QUINCY -- Father Jason Worthley, parochial vicar of St. John the Baptist Parish in Quincy, stepped out of the rectory and into the cold, dark night of Nov. 18. In both of his hands, he held gas-powered, remote-controlled monster trucks.

The "nitro" trucks, as RC enthusiasts like Father Worthley call them, are the jewels of his collection. He's lost count of how many RC vehicles he owns. He used to drive a nitro truck on the lawn of St. John's Seminary in Brighton when he was being formed there. His cars and trucks stay with him in the rectory. His RC boats are kept elsewhere. His favorite is USA-1, based on the real monster truck of the same name. Both the real truck and Father Worthley's RC replica have messages on the sides reading "America needs the spirit of Christ" and "One nation under God, let's keep it that way." To him, the trucks aren't toys. They're pieces of equipment requiring careful operation.

"It really engages the mind because, first of all, it's the mechanical things, things such as transmissions, differentials, motors, or engines," he said. "And then driving them, especially competitively with these other drivers, you've got to really exercise your mind on things like speed and how fast they're going in a turn, watching off the other drivers."

The "other drivers" were three of his parishioners, who joined Father Worthley after evening Mass for the weekly meeting of St. John's RC Car Club.

"The four of us meet, and we have a holy time and a happy time and a competitive time," Father Worthley said.

A light-up wooden ramp sat on the parish lawn, illuminated by spotlights. George Gargano got his RC car out of the trunk of his real one, which had a miraculous medal sticker on the side window and a rosary hanging from the rear-view mirror. Lucas Patenaude warmed his car's battery in his coat pocket.

"Squad's all here," he said as another RC car zipped up the sidewalk.

The meeting began, as it does every week, with prayer and a Gospel reading. This week was John 3:16.

"Remember when we race, we're still supposed to love one another, and be forgiving, and peacemakers," Father Worthley said.

He has found that when they pray before the race, they race better.

The club races in all weather, whether the sun is out or not. Sometimes people will see Father Worthley racing outside the church and ask him for prayers. Gargano (who is jokingly called "Deacon George") will give passersby rosaries and holy medals if he has extra. The club was founded in 2023 when Gargano and Father Worthley bonded over their shared love of RC cars. St. John, and its collaborative parish, St. Joseph, are known for their eclectic ministries.

"I want to follow the same scheme of putting something fun and educational together with our faith," Father Worthley said.

He quoted the words of St. Paul in 2 Timothy 47: "I have finished the race."

"We try our best not to crash into each other," he said. "That's a lesson in life, where we all have our missions in life, but sometimes we have to decrease so that others may increase."

Ryan Eid, nicknamed "Dr. Ryan" by his fellow racers due to his job as an allergy immunologist, joined the club despite having no RC driving experience.

"He probably became the best driver there is," Father Worthley said.

Patenaude was quick to point out that Eid was the best driver until he joined the club.

"Community, in any sense, can bring you closer to God," Eid said. "And I think it liberates your mind from the stressors of your day and your work, and it brings us together in something we can all enjoy."

Patenaude learned about the club from Eid. He only needed to race once before he was "hooked." He tries to attend Mass before each club meeting.

"You get that intimate experience with God, and you hear the Word inside the church, and then you get some more casual fellowship," he said.

For Gargano, the club is a place for friendship, "banter with the guys," and answers to any religious question he has. He got into RC as a way to bond with his nephew, who was being raised by a single mother and needed a father figure in his life.

"So, I'm like, 'What am I gonna do with a kid?'" He recalled. "'Metal detecting, airplanes, RC airplanes, racecars!' That's how I got into it."

The nephew lost interest in the hobby when he grew up, but Gargano stuck with it. He returned to St. John's, the parish he was baptized in, after his mother's death. He found out from Pastor Father Matt Williams that Father Worthley was the parish's resident RC fan.

"I think it's divine providence," Gargano said. "That's Ma in Heaven saying, 'Hey, here we go!'"