I may not have come over on the Mayflower, but I got here as soon as I could!

By Fr. Dermot Rodgers, MA., M Div.

On May 15, 2010, I will mark my thirtieth anniversary of coming to the United States.
After thirty years of living through five presidencies, several wars in Eastern Europe, several more in the Middle East, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fall of the Berlin Wall, enough experience of the ups and downs of the American economy to earn a degree in economics, our deafening silence during the Rwandan genocide, countless natural disasters, including hurricanes Andrew and Katrina, the home-grown terror attacks in Oklahoma and Columbine, and of course, the terrible events of 9/11 - I believe I have earned the right to call myself AN AMERICAN!
In my thirty years of living in the United States, I have had the privilege of studying philosophy at Borromeo College of Ohio, theology at Oblate College, Washington, D.C. and spending my adult life serving in parishes from Pittsburgh, PA, to Fall River, MA and Adjuntas, PR and now in San Diego, CA. I have had the unique blessing of caressing and anointing the foreheads of newborn babies in baptism, anointing and kissing the wrinkled and bruised hands of older people as they closed their eyes for the last time, joining the hands of young people as they made solemn vows to love each other in good times and in bad, all the days of their lives, and counseling victims of unspeakable abuse at the hands of fathers, uncles, teachers, boy scout leaders, ministers, teachers – and yes – priests like me. I believe I have earned the right to call myself A CHRISTIAN!
I count among my American heroes, the always witty, genius and endearing, Benjamin Franklin, the feisty no-nonsense nun, Frances Cabrini, and the eloquent and barrier-breaking, Barack Obama. There are many others, who have inspired me to action, brought me to my knees in prayer, and caused tears of joy and laughter to roll down my cheeks – but I cannot even begin to name them all.
It has always been my joy to welcome immigrants like me, teaching ESL, GED and citizenship classes. I am grateful to mentors and leaders who have given me the opportunity to share what I have learned, both in the classroom and at large so that the promise of a new life in America as a place where anyone who comes here with a dream can make it come true.
I am grateful that we sing of this country as the “home of the brave and the land of the free” so that in my own life, I could find the courage to come out of a dark closet and into the warm light of self-acceptance and feel the warm embrace of true friends and a loving family. With them by my side, I embrace the right to call myself A PROUD GAY MAN!
Indeed, these thirty years in America have been quite a voyage of discovery. I have discovered things about humanity, God and myself, that I would not otherwise have come to know and love if my ship had not sailed ‘ere those thirty years ago.
I have taken many journeys since then and occasionally, when I came to a fork in the road, I took the road less traveled - and that has made all the difference.

So, on May 15, 2010, hopefully in the company of friends old and new, I will raise a glass and drink a toast to - ALL “my fellow Americans”….I may not have come over on the Mayflower, but I got here as soon as I could. God Bless you all! And God bless America!