Father Michael Melanson - Part 1

A Priest married for 50 years? No need for a visit to a confessional, Father Mike Melanson is one special case. After breast cancer claimed the life of his wife, Melanson braved the grief that followed before a visit to his church changed his life. While weeping and praying, he heard a voice say, “Show my love.” After exploring what that might mean, he concluded that it meant to display God’s love through the Eucharist which only a priest could do. That led to an intensive time of study and dedication. In his seventies, he was ordained and now serves as a parish priest near Albany, New York. His adult children and he have a joke about his new title, “Father Dad.” In this two-part podcast, Senior Editor Robert J. LaCosta discusses the ups and downs of widowhood, the process of ordination, the unique position he carries as the oldest active parish priest in his diocese. He understands military service, marriage, children, grandchildren, career pressures and understands widowhood and all of that helps him in his role as a priest. Get ready for a remarkable conversation.