News
Father Bob Scott – Making the UCC A Good Stop
Thu Apr 5, 2007
Fr. Bob’s presence has made every place he’s served a “Good Stop,” and all of us at the University Catholic Center – students, staff, UT faculty, and resident community members – have been blessed by his service at The University of Texas.
Paulist Father Bob Scott – Making the UCC A Good Stop
By: Alicia Quinn-Sankar, UCC Community Member and UT Alumna
If you’ve ever attended Mass at the University Catholic Center during the early weeks of the fall semester, chances are you’ve heard Fr. Bob Scott’s legendary homily, complete with T-shirt props, known as “The Good Stop.” Fr. Bob’s homily has taken on a life of its own as the faithful from The University of Texas to West Virginia University and many points in between recall not only the messages being delivered, but also the person delivering the message.
There is no doubt that no matter where Fr. Bob has delivered this homily, it has gained distinction even beyond its eloquent and humorous delivery. Just a few weeks ago, I mentioned in passing to a friend that I still attend the UCC even though my student days are long gone. My friend instantly burst in, “Really? Is that priest still there, the one that does The Good Stop? I loved that homily!” In fact, in Austin, there’s a phenomenon called the Six Degrees of Separation from The Good Stop.
But, did you ever wonder how it all began? Who gave Fr. Bob the first T-shirt, and does he deliver the same homily every year?
It turns out that the seed for “The Good Stop” was planted by Fr. Bob’s own father long before Fr. Bob turned to the priesthood. Whenever the Scott family would go somewhere where they enjoyed themselves or wanted to go back, Fr. Bob recalls that his father would exclaim, “Bobby, this is a really Good Stop!”
While at the other UT, home of the Tennessee Volunteers, Fr. Bob wanted to craft a homily that would really resonate with students. He wanted to give them practical advice and reinforce the good habit of starting their week by visiting their spiritual home away from home -- church.
So, in 1980, The Good Stop homily debuted on the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend. Fr. Bob wanted to convey to the students that coming to Sunday Mass, in the midst of all the stresses, strains, and distractions of University life, was a good place to get comfort, find peace, and be reinvigorated for the following week. It worked; the students loved it. Fr. Bob then began to expand on concepts in The Good Stop year after year. At a farewell party at the University of Tennessee, Fr. Bob received his first T-shirt from the Volunteers in orange, one side imprinted with the University of Tennessee and the other with “A Good Stop.” The T-shirt craze began and since that time, Fr. Bob has collected 20 T-shirts from colleges and universities across the country including West Virginia, Ohio State, UCLA, Marshall University, Baylor, Southwestern University, Texas A&M, and The University of Texas.
Fr. Bob is proud of his coveted loot of t-shirts from Universities around the country, and it’s one of the highlights of his Good Stop sermon – the T-shirt reveal. It stirs up the ‘ole college rivalries, especially since Fr. Bob gives the Good Stop sermon just as football season is getting underway. And it’s a part of the homily that gets a few laughs from the parishioners – and a few chuckles from Fr. Bob himself. But, the shirts are more a representation of a priesthood spent working with students as a campus minister and a lifetime of inspiration from those with whom he has worked.
Fr. Bob, a self-proclaimed “jock” priest, combined his love of sports with his desire to spread the Word and has been a chaplain for many of the teams at the colleges and universities where he’s served. On many campuses, Fr. Bob even traveled with the teams for their out of town games, praying with them in locker rooms and on the field, offering support and spiritual guidance. Not only does Fr. Bob love sports, but he also feels that being involved with sports has brought him closer to the students, making it easier for him to relate to them.
Young people inspire Fr. Bob which is why he’s enjoyed working in campus ministry throughout his priesthood. Realizing that the college years can be a particularly vulnerable time, Fr. Bob tries to give down-to-earth, practical advice to students through his sermons. One of the things that always amazes him is the sheer number of students who attend Mass weekly at the UCC (approximately 1,400 every Sunday) as well as the number that go to daily Mass. One would assume that most students might shirk the idea of Mass since they are away from the watchful eyes of parents. But, over the years, Fr. Bob has found that students have tremendous faith and their faith is an important part of their lives. And, for that, he’s grateful – it’s a larger audience.
And, if you’ve ever wondered if Fr. Bob delivers the same Good Stop homily year after year, he doesn’t! While the foundation of the Good Stop remains constant, Fr. Bob crafts a new sermon every year – one that applies to and is relevant for the students that year.
Of all the universities where Fr. Bob has lived and served, The University of Texas is quite unique. The students are religious – not at all shaken in their faith --- and tremendously loyal. UT has a rabid fan base not just for football, but for all other sports which works well for Fr. Bob. The love of sports and love of God, all in one place – it makes the University Catholic Center a Good Stop.
Paulist Father Bob Scott, Part 2
By: Amber Fogarty, UCC Director of Development
There’s no denying the deep love and admiration that folks have for Fr. Bob Scott. Students especially look up to him and respect his decades of service to the Church. Fr. Bob has dedicated much of his life to campus ministry. He says that he gains as much wisdom from the students as they gain from him.
Fr. Bob’s energy is contagious, and his sense of humor is second to none. A conversation with Fr. Bob always makes my day. He is also one of the most thoughtful people I have ever met. My husband and I recently moved into a new home, and Fr. Bob was the first one to send us a “congratulations” card. Additionally, I’m expecting my first child in June, and Fr. Bob tells me every time he sees me that he prays for me and my unborn child everyday.
Fr. Bob is a fantastic storyteller, and he has so much to share. Recently, he shared one of his most difficult memories about his time as chaplain at Marshall University. With the release of “We Are Marshall” in December 2006, Fr. Bob has given much thought to the events of late 1970 and his role in the healing of that heartbroken community.
The movie “We are Marshall” tells the story of the November 1970 plane crash that killed seventy-five members of the Marshall football team, coaches, university staff, community members, and crew members. It was the greatest air tragedy in the history of collegiate athletics, an event that many sports fans vividly recall. What many don’t know is the name of the priest and campus minister at Marshall University at that time; our very own Fr. Bob endured that tragedy with the community of Huntington, West Virginia. Fr. Bob recalls that time painfully as one of the most challenging times in his priesthood, with so many people grieving and turning to him for comfort as he himself grieved and attempted to understand it all.
In his first year at Marshall, Fr. Bob served as the football team’s chaplain and attended all Thundering Herd home games. He did not make the fateful trip on Saturday, November 14, 1970, because of a commitment to preside at a Saturday evening Mass. In an article in the Herald-Dispatch two days after the crash, Fr. Bob was quoted as saying, “The coach asked me to go, to sit on the bench with the team and give my blessing.” (Found online at http://www.herald-dispatch.com/assets/pdf/C130900611.PDF).
Fr. Bob offered a prayer at the memorial service held at Fairfield Stadium the Saturday following the plane crash. His voice is actually the voice used in the movie, and a streaming video of his prayer can be found online at http://www.marshall.edu/library/speccoll/virtual_museum/memorial/memorial.asp.
It’s clear that Fr. Bob has left a lasting legacy at each university where he has served. Prior to his time at Marshall, he was the campus minister at West Virginia University for 10 years. After leaving Marshall, Fr. Bob served at Ohio State, UCLA, University of Tennessee, Baylor University, and now The University of Texas at Austin.
Fr. Bob’s presence has made every place he’s served a “Good Stop,” and all of us at the University Catholic Center – students, staff, UT faculty, and resident community members – have been blessed by his service at The University of Texas.
Links (copy & paste into browser):
BustedHalo.com interview with Fr. Bob:
http://www.bustedhalo.com/features/FrBobScott.htm
Streaming video of Fr. Bob’s prayer at the Memorial Service at Fairfield Stadium the week after the crash:
http://www.marshall.edu/library/speccoll/virtual_museum/memorial/memorial.asp
Fr. Bob on the Marshall web site:
http://www.marshall.edu/library/speccoll/virtual_museum/memorial/fans/scott.asp
