I think it's the first time I've been in the parish for my anniversary: last year I was on a conference at Ushaw and the first two years I was on holiday. But what better way is there to spend an ordination anniversary? - celebrating Mass in the parish, visiting the school, dealing with all the requests that come via the door and phone, writing sermons and classes, etc - all the things that fill most days but which I never write about on the blog because (a) it's not appropriate and (b) it would be rather boring!
For my meditation this morning, I turned to Leo Trese's A Man Approved and came across this timely passage:
Sometimes we priests feel that we are very busy men - and, within our own limited environment, quite important persons. We may be in parish work, instructing converts, visiting the sick, catechizing youngsters, administering temporalities....However, regardless of which group may claim me, it is profitable for me to remind myself again and again that there is only one thing I do which pertains essentially to my priesthood. There is only one thing that is of transcendent importance, and that is my offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. By eternal standards, nothing else I do matters much.Looking at my posts last May, I was reminded that today is the first anniversary of the sudden death of Fr Todd Reitmeyer, a fellow priest and blogger. May he rest in peace.
Congratulations, Father. May you have many happy years to come.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Ad multos annos!
ReplyDeleteFather - congratulations on your priestly anniversary - I hope you celebrate! John Paul the Great said the day he was ordained was the most important day of his life, not the day he became Pope. Quick question: taking as read points about confidentiality etc, etc, why would describing some of your priestly day be inappropriate? I understand the point about boredom, but perhaps a young man might be inspired to consider a vocation reading the life of a young curate? Your blog, by the way, is always interesting and often makes this Englishman abroad pine for home!
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th Birthday, Father... ad multos annos!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks to all of you.
ReplyDeleteOwl - I take your point. I just think it's safer not to write too much about parishioners, etc especially given the increasingly complicated data protection world we live in! I do occasionally post about some aspects of parish life but it's not the raison d'etre of the blog.
Happy fourth birthday! I'm in before midnight!!!
ReplyDelete(This is all very weird...)
A very happy birthday Father. How Providential to be born on the feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and Ad Multos Annos!
ReplyDeletefr paul harrison
Ad Multos Annos! Georges Bernanos seemed to manage the question of the daily life of a priest pretty well.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Father, and God bless you. Thank you for a most enjoyable blog.
ReplyDeleteFather, ad multos et faustissimos annos! God bless you in your ministry, and grant you many more years as a "fisher of men"! Thank you for your blog.
ReplyDeleteRegards from Canada,
Patricia Gonzalez
Happy belated anniversary. Father Brighenti celebrates 19 years on May 28th and I had my 19th on May 14th. Father Levis beats us all with 59 years of priesthood under his sash.
ReplyDeleteAD MULTOS ANNOS
tu es sacerdos in aeternam
Father John Trigilio