It’s Fathers’ Day and we’ll stop to think about our fathers today, whether they are alive or dead.

My own father died a couple of years ago so my celebration is only in memories.

But I’ve decided to talk about another “Father” today and it would make my own dad happy. And this person isn’t a “father” to me but rather a cousin.

Father Kevin Lutz is a few years older than me and has been a priest in the Columbus diocese for most of his life. He is the son of my late uncle Killian Lutz, oldest brother of my mom Rose.

Kevin was never big in sports so there was never any real connection there between us. However, a couple of memories of mine about him did involve sports.

Years ago when Bo Schembechler was the head football coach at Michigan the team was playing at Ohio State. Schembechler brought the Catholic members of the team to Mass at the church where Kevin happened to be working at the time.

Kevin said the Mass and gave the blessing at the end of the service. He asked God to keep the players safe from injury and to watch over them. And then he added, “But not too much.”

Even Schembechler had to chuckle.

Back in the early 1980s he was at St. Agatha Church which was a parish that included Bishop Watterson High School.

The athletic boosters were having a fundraising dinner that evening. Since one of the former Watterson players was defensive back John Krimm, he was able to get his college head coach to be the guest speaker.

It was a Sunday and Kevin said the coach was going to meet with the local media at 2 p.m. in the fellowship hall. Knowing I was a sports writer, he asked if I would be interested in attending the press conference. Kevin was very familiar with the college but not with the coach.

“I think his name is Gerry Faust,” Kevin said of the Notre Dame head coach.

But those things aren’t what makes him the “Father” that he is. As a third grader visiting for a week in Columbus, I got to ride the bus to Mass every morning because it happened to be his week to serve as an altar boy. Despite my age, Kevin got the priest to allow me to serve Mass with him.

Today Kevin is the pastor at St. Mary of the Assumption in German Village. He is also the chaplain for the police department.

And his work as a “father” to the people of Columbus goes beyond his church.

Fr. Lutz is the director of the Jubilee Museum in Columbus. He was the first American appointed as a consultant to the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Catholic Church which is in charge of preserving the historical and artistic heritage of the entire church.

As the museum director, his responsibilities include obtaining and preserving works of art, historical documents, books as well as the libraries and archives. These artifacts prove the teachings of Jesus and the Church.

Fr. Lutz was a guest on EWTN Live with Fr. Mitch Pacwa on Jan. 26, 2011. The interview can be seen online.

He also oversees operation of a soup kitchen that is the largest in the state of Ohio. It feeds 700 to 1,000 meals a day. The facility is funded totally by donations. There is no federal money used.

Besides the soup kitchen, the facility also includes a food pantry and outreach program.

With all that he does as a “father,” I guess I can forgive his lack of interest in sports. But not too much.

NOTE: The Jubilee Museum and Cultural Center is located at 57 South Grubb Street in Columbus, Ohio 43215. People may contact it at (614) 461-6204 or www.JubileeMuseum.org

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Jim Walker is sports editor of The Ironton Tribune.