Father Drake cites 50 years of ‘great joy’ in ministry
“God so loved the world that he sent his only son. Whoever believes in him will not die but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
The confidence in God’s love has been a constant in the ministry of Father Timothy Drake, who celebrated his 50th anniversary of priesthood on May 15.
“He proved it by sending his son, Jesus,” the priest explained.
Father Drake was baptized in Norfolk, where his parents were members of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. His father, a U.S. Marine, spent the last year of WWII in Norfolk, before moving the family back to Cleveland.
Growing up in the Cleveland area, Father Drake attended Catholic school. He was also an altar boy.
“I loved the Mass,” he said. “I liked to serve Mass and always felt an attraction there. And the sisters encouraged us to look toward a religious vocation to the priesthood.”
Pursuing the call he had first felt as an altar boy, Father Drake entered a high school seminary in Cleveland after eighth grade.
Father Drake was in formation for the Diocese of Cleveland when he got in touch with Msgr. John McMahon of the Diocese of Richmond, who was also originally from Cleveland. The priest invited Father Drake to visit the Richmond Diocese during the latter’s final year in college.
“We had visited Virginia several times, and I liked it very much,” Father Drake said.
After completing college, Father Drake, as a seminarian for the Diocese of Richmond, attended St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
On May 15, 1971, Bishop John J. Russell ordained Father Drake a priest of the Diocese of Richmond. At that time, the diocese encompassed Northern Virginia; the Diocese of Arlington was established in 1974.
Following ordination, Father Drake served as associate pastor at Christ the King, Norfolk (1971-1974). He held a similar position at the Pro-Cathedral of St. Peter, Richmond (1974-1975), St. Matthew, Virginia Beach (1975-1976), and Church of the Holy Family, Virginia Beach (1981-1982).
He served as administrator of Prince of Peace, Chesapeake (1971- 1981), St. John Neumann, Powhatan (1982-1983), Church of the Visitation, Topping (1989), and St. Francis de Sales, Mathews (1989). He was campus minister at St. Anthony, Norton, from 2001-2015.
He became pastor for the first time in 1975 at Prince of Peace, Chesapeake, where he served until 1981. He later served as pastor of St. Matthew, Virginia Beach (1989-2001), St. Anthony, Norton (2001-2015), St. Mary, Coeburn (2002-2005), Holy Spirit Catholic Community, Jonesville (2005-2015), Sacred Heart, Big Stone Gap (2005-2015), and St. Joseph, Clintwood (2006-2015).
From 1983-1988, Father Drake participated in an associate program with the Maryknoll priests in which he served at a parish in Mindanao, a province of Davao, in the Philippines.
“I learned one of the languages of the Philippines, and it helped me a lot when I came back to Virginia Beach,” he said, noting the vibrant Filipino population in the Diocese of Richmond.
“That’s been very helpful to me. And, of course, to see how the Church has prospered in another culture was wonderful,” he added.
The priest noted that at the onset of his vocation, he had been prepared for working in larger parishes where he would be performing “many baptisms, many weddings” and other sacraments, and he said that he has served in some big parishes.
These days, however, he has “become more accustomed to a much smaller setting” where “you get to know the parish like your family.”
“The longer you’re ordained, you get to know generations of family, and so it’s a wonderful experience to see the children,” he said. “The children you knew, they’re parents now. Their parents are grandparents. You get to see how the faith has grown in these families.”
Having retired from active ministry in 2015, Father Drake now helps out at parishes that are part of St. Anne, Bristol — St. Bernard, Gate City, and St. Patrick, Dungannon, in southwestern Virginia.
“I don’t do any of the administration, but I do offer Mass here every weekend, visit the sick and all,” he said.
Until this past year and the challenges brought on by COVID-19, Father Drake had been actively involved in prison ministry, but prisons have been closed to visitors due to the pandemic.
Father Drake expressed “a deep gratitude for the people of the diocese for their great support over the years and all the places I’ve served.”
Father Drake said that in addition to Mass and daily prayer, learning to count his blessings rather than concentrate on problems or perceived failures in ministry has been key to sustaining his vocation as a priest.
“Learning from my own mistakes and going on from there, I think that’s helped me to stay happy in priesthood,” he said, “And having people who I can confide in, talk with, including my brother priests.”
His brother priests from the 1971 ordination class, including those who serve the Diocese of Arlington, still get together.
“We’ve stayed in touch, which is a wonderful thing,” said Father Drake. “We’re kind of spread out, but we do have that much connection, keeping in touch.”
This year, to celebrate their golden jubilee, six brother priests concelebrated the 12:05 p.m. Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on Tuesday, May 25.
In a more personal celebration, Father Drake presided at three Masses during his anniversary weekend at the parishes where he currently helps.
“We’re a very small church. We average about 25 people, and if you spread them out, people don’t get too jammed in there,” he said. “So, I didn’t want it to get more than about 25. It was good.”
He was joined by his brother and sister, and parishioners from St. Matthew, Virginia Beach, with whom he has remained in touch.
Although he said it was “just a coincidence,” Father Drake also participated in Mass in Kingsport, Tennessee, because he has gotten to know people from the parish since going to “the far southwest” in 2001.
“It was quite a big weekend,” he said.
Reflecting on his golden jubilee, Father Drake recalled “so many happy memories” of the people he has encountered.
“I think untold stories could be told about the goodness of the people of our diocese toward the priests and the support that I’ve received over the years,” he said.
He has appreciated being able to support the people of God, noting that being able to perform the works of mercy “has been the center of my ministry.”
“Being able to reach out to people in their time of need: when they were sick, when they were dying, people in prison, nursing homes. All of the opportunities to do the works of mercy, that was a great joy,” he said.