Pilgrim Journeys

Book excerpt: Ralph Leo Kleiter, priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, Canada shares the unique story of one who experienced the time before the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the following years that energized him. With the help of his daily journal, files and memory he writes candidly and highlights his “steppingstones” and “turning points”. In twelve chapters, with meticulous details, his narrative outlines his rural Saskatchewan formation and religious institutional education; the background and interesting events in all the parishes he served; and his global experiences and outreach through a Ministry to Tourism he established. In several sections, the reader will be able to really feel the author’s presence within the narrative. The most compelling and intriguing aspects of the author’s story are: •The “behind-the-scenes” accounts within church ministry, from the pre-Vatican II schooling to his faith-related struggles within the structures of the church. Some readers can attain a deeper appreciation of their role in the church and the author hopes that his story might serve as a teaching vehicle for clergy and laity. •His approaches in parish and health-care ministries, as well as his visionary personal charism in developing a “Spirituality in Travel” and a “Ministry to Tourism”. Most evident, is his belief that the sacred is all around, making our leisure time matter in a spiritual way. The reader will be especially impressed in a final chapter presenting the richness of his travels and how life-changing they were because of his organization and determination. Fr. Kleiter has written a voluminous Memoir, enhanced with over one-hundred and twenty colour photographs in a pleasing volume of classic design. The work is a worthwhile read, because it describes a priest with a mission during the challenging years of reading the “signs of the times”. By understanding the past, we can move into the future.