Father James Sloan, c. pp. s.
January 15, 1934 – August 22, 2018
Funeral Homily, August 25, 2018 by Fr. Joe Nassal, c. pp. s., Provincial Director
Art Imitating Life
One of the great debates that found its way into conversations I had with Father Jim Sloan over the years goes all the way back to Aristotle. The question,“ Does art imitate life?” or“ Does life imitate art?” Fr. Jim probably raised that question the first day of school my freshman year at Precious Blood Seminary in September 1969 when I took his art class. Whether art imitates life or life imitates art, I know this much: Fr. Jim’ s life as a priest and as Missionary of the Precious Blood was a work of art and a ministry of the heart.
A few years ago, Father Jim wrote an article for the Wine Cellar on Art and Spirituality. Jim mused about the diversity of life and food and people he experienced every time he walked the few blocks from Sonnino Mission House to the Berkeley Bowl.“ Across the nation,” he wrote,“ life pulsates with extraordinary creativity: in music, dance, theater and film, architecture, painting and sculpture, and literature. These works of human genius, creativity, vitality, imagination, and often great beauty and insight are all reflections of God who gave humans such giftedness.”
Fr. Jim’ s vocation to the priesthood was a gift from God and for fifty-six years as a priest he shared his gift generously with the church and the world. As principal, pastor, provincial, spiritual director, teacher, and friend, Fr. Jim gave us a rich and remarkable portrait of priesthood. In his reflection for the Wine Cellar, Fr. Jim wrote,“ For the believer, works of art speak of God in some way. Appreciating a work of art, a person might say,“ If this is so wonderful, in a way that stirs my soul, what must God be like who is the source of all this?”
Well, now Jim knows. For as today’ s second reading reminds us,“ we are God’ s children now,” but when we are welcomed home and the end of this life, we“ shall see God as he is.”
What’ s Next
The poet, Mary Oliver, in one of her famous verses, writes:
When death comes … I want to step through the door full of curiosity, Wondering: what is it going to be like, That cottage of darkness?
I understand that the night nurse who was with Father Jim when he died, said Jim asked her,“ What’ s next?”
That sounds like Jim. He was creative and curious about so many things, about ideas and arts, spirituality, and social justice. In her poem,“ When Death Comes,” Mary Oliver captures this endless quest for understanding, knowledge, and fulfillment. She approaches death not with fear and trembling, but curiosity and hope:“ When it’ s over I want to say all my life I was a bride married to amazement, I was the bridegroom taking the world into my arms.”
Jim spent his life“ married to amazement”— he wanted to know more; he wanted to know,“ What’ s next?” If I have a quibble with Mary Oliver’ s poem, it is calling death“ a cottage of darkness” because as today’ s gospel reminds us, it is a house of lights. Jesus tells his disciples and us,“ Do not let your hearts be troubled, have faith in God. In my Father’ s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?”
10 • The New Wine Press • October 2018