Reflections on the Sacrament of Marriage by Bishop Michael Sheridan, S.T.D.

Spring is a time when the sacramental life of the church is particularly evident. These are the days when we celebrate First Holy Communions, confirmations, ordinations and marriages. It is to the last of these sacraments that I devote my thoughts today.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) gives us this beautiful definition of marriage, based on the Second Vatican Council’s teaching on the sacrament of matrimony:

"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament" (no. 1601). Phrase by phrase, this definition gives us a little "catechism" on marriage.

The matrimonial covenant. The 1917 Code of Canon Law referred to the "marriage contract." Although a contract does not differ significantly from a covenant, the Second Vatican Council chose to call marriage a covenant rather than a contract because of the sacred nature of a covenant. Scripture uses "covenant" to speak of the solemn agreements entered into between God and his creatures. Jesus established a "new and eternal covenant" through his sacrificial death and resurrection. More than simply a legal agreement (contract), marriage is a profound and deeply spiritual agreement that stems from a solemn oath (vows). For this reason, marriage establishes a lifelong bond that ends only with death.

A partnership of the whole life. The sacred covenant that is marriage is not simply an agreement to exchange certain rights and duties. In marriage, "the partners mutually surrender themselves to each other (cf. "The Constitution on the Church in the Modern World," Vatican II, no. 48). This mutual giving of two persons reflects Christ’s gift of himself to us in love even to the shedding of his blood. The marriage partnership is one of total self-giving. This helps us to understand why contraception is sinful. When a married couple uses contraception, they are saying to each other, "I give you myself completely — except for my fertility. Contraception contradicts the very nature of marriage.

The good of the spouses. There are two ends or purposes to marriage. The first is the good of the spouses. Here we are speaking of spousal — or conjugal — love. There are few words that are more misused and misunderstood in our contemporary culture than "love." Popular media would have us believe that love is little other than an emotion — and a fleeting one at that — or simply physical attraction. In fact, genuine spousal love is far more.

Again, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "By its very nature conjugal love requires the inviolable fidelity of the spouses. This is the consequence of the gift of themselves that they make to each other. Love seeks to be definitive; it cannot be an arrangement ‘until further notice.’ The ‘intimate union of marriage, as a mutual giving of two persons, and the good of children demand total fidelity from the spouses and require an unbreakable union between them’" (1646).

But there is more. Marriage was not created by God only for the good of the spouses. There is a second — and equally important — purpose of marriage.

The procreation and education of offspring. By its very nature, marriage is ordered to the procreation of children. While not every act of marital intercourse will result in the conception of a child, every act of intercourse must be open to the gift of a child. Here, again, we see why every act of contraception is a gravely sinful. Contraception literally truncates the meaning of marriage. It eliminates one of the intrinsic purposes of marriage. "Fecundity is a gift, an end of marriage, for conjugal love naturally tends to be fruitful. A child does not come from outside as something added on to the mutual love of the spouses, but springs from the very heart of that mutual giving, as its fruit and fulfillment. So the Church, which is ‘on the side of life,’ teaches that ‘it is necessary that each and every marriage act remain ordered per se to the procreation of human life.’" (CCC 2366).

Raised to the dignity of a sacrament. Marriage as a natural institution comes from the creation as recorded in the Book of Genesis. The marriage of two baptized Christians, however, is different from marriage as a purely natural union. "The grace of the sacrament perfects the love of husband and wife, binds them together in fidelity, and helps them welcome and care for children. Christ is the source of this grace and he dwells with the spouses to strengthen their covenant promises, to bear each other’s burdens with forgiveness and kindness, and to experience ahead of time the ‘wedding feast of the lamb’" (United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, 285).

Although not in the definition of marriage, there is another point of church discipline that needs to be made. Catholics are bound most seriously to have their marriages witnessed by a priest or deacon. Dispensation from this law is possible; but, if a Catholic attempts marriage before anyone other than a priest of deacon without dispensation, that marriage is invalid, and the Catholic party(ies) to the marriage may not receive the sacraments of the church until the union can be regularized.

The apostle Paul teaches us that marriage is "a great foreshadowing; I mean that it refers to Christ and the church. In any case, each one should love his wife as he loves himself, the wife for her part showing respect for her husband" (Eph 5:32).

May this be true of every Christian marriage!

Source: This column originally appeared in the June 4, 2010 issue of The Colorado Catholic Herald

Legal Protection for Unborn, Support for Mothers Both Needed, Say Cardinal Rigali and Bishop Murphy

WASHINGTON—"Our faith requires us to oppose abortion on demand and to provide help to mothers facing challenging pregnancies," Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia and Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., said in an October 21 statement. The bishops urged Catholics to study the teaching of the Church, rather than rely on statements and materials from outside groups and individuals.

Cardinal Rigali and Bishop Murphy made the joint statement in response to arguments that the Church should accept the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision on abortion as a "permanent fixture of constitutional law" and should concede that the only way to reduce abortions is to provide more government support for pregnant women. At the same time the two bishops also responded to those who argue that the Church's efforts against abortion should focus solely on restoring recognition for unborn children's human rights and that proposals to provide social and economic support for pregnant women distract from that effort....

Source.

The full text of the joint statement may be found at www.usccb.org/prolife/Rigali-Murphy-Joint-Statement.pdf.

Woman from Warrenton professes temporary vows

Warrenton native Sister M. Lissetta Gettinger professed temporary vows with the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration last month.

Don and Lorraine Gettinger, Sister M. Lissetta’s parents, are members of Holy Rosary Parish in Warrenton.

The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration are based in the Eastern or Immaculate Heart of Mary Province, centered in Mishawaka, Ind. Members of the congregation served from 1905 to 1988 as teachers and administrators at Immaculate Conception School in Union.

Sister M. Lissetta of St. Joseph, 27, professed her vows at Mass Aug. 10 in the chapel at Mount Alverno, the order’s motherhouse in Mishawaka. She vowed for three years "to live in chastity for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, to choose a life of poverty and to offer the sacrifice of obedience," according to her community.

Provincial Superior Sister M. Angela Mellady accepted Sister M. Lissetta’s vows in the name of the Church. The white veil she wore as a novice for two years was exchanged with a black veil as an outward sign of her profession....

Awesome news! Let us keep Sister M. Lissetta in our prayers.

The Lunacy Continues...

Janice Sevre-Duszynska, a peace and justice advocate who grew up in a Polish-American family on Milwaukee's south side, will seek to be ordained a priest in a Roman Catholic Womenpriests ceremony at 3 p.m. on Aug. 9 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington, Ky....

Who would have thought that so many of the deranged women seeking to be "ordained" as a priestettes, are also so-called "peace and justice" advocates? Not only do they seek to subvert the truth, they misunderstand the social justice teachings of the Church as well. Ahhh, but should this not be expected from those boomers who failed to grow up?

This won't be the first time Sevre-Duszynska generated controversy. In 1998, she interrupted an ordination service at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Lexington and asked Bishop Kendrick Williams to ordain her....

Frankly, I'm surprised that Bishop Williams did not try to "ordain" her.

In 2000, she took part in a sit-in and grabbed the microphone at a meeting of U.S. bishops in Washington, D.C. to call for the ordination of women...

Disturbed or possessed?

And in 2002, she was arrested at a sit-in protesting ordinations at the cathedral in Atlanta, Ga...

Demented? Are these antics indicative of one who is of sound mind?

These excerpts are from an article from the Journal Sentinel Online here.

Another article from the Lexington Herald-Leader provides some additional background:

As a young girl growing up in Milwaukee, Janice Sevre-Duszynska often fantasized about becoming a priest while helping clean the sanctuary of the church her family attended. “I’d sit in the priest’s chair, go to the pulpit, make believe I was preaching and giving communion,” she said. “I thought, ‘Why couldn’t I be up here?’”

Sorry, Janice, I'm not buying this...As a young girl? How young might that be? Apparently this "urges" never pronpted her to seek to learn why the Church teaches what she does. And if by chance Janice did make an effort to understand, she rebelled against it.

Now, 50 years later, she will get her wish, but it could come with a price — excommunication from the Roman Catholic church....

Here's the answer...she was eight when she was helping to clean the church and pretending to be a priest...Cute!

Now 50 years later, she's determined to spit in the face of Jesus by joining with other heretics and schismatics. I wonder if it makes her family proud? It's certainly a sad day for the Church and for those who choose to jeopardize their eternal salvation by rejecting Christ and His Church in such a blatant and public display of rebellion.

“My heroes as priests are on the fringes ... they need to challenge the government and the Vatican,” Sevre-Duszynska said.

Where have we heard this before? Are these women all re-programmed like robots to say, on cue, exactly the same thing? Can't they come up with anything original? I know, that's a stupid question-there's nothing new about these rehashed attempts at bringing scandal and disunity to the Church.

How many priests "on the fringe" are truly Catholic? Guess it depend on what we mean by "fringe" but I think I understand Sevre-Duszynska's fringe.

“I’ve been asked to say Mass in September at the Catholic Workers House in Washington, D.C. I will consider that,” she said. “I also plan to continue my peace and justice work.”

So is the Catholic Worker House in DC another hotbed of dissent and rebellion? These clowns give authentic social justice a bad name...I only have one more question for the St Louis folks: How many from St Louis (St Cronan's or St Stanislaus) will be attending?

Lastly, I wonder if the diocese enlist the help of the media to run a covert surveillance operation?

May God have mercy on them and on us!

From Archbishop Burke: Thank you and farewell

Some excerpts from the "Farewell" of one of the most faithful shepherds of the St Louis Archbishops:

....Since I have regularly written a column for you in our archdiocesan newspaper when I was your archbishop, I wanted to write to you one last time now no longer as your archbishop but as your former archbishop who continues to love you very much. I write simply to say "thank you" and "farewell".....

I have encountered in St. Louis a remarkable depth of Catholic faith, strongly connected with the apostolic tradition and lived practically in the homes of the faithful....

As archbishop, building upon the strength of Catholic life in the archdiocese, I tried to lead you in the new evangelization, which is so needed in the totally secularized society in which we live. Your response has been dedicated and generous....

During my service in the archdiocese and as I am now leaving you, the secular media have focused very much on the controversies that have marked my years in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. While the controversies have been difficult for us all, I did not shrink from them when I knew the integrity of our Catholic faith, worship and practice was at stake....

Thank you for holding fast to the truth of our Catholic faith, for praying and worshiping with great devotion and fervor and for witnessing to the truth of the faith in your attitudes, words and actions....

Archbishop Burke extends his gratitude to all those who so faithfully assisted him during his short time in St Louis, particularly, the priests of the archdiocese, permanent deacons, Bishop Hermann and Msgr. Vernon Gardin, whole staff of the Archdiocesan Curia, Msgr. Henry Breier, his secretaries; Sister M. Regina van den Berg, FSGM, and Rosalie Manz, and a special thanks to the Franciscan Sisters of the Martyr St. George, and all of the consecrated religious — priests, monks, nuns, brothers and sisters.

The media and several individuals have asked me to comment on what most stands out for me among the various aspects and events of my service as Archbishop of St. Louis.

Because of the richness of Church life, it is difficult to answer the question simply and easily. With humble recognition of the many blessings which God has showered upon the archdiocese during my years, I offer two observations.

He comments on priestly vocations and Kenrick-Glennon Seminary as well as the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

...God is blessing the Archdiocese of St. Louis with many and holy priestly vocations....

God generously blessed St Louis with a faithful shepherd who helped to foster fidelity and virtue which resulted in an increase in priestly vocations.

...one of the happiest days of my service in the Archdiocese of St. Louis was June 17, 2007, when I dedicated the Shrine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis ...

And what a blessing this is for the faithful of St Louis!

Farewell

I am deeply honored and humbled by the trust which Pope Benedict XVI has placed in my by naming prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. We are blessed, in our time, with a remarkably holy Successor to St. Peter....

It has been my experience that, whenever greater responsibility is given to someone in the Church, Satan works all the more cleverly and furiously to discourage and confuse....Please keep placing me in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through your prayers, so that I will have the courage and wisdom to do faithfully and generously all that I am asked....

To almighty God, I express my deepest gratitude for the time of my service as shepherd of His flock in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, asking His pardon for my failures and praising Him for what He has accomplished among us from Jan. 26, 2004, until June 27, 2008....

No doubt, he will be missed by the faithful of St Louis as well as by faithful Catholics throughout the US who admired his courage, his humility, and his Apostolic leadership in the face of strident opposition to the Church.

I feel for the faithful of St Louis and fervently pray that a worthy successor will be appointed. My God continue to bless Archbishop Burke as he continues to serve Christ and His Church.

Me, Me, Me! I Believe in Me!

Carl Olson writes:

Priestette: "I believe in the supremacy of conscience...

"...and my conscience has led me all along to be an ordained Roman Catholic priest."

That is Toni Tortorilla, a lesbian "counselor and spiritual director" who, according to a June 17th article in The Oregonian, "ministers to about 90 people in Portland and in Eugene who call themselves the Sophia Christi Catholic Community." I've written about Tortorilla before, as she has performed pretend Masses here in Eugene, Oregon, where I live. She is now back in the (very accommodating) media limelight because a second priestette underwent a pretend ordination in the Portland, Oregon, area a few days ago, as announced on the blog of another priestette, Bridget Mary, who is active in Call to Action...

That's probably Bridget Mary Meehan - she's usually at all of these events...You know, tending her "flock."

Malformed and dead consciences reign supreme in the minds of wild-eyed heretics and schismatics...Dressing up like priests, they look like clowns. They're so lost and they enjoy leading others over the cliff. Pray for them and for those they lead astray!

Archbishop Burke enlists priests’ support for seminary expansion

Archbishop Raymond Burke told priests May 28 that the archdiocese is preparing for a major campaign to raise money to provide for the needs of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and bring its endowment to an effective level.

The archbishop, in his prepared remarks, asked for the priests’ support of the campaign, which will be conducted in the fall of 2009. It will seek $65,280,000.

"The campaign is to be carried out during the next calendar year, but I am announcing it now, so that all of us can have time to prepare well for it," he said.

"Clearly, the success of the campaign is critical."

In his talk, he called the campaign a "happy challenge" for the archdiocese to meet the critical needs of the seminary, now and for the future. He added that "I want to make clear that I am speaking of true needs for an adequate seminary program. I am not speaking for frills or luxuries which would be nice but are not necessary...."

Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos to ordain four priests for FSSP

Denton, NE, May 23, 2008 / 01:18 am (CNA).- Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, will ordain four men to the priesthood for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter on Friday, May 30.

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) was established in 1988 under Pope John Paul II and has nearly 200 priests and over 100 seminarians studying in Bavaria and Nebraska....

The men will be ordained at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln, Nebraska. The ordination Mass will be broadcast on EWTN at 11 a.m. (EST).

More great news! Let's not forget to keep these men in our prayers!

Archbishop Burke inspired vocations explosion

Once or twice a year, each student at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary will drop by Archbishop Raymond Burke's residence in the Central West End at 4:30 p.m. From there, they set off down Lindell Avenue and into Forest Park..

"The walks," as the seminarians call them, are opportunities for young men to have heart-to-hearts with a man who regularly meets with the pope, a heady prospect for a young priest-in-training. The conversations are usually casual, and the seminarians get to see a more personal, human side of Burke — like when he gets a little skittish around off-leash dogs.

Kenrick officials organize the walks using time sheets. When the sheets are posted, there's a rush to sign on...

Good article in the Post...

Vatican says prohibition against gays in seminaries is universal

Vatican City, May 19, 2008 / 09:21 am (CNA).- Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has sent a letter to the bishops of the world with the approval of Pope Benedict XVI reaffirming the norms established by the Congregation for Catholic Education in the 2005 document, “Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocation with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders,” as universal and without exceptions....

The letter, which Cardinal Bertone said was issued in response “to numerous requests for clarification,” implies that the prohibition against accepting homosexual candidates in seminaries applies not only to diocesan seminaries but also to those of religious orders and congregations, as well as to those that are located in mission territories....

See more here at Rorate Caeli

Nine Men to be Ordained as Priests for St Louis Archdiocese

Wonderful News!

Archbishop Raymond L. Burke will ordain nine men to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of St. Louis at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, Lindell Boulevard and Newstead Avenue in the Central West End.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders will be conferred after the reading of the Gospel of the Mass. An announcement of the new priests’ assignments will be in an upcoming issue of the Review.

The soon-to-be-ordained priests will be Fathers Matthew Barnard, Patrick Driscoll, Brian Hecktor, Michael Houser, Eric Kunz, Edward Nemeth, Kevin Schroeder, James Theby and Noah Waldman....

This is the largest number of men to be ordained priests for the Archdiocese of St. Louis since nine men were ordained in 1987. In addition, another five Kenrick-Glennon seminarians are being ordained in coming weeks for other dioceses.

Please keep all of these men in your prayers.

USCCB: New Executive Director for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations

WASHINGTON—Father James P. Steffes, rector of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, Minnesota, has been named executive director of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. He succeeds Msgr. Edward Burns, who returns to the Diocese of Pittsburgh for pastoral work. The new appointment becomes effective August 1.....

Something to Remember...

Pope: Good Priests More Important Than Many Priests

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE, APRIL 15, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI says that it is hard for him to understand how sexually abusive priests could have so betrayed their mission, and promised that the Church will do everything possible to ensure that such a situation never happens again....

The Holy Father affirmed that the Church must select candidates for the priesthood who are healthy and balanced. He said it is more important to have good priests than to have many priests. "We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry," the Pope added....

More at Zenit -

Archbishop Burke Announces Seminary Expansion

Archbishop Raymond L. Burke has announced the start of a major renovation and expansion of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Shrewsbury.

The seminary has 111 seminarians, an almost 50 percent increase in enrollment over last year. While the growth is welcomed by the archbishop and Msgr. Ted Wojcicki, president-rector of the seminary, it also prompted the need for maintenance work, renovation and expansion of the physical plant....

This is great news!

And all might consider being esepcially generous this Christmas as the anhual "Christmas Appeal for Kenrick-Glennon Seminary" takes place...As reported here, this annual appeal is one of the seminary’s most important collections, providing 15 percent of its annual revenue...

And let us not forget to continue to pray for our bishops and priests and especially for our seminarians.

St Louis Seminary to Expand?

SaintLouisCatholic blog is reporting that architectural plans have been submitted to His Excellency for his approval to expand Kenrick Glennon Seminary to accomodate increasing numbers of seminarians.

As thetimman rightly states, priestly vocations are the fruit of orthodoxy, and fatherly leadership, especially combined with fervent prayer and God's abundant grace. And this growth is obvious in dioceses where fidelity to the teachings of Christ and His Church is the norm rather than the exception.

May God be praised for blessing the faithful of St Louis with a kind and faithful shepherd and may He guide and protect our bishops and priests, and especially each of those men following the path of our Lord and studying to be an alter Christus.

More at the St Louis Catholic blog here.

Two Female "Catholic" Priestesses Conduct First "Mass"

(KTVI - myFOXstl.com) --
Two Roman Catholic female priests who were recently ordained co-pastored their first mass Saturday night in the central west end.

Rose Marie Hudson and Elsie McGrath led the service at the first Unitarian church of St. Louis....

The Roman Catholic Church does not recognize the ordination of Hudson and McGrath that was conducted by an organization called Roman Catholic Women Priests.

Priestettes pretending to be Catholic priests - What a scandal. And the report indicates that 100 or so people were in attendance. Unfortuantely, those who support this act of rebellion and scandal can hardly claimn to call themselves Catholic.

Source KTVI Fox 2 News

Msgr. Wach meets with Pope Benedict

On Wednesday, October 3, Msgr. Gilles Wach, Prior General of the Institute of Christ the King, had a very special surprise visit with the Holy Father at the Holy Father's General Audience.

His Holiness, recognizing Msgr. Wach in the front row, amidst the pilgrims awaiting his passing by, graciously stopped for a short conversation in which he commented on the Institute's large number of vocations, and inquired about its latest developments, including those in America. For images, click here.

Priests' Saturday -Your Prayers, Please

"Sanctify them in truth." St. John, 17:17.

Several years ago a knowing and amiable priest in New York City set­tled a 39-month-old strike of several hundred employees of a Broadway restaurant. For that many months pickets had paraded before the eating place, covering more than seven times the distance to the moon, and wear­ing out over seven thousand pairs of shoes. A host of civic organizations and even Mayor La Guardia himself had failed in repeated attempts to break the deadlock between the management and the workers. The priest succeeded.

This is just one example of the hundreds of cases in our country alone where priests have successfully and satisfactorily served as arbiters, um­pires, and go-betweens in the settlement of strikes. The ordination cere­mony does not specifically mention that the holy oils give us that skill. At the same time, the efficient work of priests in this field emphasizes the many-sided activities of our spiritual leaders, and will strengthen my ap­peal for prayer and penance in their behalf.

In particular I want to recommend to you the devotion called Priests' Saturday. It is so simple and so easy, yet appealing and powerful a devo­tion, that it has spread through many countries, and, I hope, will spread more widely among Americans. Here is how it works:

Offer up the Saturday after the First Friday of each month to our Savior, through the merciful hands of Mary His Mother, for the sanctifi­cation of all priests and students for the priesthood. Give that Saturday wholly and entirely to our Lord, that is, offer to Him Holy Mass, Holy Communion, all your prayers, your work, your pains and pleasures, joys and sorrows. If you cannot attend Mass and receive Communion on that particular Saturday, do so the next day, Sunday.

The point is that you offer some definite day and some definite deeds for priests and priests-to-be throughout the world. The Saturday after the First Friday will be comparatively easy to remember. Better still, offer, as many do, every Saturday, particularly for your own pastor and priests.

You do not need to sign your name, or send it to any organization, you make no pledges or promises, you pay no dues. Simply decide right now that you are going to pray for your priests. Their work is so many-sided, their work needs so sorely the grace and help of God, that it is only through prayer and penance of the people united with their priests, that those same leaders will be able to carry on their divine work effectively.

Why such a devotion? Listen to the late Pope Pius XI:

"God in heaven and I on earth, we desire nothing more ardently than prayer and sacrifice for priests. . . . Let us beg God that He may give us holy priests. If we have this, all else will follow; but if this be wanting, all else will avail nothing."

When the idea of the Priest's Saturday was presented to His Holiness, he exclaimed:

"We heartily praise and bless the work. . . . We repeat, the thing pleases Us. . . . We praise and bless it heartily."

Echoing the Holy Father's words, bishops and priests throughout the world have eagerly greeted the Priests' Saturday. Bishop Bares of Berlin in whose diocese the devotion was established in 1934, made the statement:

"It is with great joy that I welcome this saving thought of the Priests' Sat­urday. If a holy priest is the best gift of heaven to earth, then the efforts of the faithful through prayer and sacrifice for holy priests will be the fairest gift of earth to heaven."

Perhaps you are wondering why we priests ask for prayers. Perhaps you are thinking that we have all the prayers and graces we need. True, God is generous to us with His graces, but we need many more. In fact, we cannot do our work without your spiritual help. Let me give you some reasons you should pray for your priests:

1. He has many heavy responsibilities. Some of these are financial; some are spiritual. In the confessional, for example, the priest is responsible for the soul before him. He is responsible for every soul in his parish, for non-­Catholic as well as Catholic. He is responsible for leading his people to God. That is a tremendous responsibility.

2. Consider the many temptations of the priest. He is tempted to pride, because people honor him in many ways. He is tempted to impatience. He is tempted to laziness and to intemperance. He is tempted to impurity and to jealousy. His lonely life demands many special graces, which you can win for him.

3. The priest has trials. Some have the trial of bad health, others of limited talents, others have opposition from certain people within and without the Church.

4. The priest has tasks of which most people know nothing. He spends hours in keeping books, in instructing converts, in visiting the sick, in teaching catechism. On Sunday he fasts until after the last Mass. That is for many a priest a great physical drain.

These things are mentioned not to create sympathy or to drive you to tears of compassion for your pastor and your assistant. Rather, we mention these as reasons for helping your spiritual leaders with your prayers and your penance.

I know you all want to share in our work. Pray for our work. Offer the sacraments, offer Saturday and everything in it for our work, and you will be sharing in all the blessings that it is our privilege to impart. Amen.
__________________
Adapted from Occasional Talks
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, OFM (©1949)

Starting Today-A Novena for Priests

From Fr Frank Pavone:

Where would we be without faithful pastors, priests and preachers? And how much more could we get done if we had a multitude more of holy and zealous shepherds of souls?

Every year, thanks to an organization called Serra International, the last Sunday of October is designated as "Priesthood Sunday." People are invited to pray for their priests and to honor them in various ways.

At Priests for Life, we have decided to observe this day by having a novena for priests, starting this Friday, October 19. Go to www.priestsforlife.org, and you'll see the link at which you can download the special prayer.

When you do so, you will also have the opportunity to send me:

a) Your prayer intentions. What priests should we pray for in a special way? Are there some who have health problems; are there others who need a special dose of courage?

b) Your stories. Tell me about your favorite priest, or how a priest or pastor inspired and strengthened you in your own walk with the Lord.

As you know, Priests for Life is committed to help every member of the clergy be a vigorous voice for the lives of the unborn. Priesthood Sunday can be a time when we all pray and work for that!

Join the Priesthood Novena: October 19- 27

Prayer for Priesthood Novena

Father,
You sent your Son Jesus Christ
To be our High Priest,
And you gave us the gift of the priesthood
To continue his saving work.

Bless our priests, and give us more of them.
Make them holy.
Strengthen them to proclaim the Gospel of Life,
And to defend the rights of all,
Especially the unborn.

Bring us, your priests and people
To the life that never ends.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen

Silver Jubilee - Monsignor R. Michael Schmitz

Via St Louis Catholic:

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 marks the silver jubilee of the ordination of Monsignor R. Michael Schmitz, Vicar General and U.S. Provincial Superior of the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest. Monsignor Schmitz was ordained by His Holiness, Benedict XVI (then-Cardinal Ratzinger). Monsignor Schmitz is well known in traditional Catholic circles as a powerful and profound speaker and as a tireless and charismatic supporter, defender, and evangelist for the Traditional Mass. Moreover, the Institute has experienced rapid growth and success in the United States under his watch.