Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, OreQon Wednesday, July 5, 1995 - THREE
Father Condon celebrates 4 0 years in priesthood
Father Gerry Condon
By April Sykes
The love of working with the
homeless started a career in the
priesthood that would span 40
years. And the caring this
beloved parish priest invested
over the years is returned by
the parishioners in St. Patrick's
and St. William's churches--
indeed the whole community.
The church and the communi­
ty helped Father Gerry Condon
celebrate those 40 years with a
party held June 17 at St.
Patrick's.
" I would never have believ­
ed it 40 years ago,” says Father
Condon of his lengthy career.
Father Condon, bom and rais­
ed in Dublin, Ireland, first
decided to go into the priest­
hood after working with the
homeless in Dublin. “ I think
that through that I thought it
would be a good thing to bring
the Gospel of the Lord to other
people,” he said.
Following his work with the
homeless, Father Condon at­
tended Melleray College in
County Waterford, majoring in
religion. After graduation he
went to seminary at St.
Patrick's Seminary at Thurles
in County Tipperary. At that
time, many young men chose
to go into the priesthood.
Seminary at St. Patrick's was
geared to ministering in other
countries and two other
students there at the time also
planned to come to Eastern
Oregon. Father Condon says
that his mother accepted him
traveling so far away because
Bible school to begin at IU C C
"Friendship” is the theme of
this year's vacation church
school (VCS) at lone United
Church of Christ, held July
10-14 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. dai­
ly. The program is open to all
children from ages four
through those having just com­
pleted the sixth grade. There is
no charge.
Activities will include wor­
ship, music, stories, crafts,
videos, games, snacks, and
learning from the Heiffer Pro­
ject.
The video, "T h e Secret
Garden", will be shown at the
church on Sunday, July 9, at 7
p.m. to kick off VCS. This story
about the healing power of
friendship will appeal to all
ages, said a VCS spokesperson.
Popcorn will be provided. The
public is invited to attend.
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so many young people emi­
grated from Ireland then.
Father Condon contacted an
organization in Chicago, the
Catholic Church Extension
Society, wifich helps to finance
churches io very small areas
and asked' them to give him
names of places that needed
clergy.
received around a
half dozen names and the first
to answer ^tim was the Bishop
of Baker, Frances Leipzig, who
said there was an opening in
Baker. - X
Father Condon was 28 years
old when he arrrived. He was
never assigned to Baker
though. His first assignment
was at Lakeview on the Califor­
nia border. That parish took in
the whole county and he and
another priest served four chur­
ches, alternating time between
them.
After three years in the
Lakeview Parish, Father Con­
don's Bishop had him on the
road, pinch hitting at different
places, the first of which was
Heppner. Father Condon took
over here while Father Gaire,
Heppner's parish priest, re­
turned to Ireland because his
father was dying. Father Con­
don served in Heppner that
time for 2Vi months.
After his stint in Heppner, he
went to St. Bridgit's in Nyssa
to cover for two priests who
had gone to Mexico to study.
From there he went to Red­
mond for three months. The
priest there was sent on special
assignment by the Bishop.
After Redmond, Father Con­
don went to Condon and
stayed there a year.
Father Condon was then
assigned to St. Mary's in the
Wasco Parish. After nine years
there, he was assigned to Mer­
rill, which is on the California
border south of Klamath Falls.
He stayed there for four years.
Then the bishop needed some­
one in Ontario. After eight
years there, he transferred back
to Lakeview as pastor and
stayed there six years, before
he moved to Prineville, where
he remained for four years.
During Father Condon's ser­
vice in Prineville, he learned
that one of his two sisters was
diagnosed with cancer. He ob­
tained a leave of absence and
traveled back to Ireland. His
sister died a short time before
he was to return to thtf U S-
Upon his return, he was
assigned to Heppner. During
his stay in Heppner father
Condon became eligible for a
sabbatical, so he was able to
return to Ireland for a while.
After the sabbatical he decided
to return to Heppner, where he
has remained. He has beYn in
Heppner for five years.'Father
Condon says that the sabbatical
is a good thing and allows for
fcOntemplation about orje's life
and future decisions* Some
people opt for retirement, but
he says he just wasn't ready.
Father Condon says that he
has gotten "sufficient satisfac­
tion" out of his career. Perhaps
the greatest satisfaction, he
says, was his involvement in
organizing church renewal
weekends. He was trained to
coordinate the renewals and
conducted a number of retreats
at Ontario and several other
parishes. This experience was
all the more satisfying because
he was able to work with the
priest who had been involved
in putting together the "m ar­
riage encounter" groups. "It
was very rewarding," says
Father Condon, "because it
was so beneficial."
Father Condon jokes that his
greatest frustration is in learn­
ing to use the computer, but
adds seriously that he found
some of the changes brought
on by the Second Vatican
Council difficult to adjust to.
Changing the Mass from Latin
to English was difficult, he
says, as was the change in the
structure of the church-he was
accustomed to having his back
to the people, in the capacity of
a leader, but that was changed
so that priests were to face their
congregations to deliver the
Mass.
Father Condon sees the
clergy's greatest challenge in
stabilizing the family. " I see
our families disintegrating,"
says Father Condon. " I think
we have to have a strong fami­
ly structure." He says that two
of the biggest threats to the
family are the economy, where
both parents need to work and
children are not cared for by
family members, and divorce.
"The children suffer the most,"
he says. Another aspect of con­
cern is the school system. "The
school system has become such
that there is no moral instruc­
tion given in school."
Father Condon says he
believes there will come a time
in the Catholic church when
priests will be allowed to
marry. However, he says he
doesn't think it will entirely
cure some of the problems in
the church. But, he adds, the
church is working to solve
those problems.
In addition to pastoring St.
Patrick's Church in Heppner
and St. William's in lone,
Father Condon offers counsel­
ing and is a licensed hypnotist.
He uses hypnotism to help
people relax, stop smoking and
drinking and overcome their
fears. He doesn't claim 100 per­
cent success, but says that it can
be helpful. Of particular in­
terest to him is the use of hyp­
notism for pain co n tro l-
helping people with chronic
pain.
MCGG rep attends Case IH sessions
Bob Laughlin from Morrow
County Grain Growers of Lex­
ington and Wasco recently join­
ed nearly 800 other Case IH
dealership representatives for a
first-hand look at the new Case
IH 9300 Series STEIGER four-
wheel-drive tractors and the
Case Corporation manufactur­
ing facility in Fargo, ND.
Laughlin attended the two
day product launch including
a tour of the 543,000 square-
foot plant and special sessions
devoted to new 9300 Series
features. Laughlin also had the
opportunity to get hands-on ex­
perience operating the six new
STEIGER models: the 9330 at
235 hp, 9350 at 310 hp, 9370 at
360 hp, 9380 at 400 hp, plus the
9330 and 9350 Row-crop
Special units with steerable
front axles.
"W e asked dealers who at­
tended the introduction what
their customers would notice
first about the 9300 Series,"
said Kelly Kravig, Case product
manager-4WD tractors. "The
STEIGER name on the grille
and decal was the number one
answer. Like Case IH, it's a
name their customers equate
with reliable, durable four-
wheel-drive tractors." He add­
ed that Case IH and Steiger
have been associated since 1986
when Case purchased the
Fargo-based company.
The STEIGER nameplate is
not the only change to the 9300
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Lindy G ravelle to appear on TV
Former Heppner resident
Lindy Gravelle has been
selected to perform in the finals
of the Charlie Daniels Talent
G
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Roundup on July 8.
Performances are scheduled
for 4 and 11 p.m.
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