Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us?
Saint John Vianney was a priest’s priest. He was ordained August 12th, 1815 and said his first Mass the next day. It was said he would spend hours hearing confessions. He was not a scholar but a human who was part of a family and more importantly part of his church family.
I am going to speak of four fine men that I have known who have become priests. One is Father Tom and the another Father Tim.
Father Tom I knew as a teenager. He came from a huge Catholic Irish American family. His parents were pious and unique but did not get along. He went into the seminary in part because he hoped his parents would be convinced to mend their marital difficulties. Well that did not happen. He left the seminary after a couple of years. He married, had children and when his wife died, he went back into the seminary and became a priest, as an adult. His children were all grown and supported his decision.
Father Tim came from a large family. He just had a birthday this week. As a teenager he led the church choir. He played a multitude of instruments and as you can imagine could have gone on in a musical career and did for a while. My wife, Anna, was the Parish Nurse and was on staff with him. We both had that feeling that he had a calling to the priesthood. His path like Father Tom was not straightforward. He left the seminary for a year and came back. He is now the assistant pastor at one of our old Churches in Saint Petersburg.
You probably have your own list. I could ramble on about other men who became priests. The important thing is that these men did not all take a straight path. They did succeed because of family and friends who encouraged them and prayed for them.
Father “G” and Father “M” were both Italian American. They were both fluent in Italian. They grew up in different Italian neighborhoods in New York City. Father “G” was a military chaplain and saw things in Vietnam that gave him nightmares. He was first and foremost a Priest to anyone of whatever rank came to him. Father “M” was the editor of an Italian language newspaper in New York as well as a parish Priest. None of his family went to Church anymore. Still, for Father “M” the “happiest moment” of any day on earth was celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receiving the Eucharist.
We need to give anyone who has a calling to Holy Orders, the gift of encouragement and prayers. Even Jesus had problems from naysayers. Where did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.
All these men should be Saints. My point about all these men is that they are human. We don’t give our Priests enough credit for being human. Sure, we pray for them and for seminarians coming up, but we don’t give them credit for their humanity. Nevertheless, all the good efforts of these men are wasted, if we don’t support them because of our lack of faith. These men can’t work miracles in us unless we have relationship with Jesus that supports a vibrant faith. These Priests can work miracles, but our part is to develop a receptive faith that listen and follows through with the message, that they give.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for peace!
