‘The gift of Father Michael’s priesthood’

Bishop Beckman helps Father Cummins celebrate his 30th ordination anniversary on Pentecost Sunday

By Dan McWilliams

The St. Dominic community and friends and family of Father Michael Cummins filled the Kingsport church June 8 for a celebration of the pastor’s 30th anniversary of priestly ordination.

Bishop Mark Beckman presided at the Pentecost Sunday Mass. Both the Mass in the church and the dinner that followed in the parish life center were standing-room only. The honoree’s humble, quiet personality and his love of nature were evidenced in the speakers’ comments at each event.

“It is good to be together and celebrate the great feast of Pentecost, the day on which the gift of the Holy Spirit gave birth to the Church. Today, I know we’ve gathered folks from all over the diocese to in a special way celebrate the gift of Father Michael’s priesthood, for which we are so grateful,” the bishop said in his opening remarks at Mass. “We have many reasons this evening to be full of joy.”

The 30th-anniversary celebration was delayed five years, as the
COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 canceled Father Cummins’ silver-jubilee events.

Father Cummins delivered the homily at Mass. Twelve priests and 12 deacons also took part, including St. Dominic associate pastor Father Andrew Crabtree; Father Mike Creson, who as chaplain of the East Tennessee State University Catholic Center helped influence a young Michael Cummins’ vocation; and Glenmary Father Francois Pellissier of Kingsport. Deacon Steve Helmbrecht was deacon of the Word, and Deacon Frank Fischer was deacon of the Eucharist.

A native of Johnson City, Father Cummins has been pastor of St. Dominic Parish and its 1,300 families since 2014. He says he is a little partial to the Tri-Cities area, where he went to school at St. Mary in Johnson City and grew up in St. Mary Parish. Father Cummins is the third of four boys, born to the late Jack and Betty Cummins, and his brother John was among the family present for his anniversary Mass.

“I love this area. I’m a little biased,” Father Cummins said, “but I think it’s the prettiest part of the diocese,” he added with a laugh.

The Diocese of Knoxville had just been formed in 1988 when Father Cummins entered Conception Seminary in Missouri.

“It was right after the split from Nashville, so I’d always been a Knoxville seminarian,” he recalled. “The enthusiasm, the excitement of starting something new, and the energy of the young Church in East Tennessee was wonderful.”

His first thoughts of being a priest came early in his life, Father Cummins said.

“I remember first thinking about it when I was in elementary school, and then thought some even in high school,” he said. “I even visited our parish priest at St. Mary’s in Johnson City, a Dominican priest.”

That was Father Richard Archer, OP, one of many Dominican Fathers who served at St. Mary when the order had the parish under its care from 1916 to 1995. Father Cummins grew up in the old St. Mary Church located downtown, which served the parish from 1931 to 1990, when Masses moved to a new multipurpose center on East Lakeview Drive. St. Mary School also moved to that location at that time, ahead of the new church’s dedication on the site in 2000.

Father Cummins remembered the old St. Mary Church on East Market Street.

“It was a beautiful little church on top of a hill, and I went to school there, which was even further up the hill,” he said. “I remember walking down the hill to go to the church twice a week, just the beauty of a simple little church with a deep wood and the smells and the colors of it all.”

The flame of Father Cummins’ vocation kept burning through what could have been a dry period for his faith, as he moved from St. Mary School after fifth grade to public school, then to Science Hill High School and ETSU, both in Johnson City.

“I’ll be honest—at that time my family wasn’t practicing very regularly, and I wasn’t coming to church often,” he said. “I still thought of priesthood, even though I wasn’t going to church. In my third year of college at ETSU, it was in fall semester that I felt a pull on my heart to go to the Catholic Center on campus. I met Father Mike Creson there, and I got involved in the Catholic Center, and once I got re-involved in church and the community of church, the thought of priesthood just came forth full-force.”

Father Cummins said his love of nature “has always been there, but I think it’s grown even more the past few years. I love getting out in creation. I love going on hikes, and I love watching wildlife and learning about nature. I’m a certified volunteer naturalist for the state—I went through that program. I just keep learning, and wonder keeps growing in everything I learn.”

The Kingsport pastor volunteers at the city’s Bays Mountain Park, where he has worked with the park’s gray wolves.

“It was being involved there that led me to Yellowstone and the times that I’ve led retreats in Yellowstone. I’ve led four retreats in Yellowstone now,” he said.

Bishop Beckman and Father Cummins both love hiking.

“I haven’t had a chance to hike with him yet, but I know he loves nature, too, and getting out in creation,” Father Cummins said.

Father Cummins, 57, has served in numerous assignments for the Diocese of Knoxville in three decades, including his current role as vicar for priests. He has served as pastor of St. Mary in Athens, diocesan director of vocations, diocesan coordinator of vocation promotion, part-time associate pastor at St. Mary-Johnson City, diocesan coordinator of youth ministry, and chaplain at ETSU, Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Knoxville Catholic High School, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

“My assignments have been blessings,” he said. “I’ve been assigned in parishes, both as associate and pastor. I’ve been assigned at our high schools. I’ve been assigned at two of our Newman Catholic Centers. I’ve done vocation ministry, youth ministry, even deaf ministry for our small deaf community. I’ve done other roles in the diocese, so it’s been a lot of different things and blessings in all of them.”

Father Creson and the late Monsignor Bill Gahagan, the first diocesan priest to pastor St. Mary after the Dominicans’ departure, were among those who influenced Father Cummins’ vocation.

“Those are the two priests who have had the most influence on me,” he said.

Father Cummins was among three priests ordained at Sacred Heart Cathedral on June 3, 1995, by Bishop Anthony J. O’Connell.

“It was amazing, just being there with family and friends. It was just a wonderful celebration,” the 30th-anniversary priest said. “I do remember lying on the floor and just praying.

“Talking about nature—I remember the night before (ordination) I went out to a place in Johnson City that overlooked some hills. I remember just sitting there for a few hours that night reflecting on the priesthood and the possibility of this vocation.”

Father Cummins’ Mass of thanksgiving on June 4, the day after his ordination, also fell on Pentecost.

“The first Mass I celebrated as a priest was Pentecost,” he said.

COVID “knocked out” his 25th-anniversary celebration, he noted.

“I had things planned, both the celebration and a sabbatical, but everything had to be canceled, so I figured 25 plus five—that works,” he said.

Father Cummins enjoys serving at St. Dominic, a large parish with a school and numerous ministries.

“There’s a lot of life here. It’s a growing community, an energetic community,” he said. “We have all sorts of age ranges, interests, people with skills and talents that they give. Our school brings a lot of life to the parish. It’s just a wonderful parish.”

Father Cummins began his homily by thanking Bishop Beckman for his presence.

“It means a lot that our shepherd is here to celebrate this beautiful feast day with us,” he said. “And to my brother priests, thank you. Thank you for being here, and thank you for the ministry that we share together. To my brother deacons, thank you. I was told by a professor in seminary, ‘Remember, you’ll always be a deacon longer than you’ll be a priest.’ There’s some wisdom to that. For my family, thank you. Thank you for being here. It means a lot.”

His parishioners and others present are his “family by grace,” he said. “I believe it. Thank you for being here, so many beautiful faces.”

Father Cummins’ voice broke as he began his next sentence.

“I love being a priest, and I love the Holy Spirit, and the two for me are connected,” he said.

At Conception, Father Cummins said he “learned to see the wind.”

“Conception Seminary College is in northwest Missouri. It’s in the middle of nowhere, sort of a flat area, maybe some rolling hills and just a few trees,” he said. “The seminary and monastery are surrounded by these hills with tall-standing, rich, green grass. One of the things I learned that I truly enjoy to do is that when the wind would begin to blow, and it blew a lot there in northwest Missouri, I would go to an elevated spot, and I would watch as the wind moved through the grass.

“I remember sometimes it was almost like ocean waves coming into a beach, just one wave after another, but then there were other times it was almost like the wind just sort of jumped around. It would start over here, but then all of a sudden it would stop, and all of a sudden it would start on another part of the hill, circling sometimes even in on itself. I learned to see the wind.”

He said that the faithful “come to know the Spirit” in a similar way.

“Jesus tells us that the Spirit is like the wind. It blows where it wills,” Father Cummins said. “And the way that we know the wind is by experiencing the wind. We feel it. We feel the coolness of the breeze. We experience the grass being blown around. Sometimes we see the power of the wind. The way we come to know the wind, the way we see the wind, is by experiencing the wind.

“I think that’s the way we come to know the Spirit. The Spirit has been given to us, given to us as Church, given to us each individually in our lives. The Spirit is given to strengthen us. It’s given to inspire us. It’s given to lead us forth, to give us the courage and the wisdom that we need, and I think the Spirit is also given to lead us home, to lead us home to the Father.”

The theme of being led home brought to mind Father Cummins’ favorite song, 1977’s “Solsbury Hill” by British artist Peter Gabriel.

“It’s my favorite pop song, to clarify,” he said to laughter. “I was in elementary school, and this song has stayed with me, and every time I hear it, it livens my heart.

“Listen to these words—they’re kind of apocalyptic. They’re almost scriptural in their imagery: ‘Climbing up on Solsbury Hill, I could see the city light. Wind was blowing, time stood still. Eagle flew out of the night. He was something to observe. Came in close I heard a voice, standing, stretching every nerve. I had to listen. I had no choice. I did not believe the information, just had to trust imagination. My heart going boom-boom-boom. “Son,” he said, “grab your things. I’ve come to take you home.”’

“Grab your things. I’ve come to take you home. The second chorus: ‘I was feeling part of the scenery. I walked right out of the machinery. My heart going boom-boom-boom. “Hey,” he said, “grab your things. I’ve come to take you home.”’ And the final chorus: ‘Today I don’t need a replacement. I’ll tell them what the smile on my face meant. My heart going boom-boom-boom. “Hey,” I said, “you can keep my things. They’ve come to take me home.”’ You can keep my things. In my interpretation, they, the Son and the Spirit, have come to take me home. The Spirit is given to us. The Spirit comes to take us home to the Father.”

Priests “have a privileged spot, to be able to see the wind and to learn to see the wind,” Father Cummins said. “And I’ve learned. I’ve seen that these 30 years. I’ve seen it when families gather together in joy. I’ve seen it when families gather together in loss, in sorrow. I’ve seen it in communities of faith, a parish, a school, a Catholic student center. I’ve seen it when a sinner receives forgiveness. I’ve seen it in the Eucharist. I’ve seen it in my own life of quiet prayer.”

He also saw it the day before the 30th-anniversary Mass, when Bishop Beckman ordained Father Renzo Alvarado Suarez and Father A.J. Houston to the priesthood.

“I saw the wind yesterday at our cathedral when two men were ordained,” Father Cummins said. “We learn to see the wind, to see the Spirit. It’s so beautiful, and I’ve seen it in each and every one of your faces. Thank you. Thank you for that. I love being a priest, and I love the Holy Spirit. Thirty years down, 30 years to go,” he added to laughter. “I’ll clarify that because there’s a bishop here (laughs).

“I love God wholly. I’ll always live the life of a priest, and to be able to know in my own heart those words of the song, ‘I’ve come to take you home,’ and to help others hear those words in their lives. I’ve come to take you home. The Spirit is given, and the Spirit is given to take us home. And whenever that final day comes, hopefully not for a while, I hope I can make the words of that last chorus my own: ‘Today I don’t need a replacement. I’ll tell them what the smile on my face meant. My heart going boom-boom-boom. Hey, I said, you can keep my things. They’ve come to take me home.’ Thank you.”

A round of applause followed the homily.

In his closing remarks at Mass, Bishop Beckman said, “it really is a joy to be back here at St. Dominic to celebrate this day with you. Father Michael is a unique pastor in the Church universal because most of the time a shepherd will protect the sheep from the wolves, but Father Michael loves the wolves.

“But he also does a magnificent job watching over the sheep of God’s people. I will tell you, too, he has been an extraordinary gift to the whole diocese. As our vicar for priests, he helps us to care for the priests of this diocese in a remarkable way. I’m very grateful, and I’ve been so deeply grateful for your wisdom and your help and assistance since I have been here as the new shepherd of this diocesan church.”

Father Creson recalled after Mass when a 20-year-old Michael Cummins came to the ETSU Catholic Center.

“He came by one day and stuck around and eventually made his way the next year to Conception Seminary,” he said. “He’s always been quiet, very reflective, and very prayerful. That’s always been a part of who he is. The student center in those days was kind of a loud place, but he kind of brought this peace to it. He was always a person trying to go deeper with his prayer life. I remember just how special he was.”

Father Creson, a chaplain at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga who also assists at weekend Masses at St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Cleveland, said the packed St. Dominic Church and parish life center were no surprise that day.

“This is exciting. It’s such a wonderful turnout because people love him so much,” he said. “I don’t think they expected this many people, but I can understand—people care so much for him. I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

The dinner was emceed by St. Dominic parishioner Tony Venzon. Speakers included David Moody, Father Creson, Andy and wife Robin Barré of All Saints Parish in Knoxville, and Brad Burgett of All Saints. The Barrés, who along with Mr. Moody offered a toast to Father Cummins, have known the honoree for 29 years and Mr. Burgett for 31.

Deacon Humberto Collazo of St. Dominic presented a gift to Father Cummins, and Mr. Venzon saluted the priest at the end of the dinner, leading to a long round of applause.

Bishop Beckman spoke before giving the last word to Father Cummins.

“It is such an honor to be here tonight to celebrate Father Michael’s 30th,” the bishop said. “It is so clear to me how well, Father Michael, you have taken care of the people whom the Lord has entrusted to you, and that you are deeply loved by them. That’s because you love them deeply. That’s the kind of priest we need in the Church, and I’m grateful to be serving in this diocese with you. God bless you. I’m looking forward to the next 30 years.”

Father Cummins thanked the dinner gathering for their attendance.

“I’ve seen the face of Christ in each and every one of you. I truly appreciate that,” he said. “You’ve been a blessing to me. You inspire me in so many ways, so I’m very grateful. That’s the word I have tonight: gratitude, gratitude for the 30 years and gratitude for all of God’s blessings.”