Slevin's Heaven
Welcome to Slevin's Heaven!
This page is dedicated to my friend, Henry M. Slevin, and all the
friends he leaves in his wake as he makes his way through this
troubled world.  Right now (at last I heard) he's somewhere in the
wilds of Vietnam, continuing to do what he does best - spread joy
and peace and fellowship to everyone he meets, and he's still doing
whatever he can to help the children!

I wrote this little poem in tribute to Hank.

If you have any thoughts or pics to share, or want to get in touch
with any of the old gang, this page is hopefully a way to do that.  
Don't hesitate to contact me!  I'll be happy to try to pass a
message along.
I counted 42
stars late last
night...
others were
out of sight.
I counted 16
New York
license
plates...
2 were upper
State...
I counted she
loves me she
loves me not...
she didn't.  
So I got
another flower.
I count the
hours 'til the
time of sleep,
then I count
my sheep...
I count the
steps it takes
to get me home
all alone...
I count the
seconds on my
pocket watch --
There's no
knock on my
door anymore
I count the time
away from you.
Can I count on
you?
Well, I do!
-H. Slevin©1971
My Radical Priest Friend
kamari © 2004
February 19, 2004

When I was young I was taught a tale
Of my guilt-ridden duty to never fail
But I met a man who let me decide
What was right and wrong
He opened my eyes        
My radical Priest friend

I called him that  because he made his own rules
Despite the consequences
when the outcome was good
Like the time he decided it was better to swim
To the middle of the Hudson
To save boat children        
My radical Priest friend

Two weeks at the beach, first time away
Don’t think I’ve ever cried more than those days
I had time to think; to reflect how I felt
And I returned home
more at peace with myself        
Thanks to my radical Priest friend

And when I was distraught, feeling guilty about
Ending a marriage I couldn’t help doubt
He understood.  He held no grudge.
He held my hand.  He didn’t judge...        
My radical Priest friend

And instead of spending his golden years
Relaxing & resting without any fear
He’s boarding a plane, off to Vietnam
Because children still need help
and rescue from harm
It’s hard to relay just how much he has given
to everyone he meets --
He’s the gift that keeps giving
So when this hero rides off
into Asian sunsets down the bend
There’s no one more deserving:  Of praise
Or grateful affection for those precious days…
Of respect and esteem
and true thanks for the ways
Of my radical Priest friend
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The Far East End of Slevin's Heaven!
These are the faces of some of the people
Hank lives with and cares for today!
Here are some shots I got from Hank this past Christmas:  I swear, he could be taking pictures for Life magazine if it was still in print!
 Look at these faces!!!!
McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania
We always tried, no matter how busy work
was or how hectic our lives got, to make time
for those weekends to go to the Fulton
County Fall Folk Festival!  They were such
treasured mini-vacations!!  We got to spend a
little time away from the rat race, commune
with nature, and hang with Hank ~ regaining
our perspective on the crazy, crazy  world!  
We just loved it!
I heard from Susan (Smith) Coffey, an old friend and fellow Central Senior
High Schooler, and I'm sure she won't mind me sharing her musings here.  
She recalled her one meeting with Hank:

"Father Slevin... my only real encounter with him, was one night... I went for a
walk... I ended up at St. Margaret's.. Father Slevin had a very nice, very long
conversation (with me)... he was kind of like the Pied Piper for teens... a kind
and gentle soul I would say...."

Thanks for sharing Susan!  We all love him so!!  And couldn't agree with you
more!!!!
Here's a little slice of life from Slevin's Heaven...  One weekend, Hank asked a bunch of us to come and help him clean up a house in
Capital Heights to get it ready for a guy that was getting out of prison.  This would give him a nice place to come "home" to when he got
out and started looking for a job.  We said great.  This house was a disaster area!  Kind of like what I imagine they found after Katrina
and Rita for flood victims' homes.  Carpeting all had to be ripped out and replaced, walls and floors had to be bleached and washed
before we could clean and paint.  But in 2 days, that house looked great.  And we felt great for doing something for somebody who
needed it.  So at 16 & 17 we learned that a lot of hard work for a good cause can really pay off.  We worked our butts off that weekend.  
But I know it's an experience I'll never forget in my life.  And Hank gave me that.  Just one more thing I have to thank him for....
Ocean City, Maryland
So many memories of the summers spent
with Hank at Ocean City, it's hard to pick them
out or try to list them all.  I seem to always
remember "Maggie May" playing on the car
radio on the trip down Rt. 50 into OC to the
Boardwalk, and "Disney Girls" playing on the
tape player in the condo/apartment when we
finally got there!  And looking forward to that
first walk to say "hello" to the beach!  I miss
those carefree, innocent times!!  And, of
course, all the friends who made it so fun!  If
you have any pictures to share, send 'em on
and I'll post 'em on this page!
The first year I went to the beach with
Hank, I was flabergasted that he took all
30 of us (I'm pretty sure that's how many of
us were down there that week!) out to
English's for dinner almost every night.  
Not only did I think he was crazy for
spending all his money on us, but I
thought he was the bravest guy I'd ever met
for wrangling 30 teenagers all by himself!  
:)
"Don't Sweat
the Small
Stuff!"
TheMeanings in Our Lives from Hank's Perspective!  Read, Learn, and Enjoy!
These are some of Hank's writings I've collected over the years; I'm sure he wouldn't mind sharing them with all of you.  
Take them to your heart and live them -- let's try our best to make this world a better place!
All prose and poetry on this page written by Henry M. Slevin is copyright protected
and should not be used without express written permission from Hank himself.
Will you love me?
Will you take my hand?
And when you can not understand,
will you bend, and be my friend again?

Will you mend
when we hurt and pain?
And when our love seems to end
will you mend, and be my friend again?

When there is change
and we rearrange
and I seem strange to you...

Will you talk to me
when I have nothing to say?
When our dream seems far away
will you bend, and be my friend again?

Share your love
Help me be free
Help me to see who you are...

Will you love me?
Will you take my hand?
And when you can not understand,
will you bend, and be my friend again?
- Hank Slevin©1981
Love is calling
Gently calling
Love is calling
Come and see!

Love it whispers
Kindly to me
Love it whispers
Come and hear!

Love is saying
Softly saying
Love is saying
Come my way!

-  Hank Slevin©1971
I'd give you the moon
but it's too small
or the mountains
but they're too tall
I'd give you the stars
but they're too far
or the sun –
but it's shine is not mine
So I give you
a part of my heart
for your Valentine!
- H. Slevin©1971
"See you in my
dreams if
you're lucky!"
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