Priest brings enthusiasm for Word to parishioners

COLUMBUS - “Heaven! - It's all good when we know we have Christ,” has become the Rev. Scott Courtney's rallying cry for his parishioners to renew their faith in Jesus Christ and their love for the scriptures.

He serves at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Bellwood and St. Joseph's Catholic Church in rural Bellwood. St. Peter's was organized in the early 1880s and currently has 120 families. St. Joseph's, established in 1871, currently lists 50 families on the rolls.

Courtney is the son of Dale and Mary Lu Courtney. He grew up in Omaha. Although this is his first experience in a small town, rural atmosphere, he said he felt right at home upon his arrival in June 2006.

“I would not be where I am without my parents, Dale and Mary Lu, and their great love for Jesus Christ,” he said. “As for ministry, I model my life after the ministry of St. Paul.”

Courtney said he admires and respects St. Paul's ministry because scriptures portray him as very direct and intense.

“People notice right away that I dress differently, more traditionally,” Courtney said. “I do this on purpose. I wear the cassock, not to draw attention to myself, but to subtly make the point that God calls us to a radical life and faith.”

Courtney reminds his parishioners at the end of each Mass they n See COURTNEY, Page 2A

are to look beyond the priest and look to God as their hope.

“It's all about God and not about me ever,” Courtney said. “I know it surprises many, and some don't like it, but at the end of each Mass I ask them to pray for me, a miserable sinner. This is the truth of it. We should mourn our sinfulness and be thankful for God's faithfulness.”

For Courtney, an hour of church on Sunday is not enough to form the basis of a meaningful relationship with God.

“Holiness and happiness go together,” Courtney said. “We find the path to holiness and happiness because Jesus Christ is the lover of our souls, and we are the beloved. Knowing this we find happiness and in that happiness the strength to follow after holiness. This relationship can't grow in just an hour per week.”

Last year, shortly after Courtney's arrival to the Bellwood parishes, more than 400 people met through the autumn, advent and Lenten seasons for Monday night Bible studies.

Courtney said it was the largest number of people meeting for Bible studies in the state at that time.

“It's proof to me that our people want to know God and more of His word,” He said.

The Monday night prayer sessions are still active this year and run from 7:30-9 p.m. each week.

Courtney enthusiastically points to the traditions of the church while introducing changes that challenge some of those who've been in the church their entire lives.

“Pope Benedict is one of the Catholic Church's great biblical scholars,” he said. “I am following that lead and working to help our people find a deeper love for the scriptures, to make the Bible a guiding part of their lives. It's been true in the past that Catholics have not been familiar or strong in the scriptures. Recently, more and more of our people are bringing their Bibles to Mass. It's very encouraging to me to see that.”

Courtney also has brought with him a great desire to work with other Christians from other denominations, and he believes that in each church God has called young men and women to give their complete life to the faith.

“It's been a very long time since anyone from the Bellwood parishes had anyone answer the call to the priesthood,” he said. “I believe God is calling some of our young people right now.”

He has reestablished a strong altar boy group and is working to get some of the younger girls in the parish involved with scripture readings during the Mass.

“These are good people here, they are people of faith, and the young people in this parish have a great love for the faith,” Courtney said. “Enthusiasm is growing. The word enthusiasm means God within. The people here in the Bellwood community of faith have a great love for God, the Mass, the Blessed Mother, the Word of God and devotional life. If He uses me to bring that enthusiasm to the surface, then God is to be praised, not me.”

Jean Kamrath currently serves as president for the parish council at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

“You just can't help but to be invigorated by Father Courtney, his approach and preaching,” Kamrath said. “His style is intense. He comes down in the aisle when he preaches. Mass with Father Courtney is never boring, and at the end of every Mass, he says ‘Pray for me, a miserable sinner.' It is very surprising and humbling to hear him asking for prayer like that.

“He makes us accountable for our faith and our parish. He is not complacent about anything and tells us that God does not want any of us to be mediocre Catholics.”

Courtney said he is thankful for the many parishioners who have helped him settle in during his first year, and he's pleased the members are moving forward and taking ownership of the parish.

“I tell them often that this is not my parish,” He said. “This is their parish, and I serve here by the will of God to lead them and hopefully to instill in them a growing love and enthusiasm for the Word of God and the traditions of the Church.”

The most important challenge he faces is helping people who are lukewarm about their faith to be excited again.

“This is the greatest challenge - and my greatest frustration - is those who say ‘I don't have time,'” Courtney said. “It's just not true. Many of those same people have plenty of time to go to sporting events and other activities.”

Courtney said the greatest danger he sees in the Catholic Church and the broader Christian community is a noticeable loss of the sense of sin.

“God wants our whole heart,” Courtney said. “This loss of our sense of sin is tragic and dangerous to our faith.”

Courtney teaches seniors and freshmen at Aquinas Catholic School in David City. He can be found present at almost every sporting and academic event at the school.

Sean Forney, a member of St. Peter's and a single parent of four, believes Courtney's presentation of the Gospel is reaping benefits for the children and teens in the parish.

“Father Courtney is a breath of fresh air,” Forney said. “He's a lot more evangelical than your standard Catholic priest, and when he's preaching, the love of Jesus just flows out of him. Father Courtney makes a great impression and especially on the children. I've never seen the children so interested and paying such good attention during Mass before.”

Forney said the new focus on Bible study and the scriptures helped him to turn his life around and renew his interest in the Bible.

“My faith is revving up and getting stronger,” Forney said. “I think no matter what your past or how long someone may have been away from the church; they should come back and know that they'll be welcome back by the parish.”