“I’m Ready!” - Fr. Dave Hudgins — Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

On January 2, our neighbor, Fr. Dave Hudgins, pastor of Saint Joseph Shrine, Brooklyn, MI marked his 53rd birthday. His brother Jim, a priest and pastor in Washington, D.C. had flown into Detroit Metro that evening to spend a quiet week in the Irish Hills of Michigan. Because of the bad weather and icy conditions, Jim opted to stay in an airport motel rather than drive to Brooklynn. The next morning on January 3rd, while on his way to pick up his brother, Dave apparently hit some black ice on US 127. His truck went into the median and rolled twice, an accident that took Dave’s life right at the scene.

This is a staggering shock and a huge loss for his parish, his family, for close friends, and those moderately close friends like me. It’s a huge loss for the Diocese of Lansing as is the loss of any active priest, but in a special way because Dave was a canon lawyer, the judicial vicar of the diocese, a key part of the marriage tribunal.

I was able to attend a vigil service for Dave at the Shrine the very evening of his death. I’m deeply moved by the turnout, the participation, the emotion, love, and respect of those gathered who held him in such high esteem. Here are a few of the vignettes folks shared about him….

A woman whose husband passed away recounted how Dave spent his day off with another parishioner cutting wood for her. Someone made reference to how deeply he was involved in the renovation and updating of the old church. She is still wondering how he managed to raise the money...His work in the marriage tribunal was a full-time job. When he took on the role of pastor of the Shrine, aware that he’d be able to do little more than cover weekend Masses, he confided his concern about it to a parishioner: “I don’t know if I’ll be able to love them enough.” The testimony of that deeply moving vigil service made it clear that whether or not he’d been able to love them enough, they certainly love him deeply.
A few folks remarked on Dave’s deep spirit of humility. He was a social worker by profession before beginning his studies for the priesthood. One person pointed out the amazing way he saw everyone as so special and how this was manifest in the simple joy he radiated so faithfully. Someone else was marveling at his intelligence and pointed out that Dave could quote Homer, Plato, and Aristotle in the same homily... And then they made the clarification that ”Homer” was Homer Simpson, not the epic poet of Ancient Greece!
Most impacting of all was the account of a couple speaking to Dave at the back of church after Mass one Sunday. One of them was filled with anxiety, certain that with all the things happening in the world, we must certainly be in the End Times. Dave was a big man, tall and husky. He was still fully vested during this exchange. He stepped back, spread his long arms very wide, and proclaimed for everyone nearby to hear: “I’m ready!”

What a consolation and reassurance… What a statement of faith and confidence... What an invitation to every one of us.

Are you ready?

Most of us are inclined to be more than busy, always trying to manage well our responsibilities, commitments, great ideas, and everything else on our plate. Most of us take the gift of each day for granted, ready and eager for more and more and more. Dave’s sudden passing reminds us how fragile our lives are, how special each day is and how sacred each person is. And now what?

As we pray for Dave and pray for our neighbors at St. Joseph’s Shrine, it’s important that we commit ourselves to take action as well, be ready to step forward, and do what we can to help out that parish… and one another. I can’t think of a better combination than prayer and action to enable to be able to say with Fr. Dave Hudgins, “I’m ready!”

Blessings,