Father Robert Cilinski, pastor of All Saints Parish, Manassas, Va., delivered the following homily during the Mass of Christian Burial for Msgr. Richard L. Tofani Sept. 6 in St. Isaac Jogues Church, Marlton.

Recently after celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation for a class of young people, “Father Rick” lamented that nobody ever takes the name Richard for a Confirmation name. He then said to a young boy, Zac, “I’m counting on you!” Zac will be confirmed in two years.

At the vigil last evening in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Zac and his family were present. As they walked in the receiving line past Father Rick’s casket, tears flowed down Zac’s face and he was almost inconsolable. His mother shared with me that Zac told her, “well I am taking Richard as my Confirmation name.” In two  years, Msgr. Rick will be remembered and thought of in that teenager’s heart and his family and for the influence he had in their lives.

Zac’s story captures our experience tonight. It is one of shared sorrow, new life and a sense of new purpose and mission. We are the Church of the Resurrection, but our symbol is the Cross. It’s a crucified joy that wells up in our hearts and we acknowledge both – the Cross of sorrow and the power of Christ’s Resurrection. We have all felt a sense of sorrow and loss since hearing of Msgr. Rick’s death last week. And we do not hide our sorrow or our tears for they are a tribute to the bond of friendship and love we feel with him.

Too son has he gone before us and we will miss deeply his physical presence. To the Tofani family, I offer our sincere sympathy and prayers: To his brothers, Gerry and wife Barbara, and Ed and wife Colleen, to his nine nieces and nephews, of whom their uncle affectionately referred to as the “nifty nine” – Christina, Stephen, Matthew, Jackie, Christopher, Michael, Tommy, Leah and Megan, to his Aunt Mary and Aunt Gloria, and many cousins. You were a great support to your brother and uncle in his priestly ministry. You meant so much to him and he was so proud of you and he loves you. Know of our support for you not only tonight but in the days and months to come.

Rick was my brother in the priesthood and my cousin. My parents were Rick’s godparents. We shared childhood friendships and memories along with his brothers and parents, Leo and Irma. H has often been at my side, attending Mount St. Mary’s Seminary together and being ordained the same week in May of 1979. He has been at my side for the celebration of family weddings, anniversaries, Baptisms, funerals, priest reunions and retreats. And Father Rick has been at your side, that of his family, his brother priests, his bishop, his parishioners and chancery staff. As we celebrate his Mass of Christian Burial, Father Rick is at our side. In fact he gathers us together around the table of the Lord at the Eucharist that he celebrates so faithfully. This church is filled with love and thanksgiving for a man whose life and living and priesthood brought so much joy, encouragement and blessings to others. He will always be right here with us in our hearts, especially at the Eucharist. At every Eucharist, the promise of Resurrection is renewed: “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

Jesus is the only one who has broken the boundaries of death and when he enters into the bread and wine at the consecration, he brings everybody with him. That is why at every Mass, the whole Church is gathered together, both the living and the dead. It is a grand communion that is part of the miracle of our Eucharist.

As the Church of the Resurrection, we are proud to proclaim that Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for us, has risen and lives forever. His Death and Resurrection has won for us a victory. His dying and rising has won a victory over sin, a victory over sickness, and a victory over death. In the end, God always wins and we are proud to proclaim this Good News.

So what is our response in the face of death? We stand firm in our faith. As Father Rick taught us, we do not fold; we still believe. It’s never over till it’s over. Death does not have the last word, God does.

Msgr. Rick’s life is very inspiring. His faith was nourished by his parents, Leo and Irma, who sent their children to Catholic schools. He attended St. Peter School, Riverside, then Holy Cross High School, Delran, and St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. After graduation, Rick had a lucrative job with the Ford company which he forfeited to enter Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, responding “yes” to the call to the priesthood.

Sometimes we might doubt if Christ is real. Let Father Rick’s example encourage you. This gifted and wholesome young man met Christ and responded to him. If you are having doubts, don’t worry. In heaven you will know for sure and fully believe. Now on earth we walk by faith. Do not be afraid of following Christ. He will take nothing away form you and will give you one hundredfold. If you let Christ into your life it will be changed for the better. That is what happened to Father Rick. Rick always treasured his Catholic education and was a very loyal alumnus to each of his schools. Rick attended every priest reunion at Mount St. Mary’s during the last 34 years.

In our first year in the priesthood, Rick called me up excitedly about the priests’ basketball team in the Trenton Diocese, the “God Squad,” that he had joined and that had been in existence for 25 years. He encouraged me to start a team in Virginia in the Arlington Diocese. We did and named our team the “Earthen Vessels.” We then played a home and away series for years. it was always a big hype and we raised a lot of money for the youth and for charity. I have to tell you that in our first match up against the God Squad, we lost by 28 points. Keep in mind that all the players on the Earthen Vessels team were priests. During refreshments after the game in conversation, the Earthen Vessel players asked the God Squad players the parish they were assigned to. “I’m at Holy Name” was the response. Are you the pastor or parochial vicar? “Oh, I am not a priest,” one player responded and then he went on to introduce his brother. “We just play on the priests’ team.” So my cousin, Rick, taught me about a fuller sense of Church, and how the laity’s gifts and basketball talents should be fully realized as collaborators with the priests. Now they had priests on the team who were great athletes like Father Mike Burns who scored 40 points a game and Father Rick who scored in double digits. But the addition of the laity made them really tough to beat.

Rick taught me about recruiting. The new criteria changed from, “Are you a priest to have you ever thought about being a priest, to have you ever been baptized, to have you ever heard of God?” We started recruiting, not ringers, we called them halos and they were “brothers.” Our team is in its 34th year and Father Rick was the inspiration for it. He loved sports and was a great fan of his Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and Sixers. A high point in Rick’s life came the year after he was ordained a priest and the Phillies won the World Series.

Father Rick had a beautiful priesthood. What a great guy, so understated, a great sense of humor, loyal, organized, bright and he enjoyed all the things that made life so wonderful.

Years ago, when one of our college friends was kidding him about his elevation to “monsignor,” he shared that when the bishop told him that he was naming him a monsignor, he told him he didn’t want it. The bishop persisted and said, “No, I want to recognize the good work you have done,” to which Rick responded, “Can’t you just give me some extra vacation time or something?” He was humble, did not like the spotlight. But his light did shine as a pastor and as a mission director. I think what Father Rick liked most about being a priest was sharing Christ’s love with others at very significant times in their lives. Being a parish priest is to be in the thick of life – where there is birth and Baptisms, blessing privileged relationships of marriage, celebrating the Eucharist each day, offering forgiveness and gathering around a sick bed to pray for and comfort the infirm. It is blessing little children and listening to the stories of the elderly. Being a priest is to celebrate God’s loving presence in every experience of life. It is being where the action is. Father Rick’s ability to enjoy life and bring joy to others made him an effective priest. The source of his joy was a deep faith in God, a faith that was strengthened by his love of the Eucharist and a devotion to Mary our spiritual mother. His work for the missions is legendary. Since 1986, he made 25 trips to developing nations throughout the world and then coming back and sharing their stories in the schools and churches of the diocese.  He had a great love for the poor of the world and reminded us of our mission to them. “The Church is mission” was his mantra. It was the phrase he repeated over and over again.

The last Sunday Mass Father Rick celebrated was the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time. In the Second Reading, St. Paul writes: “keep running steadily in the race, do not lose sight of Jesus.” Or, in Rick’s case, it was “keep biking steadily in the race, do not lose sight of Jesus.”

In the Gospel, Jesus was asked “what is the requirement for salvation?” his response was: strive to come through the narrow gate. The word strive means making an effort, like an athlete who strains and practices each day to achieve a goal. Rick made that effort each day. And then Jesus talks about insiders and outsiders. Many will come from the east and the west and the north and the south, and some who are last shall be first, and some who are first will be last.

Msgr. Tofani knew the great reversals of the Kingdom of God and to beware of premature judgments. He knew that in God’s eyes some who are last in this world will be first in heaven. I know he was inspired when Pope Francis, on his first trip outside of Rome, went to an island, Lampedusa, in the western Mediterranean where the migrants of Africa and the Middle East come as an entry point into Europe. They are fleeing poverty and violence. They have no home and no status. They are the last in this world. Yet, Pope Francis made them first. His first trip was to be with them and he asked the world to not be indifferent about their situation and to be generous. Father Rick also made them first in yearly trips to bring the Gospel and the Church of Trenton to them.

We are in the midst of an immigration debate in our nation and our Church. we hear often that they must go to the end of the line, go be last and maybe that’s how it has to be, but some will be entering the Kingdom of God before you, said Jesus. And, if some who are last will be first, then they will be at the gate in heaven when we want to cross that border and we would want them to welcome us and say “you were my friend, you helped me, you welcomed me.” Msgr. Rick was a friend of the poor and needy. He should get quite a welcome.

Let us pray for Father Rick that he completes his journey to heaven, and pray for him every day. Also know that he is praying for us.

Tomorrow is Rick’s birthday. Sixty-two years ago his parents welcomed him to life and tomorrow he will be buried next to them. Now he joins them as they welcome him to eternal life along with his godparents. It’s going to be quite a party. He was an outstanding priest and a great friend. I am sure that he did hear the words of the master that we all want to hear: “Well done good and faithful servant, come enjoy the rewards prepared for you from the beginning of time.”

All the good that Rick did lives in our hearts. And to us, Father Rick says like he said to Zac: “I am counting on you…keep celebrating the Eucharist faithfully, keep the party going, remember the poor, and remember the mission. The Church is mission. Keep running steadily in the race and do not lose sight of Jesus.”