A Reflection from Fr. Joseph Gill
Tomorrow, our diocese will celebrate an event of great joy – the ordination of six men to the priesthood in the Diocese of Bridgeport! We look forward with eager anticipation for the many years of ministry that Frs. Jim DiVasto, Ferry Galbert, Andrew LeFleur, Ricardo Comim, Matthew Loman, and Miguel Lenis. All of these men are deeply spiritual, pastoral, and will make excellent priests.
Tomorrow, our diocese will celebrate an event of great joy – the ordination of six men to the priesthood in the Diocese of Bridgeport! We look forward with eager anticipation for the many years of ministry that Frs. Jim DiVasto, Ferry Galbert, Andrew LeFleur, Ricardo Comim, Matthew Loman, and Miguel Lenis. All of these men are deeply spiritual, pastoral, and will make excellent priests.
On the whole, the number of priests in our diocese is much healthier than in many other dioceses. We have not had to endure the painful parish closings of surrounding dioceses. But there is still a need. For example, due to the lack of priests, starting this Fall all of our Catholic high schools will have part-time priest chaplains instead of full-time. Many parishes that used to have three priests are now down to two or only one. Many priests are older, and many other priests wear multiple hats in the diocese.
But even beyond the practical needs, there is a spiritual need for priests. The more holy priests there are, the more the message of the Gospel is preached. There is something powerful about a man giving up his life for the sake of Christ – it is a statement that Jesus Christ is real, and is worth sacrificing everything for. Plus, the best way for the people of God to grow in holiness is through the Sacraments, which are passed on through the hands of the priest.
It’s uncommon, though, for parents or other Catholics to encourage young men to enter seminary or to consider the priesthood. We all acknowledge the stain that the sexual abuse scandals has left upon the priesthood…many parents are concerned that their sons would be lonely or unfulfilled as priests…many parents, particularly if they have only one or two children, desire grandchildren and “passing on the family name”…and the priesthood is not held in high honor in society like it used to be.
Yet, it is still a tremendously joyful life! A recent survey found that 92% of priests are happy with their lives (in contrast, a recent survey found that only 74% of marriages report that they’re happy!). It is a calling that is meaningful – a priest is blessed to enter into the most sacred and important moments of peoples’ lives: celebrating the birth of a baby, rejoicing at a wedding, helping people grieve, walking with them through sickness, giving people the freedom from their sins and the joy of God’s mercy and love. Every vocation has its challenges, and the priesthood has plenty of them, but despite them all, it is a beautiful, joyful life.
So – parents, please encourage your sons (and grandsons) to consider the gift of the priesthood! Priests don’t grow on trees, they come from families – ordinary families, messy families, families who aren’t necessarily perfect but who live a life of faith, centered around the Eucharist. It is a great grace for parents to support their sons/grandsons to pursue God’s will, wherever it leads.
Vocations come when a young person is serious about discipleship. So it becomes necessary to help our young people develop a personal relationship with Christ, one that includes asking the question, “Lord, what do You want me to do with my life?” We can help that through good catechesis, and bringing our kids to youth groups and retreats, and witnessing to the power of Jesus Christ in our own life. When I first started as a high school chaplain, I would ask kids, “What do you want to do in the future?” (College, career, etc). But I realized that’s the wrong question – so I started asking, “What do you think God wants you to do?” Asking young people that question will help them realize that it is God Who directs our lives, not we ourselves.
Pray, too, for vocations. Our Lord said that “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, so ask the Master of the harvest to send out laborers for His harvest.” My home parish had not had a vocation to the priesthood in its 162-year history when it started Perpetual Adoration in 1998. Since then they have had somewhere around twelve vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and diaconate…all because of prayer!!
We’ve been blessed with several vocations from St. Jude’s in recent years (I think of Sr. Meghan Thibodeau SOLT and Fr. Krzysztof, both of whom are natives of the parish). As I get to know the parish families, I see many more young vocations to the priesthood and religious life. St. John Bosco, who worked with youth his entire life, said that one in ten children have a religious vocation. It is my hope that at the end of my tenure at St. Jude’s, we can count 5 or more young men or women who have heard God’s call to pursue Him alone in a religious vocation – and we can only do that through your encouragement and prayer!
