Priest shares gift of life through kidney donation

Priest shares gift of life through kidney donation
By Julie Filby

Father Steven Voss has been given a second chance at life, and he owes it to a fellow priest.

Father Voss, parochial vicar at Spirit of Christ Parish in Arvada, underwent a successful kidney transplant April 22 at the University of Colorado Hospital. The kidney donor was Father Matthew Hartley, 31, parochial vicar at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Northglenn.

The transplanted kidney may add anywhere from 10 to more than 20 years to the life of Father Voss, 30, who has suffered severe health problems since the age of 1.

On April 8, Father Voss was on his way to an appointment with his kidney specialist. The priest expected the doctor to tell him he needed to start dialysis: treatment required when kidneys no longer function on their own.

Before arriving at his appointment, he received a phone call with the news that Father Hartley had just undergone a series of tests and was "ready, willing and able" to donate his kidney.

Father Voss sees a deep significance behind the timing and circumstances of his kidney transplant. "The gift of life came from a brother priest, the news came during Holy Week and the actual transplant occurred during the Easter season," he said in an interview with the Denver Catholic Register, the archdiocesan newspaper. "It connected the entire chain of events to the paschal mystery."

Father Hartley's kidney has worked well for Father Voss from the moment it was received, providing the priest with newfound health, energy and enthusiasm.

"It seems quite likely that Father Matt's kidney will sustain my life and ministry for many years, perhaps even decades," Father Voss said.

Father Voss had follow-up surgery July 2 to remove his own kidneys. He expects to return to Spirit of Christ in early August.

In a kidney transplant the surgeon implants the donor kidney below the existing, nonfunctioning kidney. Once the new kidney is attached, the patient's existing, diseased kidneys may or may not be removed, depending on the circumstances surrounding the kidney failure.

Father Voss praised Father Hartley for his generosity, courage and care.

"To know another person is willing to offer a part of themselves to sustain your existence is an overwhelming gesture of Christ's love," he stated. "Father Matt and I will always share a special bond because of this event, one that was formed through a profound experience of participating in Christ's love."

Fathers Voss and Hartley have been friends since 1999 when they both entered St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. At the seminary, the two priests lived together and took many courses together. Their friendship grew stronger in 2006 when they were both assigned to minister at Our Lady of Loreto Parish in Foxfield, southeast of Denver.

Father Hartley's act of charity emulated the example set by St. John Vianney, the patron saint of priests.

The Year for Priests, which began June 19, commemorates the 150th anniversary of the saint's death. During this special year, priests from around the world will renew their fidelity to Christ and their bonds of brotherhood.

"The priesthood of Jesus Christ joins us together in a unique way," Father Hartley said. "If a brother priest is in need, you do what you can to help."

Father Voss' health problems began when he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a form of cancer, at 14 months old. He received aggressive treatment for the cancer until he was nearly 4.

At age 19, doctors discovered cancerous lesions on his kidneys and Father Voss underwent two surgeries over a five-year period. The surgeries left 90 percent of his left kidney intact, but only 10 percent of his right kidney remained.

In 2006, Father Voss was diagnosed with a degenerative kidney disorder, which doctors have suggested arose because of the treatment he received for childhood cancer.

Father Voss expressed gratitude to the countless individuals who underwent donor testing, including brother priests, family, friends, parishioners and many people he never even met.

"It was incredible -- I was really blessed," he said. "But there are hundreds of people who are not as fortunate. Hundreds of people are waiting for a kidney and they will die waiting."

Both Fathers Voss and Hartley encouraged people to consider being organ donors. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, more than 102,000 candidates are on the national waiting list for organ transplants.

--http://thecatholicspirit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2132&Itemid=33