Exiit qui seminat
The Family Priest
One of the blessings of being a priest is that you get to be a part of the fabric of the lives of your parishioners. I have the grace of accompanying people throughout the highs and lows, the joys and sorrows of the human experience. I get to be a part of new beginnings through the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Matrimony. I become the instrument of Christ's healing through the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick. I bring the Lord's peace and comfort when I administer the Final Sacraments and celebrate Masses of Christian Burial. It is certainly not lost on me the many grace-filled times that accompany all of these moments. The even greater gift is that the priesthood of Jesus Christ that I unworthily share is not only for my parishioners, but also for family and friends. My first wedding was my cousin Jamie. I anointed and celebrated the funeral Mass for my grandmother. I anointed my father when he had a health issue many years ago. I've witnessed the marriages of friends and baptized their children and grandchildren. I've prayed with and counseled friends during the good times and the bad, and I am all the more humbled for bringing God's presence into their lives. As you read this, I am in the midst of one such moment. Two of my former students from Rowan University just had a baby and I was asked to do the Baptism ... in Alabama! I was extremely honored to be asked and super stoked about the visit. All these moments have made me reflect on how good God is and how blessed my life has become because of His goodness. I guess the question then becomes, "Do you have a priest who holds a special place in your heart because of what God worked through him?" If so, reach out to that priest and let him know! The rectory has the addresses of most of the priests in the diocese both active and retired. If your priest has gone home to God, say a prayer for him, or even better, have a Mass said for his soul! As we know, not every priest is perfect and all of us need prayers, even the priests that are not our favorites. For the men who enter the priesthood were hopefully called by God to serve His People and are someone's "family priest"
