Pastor in Center Ridge retires for third and final time

Italian priest loves community's homemade pasta and sausage, dedication to tradition

Published: August 1, 2016

By Aprille Hanson
Associate Editor

Father Silvio D'Ostilio stands in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome Oct. 6, 2014, before saying Mass during a pilgrimage to Italy with parishioners. Father D'Ostilio left Center Ridge July 10 to retire in Pennsylvania.

On July 10, Father Silvio D'Ostilio, CSSp, left his responsibilities as pastor at St. Joseph Church in Center Ridge to start his retirement where his journey to the priesthood began more than 60 years ago, with the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) in Pennsylvania.

“It’s time,” he said, despite having attempted retirement twice before. But at 87 years old, this retirement means preparing for his “final big exit.”

“Fortunately a good part of it is going to be able to … say weekend Masses at various parishes in the area and keep me in touch with the people and the modern Church,” Father D’Ostilio said.

But that reflection spurs a quick pause — and a plea to not oversell him.

“I was one to walk the journey with them and to preach the Gospel and show them the way, and by doing that I learned it myself.” Father Silvio D'Ostilio, CSSp

“I’m sounding as though I have it all together. Oh my God, no,” he said. “Don’t make me sound so pious … I do not have wings.”

Though wingless, the spirit did touch Father D’Ostilio’s life as a young teenager when he attended minor seminary with the Holy Ghost Fathers. After he was ordained June 3, 1954, he went on to earn his master’s degree in Latin and Greek at Catholic University of America in Washington and later received a Fulbright scholarship to study for a summer at American Academy in Rome.

Though he held teaching positions in places like Arizona and Michigan, his heart was in parish ministry. During his second retirement, he found relaxing living in Sarasota, Fla., was not satisfying.

“There were too many retired priests,” he said. “I was not able to preach the Gospel.”

So in April 2010, he jumped at the chance to be pastor at St. Joseph in Center Ridge.

“I think the community,” set St. Joseph apart from his other past assignments. “The fact that it was a community of Italian origin and I was born in Italy,” moving to the U.S. at 2 years old.

He said he enjoyed the homemade pasta and sausage and being in a community dedicated to tradition.

“I was their priest and also their friend. I think they accepted me as such. I was not one to lord it over them, but I was one to walk the journey with them and to preach the Gospel and show them the way, and by doing that I learned it myself,” he said.

While the stories of baptisms, marriages and giving pastoral care are too numerous to pinpoint throughout 62 years, Father D’Ostilio said one Easter Sunday homily in Center Ridge is particularly special because he didn’t write it. He said he scrapped his original homily, feeling moved by God to get a different message across to his congregation.

“It was about Jesus not commanding us to say the rosary or to go to Mass every day or to say a lot of prayers. He did not command us to do those things — but certainly we ought to do those things — but he did command us to love our neighbor as he loves us,” he said.

Father D’Ostilio said he’s happy to leave administrative work behind to follow his hobbies like cooking, studying the Bible in Greek and playing the piano. He took piano lessons once a week for about five years from Therese Hoelzeman, the former organist for Sacred Heart Church in Morrilton.

“I don’t play very well at all. I’m just starting to play with both hands at the same time,” he said. “She’ll be pleased to know I’ve practiced ‘Ave Maria.’”

Even though adjusting to a faster pace up north again at the Holy Ghost Prep School has had its tough moments — “I got honked at four times when I went out to drive for the first time” — he’s grateful to officially retire.

“What am I thankful for? Everything; I say thank you before going to bed and thank you when getting up,” he said.