Retirement Fund for Religious

“Donations are needed to have the ordinary kinds of things many senior religious need in terms of food, clothing, and housing. We owe it to them to take care of them. Maybe even more than we have in the past… they need it,” says Father Maury Smith, 87, a member of the Order of Friars Minor in St. Louis, Missouri.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Father Maury’s family history dates back to the 1850s when his great-grandparents sought a new start in the United States.

“I was very influenced by my experience of the Eucharist,” Father Maury recalls. Father Maury found his calling within the Franciscan community, embarking on a journey of education and service. “During my senior year in high school, Fr. Remy Stiglitz, who called me ‘Fr. Maury,’ for a year, motivated me to try the Franciscans out.”

He entered the Sacred Heart Province in June of 1958. Later he received an STB in theology and in 1973 he received a Doctor of Ministry in pastoral counseling. Father Maury’s career has been diverse, serving as a retreat director, college educator, pastor, provincial staff, and a deanery coordinator of ministry in San Antonio, Texas, enriching countless lives by integrating psychology and theology into contemporary spirituality.

He is still active, however, at a slower pace. This has allowed him to focus on ministries close to his heart. “I think I am in my eighth career,” he laughs. “I love doing it and am happy.”

As Father Maury reflects on his life’s work, he finds peace in the relationships he has nurtured and the lives he has touched. “It’s the people,” he says warmly. “Relationships that are still alive—those are what matter most.”

Father Maury Smith serves as a spiritual director and writes biweekly for the archdiocesan newspaper Today’s Catholic for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas. His legacy inspires others to embark on their journey towards God, and Father Maury is a spiritual companion to them, growing in faith, hope, and love in their daily lives together.