Building up the Kingdom of God
Father Paul Gary is celebrating his 40th anniversary of ordination this year. In his four decades of ministry, one of his favorite moments was building and dedication of a new church for St. Luke Parish. Pictured above is Bishop Peter Jugis handing the keys of the new church to Father Gary at the dedication in 2023. (Troy Hull | Catholic News Herald)
MINT HILL — As he celebrates the 40th anniversary of his ordination, Father Paul Gary can’t remember a time in his life when he didn’t dream of the priesthood.
“I always wanted to be a priest – the dream goes back as far as I can remember,” he said. “I could not imagine doing anything else with my life. I remember telling my mom as she sat by her dressing table, and she was not surprised.”
Father Gary has spent the past 16 years as pastor of St. Luke Parish in Mint Hill, where he marked his anniversary on Feb. 11 by celebrating the 9 and 11 a.m. Masses, speaking about his priesthood in his homily and then gathering with parishioners for refreshments.
Father Gary grew up on Long Island in the town of Manhasset, N.Y. A cradle Catholic, he attended Catholic schools and remembers the guidance of the Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters in elementary school and Marist brothers in high school. He has four brothers, including his identical twin, Peter Gary, who is also a parishioner at St. Luke.
His family eventually moved to Charlotte, and the young Gary found a supportive and welcoming environment that nurtured his vocation. Bishop Michael J. Begley had attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., and decided to send Gary there for his formation. He entered the seminary in August 1980, completed his formation, and was ordained by Bishop Begley at St. Patrick Cathedral on Feb. 11, 1984.
Forty years later, Father Gary’s happiness at a life of serving God fills his voice when he talks about the landmark anniversary.
“It’s a milestone for sure – 40 seems like a big number,” Father Gary said. “Overall it feels great because I think everything about the priesthood is wonderful.”
His ministry has taken him all across the diocese – serving as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville and St. John Neumann Parish in Charlotte, and then as pastor at St. Leo the Great Parish in Winston-Salem and St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Statesville. He was rector at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte from 1996 until July 2008, when he was assigned to become St. Luke’s pastor.
GaryHe says it’s hard to single out one accomplishment in a life he loves so much but describes the building and dedication of a new church for the Mint Hill parish as his biggest success. Plans for the new church were just starting to get under way when he arrived there in 2008.
“It took all of my years here to do it – from finding and buying the land, to planning the church design and running the capital campaigns,” Father Gary said. “Building a church takes a lot of work, a lot of prayer and a lot of time, and when the project is completed it’s like a dream come true.”
St. Luke’s new 21,000-square-foot church building was dedicated by Bishop Peter Jugis on Feb. 19, 2023.
It wasn’t the first time Father Gary helped guide a parish through a building campaign. He was pastor at St. Philip the Apostle in Statesville when a new church was built there and dedicated in 1995, and he helped oversee the construction of a new family life center at St. Patrick Cathedral, completed in 2008.
Father Gary marvels at the growth of the Catholic population in western North Carolina since his ordination four decades ago, and he’s especially happy to see the strength and growth of the Catholic school system in the diocese.
Through his decades of service to Our Lord, it is his devotion to many saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary that has guided him throughout his priesthood, he said.
“I pray the rosary every day because it brings me closer to God,” he said. “It is special to set aside part of my day for the rosary. It gives me confidence knowing God will bless me throughout the day.”
Knowing since childhood that God was calling him to priesthood has helped Father Gary rely on God’s guidance in everything he does.
“It’s not so much about my abilities but about what God allows me to do and helps me to do,” he said. “I would say that trusting God has helped me to accomplish what I’ve accomplished. If you allow Him to work through you, you can accomplish great things.”
— Christina Lee Knauss
Editor’s note: This profile is the first of a series featuring priests and consecrated religious who are celebrating milestone anniversaries this year. Look for more interviews and stories in coming editions of the Catholic News Herald.