Is it Jesus I follow into the boat named St. Mary’s Cathedral when my mission is to: pray for MORE PRIESTS; pledge money for MORE PRIESTS; have MORE PRIESTS to whom I can sing, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”; and finally, when there are not MORE PRIEST, blame “a few” who are “restless” about the focus on MORE PRIESTS for us not having MORE PRIESTS❓
You no doubt have heard of or perhaps even read the now infamous
from Bishop Zurek’s Letter to St. Mary’s Cathedral, “A Reflection on Christian Life”
accusations against myself, your Rector and the associate Rector. These were
obviously made by ‘a few’, emphasis on a few, souls that appear to be quite
restless…I must also remind you that this behavior of “the few” is having a
definite effect in regard to the promotion of vocations to the priesthood…If this behavior by “the few” does not end soon, we may not
have an ordination for a long time.
“If the trumpet sounds in a city, will the people not be frightened?“, and is not “MORE PRIESTS” not the trumpet Bishop Zurek most often sounds; however, are parishes, beginning with their structures and the organization of parish life, not called to think of themselves “primarily as being of service to the mission that the faithful carry out in society, in family life and the workplace, without concentrating exclusively on their own activities and their organizational needs”;…
…accordingly, if I cry out, “Lead me in your justice, Lord”, should I not consider that, “Intergenerational solidarity is not optional, but rather a basic question of justice, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us“, and is MORE PRIESTS that most important thing I want to pass on to the next generation;…
…therefore, if “I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word”;…
…then, As Jesus gets into a boat named St. Mary’s, and I’m among his disciples that follow him, when the violent storms come up, and the boat is being swamped, will I be found still crying, “MORE PRIESTS”, or will I wake up the faith in me for a sort of man that to whom even the winds and the sea obey” and who can supply MORE PRIEST in the process of bringing about great calm❓
