Father Cliff Auth says he never wants to be anything but a parish priest. You don't have to look far to substantiate the claim. All you have to do is ask any of the 1,900 families at St. James Parish in Johnson City, N.Y., to whom he ministers as parochial vicar.

Since June 1999, Father Auth has baptized, married, laid to rest, absolved, consoled, cajoled and inspired those whom God has put in his care. Most will tell you that he's done so not only with tremendous love and concern but also with irresistible energy and ambition.

“If I had to describe his charism in one word, I'd say ‘enthusiasm,’” says Kathy Colligan, who's been a parishioner of St. James for 25 years. “He's the most enthusiastic person I've met in a long, long time. We've met a lot of priests in our lives and I can tell you that he is truly a rare one.”

So rare, in fact, that Kathy and her husband, John, asked Father Auth to be their personal confessor even though they're in their 60s and Father Auth is 32. That didn't surprise St. James' pastor, Father Thomas Ryan, who says his young colleague has a maturity well beyond his years. Father Ryan notes that Father Auth has been elected to the Diocese of Syracuse's Presbyterial Council, the bishop's advisory committee. Recently, he was asked by the bishop to pursue an advanced degree in canon law.

“He's infectious,” says John Colligan. “His general presence is consistently uplifting and hopeful. He's everything you would ever want in a young priest — a man of faith, a man of prayer and a man who is at the same time visible to the people of God.”

Renowned throughout the parish for his gripping homilies, Father Auth seems to connect with people of all ages. Using funny stories, everyday occurrences and thought-provoking anecdotes, the priest puts complex principles into simple, positive, logical terms that even children can understand.

Kathy Colligan relates one of her favorites. Father Auth, she explains, was telling how he and some fellow seminarians once dared each other to go sky diving. They were all ready for the challenge — until the time came to do the actual jump. At that point, Father Auth discovered that he wasn't ready at all.

“He started the sermon by shouting ‘Are you ready?’ and having us answer back ‘Yes, we're ready!’” Kathy recalls.

“That really got our attention. Then he told the story, which was very funny, and tied it into Advent, getting us to think about whether we were ready to do the internal work it takes to prepare for the coming of Christ.”

Servant of the Servants

Nor is it hard to track Father Auth's appeal to the young people of the parish. Saturday nights, he's in the gym playing basketball with the guys. On school days, he's hamming it up with the kids in the playground. He works with the parish altar servers. He has an intuitive sense for suffering and, when he finds a young person going through a difficult time, he'll find ways to involve him in parish activities and monitor his progress.

Father Auth, who describes himself as “a servant,” finds his greatest fulfillment leading God's people in the celebration of the Eucharist. This, he says, is “the apex” of our faith. “When we recognize the Real Presence,” says Father Auth, “it makes it so much more comprehensible that we are and become the Body of Christ. That forms a solidarity among all of us and, through that, seeing the dignity of the individual becomes easier.”

Father Auth clearly considers it a great honor to be able to serve others as Christ served his apostles.

“Serving — that's exactly what Christ did at the Last Supper,” says Father Auth. “He washed the feet of the apostles. As priests, that's what we do. After we celebrate the Eucharist, it's our job to be with the people and struggle with them, suffer with them, rejoice with them and walk with them through the daily challenges they face.”

Usually up by 5 a.m., Father Auth starts every day with prayer. After that, there are e-mails to answer. He celebrates either the 6:45 or 8:30 a.m. Mass. Then it's on to appointments for sacramental preparation, visits to homes, hospitals, nursing homes and schools. There's always a meeting for this or that parish activity. He makes time in his hectic day for a run, which he considers “very therapeutic,” the Liturgy of the Hours and an hour of Eucharistic adoration.

Father Auth is present for others because he's had people in his life who were present for him. He recounts how his parents, Clifford and Patricia, taught their four boys and two girls to love the Church and honor its traditions.

Fast-Track Family

“There were things that we learned [when] we didn't realize we were learning,” says Father Auth. “Mom was a full-time mom and Dad worked at the telephone company for 45 years. It was a command performance to be home for dinner. Meal prayers and daily prayers were a given. The rosary was a big part of our lives. And of course, attending Mass on Sundays was nonnegotiable.”

More important than the traditions themselves was the atmosphere they fostered. The Auths are an exceptionally close family, and Father Auth has enjoyed a tremendous amount of support and inspiration from his parents and siblings, who range in age from 40 to 53: David, Diane, Anna Mae, Patrick and Peter. Most of the Auths live in the Syracuse area.

Msgr. Eugene Yennock has been another source of inspiration for Father Auth. His boyhood pastor at St. Daniel's Church in Syracuse, Msgr. Yennock always knew that young Cliff Auth had a vocation to the priesthood. As a student at St. Daniel's Elementary School, Father Auth was a reliable, responsible and active member of the parish who always had a positive and cheerful attitude, says Msgr. Yen nock.

It was Msgr. Yennock who encouraged him, upon graduation from college, to attend St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore. Father Auth took the advice and has never regretted the decision.

“Father Auth is a priest 100% of the time,” says Msgr. Yennock. “No sacrifice has ever been too great for him to make in building up God's Kingdom. He's always had a strong desire to work for the salvation of souls and now he's carrying that through in the priesthood.”

Marge Fenelon writes from Cudahy, Wisconsin.