Rev. Vincent J. Spinos, T.O.R.
(Sept. 27, 1924--May 12, 2008)

--Fr. J.  Patrick Quinn, T.O.R.

I would like to express my sincere condolences to Fr. Vincent�s family.  While he lived for so long in Minnesota he never forgot Windber as his home nor his love for his family especially his brother Anthony and his wife Dolores.  We heard him speak many times of his nieces and nephews.  We knew their names, Christine, Patty, Jimmy and Sammy.  He travelled with Sam to Mexico, Rome and even Paraguay.  I am certain that this day Fr. Vincent would have wanted you to know his love for you.

St. Paul says that there are three things that last forever, faith, hope and love.  The greatest of these is love because love lasts forever.  This is why we pray for the dead.  At their passing from this world the bond of love that unites us on this earth does not end.  In fact that bond of love often grows stronger after the death of a loved one because the heart begins to forget all the annoying things that they used to do in this life and it begins to remember the important things.  This is why we are here today, to pray for Fr. Vincent and to know that he prays for us in the communion of saints.

The Gospel that we have proclaimed today speaks of �blessedness.�  I read in a commentary once how many times the word blessedness or happiness appears in the Bible.  It was such an astounding number that I forgot it and I can�t remember where I read it.  The point is that God desires our happiness, our blessedness and Jesus reveals the way.  Fr. Vincent was a very happy man, even to the point of hilarity. 

I am not speaking of the fleeting happiness of the world, the happiness that comes from the Penguin�s winning the playoffs  or the Stanley Cup, they will be miserable next year if they don�t get into post-season play.  Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount is explaining to us how to achieve true happiness, happiness that comes with a cost.  How many of the players in the Penguins locker room will be saying �Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth?� 

Fr. Vincent was a very happy man.  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.�  Vincent was happy.  He never held himself up to be greater than anyone else and did not lord it over others.  He was blessed because he knew how to mourn over sin and injustices in the world and to mourn with people in their losses. 

Blessed are the meek, the meekness of Christ, that resists violence yet stands firm in his belief in the God of the living, the Lord of all life.  This was chiseled in Fr. Vincent�s heart and he stood firm in his beliefs especially regarding pro-life issues.  One year three new candidates entered our formation program at St. Bridget�s.  Fr. Vincent saw to it that they all became registered voters in the state of Minnesota and when election time rolled around he instructed them on who were the pro-life candidates for various positions.  But these three were not the swiftest of men and they couldn�t remember the names.  Vincent got up from the waiting area and went back and forth from their polling booths pointing to the names for which they were to vote.  He was escorted out of the polling station by the police!  He held to his convictions born of faith.

Vincent was happy because he hungered and thirsted for righteousness, justice.  Not only did he want to protect all life but he wanted to have people live it fully.  He used to collect day-old bread and give it to the hungry in his parish.  He didn�t want to see anyone in need.  Blest are the merciful.  Vincent was a happy man.  He knew how to ask for forgiveness and how to handily extend it to others.  Blest are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  Fr. Vincent was deeply pained by any sort of discord, be it in the parish, in the community or even in his own family.  He knew that mercy and peace are sisters.  He didn�t know the meaning of holding a grudge.  He was for uniting people and creating peace. He loved a party.

Blest are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.  Fr. Vincent was great with children.  In Minnesota he was like the Pied Piper.  I think that he was so good with children because he himself knew how to be a child.  As the second reading today says �See what love the Father has bestowed on us in letting us be called children of God.  �Dearly beloved we are God�s children now: what we shall later be has not yet come to light.  We know that when it comes to light we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.�  Fr. Vincent knew what it meant to be one of God�s little ones in simplicity and gentleness.  I think he was a little afraid to leave this world because he enjoyed life so much, it would be hard to imagine a world of greater happiness.

This day we pray for Vincent, confident that he now knows the fullness happiness as he sees God face to face.

Death Notices