The priest with the familiar face reached behind the center
door of the ornate confessional to get his nameplate, which he
then placed into a slot above that door. It read Fr. Rutler. He
then unlocked the side compartment and left that door ajar. After
he re-entered the confessional, a light went on in his
compartment and a green light was switched on above the side
compartment, inviting all to the sacrament of Reconciliation, or
what used to be known simply as Penance. I wondered if the
congregation waiting for the 1:05 mass to begin knew that the
priest waiting to absolve them of their sins, or simply to listen
to them, has a towering reputation as an intellect and learned
theologian.
George William Rutler is the pastor of the Church of Our Saviour,
which was once viewed as the white elephant of Park Avenue. It
had great debts, poor attendance, and unpaid bills, but then,
shortly after September 11, Cardinal Egan assigned Father Rutler
as its pastor. The Dartmouth graduate, author, personality on
EWTN (the Catholic cable network), and former Episcopalian priest
had big plans for rescuing the parish, and in just a few years,
he has managed to transform it into a vibrant center of
Catholicism that's attracting many young parishioners.
A true renaissance man, Father Rutler, who is also a composer,
writer, and artist, commissioned two artists to create a stunning
24-foot Christos Pantokrator on the wall behind the altar. This
is an image of Christ in a typical iconic pose, and there is no
way to describe its impact in a short column. It must be seen to
be appreciated. Father Rutler's dream is to turn his parish into
an art center. "New York has so many talented young people
trained in the fine arts, and yet there's no place to showcase
their work," he said.
On Tuesday, a black-tie, black-and-white-attire-only event is
scheduled to celebrate the golden anniversary of the
Romanesque-style church, which was chartered in 1955 and was,
Father Rutler believes, the last Catholic church building
constructed in the city. While the Church of Our Saviour is a
comparatively small church, it is now quite a jewel box,
and,judging from the dinner guests
expected to attend the affair at the Pierre Hotel, Father Rutler
has friends in very high places who probably helped make that
transformation happen.
I'm rather grateful for the black-and-white theme, which means I
can wear the standard black uniform I keep handy for formal
affairs. While it will be fun to hobnob with such stellar
citizens as William and Pat Buckley, Avery Cardinal Dulles,
Governor Carey, Mr. and Mrs. Wellington Mara, Margo and John
Catsimatidis, and scores of other VIPs, the best selling point of
the affair is that, Father Rutler has assured me, there will be
no speeches.
Father Rutler's parish is where President Bush attended an
ecumenical prayer service before he went on to the convention
last summer. Father Rutler said his parish was selected because
its location, at 38th Street and Park Avenue, is not far from the
convention hall. He also has had a longtime relationship with the
Bush family, and in 1996, then-Governor Bush named the New York
priest an honorary Texan.
I couldn't resist asking Father Rutler about the president.
"It's not an act," he told me. "He always prays
before an important speech." Father Rutler told me of a
striking incident that I believe demonstrates the president's
humility. Father Rutler had worked with Mother Teresa for a dozen
years in Rome and here in New York, and the president has
expressed great interest in her and her work. During Mr. Bush's
visit here, Father Rutler offered the president a prayer card
that Mother Teresa had given him, but the president declined the
memorable gift, saying, "I'm not worthy."
Father Rutler also commented that, at the ecumenical service, the
new secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, also appeared to be a
genuinely spiritual person.
When I asked Father Rutler why he converted to Catholicism, he
answered: "I get asked that question a lot, so now I just
tell them, 'It's the dental plan.' " He continued in a
humorous vein, saying, "Over the years, I determined that
Henry VIII had made a terrible mistake."
Someone who knows Father Rutler rather well told me that this
priest knows everybody and is good at everything he does. That
may be, but I was most impressed by the simple parish priest who
waited to hear the confession of anyone who entered the
compartment with the inviting green light overhead.
He definitely has his priorities straight.