You know, I’ve been thinking about how Fr. Corapi never had an interest in being incardinated into the St. Helena diocese to help out with the occasional need for a fill-in priest for those odd or rare times he was home.
It brings to mind many Masses we attended where some very elderly priest or monsignor was pulled in to sub. on some emergency, as when the priest’s Mom died, or he had a medical emergency of his own. The parish did everything it could to find any other priest, but this poor old guy was the only one available, and he was willing.
We suffered through portions of the Mass missing, or even repeated, or out of order, or read off a different day if the pages stuck, and the extraordinary ministers doing the bulk of the distribution of host. Sometimes they had to sit when standing would have been the norm. But my husband and I were always touched by the commitment and determination to serve the people that these elderly and often ailing men made to be shlepped out to the Church, and give their best. It really struck home the message that confecting the Eucharist for us was THAT IMPORTANT.
They were perfectly aware that a communion service was still OK, and they could have confected a bunch of hosts at home if necessary if the parish didn’t have enough on hand, no? But at great effort, and pain, and discomfort, and even embarrassment over their condition, these men came and turned bread and wine into the body and blood. Usually for a parish full of strangers, some of whom would no doubt complain about the doddering “old fool” sent to celebrate Mass. I always gave them a warm handshake or hug as we exited the Church, but now I wish I had kissed their hands as some other cultures do.
What a glorious miracle are our clergy who work day in and day out in the trenches, and many never, ever stop giving, serving and praying.
