SUBIACO — At age 83, Father Peter Sharum, OSB, who had been the pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Charleston for 26 years, heard God’s call to retire.
“The Holy Spirit always directs us and when God directs us he gives us the necessary grace to do whatever he expects us to accomplish,” he said.
Listening to God’s call was something the 10 children of Simon Sharum, a vegetable farmer, and Isabelle, his wife, learned as they grew up in Fort Smith. The three youngest — Joan, Peter and Louise — entered religious life. Joan, who is deceased, and Louise became sisters at St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, and Peter made his profession as a Benedictine monk at Subiaco Abbey in 1947 and was ordained in 1952.
After their father’s death in 1952, Sister Louise found a worn notebook in the family home. The front of the notebook was dedicated to bookkeeping for the vegetable farm, but the second half contained the story of a dream their father had in the 1930s. Father Peter had shared the story in this notebook with many parishioners as an example of someone who listened to God’s call.
In the dream, Simon Sharum met Jesus, who told him to go straight to heaven but warned him that Calvary was on the way. When Sharum said, “I cannot see you, Lord,” God said, “I will send you a guardian angel and he will say, ’This way.’ Sharum followed the angel to Calvary and placed the crucifix attached to his rosary next to the holy cross. He followed God to the gates of heaven and could hear the angels singing, ’This way, this way,’ but returned to earth because it was not his time. “The sweetest music I ever heard; the angels only sang two words, ’This way, this way,’ but heaven’s music resounded in my heart. I was filled with joy and never before been so happy,” Sharum wrote.
Father Sharum, who treasured his father’s notebook, has listened to God’s voice throughout his 58 years of priestly life, during which he taught at Subiaco Academy and led parishes in Subiaco, Ratcliff, Booneville, Little Rock, Paris, Fort Smith and Shoal Creek, and in Windthorst and Archer City, Texas.
He has always loved seeing young families at Mass.
“Children belong on their parents’ knees at Mass,” he said, “because God expects parents to guide their children, that’s what they’re here for to begin with.”
While in Texas, he started giving children their own special bulletins with a little piece of candy tucked inside, a practice he continued until his retirement.
“All the people really enjoyed seeing the little tykes, some crawling up the step with hands up,” he said.
During his years at Sacred Heart from 1975 to 1983 and 1992 to 2010, he baptized almost 400 babies and officiated at about 130 weddings. In some cases, he had baptized the bride or groom decades earlier.
At his Aug. 15 retirement reception at Sacred Heart Hall, parishioners presented him with a scrapbook of letters and well wishes, many from children, and a photo album of the people, young and old, he had ministered to for 26 years. He keeps both, along with a scrapbook of cards, photos and artwork received on his 80th birthday, in his new home at Subiaco Abbey Health Center.
“Father Peter is a gentle breeze,” parishioner Mark Verkamp said. “He is very quiet, but when he speaks you feel the presence of God.”
The affection between Father Sharum and his former parishioners is mutual.
“All the different denominations in Charleston have an overall attitude of helping the community,” Father Sharum said. “The Knights of Columbus’ activity includes charity and fundraising, but their fundraising isn’t for them — it’s to reach out to others. They help the ministerial alliance in giving food, clothing and even rent to needy families. They also made many contributions to the parish.”
His car sits in a special parking space with his name affixed, right near the infirmary door, so that he can continue to visit with the friends he made in his years at the Charleston church 23 miles away and attend Knights of Columbus meetings. He has moved seamlessly into the daily routine of Subiaco, going to chapel for Mass and morning, noon and evening prayer. He dresses in a black suit and Roman collar, donning his brown robes during prayer but admits they are “a little too warm.”
He tries to help where he can as he makes the transition from parish to abbey, listening for God’s call.
“I’ll do whatever the Lord will have me to do. I’m in a period of waiting for him to direct me,” Father Sharum said.
