“An afternoon with Walt Dirig” is a moving tribute to Father Walt Dirig as part of a Vocation Awareness project. This undated story obviously took place in the very last years of his life.
From the interview…. “Finally, we got down to my last question: “What’s been your greatest joy as a priest?” Again without hesitation, he said, “The ability to say Mass every day and being able to share my knowledge with the seminarians.”
I had the great fortune to spend 2 years with Father Dirig at the Vincentian Residence, 542 Sixth Street, Niagara Falls, NY.
What a gift for a seminarian? We shared many stories. He was a great confessor. And we had a great love of peanut butter at almost every meal!
I wrote him a long letter about my life about 20 years later. It covered many topics about me and remembrances of him.
Too long to recount in a comment but at the end of every paragraph I wrote “THANK YOU”!
We called him “GRAMPS”. He was every seminarian’s loving, encouraging grandfather.
I miss him.
Rest in peace, Gramps! Your good deeds live on!