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As a boy, he played a priest saying Mass. Fast forward to the ’70s—long hair and rock-n-roll—a time for enjoying a new freedom as a budding young journalist at the Vancouver Sun. But after a random, chance trip to Seattle to visit family at a rectory, his life changed in an instant. Because when God calls, you answer. Father Rick thrived in the Second Vatican Council Reformation. He helped build communities and opened minds and hearts through his humour, passion, and understanding. Eleven years passed, and Father Rick began to feel the familiar pull of change. Love finds a way. He could no longer deny his new calling—husband to Suzanne and Dad to an irascible Adam who would lead him to forever love. Father Rick, Roamin’ Catholic is an eye-opening memoir shining a light on faith, religion, and the little-known life of priests. There is joy and mischief in the stories Rick tells a niece in Toronto as they munch Easter eggs on Good Friday during the Covid pandemic. He writes about a Church’s declining attendance and troubling issues, right beside miracles, good works, and good people. “My faith was now more Roamin’ than Roman Catholic, a God bigger than any catechism taught me. Be who we are. Love who we love. A believer, still standing.”
“Rosemary Klein, Winchester, England: Always keep your knees together, ladies; they are best friends. Sister Rosemary Carroll, R.I.P. Katy Kidd Wright, a friend who described herself as a “non-RC heathen raising RC kids going to Catholic schools” confirmed that ashes on foreheads was still in vogue. “The modern curriculum even has a robotics lesson in Grade 2 where my eldest learned to mechanize Mary and Joseph's walk to Bethlehem.” In my school days, we wrote JMJ on the top of scribbler pages for a Holy Family Jesus, Mary, and Joseph blessing. Other times, we wrote BVM for the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was an alphabet acronym heaven. Whenever Dad felt no one was listening to him, he spoke to the Blessed Virgin Mary statue on the living room mantle. They talked a lot.”
READ MORE“....It was all so God-smacking normal, the norm for Catholic families. If it was not your childhood, it was your parents’ or grandparents’ universe. If you were a Protestant with Catholic friends, you know these stories. I have been hooked on faith’s love story, personal and community, the hard mission to chase after love, justice, peace, and inclusion. Help one another. Be kind. Be true to ourselves. God’s mercy was oxygen to live another day.”
COLLAPSECharlie Angus, MP, Author, Musician wrote:“The next Frank McCourt! Rick Prashaw is one of the most engaging,
passionate and entertaining writers we have yet seen this millennium! A
must-read book!”
“Are there times in the hectic chaos of life that you stop and wonder what
happened to your faith, your community and the Church that seems so
determined to break your heart? Rick Prashaw guides us through the troubles
and on to hope, to a big God, and our work for justice, beginning with
real reconciliation with Indigenous People.”
