Date: Fri 30-Apr-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

snapshot-Leo-McIlrath

Full Text:

SNAPSHOT: LEO McILRATH

Occupation: I have been the director of the Department of Elderly Services for

Danbury for 21 years. I am also an active priest under the Federation of

Christian Ministries/Corpus. I am also an associate professor at WestConn,

where I teach two Latin classes. I have a degree from St Bonaventure

University in Olean, N.Y., a master's in divinity from Christ the King

Seminary at St Bonaventure, and a master's in counseling from the University

of Bridgeport.

How Long in Newtown: I have lived in Newtown for 15 years. Prior to that, I

lived in Danbury. My ministry was in Raleigh, N.C. where I was chaplain for

Duke University and pastor of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It was a

gorgeous place. We built a church there that was torched during the church

burnings last year.

Biggest Change Seen in Town: One of the things I've seen is wonderful, the

real closeness among the people. I like Newtown a lot, but there is one thing

that distresses me. Sports practices on Sunday still bother me, when church

services are being held.

Family: My wife, Dianne, and I have been married for 15 years. She has three

children, Scott, 28, Jennifer, 26, and Brian, 21, and we adopted three more,

Mari, 16, Daniel, 13, and Julio, 23.

Pets: We have three dogs, Shiloh, Sandy, and Kate, and five cats.

Hobbies: I like music and athletics of all kinds. I like to write, such as

Forum on Faith articles. I also like to read a lot.

Favorite Books and Authors: I only read one or two fiction books a year. The

rest are real life kind of things. I also like to read philosophy, theology,

and history books.

Organizations: I am a member of Newtown's Commission on Aging. I also belong

to about 20 advisory groups and boards of directors related to housing and

health care issues. I am associated with Dorothy Day House in Danbury and was

one of its founders 17 years ago. I also volunteer at Ashlar of Newtown. I

bring communion there and go room-to-room talking with the residents. I am a

former president of the Connecticut Association of Senior Centers.

Favorite Vacation Spot: The outer banks of North Carolina. We have been going

there for most of the years since I was the pastor there from 1973 to 1976.

Personal Philosophy: I like the simple life. I also think people should dream

what they consider impossible dreams and do what they can to make them real. I

think everybody is family. I see myself related to everyone and try to treat

everyone as family.