When the recovering alcoholic voiced doubt about his ability to receive the sacrament of penance because of the endless variety of sins he'd committed, Father Martin Fleming had words of reassurance at the ready. "Tim, the Church is a hospital for sinners," the 87-year-old priest said. "It's not a museum for saints."
The words did the trick. Not only did the man return to the sacraments, he returned to the Church as well. And in the process, a partnership was born. Father Fleming found in Tim Murray, 55, the person he'd been looking for to help him run a growing collection of homes for men like him, men trying to overcome an alcohol-addicted life and get back to a normal way of living. At last count the homes stood at two, the residents at 23. More are on the way.
All this is happening in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Father Fleming serves as a retired priest of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese. It's also where he was honored earlier this year with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Trinity Sober Homes. All proceeds from the sold-out dinner went back to Trinity, the parent organization for the houses.
As Dave Hrbacek explained it for a story in The Catholic Spirit, the archdiocesan newspaper, the homes are for men 40 and older and offer a faith-filled environment. The surroundings encourage - but do not require - an embrace of Catholicism. Plans are now being made for a third home, and after that more may be on the way.
"Trinity is just another example of Father's lifetime commitment to helping other people," Murray explained. "He's touched so many of our lives and changed our lives. He saved my life. There's no question. It's that simple. The man saved my life."
Father Fleming jokes about his age and his maladies - including Parkinson's Disease - but the conversation takes a serious turn when he talks about Murray.
"He's got boundless energy," the priest said, "and he's gifted and he's sincere. He's really the brains of the place. And he's a good CEO."
But let the talk turn to Murray's fund-raising capability and Father Fleming's sense of humor quickly returns.
"He's the best moocher in captivity," the priest said with a twinkle in his eye. "Put your hand on your wallet when he comes in the door."
Ordained for the archdiocese in 1952, he spent years as a military chaplain - which included a tour of duty in Vietnam. He comes by his interest in substance abuse naturally, having seen as a priest the havoc that misuse of alcohol can play with people's lives. He wants to help those beaten down by addiction make a fresh start in a safe, clean place, and Trinity Sober Homes gives him that chance.
A close friend explains in detail how Father Fleming accomplishes what he does: "You talk to people who've lost everything because of alcohol. Even though they're broke, even though they might be living in a car, there's still something there. It's a treasure, it's a buried treasure. Father helps these guys discover their treasure, all over again."
(This essay is a recent “Light One Candle” column, written
by Jerry Costello, of The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns
that deal with a variety of topics and current events.)
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