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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

First Mass on familiar ground


The Rev. James Peak lifts up friends Dan and Kara Waldeck after praying a blessing on them Saturday after  Mass at the Old Mission in Cataldo. 
 (Photos by JESSE TINSLEY / The Spokesman-Review)
Virginia De Leon Staff writer

CATALDO, Idaho – In the Old Mission on the hill – a church where he once mopped floors, washed windows and gave tours of Idaho’s oldest standing building – the young man known by locals as “Jimmy Joe” bowed before the altar and gave thanks to God.

It was a day of great joy for the hundreds who crowded into the historic church, built more than 150 years ago by Jesuit missionaries and members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. The kid they once knew as an altar boy at nearby St. Rita’s and who spent his summers in college working at the Old Mission now stood before them wearing a chasuble in crimson and gold, giving a homily about the feast day of the first Roman martyrs and the meaning of sacrifice.

Jimmy Joe, also known as the Rev. James Peak, celebrated his first Mass as a Roman Catholic priest Saturday.

“We’re all called to a certain type of martyrdom,” he said, explaining how “martyr” means “witness” in ancient Greek. “It’s something that every baptized Christian is called to do: to be a witness to the love of God.”

Ordained the previous evening along with three other priests in the Diocese of Spokane, Peak grew up in Idaho’s Silver Valley. There he attended public schools and helped his parents run the Enaville Resort, a colorful landmark better known as the Snake Pit. Every Sunday, they went to church at St. Rita’s in Kellogg, where Peak is the first from the parish to become a priest.

His first Mass as a priest – a Mass of Thanksgiving – is also the first of its kind in recent years to be held at the Old Mission, just down the road from the Peak family home.

“We are unbelievably proud of him,” said Ralph Braun, a lifelong member of St. Rita’s, a parish of about 120 families. “I always thought early on that he would be priest. His belief in God was so powerful. … I just knew the good Lord wanted him.”

Saturday’s Mass was a mix of pageantry and down-home simplicity. It included traditional Latin hymns and a procession led by Braun and other Knights of Columbus with their regalia of dark suits, plumed chapeaux and ceremonial swords.

At the same time, there was a relaxed atmosphere as guests arrived in jeans, cowboy boots and casual summer wear. Toddlers played in the aisles as the new priest invited the entire crowd to the Snake Pit for barbecue. Those who came to the Mass included priests, relatives and old friends – people who traveled from all over the country and as far as Europe to celebrate with Peak.

It was an especially poignant experience for those who had known the young priest since he was a boy.

“We appreciate everything you have done for us,” said Calvin Nomee, of Worley, a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe who presented Peak with a colorful beaded medallion that formed an image of the Old Mission on the knoll. “We tell stories about you and sing songs about you. … You left us many times, but your heart was always here.”

Standing before the altar, Nomee then sang a song from his native tradition in honor of the priest, who wore the same red vestment traditionally worn by the Jesuit missionaries who celebrated Mass at the Old Mission more than a century ago.

While a few people said they always knew Peak was destined for the priesthood, the 34-year-old said his calling came quietly. There was no bolt of lightning; nothing fell out of the sky. But from the time he was young, he became aware of this spiritual yearning, a profound longing too difficult to describe with words, he said.

The feeling was always there – through his four years at Gonzaga University, where he had a ROTC scholarship and majored in biology and religious studies; through the summers, which he spent at home working at the Old Mission; through his eight years of active duty in the U.S. Army, serving in Texas and Germany, as a peacekeeper on the Sinai Peninsula and finally at Fort Lewis.

He didn’t respond to the call, however, until 2003, when he had to make a choice between making a long-term commitment to the Army or to explore religious life by joining the seminary.

He chose the latter, no longer able to ignore that spiritual yearning inside. And although he left active military duty, he became a member of the Army Reserve.

During the four years of seminary studies in Spokane and in Rome, Peak focused on philosophy, religion and other subjects while leading a life of prayer. Part of becoming a priest involves figuring out whether you’re supposed to be there, he explained. “You have to confirm that the call isn’t something from you, but from God,” he said.

“Education is the easy part,” said Peak, who learned to speak German, Arabic, Polish and Italian in addition to Greek, Latin and other languages. “Discernment is difficult.”

Promoted in December to the rank of major by the Army, Peak hopes to become a military chaplain someday. The U.S. Army is in dire need of Catholic chaplains, he said, but first he must serve as a priest in the civilian world. Bishop William Skylstad of the Diocese of Spokane has assigned Peak to work at St. Thomas More parish in north Spokane beginning in August.

“He’s always been a very involved young man who cared about the church and humanitarian needs,” said Peak’s father, Joe Peak. “We are so proud of him.”

After spending the last few months completing seminary studies at North American College in Rome, James Peak returned home last weekend on his 28th transatlantic flight. His longtime friends in the Silver Valley say they’re thrilled to have him back in the Inland Northwest.

“Jimmy really took it to heart,” said Old Mission State Park Manager Bill Scudder, recalling how the young man passionately shared the church’s history with visitors. “He gave it a lot of respect and reverence. … The whole staff – we’re proud of him. What he’s doing takes a lot of education and sacrifice. He has dedication, a lot of heart and the will.”

As he looks ahead to the future, Peak said he is excited and humbled by the opportunity to serve.

“I’m very grateful for this calling,” he said. “I don’t know why me – that part is still a mystery. But I know I’m called, and I’m certain it’s God’s call and God’s initiative. I’m just trying to respond. … It’s a lot of trust – trust in the love and mercy and wisdom of God.”