News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Fr. Thomas Faucher.
Six years ago this week, W. Thomas Faucher arrived in Sisters to assume the mantle of parish priest at St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church, which had been without a priest for two and a half years.
It wasn't an auspicious beginning. Upon arrival, he promptly slipped and fell, shattering his quadriceps tendon in three places.
As a result, he celebrated his first Sisters Mass from a wheelchair.
"It was the day of the Pole, Pedal, Paddle race," he recalled. "They thought I was the first casualty of the day."
Actually, Father Faucher is not from the local diocese, but is "on loan" from the Diocese of Boise.
The Diocese of Baker, which includes all of Eastern Oregon, was already short on priests when its judicial vicar died.
That's how Faucher's door to Sisters opened.
"Bishop Connelly asked if I'd help out and take the position, and my bishop in Boise allowed me to do that," he said.
A deal was struck that called for Faucher to split his time between the diocese and the pastorless church in Sisters.
Faucher knew about Sisters and admitted, "Sisters was the bribe to get me to leave Idaho and come to Oregon."
Faucher spent the next two years earning a degree in canon law, to be followed by a five-year term in Central Oregon that was later extended to six.
Boise, however, is finally calling in their loan.
Due to his injury, Faucher didn't exactly "hit the ground running" in Sisters but has gathered quite a bit of steam since then.
When he arrived, St. Edward's, with only 94 families, was the smallest parish in the diocese to have a permanent priest.
Since then, parish numbers have doubled, and Faucher spearheaded a large building addition, which has garnered a great deal of interest.
The new load-bearing supports of the church are carved log depictions of the 34 patron saints of the churches of the Diocese of Baker.
The statues also surround a prayer garden dedicated to St. Winefride of Wales, and floor-to-ceiling windows look out from the addition into the garden.
Faucher became familiar with St. Winefride while working for the Diocese of Wrexham in Northern Wales during a previous assignment.
In addition to expanding the church during his tenure, Faucher has authored two books, written a monthly column for The Bulletin, and become a well-recognized figure in Central Oregon.
Before returning to Idaho, Faucher will spend four months working and studying in Britain and will lead a "Cathedrals of Britain Tour" from September 27 to October 15.
Starting in July, he will fill in at a church in Kirkcudbright, which he describes as "a little teeny fishing village" in southwestern Scotland. The priest from that parish, Fr. Neil O'Donnell, will be visiting Sisters in June and will attend a St. Edward's open house on June 4, which will serve to introduce the new St. Edward's pastor, Fr. Jim Logan.
Logan is a native of Bend and is transferring to Sisters from Prineville.
Faucher's return to Idaho comes at a time when the priest shortage here is no less severe than it was six years ago, but numbers have been bolstered by four Nigerians and the scheduled ordination of two area priests.
Still, of the 38 priests in the Diocese of Baker, only 18 belong to the diocese, "not a healthy situation," says Faucher.
Faucher plans to continue writing and hopes to put together a second volume of his columns, which he will also continue.
Reflecting on his time in Sisters, Faucher said, "I've lived in a variety of places around the world...and I don't think I've ever lived in a community as open or as welcoming or as talented as Sisters.
"It's an extraordinary community, not just the Catholic community, but the entire community. I will miss it very, very much and will treasure my six years here as some of the happiest of my life."
Church plans events
St. Edward's Catholic Church plans several events to mark the departure of Father Thomas Faucher:
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