Follow a Catholic priest around for a day, and you’ll learn duties travel far beyond the altar and an 11-hour workday. The Rev. Kenneth Anderson is the pastor of the 100-year-old St. Mary Catholic Church, 302 Fisk Ave. But he also is superintendant and a teacher at St. Mary Catholic School, 210 Gurler Road.

Among the 19 faculty members at the school, Anderson teaches religion to junior high school students with the help of the Rev. Bonaventure Okoro, parochial vicar. He does the same thing at his church with elementary-age children. His most recent teachings dealt with the parable of the prodigal son, who returned to his father after leading a life of sin and defiance.

For those wishing to return to the Catholic faith, Anderson also offers a Wednesday and Saturday reconciliation.

Anderson hosts other sacraments such as baptism, confirmation and the sacrament of anointing, as opposed to the last rights. The uttering of the last rights, as seen in the movies, was discontinued after Vatican II because it applied only to death, whereas the sacrament of anointing is applied to the sick, distressed and dying.

Anderson said he visits nursing homes in the area to exercise this sacrament.

He usually performs it before a major surgery, with the friends and family present. While at the home, he discusses death, dying and health care issues with the family to ensure well-being. He is on-call seven days a week in case the sacrament is needed in an emergency room or intensive care setting.

The sacraments of the Catholic faith cover a wide spectrum, from death to re-birth. Anderson performs baptisms the third Sunday of each month after mass or during the service.

“I prefer doing baptisms during the liturgy because of the connection with the Eucharist and the community,” Anderson said.

Catechumens, such as members of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and Rite of Christian Initiation of Children are baptized by Anderson during the two and a half hour Easter vigil ceremony.

As far as other sacraments, Anderson usually does not perform confirmations unless it is specially arranged but does perform marriages and annulments. Once a couple is married, he guides them through any rough times with crisis marriage counseling.

Although Anderson said he enjoys all his duties as a priest, he receives help from three other priests, Okoro, the Rev. Jose Vasquez, and the Rev. Anthony Vu Khac Long. Vasquez and Vu Khac Long are in charge of the Hispanic and Vietnamese ministries in the area. Vasquez is linked closely to St. Mary’s because of the large population of Hispanic parishioners.

Although the majority of the 1,400 parishioners are white, there is a unique diversity among the crowd including Vietnamese, Hispanics and some of Polish descent.

“There is a strong influence of Polish Catholics who maintained their traditions and values from Poland,” Anderson said.

With the diverse community, Holy Thursday mass is said in three different languages; English, Vietnamese and Spanish. When Anderson is not giving mass or exercising sacraments, he said he enjoys participating in church holidays.

On All Saints’ Day, he dressed as St. Patrick and told stories of the saint’s adventures in Ireland. On Dec. 6, he dresses as St. Nicholas and tells the story of the saint’s compassion for the poor.

Aside from his love of the holiday seasons, he enjoys a relaxing afternoon outside or in the rectory.

He considers himself a movie buff and likes to watch foreign or classic films. If not in the movie mood, he enjoys dressing down, out of his priestly vestments, and taking a hike with his dog or swimming at the YMCA.