by Father Justin Fulton
Friends, I share this week a eulogy given by Sister Andrea who cared for Fr. Rudy Oborny. It is beautiful. Rudy passed in May. He loved the poor and some of his estate went to help the poor at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska. Please pray for your priests living and deceased. Please pray for the people we serve... you. God bless and keep you all.
Praised be Jesus Christ
Reflections on the life of Father Rudolf Oborny
(February 5,1945-May 14, 2021)
My name is Sr. M. Andrea. I, along with Sr. M. Joan and Sr. Maria Christi live and work at Bonacum House (our home for the retired priests) in Lincoln. We do the cooking, cleaning and the laundry for our priests. Most importantly, we are spiritual mothers to the priests. Yes, even in old age, they need a mother to love and care for them.
It is truly an honor to be able to serve our retired priests in life, and an even greater honor to assist them in death. Someone once told me that each priest we assist in their death, they will be present to assist us in our death. I sure hope this is true.
“None of us lives as his own master, and none of us dies as his own master. While we live, we are responsible to the Lord, and when we die, we die as his servants. Both in life and in death we are the Lord’s. That is why Christ died and came to life again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” (Romans 14:7-9)
Those of us who knew Father Rudolf Oborny – “Father Rudy” – knew he lived this each and every day. The Lord was indeed his Master in both life and in death. He had only one desire – to do the Will of God. One day when I went to see him at Madonna Hospital, he said, “I can take the easy way or the hard way.” Knowing full well where this was leading, I asked him what he wanted. Without hesitation, he said “I want to do God’s Will!”
Father Rudy shared with us that his uncle, who was a priest, encouraged him to pray three Hail Marys daily to know and fully embrace the vocation to which he was called to follow. He did this daily. On the day of his priestly ordination nearly 50 years ago, he decided to pray each day that he would persevere in his vocation to the priesthood… and that he would be a holy and joyful priest. We know that Our Blessed Mother was ever close to him all these years as he strove to fulfill God’s Will.
Father Rudy retired from the active ministry June 15, 2020 making Bonacum House his new home. He displayed such a gentle and calm demeanor. He had a way of being uplifting and affirming. If I were having a challenging day, he would walk past and say “Has anyone told you yet today how wonderful you are and that you are the beloved daughter of God?” He had a way of bringing me up when I felt down. Father Rudy was always joyful! His smile could light up a room!
One morning when I was visiting him in the hospital after he had been through many tests, I asked him where his smile was. He looked at me and said, “probably in a catalog somewhere.” Surprised by his response, I laughed and said, “well, can I see it?” He did smile for me in that moment! Truly, he allowed the light of Christ to shine forth through him.
We all know of the love Father Rudy had for Marriage Encounter. As one couple who is very involved in Marriage Encounter shared with me, the goal is to strengthen and support marriages and to get beyond the challenges that arise. Father Rudy had a gift for affirming the efforts of spouses and made it a priority to build relationships with couples.
Even though I cared for Father Rudy at the house for only eight months, it became clear to me very early on just how much he loved and cared for people, and how much people loved and cared for him. We had people calling the house on a regular basis after he fell on Ash Wednesday and had to be hospitalized and later transferred to Madonna for rehab, to see how their friend and spiritual father was doing.
While visiting with him at Madonna he looked at me and said “I don’t know why I am here anymore.” When I asked what he meant, he said, “Sister, I can no longer hear out of my right ear, I am not able to walk or feed myself… I am totally dependent upon others for everything.”
I thought for a moment and said “Father, you are right. You may not be able to hear out of your right ear, or walk or feed yourself. Yes, you are dependent upon others to help you… but above all, you are still a priest of God and you still have a heart. Even though your heart is not functioning properly, you are still able to love because love doesn’t depend on the physical condition of the heart.”
I was reminded of a quote from the book “Fire and Light” by Father Jacques Philippe: “True freedom should be able to operate in every circumstance, including situations over which we have no control.”
I mentioned to Father Rudy several times how hard it was to watch him struggle – no mother wants to see her child like this. I pictured Our Blessed Mother at the foot of the cross. She did not say anything, she was present to Him. That is what I longed to do with Father Rudy… to simply be there for him – to listen to him and to hold his hand which had offered peace, comfort and healing to countless people.
“The greatest gift we can give someone is the power of self-giving, to experience the happiness of giving ourselves through love, since it is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35; cf. Lk 6:34)
Father Rudy, may the Lord open to you the Gates of Paradise and welcome you to everlasting joy. Lord, in your steadfast love grant Father Rudy Eternal Rest.
Father Rudy, we love you and will miss you, Holy man of God!
