By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily at the funeral Mass for Father Richard Soulliere, an archdiocesan priest who died Dec. 26, 2020. The funeral was celebrated at Father Soulliere’s home parish, Little Flower in Hollywood.
When Archbishop Coleman Carroll ordained us in 1976, Father Richard Soulliere, at 53, wasn’t the oldest priest; and I, at 25, wasn’t the youngest of the eight priests ordained that day. The youngest was Father Dan Kubala and the oldest was Al Victor who was already in his 70s. That just goes to show you that the Lord will call who he wills – and when he wills. When he does call, we must respond with generous hearts. As Isaiah the prophet responded to his call, so must we: “Here I am, Lord.”
Father Richard Soulliere’s call came after a career in the business world as a CPA – and it was discerned here at this parish, the parish which he attended with his mother and sister for many years before he entered the seminary. Here he celebrated his first Mass – and his last public Mass. It is only fitting that we lay him to rest from this parish church, where he also served for a time as a parochial vicar.
A priestly vocation, in the words of Pope Saint John Paul II, is both a “gift and a mystery.”
In responding to the call, we must fully embrace the gift and so enter into the mystery that enables us, in communion with Jesus, to act in his name and in his sight, as a shepherd of souls.
As Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for the troubled and the abandoned, those who seemed like sheep without a shepherd, so too a priest’s heart should be moved.
Pastoral charity – and not the desire for fame or fortune – is what motivated Father Richard Soulliere in his years of ministry. And though he was what some would call “a late vocation,” he had a long and fruitful ministry – 44 years of the sacred priesthood. He preached the Gospel faithfully; he offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass devotedly; and in recent years, as his health declined, he shared intimately in the sufferings of Christ.
A deep love of the Blessed Mother also motivated his pastoral charity. This should be true of all priests, of course – for as Mary accompanied Jesus in his ministry, even to the foot of the Cross, so too she accompanies, in a special way, the ordained ministers of the Church. But Father Soulliere’ s closeness to Mary was known to everyone who knew him. Above and beyond his parochial duties in the parishes where he was assigned, he embraced the promotion of Marian devotions throughout the archdiocese – and he did so especially through the lay apostolate of the Legion of Mary and the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. After retirement in 1998, he continued his work as spiritual director of the Legion of Mary. He never tired of invoking her sweet and powerful name, praying that we, her children, would be made “worthy of the promises of Christ.”
Those who were close to him – and who cared for him even as he had once cared for them – described him as “a nice man, a very good man, a very holy man and a very spiritual man.” Every priest here would pray that the same could be said of us when we are called home to the Lord.
Of course, we know that we carry the precious treasure of the sacred priesthood in “earthen vessels,” and so we are not shy in asking you to pray for the repose of his soul – and also to continue to pray for us when we die. Here in the archdiocese, it is commendable that our parishes contribute to have Masses said for our deceased priests who have given their lives in the service of this local Church.
We pray for the repose of Father Richard Soulliere’s soul comforted by the words of St. Paul: “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; if we persevere, we shall also reign with him.” May Father Soulliere, who adored Christ hidden under the appearances of bread and wine, now adore him face to face in the Heavenly Jerusalem.
We commend to the mercy of God his soul and the souls of our brothers in the priesthood who have gone before us. We also invoke the intercession of Mary, the Queen of the Apostles and Mother of every priest: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
