A pastor spends a lot of time looking after the spiritual well-being of his parishioners. You might call it ‘caring for the flock’.
Lately, Msgr. Victor Finelli, Pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Orefield, has added a new dimension to that phrase.
He’s keeping a flock of chickens.
Besides the obvious benefits like fresh air and fresh eggs, Msgr. Finelli says he also is learning lessons about himself, and about the amazing nature of God’s creation.
“Anyone who knows me would never think I’d do something like this,” he said one rainy morning after giving a tour of his backyard coop. His family members and his fellow priests, knowing his personality, “thought I was crazy,” he said.
“But that’s exactly why I’m doing it,” said Msgr. Finelli. “We have to reach out beyond ourselves and trust God that everything is going to work out.”
Msgr. Finelli started researching chickens during the pandemic. “I read about them, and each hen develops a whole egg – yolk, white, and shell – nearly every day,” he said. “And to think that that’s only one tiny part of God’s creation, that’s incredible.”
It turns out that chickens are easy to care for, and they are smart, Msgr. Finelli said. They also open up new options for family Christmas gifts. “Last year,” Msgr. Finelli said, “my brother bought me a gift card to Tractor Supply.”
Msgr. Finelli says he does get the occasional ribbing about his out-of-character hobby, but he has the benefit of being able to scramble that sentiment by giving anyone who clucks too loudly some freshly laid eggs.
“Most people are really curious,” he says. “In fact, sometimes they ask about my chickens before they ask about me.”
Photos by Paul Wirth.
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