By: Sandra Kielback
BELLEVILLE, Ont. (11/08/2011) - Father John Gillis walks though the empty St. Michael the Archangel parish in Belleville, Ont. on Nov. 8. There is at least one priest in the church at any point during the day. Photo by Sandra Kielback
Father John Gillis is the newest priest at St. Michael the Archangel parish in Belleville Ont.
Gillis arrived at St. Michael’s in October. He has been in the priesthood since he was 37 years old and has been a part of four parishes including St. Michael’s since then. Before joining the priesthood, Gillis was a member of the Royal Canadian Navy for 21 years.
Now that Gillis lives and works at St. Michael the Archangel parish, he spends a lot of time in the church itself looking and loving the architecture and beauty of it. He plans on creating a book documenting all of the windows, paintings, sculptures, architecture and some history in the church. Gillis also spends time talking with the parishioners, taking confession and helping with masses.
Father Richard Whalen said that Gillis has been very well received and they hope that he stays for a good length of time.
Gillis grew up in Sydney, N.S with his family. At the age of 17, Gillis decided to join the Royal Canadian Navy and leave his home and his family to serve his country. After 21 years in the Navy, Gillis thought long and hard about what to do next with his life. He finally decided, after a lot of deliberation to join the priesthood. He says that he saw this “as a means of serving God and the church”
After making this life decision, Gillis left the Navy and went to St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto, Ont. St. Augustine’s has been around since 1913 and is the first major seminary built in English Canada for men wanting to become diocesan priests. After graduating from St. Augustine’s, Gillis became a diocesan priest with the Archdiocese of Kingston.
Gillis has been a priest now for many years and has been a part of four parishes including St. John the Evangelist in Flinton, Ont., St. Mary of the Presentation in Chesterville, Ont., and most recently St. Michael’s.
Since becoming a priest, Gillis has not been able to travel much but he notes that the church likes to “downplay any idea that we’re always off on vacation in some exotic part of the world”
Gillis says he has travelled a lot but adds that most of it was while he was a part of the Navy.
Gillis says that he has gone on a trip through Italy instead of going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land because war broke out the year they were going to go. He also says he has been to Rome four times though the years and has been to Vatican City during one some of these trips.
Gillis adds that most of the trips he has been on were while he was a part of the Royal Canadian Navy. He says that normal clergy do not travel as much as many people think they do.