We invite readers to send short stories about the ways in which their lives have been personally blessed by the life and work of priests and religious in our diocese.

By Karina Fabian

Father Jeff Fleming grew up in the small town of Belt, Mont., in the Great Falls Diocese. His family was active in their parish, and he grew up serving as an altar boy, then playing guitar in the choir, which his mother, Glenda Fleming, directed. From the beginning, he said, church had always seemed a safe, comfortable place, a home even. Perhaps, then, it was no surprise that he started thinking about a religious life while in high school.

He attended Carroll College for its pre-seminary program, although even then, he wasn’t sure if his calling would take him to the priesthood or youth ministry. “My discernment process was step by step. I didn’t really look to the end. I just took the path God set me on and it just seemed right, is all.”

In that process, he worked with religious education for the Diocese of Helena and at the Cathedral, so that, when he did decide on the priesthood, he also chose to remain in this diocese. He attended Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon and was ordained in May 1992.

He served in the Anaconda Catholic Community until 1996, spent two summers and an academic year at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he got a degree in canon law; then went to St. Helena Cathedral for a year. The next five years were spent as director of campus ministry and chaplain of Carroll College, with the six summers of that time as director of Legendary Lodge.

In 2003, he became pastor of St. Rose Parish in Dillon, with the University of Montana, Western, campus ministry. In 2006, he moved to Christ the King Parish in Missoula, where he is pastor and chaplain of the Newman Center of the University of Montana.

Throughout his priesthood, Father Jeff has always included some form of youth ministry. He likes the enthusiasm and energy of young people, he said. His years at Legendary Lodge rank among some of his favorite, and he called the camp one of the greatest treasures of the diocese.

“A beautiful lake, the log cabins and rustic setting – it’s a great ministry, and one of the things I liked about it as a priest is, it gave the opportunity for the campers to see the priest in a different role – out playing with them, out swimming with them... It was a ton of work directing a team of 20 and up to 82 campers plus volunteers, but I loved it,” he said.

As a parish priest, however, he’s found real joy in being able to celebrate the full liturgical year, something he didn’t get to enjoy while ministering in camps or on campuses. He’s also enjoying being able to administer all the sacraments like baptisms and weddings.

Of course, with all of his activities – which recently included two trips to Guatemala – he doesn’t have as much time to play the guitar as he used to or to indulge his love of photography. One thing he’ll always have time for, of course, is his little dog Jeffe, who’s been his companion at camps and wherever he goes.

Father Jeff is very content with his life and his calling. He said, “I really do love what I’m doing and I feel this is where God has called me. It’s so fulfilling. I can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s who I am.”


Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 24, No. 7, July 18, 2008.