Frank Castle of Marvel Comics was known as “The Punisher,” a Catholic Vietnam veteran who after his family was murdered in the crossfire of a mob hit, waged a war on crime, trying to punish the guilty and restore law and order. Rev. John Patrick Riley, C.S.C., is a man of God who became known as “The Punisher Priest” during his time at Saint André Bessette Catholic Church (formerly known as the Downtown Chapel) in Portland, Oregon, because of his no-nonsense attitude and disposition for good order and behavioral guidelines.
From 2013 to 2018, Fr. Riley was the pastor at the Holy Cross Congregation-sponsored church whose mission is to provide hope and healing to the most marginalized members of society. The parish is in a tough location and vital to the neighborhood offering prayer, service, education, and advocacy to the greater Portland area. Their hospitality ministry serves those experiencing poverty and homelessness.
Fr. Riley’s model for his priesthood is parish life first, taking care of parish ministry duties, performing the Sacraments, preaching, and pastoral care of the parishioners. At Saint André Bessette, he enveloped a second role in the church’s extensive hospitality ministry that included serving full meals five mornings a week, collecting and distributing clothing and hygiene kits, offering the Sacraments to the homeless, and providing outreach to anyone in need.
“There were people punching each other out on the sidewalk, in the stairwells, and in our hospitality center. I said this has to stop,” recalled Fr. Riley. Starting on day one, he would identify troublemakers and evict them from the program allowing them to return when they were ready to respect others. “I told the staff, you have to set boundaries. You have to do it in a kindergarten class and you certainly have to do it here.”
Each day, Fr. Riley would walk the line of hundreds assembled at the hospitality ministry offering prayer, conversation, and assessing the mindset of visitors. Sometimes people would cause issues, be removed, and always return with a better respect for others and the program.
“To lighten up a difficult situation and as part of my dark humor, I would present as a fan of the Punisher, and after receiving the gift of a red aluminum softball bat from my staff, which I nicknamed ‘Little Red,’ some guests would greet me as the Punisher Pastor. When I walked across from the parking garage to the church there would be a guy in the front line that would yell ‘Punisher Pastor’s here, tighten up’,” laughed Riley. Bringing that sense of order to the chaos was much-needed and well-received by the people using the services. The streets of Portland were tough, especially for the young women who were attacked regularly. “They’d say, ‘Father, we feel safe here. This is the safest place in the neighborhood.’ I would tell them, yes, it is, and, it’s going to remain that way.”
“You’re dealing with people who are in very difficult situations. The hardcore homeless are mentally ill and not getting enough care and/or drug addicted or alcoholic. There were some people you meet who just lost their apartment or were in abuse or domestic abuse situations, but a majority of the people that I worked with in Portland were hardcore homeless, even homeless for years,” said Fr. Riley.
Sometimes they had success stories of residents getting out of poverty and becoming volunteers that help others. Mostly, they meet a person’s immediate needs and pray with them.
“I enjoyed the five-day confessional ministry because I’d have a lot of people come in who weren’t Catholic and just wanted to talk,” recalled Riley.
Once a gentleman came into the confessional concerned about a ghostly visit he was having about his dead brother that troubled him. Fr. Riley discovered the man wasn’t around when his brother died and felt great guilt over his absence. “The next time he comes to you, just say, ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I’m okay now. You can go home now,’ instructed Fr. Riley. “He came back a week later and said there’s no more problem and thank you. That was the kind of thing I enjoyed.”
Hospitality ministry to the homeless came with many memorable and impactful experiences.
“We had a late-stage alcoholic who was an outstanding violinist. When he came in sober, he’d ask if he could play. When he did, everybody just calmed down. It was
lovely,” said Fr. Riley.
Once, he had a donor contact him asking to donate something they needed. Fr. Riley requested a subscription for 50 newspapers. The donor questioned the request and decided to fulfill it. To the donor’s surprise, the newspapers gave people a chance to calm down, read, and have something to talk about with one another while having coffee or eating. Those papers let them escape their turmoil and get an education beyond survival in the streets. “Reading and sharing the newspaper, especially the comics page, is a civilizing influence.”
Currently, Fr. Riley ministers as an auxiliary priest at Casa Santa Cruz in Phoenix, Arizona, serving regularly in two local parishes, at the Community of the Beatitudes senior care, and pinch-hitting at Holy Cross’ André House of Hospitality when their chaplain is away. He’s also a Fourth-Degree Faithful Friar for the Knights of Columbus and handles spiritual direction and pastoral counseling.
Published February 2025
