Priest honoured for 70 years

Blind and nearly 98, Fr. Holland still active at Youville Home

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

"I've been very, very happy as a priest," he said. "It's the finest profession anyone could choose."

Holland said his happiest years as a priest were the first 35 years, when he taught at St. Joseph's Seminary and served as a chaplain for various institutions.

He has been at Youville Extended Care since 1982, when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Partially blind and weak, Holland is in remarkable shape and spirit for his advanced age. "I owe my good health to the goodness of God," he said in an interview. "God has been very good to me because I've tried my best to do my duties as a priest."

With the help of a walker, Holland quickly shuffles around his room pointing proudly to the photographs, cards and newspaper cutouts adorning the room's walls. He has family photos, group shots with his many friends, photos of the pope and religious cards with images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

On April 23 the priests of the Edmonton Archdiocese marked Holland's 70th anniversary of priesthood at Holy Family Church in St. Albert. A public celebration was held May 4 at St. Andrew's Church, where Holland served as assistant pastor for the last 10 years of his active life. Archbishop Thomas Collins announced the creation of a bursary for seminarians bearing the priest's name at the service.

Holland was born to an Anglican family in London, England, May 27, 1905. During the First World War he was troubled by the immorality in the world. While studying at the Accountants College, he became a close friend to a Catholic lad whom he admired for living his faith.

Having being raised as an Anglican and considering himself far from being a fervent one, Holland was encouraged by a maternal aunt, a Catholic, and also by his close friend, to study the Catholic faith. He was baptized conditionally in 1922 and was confirmed a year later.

From 1923 to 1925, James could be found at St. Benedict's Abbey at Fort Augustus, Scotland, studying the Catholic faith and learning Latin as he planned to enter the seminary of the Benedictine Fathers.

At that time, an Alberta priest stopped at the abbey to recruit English seminarians who wanted to serve in the Edmonton Archdiocese. Holland decided to take up the challenge and on Sept. 14, 1927 he, along with two other English volunteers, registered at the newly-opened St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton.

The priesthood "is the finest profession anyone could choose." - Fr. James Holland

According to Sister Cecile Dupuis, who recently wrote a brief biography on the priest, Holland found the philosophy courses "rather hard and uninspiring, but he toiled seriously and proved himself an industrious student."

He enjoyed theology, Sacred Scripture and Church history. And it showed. His marks were in the high 80s and 90s.

Holland was ordained a priest at St. Joseph's Basilica April 23, 1933 along with seven other graduates of St. Joseph's Seminary. Soon afterwards, Archbishop O'Leary appointed the young priest to a seminary professor position in charge of teaching catechetics, liturgy and Church history to the seminarians.

He also made Holland the chaplain at the General Hospital. Over the years, Holland would also serve as chaplain at the Misericordia Hospital and of various religious orders of women.

Dupuis says Holland knew his Church history well, often making his students aware of the divine nature of the Church. "Had it been a mere human enterprise, the Church would have crumbled and disappeared a long, long time ago," he used to tell them.

"(As a seminary professor) he was a friendly, open-minded person, gentle in manner and speech, with a delightful and unique sense of humour," Dupuis says. "He was well loved for his sincerity, authenticity and devotedness."

To Holland, his teaching days were the most fulfilling because he was helping prepare young men for what he calls "the greatest profession in the world." Five of his former students were ordained bishops, including the late Archbishop James Carney of Vancouver, Bishop emeritus Paul O'Byrne of Calgary and Bishop Eugene Cooney of Nelson.

In August 1967, after 34 years as a seminary professor, Holland took up residency at St. Andrew's Parish and became the archdiocesan archivist. Soon he was also serving as vice-chancellor.

In December 1971, Holland resigned from his offices for health reasons. A couple of weeks later, on Jan. 1, 1972, he was appointed associate pastor of St. Andrew's Parish under Father John Hesse.

Close to 11 years later, on Nov. 26, 1982, Holland, then 77, was diagnosed with Parkinson's and was hospitalized at Youville Home.

He is a loved figure there, respected by residents, staff and sisters.

"Father Holland is a cheerful, pleasant companion, known for his prayer life, attending daily Mass, assuring his hour of adoration in the afternoons, making frequent visits to the chapel to pray the rosary or recite his breviary," Dupuis writes in her biography.

"Because of his spontaneous acts of charity, visiting the sick residents and responding to the spiritual needs of staff and residents alike, Father has become the unofficial chaplain at Youville Home. He continues, in his special way, to minister to the needs of others, even when he is not well. The interests of others always pass before his own."

The priest, who lost his sight five years ago, also has many friends outside Youville Home who come to visit him and are always ready to do things for him. Some drive him to Mass or social activities outside the home, others read for him or accompany him in his prayers.

Holland will celebrate his 98th birthday May 27.

(With files from Sister Cecile Dupuis, F J.)

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