A priest and his canine companion— Father Chris and Ed, Evangelizers 

“HEY ED!” “OH — HI FATHER CHRIS.” Students at St. Joseph Elementary School love to shout out to their pastor, Father Chris Ankley, as he walks the halls, but who is this “Ed”? Why, it’s his beloved companion, a nine-year-old Cockapoo. Father Chris, who was a practicing veterinarian for more than a decade before entering the seminary, doesn’t mind taking second billing to his popular canine, who he named after one of his favorite former patients. The kids obviously love both pooch and priest.

At first glance, the  pastor’s office at St. Joseph Parish in Battle Creek is similar to many others: cozy furniture, religious art adorning the walls, a grandfather clock ticking in the background— all contributing to a homey peacefulness and expected serenity. But venture beyond the hallway into the courtyard outside and you’ll encounter a chicken coop full of  dark-haired bantams and a bustling pond full of goldfish among the statues of St. Bernadette and Our Lady the Blessed Mother.

Like his rectory companions, Father Chris’ path to the priesthood was a bit unconventional. At the time of his ordination, Father Chris was approaching his 40th birthday and had left a successful career as a veterinarian in the Kalamazoo area. And even though he recalls the seed of his vocation being planted when he was in the sixth grade by Sister Mary Bernadette, it wasn’t until much later that he finally got up the nerve to contact the Diocesan Vocations Office, leaving a message with then-Director of Vocations Father Robert Creagan.

“He called back, but it took me a year to return his call,” he laughs.

Eventually he did, and attended seminary at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary, Weston, Mass., whose formation program is particularly geared to men entering the vocation a  bit later in life. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Kalamazoo in 2009 by Bishop Paul J. Bradley. St. Joseph Parish is Father’s third pastoral assignment in the almost decade since he became a priest. His first assignment, as parochial vicar (associate pastor) for St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Portage, wasn’t far from his veterinary practice. He was then named pastor for St. Martin of Tours Parish in Vicksburg, where he stayed for more than five years.

In May 2016, Bishop Bradley announced a diocesan Pastoral Plan that created 28 Parish Collaboratives, and that’s when Father Chris received the phone call. Within just days of his mother’s passing, Bishop Bradley appointed Father Chris as pastor for St. Joseph Parish, Battle Creek — requiring a move close to 40 miles away from a parish he loved serving. “It was a tough first year, “admits Father Chris. “But the people were wonderful and very understanding and kind. They knew about my mom (passing away) and knew I was doing the best I could.”

Where pastors once stayed at parishes for generations, transition is common for priests now. In 2016, Father Chris, along with 80 percent of the priests serving in the diocese, received new assignments.

He went from shepherding a medium-sized country parish to managing a large, tri-lingual parish (with growing Hispanic and Burmese populations) with a growing elementary school. And while he acknowledges that the change was initially intense, Father Chris feels he’s settling in more now that he’s completed his second year.

One of the things he’s hoping to accomplish in his ministry is to plant that same little seed with others that he received from Sister Mary Bernadette. When asked what he thinks the key is to growing the vocations to the priesthood, he says, “Just say something.” He’s doing that by hosting barbecues, organizing trips to Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and even organizing games of “Zombies vs. Christians,” complete with Nerf dart guns.

“If people can see priests as normal — not weird — just regular people, that’ll help grow the priesthood,” he says.

What brings him the greatest joy in his vocation? Father Chris offers a quick answer, with a twinkle in his eye. “When I feel most like a father — whether that’s talking to Father Jose [parochial vicar] or someone else — it’s when I say and do stuff like my father would and hear my own dad’s voice — that’s when I feel like a father.”

Father Chris At A Glance: 

PARISHES SERVED:

• St. Catherine of Siena, parochial vicar
• St. Martin of Tours, parochial vicar, pro tem administrator, pastor
• St. Joseph Parish, Battle Creek, pastor

EDUCATION:
Father Chris wears green and blue, with degrees from both the University of Michigan (BS) and Michigan State University (DVM)

WHAT’S ON HIS NIGHTSTAND:
In Sinu  Jesu: When Heart Speaks to Heart — The Journal  of a Priest at Prayer