Everybody likes a well-done roast...

By BOBBY HORECKA and JANET JONES/The Catholic Lighthouse

Sister Colette Kouba placed a pair of big paper ears on the Rev. Monsignor John Peters, pastor of Sacred Heart in
Hallettsville, during his recent Roast and Toast event held in Victoria.

The ears, Sister Colette told the newspaper, were what she came up with when she tried to think of a good way to
describe Monsignor John. “He was always just such a good listener,” she said.

Unless, that is, he had some place to be, she said.

Or, if he happened to be hungry.

Combine the two — which Sister Colette told us, happened a lot more often than you might think — and watch out. She recalled giving him a ride once, out to his farm where he was meeting someone for some personal business. Sister said she waited in the car until he was done.

“When we left, we went a way that I’d never been before,” she said. “It was getting dark already, and he kept telling me I must’ve missed a turn or something."

That's when she says he finally fessed up to why they'd really gone that particular route: ``There used to be a good place to eat out here somewhere," she recalled him saying.

Lucky thing Monsignor always had folks willing to drive him around when he wanted to go places, said former Sacred Heart Catholic School Principal David Smolik.

“We were all so proud of the new passenger van the day we brought it home off the lot,” Smolik said. “But no one more so than Monsignor."

Of course, Monsignor was at the wheel, so he could pull up and impress everyone at the school.

"Impressed, I'm not so sure about," he said. "The pressed part, however, he had spot on."

Because not realizing that the van he drove was taller than the awning he was headed toward, Monsignor pressed the roof of that van straight into that awning with a mighty crash. Mighty enough to total the new van, anyway.

It left the roof of the van rather compressed, and considering it wasn't yet an hour since it left the showroom floor, it had all those who had anything to do with paying for said vehicle feeling a mite depressed, before all was said and done.

Of course, Smolik said he couldn’t fault Monsignor too much.

“He was extremely gracious and forgiving to me, back when I did the exact same thing, a few years before, myself,” he admitted. “Only difference was, this was about $40,000 passenger van. Mine, a brand new full size school bus, cost four times as much, at least.”

And so it was that Monsignor Peters willingly sat as the target of a little needling, as well as a little praise, at the 2022 Roast and Toast, all to benefit the Emmaus Counseling Center.

The annual event – which was originally planned for Monsignor's Golden Anniversary as a priest, back in 2020, but it was put on hold that year and most of the next one, too (2021) because of COVID – turned out to be the most successful roast yet, raising almost $115,000 in operating funds for the center, with a healthy portion of that coming Moinsignor's own pocket.

“It’s all for a good cause,” Monsignor told us at St. Mary’s Picnic last Sunday.

Now let it be known, we tried our best. Yet despite our best efforts to get Monsignor to dole out just a tiny smidge of what he'd sat for that night, he flat refused to play along.

Who should he have needled? Well, the only two people who have taken the hot seat themelves, of course. Our previous roastees.

Because you can call it needling, if you like—talking a little smack, to modernize the given parlance—but one fact remains: Monsignor just set the collection bar for these Roast & Toast functions pretty dang high, Especially when you consider that both previous roastees are bishops in the church.

The first, Bishop Gary Janak of the San Antonio Diocese, sat for the first ever Roast and Toast fundraiser. In fact, Bishop Gary played an integral part in launching the Emmaus Center here in Victoria, during the many years he spent as a beloved and popular priest in the diocese. Next in line for the hot seat was Biship Brendon Cahill, who let's face face it, is simply adored by most who cross paths with him.

Yet it was ol' Monsignor who managed to out-collect them both when it came to total cash raised for the Emmaus Center.

"C'mon, Monsignor," I pleaded. "You just gotta take a couple of healthy swipes at least — toss down the gaunlet, so to speak—that's how trhe prizefighters do it, right?"

But he kept right on walking, carefully caning each step across the gravel drive beside the St. Mary's Parish Hall, as if he never heard a word. And that was after Sister Collette gave him the spiffy new set of ears.

At the same time, though, that utter lack of response reminded me of a thing Monsignor once told my wife, Jennifer, a few years back now. He married us, you see, and as they suggest, we met with him well in advance of our planned vow exchange. I have to admit, the questions he posed seemed like him being chummy, making small talk, as they say. Each served its purpose, I would quickly learn. 

"So, how long have known each other?" I can still hear him ask, that baritone voice of his still lingers every word.

My wife was on that one, so I left her to it. "Twenty-seven years," she answers.

Which was probably about right, I was thinking. We met in high school, after all. Still, there were probably close 20 of those years we nary spoke a word, each of us off on our own paths in the world. Then one day, our paths entwined once more. While I tried to process such thoughts into something even a fraction as eloquent, Monsignor slowly swivels his chair to face me Then, the most deadpan face you'll ever see, says, "You don't like to rush in to anything, do you now?"

Not what I expected to hear just then. Thast much is certain. So, now I'm busy trying to process it all: Was that as funny as it sounded? Or, was he admonioshing me? I couldn't tell. 

Meanwhile, he's facing my wife once more and, using his most consoling, grandfatherly of voices, he says:"You'll have to forgive him. He's always been kinda slow side."

As he caned away from me in silence last weekend, I pretty sure heard that same phrase once more.

Others who spoke at the Roast and Toast event were the Rev. Monsignor Dennis Darilek, Peggy Supak, Sheila Martinka and Doris Hoeinghause, all of whom had some good stories to tell.

Top sponsors for the evening fundraiser included Monsignor John himself, K&T Construction (Larry and Kathy Tomanek and Scott Strnadel), JoAnn and Hardy McCullough and Tim and Lynn Miori. Other major sponsors were Main Street Animal Hospital, Diana and Ben Galvan, Holy Family Catholic Church in Victoria, St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Victoria, and Mary Joan Cahill.

Many other businesses and individuals contributed to make the evening a special treat for everyone. On May 24, the Emmaus Center was awarded a $140,000 grant from the Kenedy Memorial Foundation to match funds already set aside for expansion plans. The center plans make use of some shell space at the Cathedral Center building, where its offices are housed, to better accommodate clients.

Next year, the Rev. Tommy Chen will sit in the Roast and Toast hot seat.

About The Emmaus Center

The Emmaus Center provides individual, marital and family counseling services from a Catholic perspective.

The staff at The Emmaus Center empowers individuals, couples and families, struggling with emotional or relationship issues, to seek a healthier and Christ-centered place in their lives.

Located at 1508 E. Airline Road in Victoria, the center is open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, and they are closed on Fridays.

It is staffed by skilled and experienced professional counselors. All hold a master’s degree and are licensed by the State of Texas to provide counseling services. Even with our experienced professionals at the Emmaus Center, fees are substantially cheaper than other counseling services provided in the area, which can range from $75-$150.

Each session at the Emmaus Center is $50. Financial assistance is also available.

If you believe such services may prove beneficial in your life, please call (361) 212-0830 for information or request an appointment online by visiting the “Getting Started” section on their website at https://emmauscounselingcenter.com/.

They consider it a privilege to be invited into your life and entrusted with the opportunity to provide professional counseling services to you.

The Emmaus Center continues to grow and serve as many people in the diocese as possible. As such, donations are always welcomed. For more on how, click the “Giving” link on their website.