St. Louis dues

Re “The collar and the gun,” three-part series, Feb. 8-10

Thank you for the series on Father John Kaiser. His influence stretches not only from his hometown in Minnesota to the Kenyan Mara, but also to St. Louis.

Kaiser received a degree from Saint Louis University in 1960 and returned to the city for his ordination in 1964. In 1973, during a break from his mission work, Kaiser was staying in south St. Louis and, typical of his reputation for hard work, asked the bishop for something to do. He was directed to All Souls parish in nearby Overland, where he briefly did the parish work of a diocesan priest: riding a borrowed bicycle along neighborhood streets, playing lawn darts with young families, joining the local Knights of Columbus and, of course, administering the sacraments.

Kaiser’s legacy is inspiring to those who fondly remember him and keep his memory alive the world over.

Peter Nicastro

St. Louis