Retirement celebration for Fr. James Blaine
AMERICAN FORK — After 41 years as a priest for the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Fr. James Blaine is retiring.
Fr. Blaine was born and raised in Michigan, where he worked as a special education teacher prior to his ordination. He was ordained April 30, 1977 by Bishop Joseph L. Federal, the sixth Bishop of Salt Lake.
A year before his ordination to the priesthood, Fr. Blaine served his first assignment as a deacon intern at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Salt Lake City, where later he became the associate pastor.
His first assignment as pastor was in 1983, when he was appointed to Christ the King Parish in Cedar City, where he stayed for almost six years. He then was assigned to Saint Helen Parish in Roosevelt. In 1995, Fr. Blaine attended the Vatican II Institute in Menlo, Calif. Upon his return to Utah, he was first assigned to the hospital ministry at LDS Hospital and then, in 1996, he was named the pastoral administrator of what was then St. Peter Mission in American Fork. As an additional assignment he was appointed chaplain for the Utah state prison.
Through the years, Fr. Blaine also was appointed as moderator for the Wasatch Deanery, the Region XIII Scout chaplain, and the state chaplain to the Utah Knights of Columbus, assignments that he holds up until today.
“As a former special education teacher, Fr. Jim Blaine brought a special sensitivity and compassion to his pastoral work,” said Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general emeritus of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, who has known Fr. Blaine since his ordination in 1977. “His patience, kindness and concern for each person have made him a well-loved pastor in each of his assignments.”
Fr. Blaine’s mother, Virginia Pikula, lived with him prior to her death in 2014.
“His care for his mother, who lived with him for many years, was a powerful example of filial dedication for his parishioners,” Msgr. Fitzgerald said.
“Fr. Blaine has served as prison chaplain for many years and is recognized as one of the most effective chaplains, caring for the spiritual needs of inmates, families and prison staff. … Fr. Blaine has accepted every assignment with generosity, several in rural areas of the diocese, and in each dedicated himself fully to the pastoral care of his flock. He will certainly be missed by the people of Saint Peter Parish in American Fork,” Msgr. Fitzgerald said.
All the years of serving in the diocese have been great, Fr. Blaine said.
“If I had to make the choice again, I would do the same thing. ... I have been all over the state doing different things. I never expected 22 years in the prison,” he said.
Those two decades working and serving at the prison have given him a different perspective about what being an inmate means.
“First you know that they are people. Yes, they have committed crimes, but basically some of those guys are people that just made a mistake. ... All humans make mistakes,” Fr. Blaine said.
His ministry with the scouts has left him with a joyful feeling.
“It was great working with them,” he said. “For 11 years I was a Tiger leader, and I got to see them getting the Eagle [Scout].”
Tiger Cub Scouts are boys in the first grade, or age 7. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in the Boy Scouting program.
Fr. Blaine also attended national Boy Scout jamborees, where he had the opportunity to meet Scouts from all over the country.
“That was really fun,” he said.
After his official retirement on May 15, Fr. Blaine will continue his pastoral ministry as chaplain at the Utah State Prison.
WHAT: Farewell Celebration
WHEN: Monday, May 14, 7 p.m.
WHERE: St. Peter Parish, 634 North 600 East, American Fork
During the evening, Fr. Blaine will celebrate his final Mass at the parish. Cake and coffee will follow. All are welcome.
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