DAILY REFLECTION: Sunday, October 15, 2006

Twenty-six years ago today, a little-known priest of the Archdiocese of Washington died. Fr. E. Albert Hughes, native Baltimorean, was a young and always dapper priest at my home parish of St. James, located in Mt. Rainier, MD ... just over the "District Line" in Maryland on US Rt 1 or where Michigan Avenue become Queens Chapel Road. A movie, The Exorcist, details the experience that made the man who greatly impacted my life and ultimate decision to become a priest suffered tremendously in his priesthood. Fr. Hughes was the first priest called by the Archbishop Patrick O'Boyle, our first resident Archbishop, to respond to the request of the local Mt. Rainier Lutheran priest to help with a case of what was believed to be a genuine case of demonic possession. Most of you know about the story in the movie. Beyond the celluloid, the case actually involved a young man. Father Hughes visited the house more than a few times. He rarely spoke with anyone about the experiences that actually caused him serious injury by the possessed boy. At one time, for no apparent reason, Father Hughes disappeared for several months. Our Pastor at the parish told us that Father Hughes was away resting. Later I learned that he was away recovering from serious bodily damaged caused by the young man. While visiting the fellow who was hospitalized, Father Hughes fell victim to demonic rage. The young fellow ripped one of the springs from his mattress and used it as a knife-like weapon to attack the priest. He was cut by the weapon. Eventually, the young man was moved to St. Louis where he worked with a famous Jesuit exorcist. While in St. Louis the young man's possession was ended. Today, so the story goes, he is fine, living with a new surname and his wife and several children. Father Hughes, on the evening before he died, met with one of my brothers and his fiance as part of their marriage preparation. As was his custom, he left early the next morning, his "day off," and headed to his family's home in Baltimore. That evening, while driving home on the BW Parkway, he became seriously ill. He drove into a motel located near BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. He told the clerk that he needed to be awakened at 5:30 am so that he could get to Mt. Rainier for his morning Mass. Not receiving an answer at 5:30, the clerk went to find Father Hughes. He found him dead on the floor of his room. Apparently as soon as he walked into the room, he fell dead. He never made it to the bed. A wonderful priest who loved to be with young people, Father Hughes will always remain in my memories of priests who touched my life. Eternal rest grant unto him, Lord.