It started with a text. Shortly after moving to Spokane, Sidney and I were looking for a way to find community. We got word that a Spokane Valley Catholic young adult group was starting so I didn’t hesitate to text the phone number listed on the bulletin advertisement. The person who the number belonged to, Fr. Kevin Oiland, responded immediately. That text would dramatically shape the next Reser chapter in our new corner of the country.

This text exchange with Fr. Kevin in September 2020 would lead to so much fruit.

When I think of Fr. Kevin, I immediately feel a debt of gratitude. His work with Fr. Jeff Lewis to create a Catholic young adult group came at the perfect moment for my wife and me. The people we met would become our best friends and companions in Christ. Although simply getting the group off the ground was noteworthy enough for Fr. Kevin to always remain in our prayers, we were spoiled enough to be in his consistent presence for nearly four years after I first exchanged texts with him.

A photo of my family with Fr. Kevin Oiland at a going-away party our young adult group hosted for him.

Fr. Kevin Oiland served as pastor at the Spokane Valley Catholic parishes of St. John Vianney and St. Paschal from July 1, 2018 up through this past Sunday. As is custom in the Roman Catholic Church, priests are given new assignments throughout their ministries. In Fr. Kevin’s case, he recently moved to Walla Walla to become pastor at St. Patrick and St. Francis of Assisi. All I can say is that those parishes landed an incredible priest.

I am sad to see Fr. Kevin go. I truly appreciated his demeanor, kindness, and talents. A soft-spoken priest who was humble to the core, Fr. Kevin made me feel at ease and secure in his presence. In fact, although I wasn’t a parishioner at his parishes, I would occasionally watch the livestreams of his masses just to hear his relatable and conversational homilies. I admired his approach to spiritual warfare in that it is better to make preemptive preparations instead of leaving it all up to the moment of attack. For those more connected to a traditional form of Catholicism, Fr. Kevin shared with the Spokane Valley community his reverent skill of offering the Latin mass at various different times. He also brought an unmatchable passion for/knowledge of G.K. Chesterdon.

Fr. Kevin Oiland speaks to our Catholic young adult group at a special retreat in April 2023.

I have a couple of Fr. Kevin stories that will stay with me. A couple years ago, a group of us from our young adult group played flag football on Saturdays during the fall. My birthday fell on one of those Saturdays and Sidney helped coordinate a surprise party for me at the field. Besides the flag football players I expected to see, there was also a redhead in a cassock who joined the celebration. Yep, Fr. Kevin devoted part of his Saturday morning solely to show up in-person to wish me a happy birthday.

Fr. Kevin Oiland celebrated his 15th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood in June (graphic courtesy of the Diocese of Spokane).

Then there was the death of Fr. Kevin’s mom, Laura Oiland. Any words would fail to convey the closeness of that mother-son relationship. I had the opportunity to attend the rosary vigil and I won’t forget walking into Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral and seeing Fr. Kevin up front kneeling in front of his mom’s casket in deep prayer. I was immediately touched by a sense of sadness yet peace. Fr. Kevin would then lead a beautiful and profound rosary service for his mom. I walked out thinking, if only all of us could be commended to God in such a holy way.

Fr. Kevin Oiland (right), baptizes Eden, the daughter of one of the flagship couples of our young adult group. Although most of us weren’t parishioners of Fr. Kevin’s parishes, we still asked him to celebrate one-time sacraments such as baptisms and marriages for us.

Finally, I just want to relate how much Fr. Kevin cared for his flock. He sincerely considers the soul of everyone. Just this year he organized a local pilgrimage for our young adult group to visit St. Francis of Assisi in Spokane so we could obtain a special indulgence for praying at a creche run by Franciscans. Although not the parish priest for most of us in our group, he still presided over some of our marriages and baptisms of our children. He never ceased praying for us and our causes. When my aunt died (just a couple weeks after his mom died), he offered comfort.

Our Catholic young adult group poses inside St. Francis of Assisi in Spokane for a photo after praying at the parish’s creche. Fr. Kevin Oiland is on the left side of the photo in the top row.

Fr. Kevin once addressed our group about life. He likened it to a journey with the final destination hopefully being Heaven. I know his new assignment in Walla Walla is just the latest step on his own journey to eternal joy with God. Please make sure to pray for him. Don’t Blink.