A Great Teacher, Scholar, and Pastor Has Left Us

I was saddened this morning to read that Msgr. Michael J. Alliegro had passed on yesterday, succumbing to a ten year battle with leukemia at age 62. I knew Msgr Alliegro from his time as pastor of St. Bartholomew's Church in East Brunswick, NJ (1990-2007). He was the priest who officiated as my parents renewed their vows on their fiftieth wedding anniversary celebration, ten years ago this week. In a culture that seems to get more "in your face" and contentious he was always a voice of contemplation and alternatives.

Granted, I am not the most religious man in the world, and have I'm definitely not dogmatic in my beliefs. And that was OK with Michael Alliegro- he wasn't here to point fingers and condemn, his credo was one of openness and tolerance, and of looking at the world through the eyes of others, and perhaps seeking a new interpretation to truths that might be out there that would ultimately lead to the same goal. He was a leader in a faith that began 2,000 years ago, but he was very much a 21st century man. So what if Christ didn't literally transform a small amount of loaves and fish into more loaves and fish to feed 10,000. The point- and the real miracle- was that He found a way to be certain that all were fed. Msgr. Alliegro always began his homilies with a story (usually humorous)- it got people to "tune in". He was wise enough to know that Christ usually spoke in "parables" or metaphors; and it worked pretty well for Jesus, so do likewise.

Much of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, were indeed metaphors, stories that tried to explain the unexplainable by authors who lived 2,000 years ago or earlier. And Msgr. Alliegro had a knack for repackaging those concepts for the 21st century in a way I had not seen done by any other clergyman.

Its too bad he died so relatively young at 62. He should have written books and been able to share those insights he had with more people. We lost a great teacher yesterday. And I feel privileged to have known him for a brief time.

More on Msgr. Michael Alliegro here.