Parochial Vicar Father Tom McCarthy

“The Year for Priests”

Did you know that Pope Benedict XVI has declared June 19, 2009 to June 19, 2010 as the “Year for Priests”? At various time, Popes have declared a specific topic for a given year to lead the faithful to greater reflection. The purpose is always for deepen growth in both knowledge and spirituality, leading the People of God to greater faith and conversion of mind and heart, so that as One Body we are configured more closely to Christ. (Clicking on the icon will take you to the USCCB website for additional information.)

Last year the Universal Church focused on St. Paul the Apostle, this year is dedicated to priests. The “Year for Priests” begins with the celebration of The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. And what a wonderful event to mark the beginning of the Year for Priests! Jesus Christ the True and High Priest continuing to offer His Heart (the entire mystery of Himself) to dispel far and wide His mercy, forgiveness, and love to the faithful of every generation.

You might be wondering…

• How does this impact my life as a member of the faithful?
• What can the parish or I gain by focusing on the priesthood?
• Do you know many priests are there in the world?

Each and every one of the world's 408,000 priests should feel loved, respected, valued and supported in his vocation to bring the Gospel to an increasingly secular -- but still open -- world, said Cardinal Claudio Hummes, the Brazilian cardinal who serves as the, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy.  The Year for Priests calls us as a Church to recognize the new challenges and possibilities that Catholic priests face.  Benedict XVI called for the special year to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, who was famed for his priestly ministry.  The aim, however, is not to organize a historical commemoration, but to look realistically at the world in which priests live and work and to recognize that the horrible abuse perpetrated by some priests has harmed the reputation of all priests.   "Many priests in the world have been wounded by what has happened in recent times -- pedophilia and other crimes that the media has publicized and that are true and extremely serious, especially pedophilia in which the victims are minors whose lives often are damaged forever," said Cardinal Hummes. "These are terrible crimes that must be judged and punished," he said.

But justice also requires people to recognize that the vast majority of the world's priests have never been involved in any kind of abuse, and instead give their lives to Jesus and to serving the church and humanity.  "We must say to priests that we are proud of them and that we recognize they are a group that is very special for the church and society," the cardinal said. "We must recognize who they are and what they do and tell them that we love them and want to be alongside them to support them."

Cardinal Hummes is not looking for a yearlong commitment to baking pies for priests or smiling at them more than usual; he's looking for study and discussions and meetings and laypeople rolling up their sleeves to work alongside their priests.  And he's definitely not looking for some 1950s style of keeping the celebration in the church or the parish hall, avoiding the wicked world outside.  "The post-modern, urban, relativistic, secularized culture is the dominant culture," he said, and the temptation is to say, "Oh, it is impossible to engage this society. We should remain in our corner, with our little group, closing ourselves into a ghetto," the 74-year-old cardinal said.  But the world still is the place where priests are called to live with joy and "to evangelize with the certainty that it is possible to bring the Gospel to this new society and not demonize it, not ignore it and not be discouraged by it," he said.

Cardinal Hummes said that showing support for priests includes sharing responsibility with them for parish life and for mission.  "Sometimes laypeople help their priests, but think that if things don't go well, it's the priest's responsibility -- it's his church. But, no, the church is all of ours," he said.

- Excerpts from an article in Catholic News Service, written by Cindy Wooden – June 12, 2009

Addressing Italian bishops May 28, Pope Benedict said the year should help priests “rediscover the grace and the goal of priestly ministry.”  “It is a service to the church and to the Christian people that requires a deep spirituality,” the pope said, because only by being united with the Lord can priests minister effectively through their preaching, their celebration of the sacraments and their assistance to the poor.   The Holy Father- Benedict XVI said,

“I still treasure the memory of the first parish priest at whose side I exercised my ministry as a young priest: he left me an example of unreserved devotion to his pastoral duties, even to meeting death in the act of bringing viaticum to a gravely ill person. I also recall the countless confreres whom I have met and continue to meet, not least in my pastoral visits to different countries: men generously dedicated to the daily exercise of their priestly ministry. Yet the expression of St. John Mary also makes us think of Christ's pierced Heart and the crown of thorns which surrounds it. I am also led to think, therefore, of the countless situations of suffering endured by many priests, either because they themselves share in the manifold human experience of pain or because they encounter misunderstanding from the very persons to whom they minister. How can we not also think of all those priests who are offended in their dignity, obstructed in their mission and persecuted, even at times to offering the supreme testimony of their own blood?"

Here the teaching and example of St. John Mary Vianney can serve as a significant point of reference for us all. The Cure of Ars was quite humble, yet as a priest he was conscious of being an immense gift to his people: "A good shepherd, a pastor after God's heart, is the greatest treasure which the good Lord can grant to a parish, and one of the most precious gifts of divine mercy". He spoke of the priesthood as if incapable of fathoming the grandeur of the gift and task entrusted to a human creature: "O, how great is the priest! ... If he realized what he is, he would die. ... God obeys him: he utters a few words and the Lord descends from heaven at his voice, to be contained within a small host".

Explaining to his parishioners the importance of the Sacraments, he would say: "Without the Sacrament of Holy Orders, we would not have the Lord. Who put Him there in that tabernacle? The priest. Who welcomed your soul at the beginning of your life? The priest. Who feeds your soul and gives it strength for its journey? The priest. Who will prepare it to appear before God, bathing it one last time in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest, always the priest. And if this soul should happen to die [as a result of sin], who will raise it up, who will restore its calm and peace? Again, the priest. ... After God, the priest is everything! ... Only in heaven will he fully realize what he is".

These words, welling up from the priestly heart of the holy pastor, might sound excessive. Yet they reveal the high esteem in which he held the Sacrament of the Priesthood. He seemed overwhelmed by a boundless sense of responsibility: "Were we to fully realize what a priest is on earth, we would die: not of fright, but of love. ... Without the priest, the passion and death of our Lord would be of no avail. It is the priest who continues the work of redemption on earth. ... What use would be a house filled with gold, were there no one to open its door? The priest holds the key to the treasures of heaven: it is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator of His goods. ... Leave a parish for twenty years without a priest, and they will end by worshipping the beasts there. ... The priest is not a priest for himself, he is a priest for you".

During this year, let us all - you and I - reflect on the blessings that priests are in our lives now and have been throughout our lives. This spirit of gratitude should be especially with us in the midst of transition. Fr. Terry leaves St. Max after dedicating the last six years to serve us. Fr. Geoff comes with a great desire to bring you to greater holiness, but I can only image how daunting this task must seem, given that we have 3,100 families. Let’s remember both of them in our prayers.
Speaking for myself, I do not want special treatment, baked goods or even thanks. I want what all priests want - the openness and understanding of the people to whom we have devoted our lives to serve.  They want you to be excited and open to the mysteries of Christ brought about by their teaching, preaching, and especially the Sacraments.

We want our people to understand that we our sinners too, so when we convey a less than charitable attitude/response to be patient with us and let us know personally so we can seek forgiveness or correct any misunderstandings. No priest seeks to put their people down on purpose! Finally, help us to carry on Christ’s mission to do the Father’s will.  We may be the “leaders” but we are all the One Body of Christ and each of us has the privilege and duty to help each other on the journey of faith.

The “Year for priests” will conclude in Rome with an international gathering of priests with the Holy Father on June 19, 2010.  Please pray for priests that they might always be faithful to their sacred calling by serving God and His Church!!!

 Links to Fr. McCarthy's Homilies