It caught him by surprise: It was something he never thought would be enjoyable before his ordination to the Paulist priesthood in May. But for Father Thomas Gibbons, CSP, administering the Sacrament of the Sick has been one of the joys of his priestly vocation.

“You have that opportunity for a one-on-one connection,” said Father Gibbons, “and you minister to them at a critical time in their lives.”

Father Gibbons is indeed relishing in the activities of priesthood: celebrating Mass, hearing confessions and participating in parish life as associate pastor at St. Peter’s Church in Toronto.

“It is great because I am actually doing the work of a priest instead of studying to be a priest,” said the 40-year-old New Jersey native whose mischievous grin is often followed by a hearty laugh.

Father Thomas Gibbons, CSP, stops by the Italian food table for a chat during the annual Fall Fair at St. Peter Church in Tornto.

“When you are studying for the priesthood, you were growing personally, intellectually and spiritually all at the same time,” he explained. “Now I have the time to reflect on it all and take it all in that I didn’t have the time or take the time to before. In the seminary, you deal with the abstract––‘What would you do in this certain situation?’ Now I deal with real people in real situations, which is much nicer.”

In addition to the sacramental and other usual duties of an associate pastor, Father Gibbons is tasked with continuing to build St. Peter’s young adult ministry as more and more young families and University of Toronto students are moving into the parish’s Annex neighborhood. He also is helping to market the parish and enhance its online presence. Father Gibbons also serves chaplain to the nearby St. Raymond Catholic School.

It may seem like a lot, but whether it is mingling with folks at a parish event at St. Peter’s Church in Toronto, greeting congregants at the 6 p.m. Sunday Mass or amiably chatting with his brother Paulists at the dinner table, Father Gibbons seems perfectly at ease.

“I like being engaged with the people we are serving,” he explained. “I like hearing about their jobs, their families, their relationships. It is nice to be connected to those realities.”

Father Thomas Gibbons, CSP, greets parishioners before the Sunday evening Mass at St. Peter’s Church in Toronto.

Father Gibbons’ reality began by growing up in St. Lawrence parish in Chester, N.J. After graduating from Loyola University Maryland [Baltimore] in 1994 with a psychology degree, he entered the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. He then served on the parish council of St. Matthew Church in Baltimore for three years, one of them as president, while working for Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services and doing freelance Web development. Father Gibbons entered the Paulist novitiate in August 2006 after finding the Paulists on the Internet.

“I really liked the American identity in the mission of the community,” Father Gibbons said in a previous interview. “The Paulists have a very important perspective to bring to the church today that is not found in a lot of places.”

The mettle of this future Paulist was certainly tested during pastoral year at St. Austin Church in Austin, Texas. Just two months into his time at St. Austin, the parish was thrust into mourning after the sudden and unexpected death of its beloved pastor, Father James Wiesner, CSP.

“My role suddenly shifted from being a carefree seminarian to full-time clergy who was responsible for helping to minister the parish through a significant period of grief,” he said. “I grew a lot in that one week.”

And one of the newest Paulists knows he has a lot more growing to do, but is ready and willing to face the challenge.

“I am definitely enjoying being in Toronto and being at St. Peter’s,” Father Gibbons said. “There is just so much happening here and so much potential.”