
like going home."
I could have danced around a lecture or debate, but there was
nothing to do with those words but let them come from his heart
to mine.
History was shortly to demonstrate that he believed what he said.
Gene was not afraid to die, and taught a number of us what courage
and faith look like in the flesh. Together with his family, he
made the decision not to prolong suffering, and to return to the
Lord. Christ was that real to him. There is at the moment some
cynicism about serving one's country. Gene never traded on it,
but he was a prisoner of war in World War II, and came home much
decorated.
Another area of service was to his family. Unlike some clergy,
he took time to be with his. Although his experience in Germany
made him hate the thought of camping, he camped around the country
with his family, and they all cherish the memories of singing hymns
around the camp fire.
In the Diocese of Bethlehem, Gene was rector of St. John's, Ashland,
and then of St. Thomas, Morgantown. He also served at St. Michael's,
Birdsboro; St. Elizabeth's, Allentown; and Christ Church, Reading.
He also worked in the Cursillo movement, and what is perhaps most
relevant to readers of this publication, is his work on communications
in the Diocese. At his prompting we became the first diocese to
develop the "wrap-around" diocesan paper, with Episcopal Life inside.
Gene also helped us launch our involvement in electronic ministry,
and no doubt waits eagerly for our Web page to go up.
Gene lived his life as though it was constantly "under construction," leaving
him and Nancy free to go where God led them. It was a living Lord
they followed. I am grateful to have known a bit of their adventure,
and their witness.
May his soul, and the souls of the faithful departed, through
the mercies of God rest in peace.
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