The following story first appeared in the Winter 2006 Glenmary Challenge.
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Reflecting on 50 Years
Pastor, photographer, editor, writer—golden jubilarian Father Bob Bond has done it all!
by Father John S. Rausch

CREATIVE OUTREACH: Father Bob Bond takes North Carolina students shopping to buy Christmas gifts for others in 1999 (above), a project he continues today.

Father Bob Bond took his First Oath in June 1956. To mark the golden jubilee of this longtime mission pastor and Glenmary Challenge editor, Father John Rausch conducted the following interview by phone. Father Bob, a senior member, now lives in Micaville, N.C., where he fills in for weekend liturgy, serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity and works on projects with the Knights of Columbus.

Q: In your 50 years of ministry with Glenmary, which type of ministry did you most enjoy?
I enjoyed two especially: being a pastor and being the Challenge editor with all that entails. Both gave me opportunities for creativity and interaction with others on a very personal level.

Q: How do the challenges facing Glenmarians today compare with those 50 years ago?
Fifty years ago Glenmary faced a lot of anti-Catholicism. Our parishes were small and sometimes we lacked the proper finances for them. Today, Glenmary pastors are dealing with much more knowledgeable parishioners. Pastors must now learn to work with them as well as the laity (called “coworkers”) who share Glenmary’s missionary ministry.

Another challenge today is understanding the various Hispanic cultures and learning Spanish. And for Glenmarians born in this country, just living and working with Glenmarians from other countries requires some new adjustments.

Q: I understand you have resumed in your new life as a senior member a Christmas project with public school children that was long a part of your work as a Glenmary pastor.
I am greatly interested in education, so I said to myself: Self, why give Christmas gifts to poor kids? Why not let them gift others, and learn some math at the same time?

I first approached an elementary school principal in West Liberty (Ky.) years ago, and I have used the same approach ever since. Last year I started the program at Burnsville Elementary which is close to where I now live. This year I will also involve students from Micaville Elementary.

I ask the school to provide a bus, a driver and a chaperone. Then I get the fifth-grade teacher to choose 12 to 15 kids for a shopping trip, and I cut a $15 check (it was only $10 in the beginning) for each child. It is their money to do with as they choose. But first I teach them about check-writing.

Then we go to the bank where the bank manager gives a tour and, in the vault, lets the kids handle some money. Boy, they love holding $10,000 in cash in their hands!

Then we go to a discount store to buy gifts for others—but they have to budget to make sure they have enough left to buy lunch at McDonald’s before returning to school.

Q: From your 50-year perspective, what have been Glenmary’s most significant contributions to the Church and to the home missions?
We helped some bishops change their attitudes about the mission areas of their dioceses, and we raised the awareness of the American laity to the missionary needs in the United States. Father William Howard Bishop was right about including “the neglected” in his Home Mission Prayer. That has kept us mission-minded.