Fr Richard Keolker is the most complete Catholic Priest I have ever known.  Words are inadequate to describe him and my experience of him, but I’ll try.  He is, far and away the most intelligent, articulate, pastoral, funny,  passionate, gregarious, genuinely caring,  beloved and most important, human Priest that ever lived. 

I met him as a very young man when he covered for the summer in a small parish in Cashmere, WA.  His smile, golden voice, his entire presence radiated the love of God for His people and Fr Keolker’s  love of Liturgy, Scriptures, song and ritual. He is able to make the Catholic Mass come alive in gesture and silence.  I could tell right away he is  truly fully alive.  And then, in 1983 to 1985 I had the opportunity to work full time at the same parish as Fr. Keolker in Yakima, WA. and was immersed in his ministry.  We became good friends as well as with my family.   I deeply loved the man.

At sometime in the summer of 1985, Fr Keolker was, as is done often in the Catholic Church; transferred to a new parish.  I was deeply sad.  Before he moved on, I wanted so badly to express to him how his life had enriched mine and so many, many others in our parish.  And one afternoon as I was driving to somewhere, the words “When we eat this bread; when we drink this cup, we will remember you…remember you as loving us” went through my head.  By the end of the day, “We Will Remember You” was written.

Since then, many music directors from around the state and region called or wrote asking if I would give permission to use “We Will Remember You” at a funeral.  At first I was a bit confused as the song is about a living person who is fully alive.  However, after listening to it for that experience, it does express the deep loss of a loved one.

It has been many years since I have seen Fr Richard Keolker primarily due to my many years living with Bipolar being unchecked.  But I have found that he continues to serve at Mt Angel Seminary in Oregon and has celebrated his 50th anniversary in the Priesthood in 2013.  No matter where he is or how he is I believe his unconditionally loving life is the closest relationship to an unconditionally loving God I’ll ever know.