By Fr. Randall Langhorst
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine upon him.
The subject of my person who has continuing influence on my Catholic faith is Father Peter Kovarik (1964-2014), a priest for the Diocese of Rapid City, S. D., who died in an accident 10 years ago this month.
Father Peter died doing what he loved – flying his single-engine plane that I many times had been offered to ride. The sight of baling wire and electrical tape holding the plane together did not exactly allow me the confidence to cross its threshold!
Father Peter was ordained in 1991 by Archbishop Charles Chaput. Father Peter loved the outdoors, being with people and encountering new experiences. Friends we had in common said there was an outpouring of grief at his loss, along with many good stories of his humor, compassion and devotedness.
The day before he died, Father Peter left a message for me at my parish, wanting to touch base and get together.
Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to respond, but learning of his passing and hearing his voice in that message took me back to when we met in the seminary our first year at Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md.
It took almost no time to form our friendship and move through the years together. We were not only friends, but brothers in the priesthood. Father Peter didn’t flaunt his Catholic faith. He lived it even as he lived his calling to the priesthood and his vocation. He had no need to be the object of people’s admiration, but had a well-meaning habit of being the active subject in a relationship to love others unconditionally.
Father Peter always, for me, brought up the image of the “Good Samaritan” and filled the needs of the people who came across his path. His ability to accept people where they were, proverbially speaking, his humility and his uplifting personality offered me a refuge in those early seminary days, especially reflecting I had entered the Catholic faith only a year and some months before. He would say how fortunate I was not to have the baggage so many carried with them into seminary life, but was open to learning the faith as it is, and not what others wanted it to be.
It is mystifying how God places certain people in one’s life – like Father Peter was for me – to assist down the road in life with example and knowledge, a source to offer to someone unknown to them what they may need or want to hear.
While absent physically, he still guides me through memories and consideration of ‘how would Father Peter handle this situation, or that individual?’ I wouldn’t dare canonize him – nor would he want me to – but each of us is gifted with people in our lives who just help us take the next step, and for me Father Peter is one of them. He would remind me to look no further than the next step ahead and be guided by the Spirit.
Father Peter surfaces often in my prayers for the repose of souls. It would be hard to put into words, but I am sure others can relate that, for me, he may be just out of sight, but is present to me, encouraging that next step and praying for me, even as I pray for him.
