Saint Therese Roman Catholic Church is just beyond Route 20’s initial rise toward West Granby. The church has a long history and its new pastor, Father Carlos Castrillon Castro, is adding another chapter to that history. He came to Granby during a most difficult time to “shepherd a flock.” On Dec. 9, 2019, Father accepted his new role as our permanent pastor.
Father Carlos was born in Columbia outside the city of Medellin. He was raised Catholic, one of seven children with a constant and abiding focus on Jesus. For the typical Colombian native, life is marked by seminal Catholic moments, such as baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage, and the anointing of the sick.
It would not be surprising if he became a priest. When asked about that, he laughed and shook his head. “No, no it was not my first choice in planning my future.”
Father Carlos was planning a future in medicine. While attending pre-med courses in Columbia, his days often ended with a feeling of emptiness or boredom that was difficult to define. “Something just… was missing…there was something like a giant hole, a piece of emptiness in my heart that would leave me searching.” Instead of hearing the proverbial call to a vocation as many priests do, he had more of a personal awakening, and soon thereafter, he enrolled in seminary. From day one his life took on meaning and the missing piece filled with a future devoted to serving Christ.
Little did he know that becoming a priest would bring him to the United States in 2012. Here he faced his first challenge—the barrier of language. Knowing very little English, he was forced to learn by immersing himself into the culture, first as an assistant pastor at Holy Family of Enfield for two years, and then at St. Juniper Sera until 2019.
Remembering his first days in Granby, Father Carlos’ face lights up and you can feel his joy: “I just love this rural area, the farms and trees…it feels more like home to me. The people here are easy to get to know and even during the pandemic, there was a feeling of connectedness, always.”
How difficult it must have been for the young priest navigating a foreign country and settling abruptly into a small community amid a global pandemic to lead his first parish. Yet, here is a wonderful man who loves everyone, is an avid mountain biker and runner, loves basketball, cooking, coffee and playing the guitar. It was hard, even lonely at times, but his love for Christ, combined with his fun and energetic spirit, carried him and our church through the pandemic. You don’t have to be around him very long to feel his passion for Christ, and his hope in the future of our church and the greater community.
He looks off, at the hills behind the church and ponders a moment… a long moment. He preferably would rattle off what he is trying to say in Spanish. Instead, he leans forward, smiles, and says, “You know? I feel so blessed! I was raised by a family who taught me how to pray, prayed with me, prayed for me, and still pray for me. My family is so important to me.” In fact, during the pandemic his mother and sister were able to come from Columbia for an extended visit. He adds, “I cannot imagine growing up without faith, without hope, without a constant connection to our Lord.”
He spoke a bit about looking around the church, seeing many new faces, many young families, and this truly warms his heart. But where are those other faces? During the pandemic, many families were not able to attend Mass for months, but with vaccines and life returning to normal, and kids back in school, why have they not come back? “Oh, I want to reach out to them, to all people—old and young and especially to the teenagers. As a young priest I have so much to offer them, life with hope and direction and gratitude.”
Since his assignment to the parish, many positive changes have taken place. There is a renewed vibrance and energy to the church, a more welcoming space to worship and socialize with others. There’s a new music director, a new parish manager, an enriched religious education program for families, and most recently, a new state-of-the-art sound system. Father’s homilies are clear and deeply meaningful. Each one is rooted in humility, echoing Father’s roots in a place far simpler than the way of life in this affluent town.”
When asked what he would like to say to readers here in Granby and our surrounding towns? He quickly responded by saying, “Oh! Well, the beautiful season of Advent and Christmas is upon us, and this is a time when families all come together. I would like to invite all to come and celebrate the gift of Christ in our life. Our church here is a place where those who are inspired by Jesus feel called to grow with others and be light and salt of the earth. I feel like my heart is so inspired by our patron saint, Saint Therese of Lisieux. From the first day I arrived here … I felt her presence. We are alike in this way: she felt like her mission was to love, love simply and I feel like my mission is the same and is about to begin…to help others love God as I love Him.”
Saint Therese Church will hold Christmas Eve Masses at 4 and 8 p.m., and Christmas Day Masses at 8 and 11 a.m. For more information, visit sttheresegranby.com