As you may know, we had a beautiful Funeral Mass for Fr. Popovich about a week ago, with Bishop Bonnar as the main celebrant. The bishop’s presence, as the chief shepherd of the Church of Youngstown, lends a certain fullness to the celebration, and it marks the importance of the event. For all of you who knew and loved Fr. Popovich and who benefited from his ministry, I’m sure it was an important day for you too, even if you didn’t make it to the funeral.

Although I only met him briefly a couple times towards the end of his life, I feel humbled by Fr. Popovich’s priestly example. He lived out 1 Peter 4:13—rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when His glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. As Christians, we know that the Cross of Jesus always leads to the Resurrection. When we suffer well, when we suffer with Him, He brings us to glory.

Everyone was aware that before his accident, Fr. Popovich loved to work out. He must have been very fit! Little did we know that we would see his true strength only after his accident, when physically he became very limited. He depended on God for everything and never stopped giving of himself. In that respect, I’m also reminded of something St. Ignatius of Antioch, an early martyr, once wrote. He asked his people to pray that he be worthy of the name “Christian” when he wrote, “only request in my behalf both inward and outward strength, that I may not only speak, but truly will; and that I may not merely be called a Christian, but really be found to be one.” Through his suffering with Christ, through his participation in his death, Fr. Popovich became a “Christian” in name and in reality. May he now share in the next part of the story, too—the Resurrection! Let us pray for Fr. Popovich and ask him to intercede for us.