Brian Salisbury: Lighting the House!
“People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket, they put it on a stand to light the house. In the same way, let your light shine before all, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:15
“I’ve always felt my role is to help others.” Service has always been Brian Salisbury’s approach both within the church and in the secular aspects of his life. And while he might say with great humility that it is “hard to pinpoint one thing,” or one talent that he offers to others, in fact, his charism is offering everything that he has.
In the Called and Gifted program, Brian gravitated towards the charism of “pastoring,” defined as “empowering a Christian to be an effective channel of God’s love, building Christian community by nurturing the relationships and long-term spiritual growth of a group.” Brian credits his Jesuit education, first at St. Peter’s Prep and then at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, with inspiring his charism of service (“I loved the Jesuits”), a lifelong orientation to discerning the needs of others, and then actively doing something to address them.
One need only observe Brian’s meticulous preparation of the sanctuary, in his role on the funeral ministry, to know that he is creating a welcoming and comforting atmosphere for the family as well supporting the celebrant presider. “I was asked by Terry Vinanskie to be part of the funeral ministry. I viewed it initially as an extension of what I was doing already as a Sacristan for the 8:00 am Mass. I always enjoyed helping people, mostly helping the priest. His job is to support the bereaved family. I am helping Monsignor or other presider.”
Members of the Men’s Prayer Breakfast benefited from Brian’s co-leadership for over 20 years, meeting every Wednesday morning at 6:00 am during Advent and Lent. As Brian sees it, both the Men’s Prayer Breakfast and Men’s Cornerstone provide an opportunity for men to bear witness to Christ through reflections that other men can easily relate to. His faithful service to the Cornerstone Team since 1997 (as sacristan, spiritual director, committee chair, and other roles) illustrate Brian’s deep and faithful commitment to the Ignatian principle of serving others.
Eager to continue to respond to God’s call, Brian recently became involved in Saint Helen’s Mental Health Ministry. He values the ministry’s desire to provide resources to individuals and families who may be suffering. Alert to opportunities to serve others, Brian saw the promotion for the Mental Health Ministry Training offered by the Archdiocese, and felt he had the time to participate. Although he defers to others whom he recognizes as having a professional background in mental health, Brian understands well the mind/body connection through his doctorate in pathology at the Wake Forest University Medical School in North Carolina.
Brian’s resume of service – too lengthy to fully chronicle here – embodies Ignatian spirituality, rooted in the conviction that God is active, personal, and – above all – present to us. His most favorite Scripture passage is from Micah (6:8) – “…You have been told…the Lord requires of you: Only to do justice, to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
