By Paula Day

The easiest entrance to St. Bernadette's rectory in Cedartown is through the back door.

A visitor coming around noon is likely to be met there by the pastor, wearing an apron, and by a rush of aromas from the meal he is preparing for the parish staff and anyone else who happens in.

Father Dan Stack, who will complete his first years as a pastor in October, grew up in a non-traditional household where his mother was fond of saying God did not call anyone to be a housekeeper. Early on, the four Stack children were freed from such gender distinctions and the 35-year-old priest enjoys cooking as one of several hobbies.

Those gathered to enjoy fellowship and food on a recent Friday included the parish permanent deacon, Dick Machan, pastoral assistant, Sister Elizabeth Racko, DC, the parish secretary and designated "boss," Peggy Ruppert, parishioners Pam Saucier and Betty Morris, and Father John Farrelly visiting from Atlanta.

The setting was unpretentious and homey. The banter resembled any herd at a family meal, reinforcing Sister Elizabeth's later comment that the parish is like a small family that "accepts you as you are and helps you grow." And the affection among those at the table was evident. Describing Sister Elizabeth's mental acuteness, Father Stack commented, "She's dumb like a fox and slow as a bullet."

He explained that as a cook he does not clean up after the meal, a task Sister Elizabeth frequently helps with. Once he commented to her, "It's so lovely to see a woman in her proper place." Without missing a beat she responded, "You mean in a rectory."

The young pastor admits he is "not CEO material," and Peggy Ruppert for her part enjoys the challenge of managing the parish day-to-day business. He is a firm believer in subsidiarity, she explained, a concept that decisions should be made at the lowest possible level. "He takes order well," she observed.

"He is very spiritual and very giving," Mrs. Ruppert continued. "He's out in the community a lot. He always has time for people." Pam Saucier has found her pastor "very good at solving problems and counseling."

"I'm not an 'in-charge' person," Father Stack said. "When I first came, parishioners would ask, 'What do you want to do?' and I'd ask, 'What do you think we should do?' I'm not organized or a good organizer. My gifts are more in being a facilitator, a peacemaker."

As a first-time pastor Father Stack was grateful to his predecessor, Father Patrick Bishop, of the legacy of a parish whose "physical plant was in very good condition, with very active ministries, a healthy spiritual life and good rapport with the Cedartown community."

Early in his pastorate, Catholic Social Services facilitated a parish assembly during which the gathered parishioners identified their gifts, the needs of the parish, and set parish goals. That assembly was "the best that could happen to me," the priest recalled. "It fit in to my style of leadership."

St. Bernadette's is situated in Cedartown's business area and surrounded by taller, more imposing churches and municipal buildings. They dwarf the two-story rectory which is joined to a meeting room and quaint church "uncomfortably full" with 100 people. The parish has 110 registered households.

Father Stack estimates approximately 100 Mexicans, mostly young single men whom he described as "not seasonal, but not permanent," also live in Polk County. "They do not come to church a lot," he said, "so we have to go get them."

He speaks Spanish and this is appreciated by the Mexicans according to Sister Elizabeth. He celebrates a 5 p.m. Mass each Sunday in Spanish. Parish bulletin announcements are in English and Spanish. Attendance at the Spanish Mass can vary anywhere from 20 to 100.

Father Stack believes the influx of Mexicans is a special challenge to American Catholics who are not used to evangelizing. "This is a population that needs to be aggressively evangelized, needs a constant invitation," he explained. "I think it is fair to say we have here a population that is predisposed to being Catholic, but not American Catholic, not Irish Catholic, not German Catholic. They're different." Mexican Catholics do not recognize parish boundaries or loyalties, he pointed out.

He praised the ethnic group for their "phenomenal ability" to network, their energetic work habits and their ability to take care of their own people. He admitted, however, that considering the cultural barriers, the language barriers and the fact most are not permanent residents, it is uncertain the Mexican population in St. Bernadette's will ever be well integrated into parish life.

Sister Elizabeth admires the priest's sensitivity to the Mexican culture and his acceptance of the freedom they give their children, even in more formal settings such as the celebration of Mass, where toddlers frequently wander around at will. She pointed out his willingness to accommodate their custom of receiving sacramental absolution each time they want to receive the Eucharist.

Father Stack says he "found his vocation in Playboy's 'number one party school,'" the University of Florida. He joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and worked in Spokane, WA, and there made his clear-cut decision to seek ordination to the priesthood. He was ordained June 5, 1982, at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

A native of Melbourne, FL, he has a brother James, who is a member of St. Jude's parish in Sandy Springs, a sister, Mary, who lives in Atlanta and another brother, Patrick, living in Richmond, VA. His mother Jean, is deceased; his father, James, is still living.

Several large tomatoes lay ripening in the kitchen and Sister Elizabeth drew an analogy.

"He takes real dirt and grows tomatoes," she said, explaining that Father Stack fruitfully uses his own life's realities, which include his parents' divorce when he was a teen, in his work. She recalled a "practical" Christmas homily in which he pointed out that families have too great an expectation of that season and its ability to bring peace and joy. During such a "vulnerable" time families should expect no more than Mary and Joseph experienced the first Christmas, he told the congregation.

Before being appointed pastor as St. Bernadette's, Father Stack served as parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, at Holy Family parish in Marietta and at St. Philip Benizi parish in Jonesboro.

The priest "plays a mean guitar," Pam Saucier said, and lists pottery, weaving and spinning among his hobbies.

"I grew up in a family that valued crafts," he explained. "My brother in Atlanta is a marble fabricator." He enjoys solitude and finds these activities nourish his need for "a lot of alone time." "His pottery is an expression of himself and a way to serve others," said Sister Elizabeth. His bowls are used as everyday tableware and he has donated sets of mugs to parish fundraising efforts. A visit to Williamsburg, VA, sparked his interest in weaving and he was able to pick up a reasonably priced loom in Atlanta's Buckhead area. From weaving he was drawn to spinning, a natural offshoot.

"I got to be to the quietness and rhythm (of spinning)," he said, and admits to being intrigued by fiber and its possibilities. To demonstrate the process he took a tuft of Australian Merino wool, carded it and spun the fibers into thread on the castlewheel, a lesser-known spinning device preferred for its space effectiveness.

A good photographer, he decided that hobby was too time-consuming and expensive. He is conscious of keeping his hobbies as hobbies. "As a priest I have a job to do," he pointed out.

Sister Elizabeth confirms Father Stack's availability and compassion as a pastor and priest. Soon after his arrival in the parish she had the chance to experience those qualities. On her way home one evening she crashed the parish car. With a great deal of apprehension she want back to the rectory to report the damage.

"I didn't know how he'd handle it," she recalled. "He didn't make fun of me, but patiently listened to the whole story and gave examples of scratches in his own life and talked about how to take off the scratches."

"No matter what you bring to him," the Religious commented, "you don't feel threatened by his possible response."

Father Farrelly was parochial vicar at Holy Family with Father Stack. He values his brother priest's insight and directness, and commented, "he tells it the way he sees it and I find that very helpful."

Father Stack's ability to share himself, to be available, to feed others physically and spiritually, has characterized his first year as a pastor. He spoke to his parishioners recently of his great love for his own priestly vocation and celibate lifestyle. That personal affirmation was his way of reassuring those who were upset by recent events in the archdiocese, Sister Elizabeth explained.

The easily accessible back door of St. Bernadette's rectory seems an appropriate symbol for the open and down-to-earth approach of the pastor who lives there.