Fr. Persich reflects on 60 years as a Vincentian Priest This past June, Fr. Roy Persich, CM, celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of his ordination. Fr. Persich is originally from St. Joseph’s parish in New Orleans, Louisiana, and followed his three older brothers into the high school seminary at “the Cape” [Cape Girardeau, Missouri] when he was thirteen. As he so quaintly said, “I’m a lifer!”

When asked what drew him to the Vincentians, Fr. Roy said he grew up in a Vincentian parish, had Daughters of Charity as teachers, and really didn’t know anything other than the Vincentians. While he wanted to be a fireman as a kid, his family encouraged him to be a Vincentian along with his brothers, Nick and Harold (Hotsy), who were Vincentian priests.

From the beginning of his formation, Roy wanted to be a teacher and after ordination spent most of his life working in seminaries. At one point, he was an On-going Formation Director (was on the national board), was involved with Marriage Encounter and Engaged Encoun-ter for about twenty years, worked in prisons, was a summer chaplain, and had a variety of assignments…though these were always centered in the seminary apostolate.

The past sixty years have flown by very quickly and Roy advises, “Don’t look back and don’t look forward because all you have is today.”

When asked what advice he would give to younger seminarians, priests, and brothers, he said, “…jobs will come and go, houses will come and go. In fact, every house that I have worked in is gone. So all you have is the confreres…treasure them.”

And what a treasure he is…ok, sometimes…just look at that cute photo. Roy, con-gratulations on your sixtieth ordination and may you be blessed with more years of health and happiness.

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