Unrealistic Expectations of a Priest?

[rstegeman]

I apologize in adavance if some of what I’m going to say has already been posted here, but I’m at work so I can’t read through the thread completely.

Understand that priests are just like everyone else, some have a good “bedside” manner and others are lacking in that area. Perhaps your priest could be a bit more tactful based on your post. However, I would suggest looking inward and learning more about your faith. I don’t know you and I’m not trying to presume you are ignorant about your faith. I’m just going to offer you what has helped me. In the past, I often found myself turned off by the older “fire and brimstone” type of priests. I also have a retired priest that handles some of the weekend masses and confession. He’s a very gentle person but he can be uncomfortably thorough in confession. It got to the point where I’d avoid confession if I knew he was to be my confessor.

As my faith has begun to grow and I read and learn more, I started to realize things. The biggest reason I was turned off by those priests and this on in particular is that they pointed out things that were wrong with me that I wasn’t prepared to admit. For me, it’s a step by step process. As I read more, some registers, some gets glossed over. That which registers takes some time to fully process and understand. Once I understand, I then apply it to my life (I’m talking the things really engrained in my life…not the common stuff). At that point I’m starting to realize how much of my behavior I have been justifying in my mind and I start the process of trying to correct it.

This whole thing applies to mass as well. I never truly understood it until recently when I sought the information out. Now I appreciate the mass MUCH MUCH more than ever. The key is to understand your faith because the more you understand, the more you can appreciate where a priest like this is coming from.

Another tip I got from a friend with regards to priests that I don’t care for their methods. Imagine Jesus asking you “would you still love me if I came to you as this man?”. That alone has made big difference when I don’t care for they way the priest is celebrating the mass.

Sorry for the wordiness and the disjointed flow.

 

[anamchara]

There is nothing ‘disturbing’ about his actions, he may be a Priest but he is a man, he is not God and you can’t expect him to never have a bad day or never be uncharitable to others.

I have to disagree with you. It is disturbing and if he is much older and is in the retiring age. I am wondering if he maybe suffering from the onset of Alzheimers. The OP said he has been moved from parish to parish. That’s red flag. The behavioral symptoms such as agitation, agression and irritability are not uncommon with Alzheimers.

These are distrubing:
"He stopped his talk to rudely bring attention to the Mother and the child. Inviting them to the vestibule where they can “scream their heads off**”**.

*“During the years he has gone from parish to parish scolding and alienating parishioners for being late, for leaving early, for not returning names and addresses of those we know who have left the church, for loud babies, for putting nothing more than a “fiver” in the offering basket, for not going to confession often enough, and on and on.” *

A couple of things here. It sounds like he is very short tempered which scares me around young children. We have all had priests who whip us into shape. No problem there, but not excessive obession over it. This is over the top stuff.

I am now wondering about the Bishop, why is he moving this priest around? Sounds like he doesn’t know what to do with him and he surely isn’t supporting him in anyway. Even if we are having a shortage of priests, there is no excuse for this. He needs to retire.

 

[snhs]

I have to disagree with you. It is disturbing and if he is much older and is in the retiring age. I am wondering if he maybe suffering from the onset of Alzheimers. The OP said he has been moved from parish to parish. That’s red flag. The behavioral symptoms such as agitation, agression and irritability are not uncommon with Alzheimers.

These are distrubing:
"He stopped his talk to rudely bring attention to the Mother and the child. Inviting them to the vestibule where they can “scream their heads off**”**.

*“During the years he has gone from parish to parish scolding and alienating parishioners for being late, for leaving early, for not returning names and addresses of those we know who have left the church, for loud babies, for putting nothing more than a “fiver” in the offering basket, for not going to confession often enough, and on and on.” *

A couple of things here. It sounds like he is very short tempered which scares me around young children. We have all had priests who whip us into shape. No problem there, but not excessive obession over it. This is over the top stuff.

I am now wondering about the Bishop, why is he moving this priest around? Sounds like he doesn’t know what to do with him and he surely isn’t supporting him in anyway. Even if we are having a shortage of priests, there is no excuse for this. He needs to retire.

I still don’t see what you find disturbing about this. The OP has already said that he is a retired Priest, the Bishop could have shuffled him into a nursing home by now if he had had complaints from several different Parishes (then he’d probably have had complaints from whichever Parish(es) he had to close down).

The symptoms as you put it are also common to a lot of people old and young, that doesn’t mean they all have Alzheimers. The symptoms are also common to people with a toothache or people sick of dealing with petty disputes in meetings.

Again I don’t think either of these are disturbing, in the first he may have went about it in the wrong way. But then we have no way of knowing his tone of voice or for that matter what he thought his tone of voice was. In addition we have no idea if he had spoken to the mother several times before, or if that day he happened to have a severe migraine, with no other Priest available to cover the Mass. In the second alongside the proviso that it is one person’s version of it I don’t see anything wrong with a Priest telling his congregation that they should be on time for Mass or not leave right after Communion. Nor do I see anything wrong with him asking the congregation to help him keep the Parish records up to date by telling him about such things, or for that matter reminding them of the financial situation or the need to go to confession.

None of these things are over the top, all of them seem to be things that a good Priest should be doing. He might not deal with them in the best way but at the end of the day he is doing something no one else in the congregation can do. If they want bedside manner or someone who is good with children then go to a hospital or nursery, if you want someone can say a Mass and preach the Word of God then go to Church.

I don’t know what your Bishop does but I think most Bishops use retired Priests to plug gaps which otherwise wouldn’t be filled. Often they’re moved around more regularly than other Priests because the vacancy has changed or there is greater demand for him somewhere else in the Diocese. That pastoral assignment may become more suited to a younger Priest or a curate in one of the other Parishes may reach a stage where the Bishop wants him to take charge of a Parish on his own. The fact that his assignment changes more regularly than most doesn’t imply anything one way or the other.

It seems very uncharitable to accuse a Priest of disturbing behaviour on the basis of one posting that reflects one person’s account of a situation. It also seems very poor practice, both medically and morally, to be diagnosing primarily on one incident which could have thousands of other causes. I think a Priest who has spent most of his life serving the Church might well quite like to retire, if only to avoid the petty bickering of Parishes where he’s hounded on one side by people who think he shouldn’t expect them to show respect for the Mass and those attending it by being on time etc and on the other by people who want the exact opposite. He’s there either because the Bishop has asked him to continue serving the Diocese or because he has offered to, whichever it is he deserves far more credit than to have his conduct labelled ‘disturbing’.

 

[anamchara]

Excuse me, but I said I was “wondering” and “maybe” I wasn’t diagnosing the Priest it’s something to look at. I think his actions are uncharitable, you don’t. I’m not asking for perfection. I have acknowledge a few times that we all have had priests who need to whip us into shape. That is not a problem. I don’t even have an issue with a priest who gets a bit cranky at times, we are human! Yes, I have acknowledged this. But he crosses over the line.

 

[dixieagle]

To the OP; I’m so sorry you are having these negative experiences in your parish. Years ago, our beloved older pastor retired, and the archbishop replaced him with a priest who was a good friend of his (a “reward” for his long years of service, as ours is regarded as a “cushy” assignment for a priest.) This priest was middle-aged, not elderly, but ill-equipped for a large and ever-growing parish full of young families. He hated “modern” liturgical music, he forbade Children’s Liturgy of the Word (ironic, as I was giving workshops sanctioned by the Archdiocese on how to run such a program), he had constant run-ins with the school principal and was, in general, a crabby, unpleasant person who scared the children and alienated much of the parish. After he became infuriated with one of the teachers who sang at the weekly schoolchildren’s Mass for singing something not to his liking, he gave her a shove. That was that, and he was assigned to a staid parish of older folks where everyone was much happier.

Sometimes, things are just a bad fit, and sometimes priests are just not pleasant people. They are human. However, when people are actually leaving the parish in droves, it’s time for something to be done. Pastors are charged with bringing souls to Christ, not humiliating them and driving them away. One can be orthodox without being angry and unreasonable. I find behavior like this most disturbing; what sort of view of the Church does it give youngsters if the only representative of Christ that they know acts in a most un-Christ-like manner towards children? (From the original post, it sounds as if the mother in question was not deliberately foisting a noisy baby on the congregation - the baby had just emitted one cry, if I recall correctly.) Perhaps that priest desperately needs help of some kind, or truly should retire and stay retired!

Of course, I am writing this based on what the OP says; she certainly sounds like a committed, loving, charitable Catholic to me, and I have no reason to doubt her. While we should all try to be as understanding and charitable as possible, realizing that being a priest is a lonely, often difficult vocation, we should also not excuse hurtful, boorish behavior just because one is ordained; if anything, we should expect better of one acting “in persona Christi.”

 

[snhs]

Excuse me, but I said I was “wondering” and “maybe” I wasn’t diagnosing the Priest it’s something to look at. I think his actions are uncharitable, you don’t. I’m not asking for perfection. I have acknowledge a few times that we all have had priests who need to whip us into shape. That is not a problem. I don’t even have an issue with a priest who gets a bit cranky at times, we are human! Yes, I have acknowledged this. But he crosses over the line.

I would suggest that on the basis of one post from one parishioner no one knows enough to say he crosses over the line as you assert nor do we know enough to say that his actions are uncharitable/disturbing.

I think ‘diagnosis’ would be applicable. You had, based on his behaviour, the outward symptoms, suggested it may be Alzheimer’s. That is a diagnosis, not a definitive one, indeed by your phrasing a very tentative one but nonetheless it is a suggested diagnosis. For example if a Dr made a best guess that someone was suffering from the flu based on the symptoms of a runny nose and feeling tired as relayed by a letter/telephone call/email, but said to his patient ‘I was wondering if you may be suffering from a case of the flu’ it is still a diagnosis.

 

[Tietjen]

Hi all,

Okay, this will be my last post to this thread as this topic has ben discussed and I believe answered.

To the OP:
Again, I can certyainly understand your concern in so far as the Priest’s reaction to the crying baby. I can likewise understand if you do not feel comfortable being a member of that particular parish and you decide to seek out another parish inwhich you feel more “at home.” You are fully within your rights to do so, and no one has the right to think less of you for it.

To those who condemned the Priest:
Of course there is the possibility that the Priest in question is guilty of being mean-spirited. There is also the possibility that the Priest is merely guilty of having a lapse of judgement. I would ask each of you that read this post; who is not guilty of a lapse of judgement at one time or the other? Have you aways acted as Christ in all situations in which you find yourself? Assuming that the majority of you have answered in the negative to the afore mentioned question, how can you then expect another man (even a Priest) to be perfect? My entire argument, has not been against the OP or her initial post. I simply find it a sad situation when fellow Catholics are so quick to condemn a member of our clergy based on the testimony of 1 human being. To those of you who read the OP’s original post and then made up their mind in the negative toward the Priest in question, shame on you. You have essentially taken the word of someone you do not know anything about over that of a Priest you have absolutely no knowledge of! You have automatically condemned the Priest without even the evidence required to find a suspect guilty of a crime in the United States. In other words you have placed your personal feelings toward this Priest above the elements necessary to find a person guilty in a criminal court of law within the United States. I find this absolutely sad. I am a part of the criminal justice system, and even I would not dare to do that.

To those who defended the Priest:
Thank you for believing in the idea of “innocent until PROVEN guilty.” Thank you too for giving one of our clergy the benefit of the doubt when his character was called into question.

I am going to move on to other threads as I believe that this thread has basically been answered. God bless all who participated, regardless of opinion.

 

[anamchara]

quote=Tietjen;3515188]To those who condemned the Priest:
Of course there is the possibility that the Priest in question is guilty of being mean-spirited. **There is also the possibility that the Priest is merely guilty of having a lapse of judgement. I would ask each of you that read this post; who is not guilty of a lapse of judgement at one time or the other? **

In my personal life, sure I have had some laspes in judgment. But that is not what we are talking about here. You are making excuses for poor behavior. We are talking about someones job here or in his case a vocation. None of us are allowed to act like this at work, are you? Sure, we make mistakes but most of time we try very hard not to let our actions affect others on the job. I work with at risk students every day. They are kids who come from terrible backgrounds and need my support and love. What if I started coming to work and making quick judgments about teachers I work with? What if I came every day snapping at the kids I work with? I’d be fired because my job requires me to be a certain way.

A lapse in judgment is not what this is. It sounds constant and he is being moved around so that is another red flag.

I’m done with this thread as well! I think some Catholics for whatever reason can’t stand the thought of ever admitting a Priest needs the boot. It’s no wonder we had the scandal we did What’s interesting, if this was a priest trying to push progressive ideas, everyone in here would be screaming “call the Bishop”

 

[dixieagle]

Hi all,

Okay, this will be my last post to this thread as this topic has ben discussed and I believe answered.

To the OP:
Again, I can certyainly understand your concern in so far as the Priest’s reaction to the crying baby. I can likewise understand if you do not feel comfortable being a member of that particular parish and you decide to seek out another parish inwhich you feel more “at home.” You are fully within your rights to do so, and no one has the right to think less of you for it.

To those who condemned the Priest:
Of course there is the possibility that the Priest in question is guilty of being mean-spirited. There is also the possibility that the Priest is merely guilty of having a lapse of judgement. I would ask each of you that read this post; who is not guilty of a lapse of judgement at one time or the other? Have you aways acted as Christ in all situations in which you find yourself? Assuming that the majority of you have answered in the negative to the afore mentioned question, how can you then expect another man (even a Priest) to be perfect? My entire argument, has not been against the OP or her initial post. I simply find it a sad situation when fellow Catholics are so quick to condemn a member of our clergy based on the testimony of 1 human being. To those of you who read the OP’s original post and then made up their mind in the negative toward the Priest in question, shame on you. You have essentially taken the word of someone you do not know anything about over that of a Priest you have absolutely no knowledge of! You have automatically condemned the Priest without even the evidence required to find a suspect guilty of a crime in the United States. In other words you have placed your personal feelings toward this Priest above the elements necessary to find a person guilty in a criminal court of law within the United States. I find this absolutely sad. I am a part of the criminal justice system, and even I would not dare to do that.

To those who defended the Priest:
Thank you for believing in the idea of “innocent until PROVEN guilty.” Thank you too for giving one of our clergy the benefit of the doubt when his character was called into question.

I am going to move on to other threads as I believe that this thread has basically been answered. God bless all who participated, regardless of opinion.

I don’t think anyone “condemned” the priest, to use your term. Rather, I think that posters have expressed alarm and concern at his behavior. The poster certainly seems a reasonable person, and we have no reason to cast aspersions on her motives or veracity; this isn’t a court, it’s just a forum where people come for comment, empathy and (name removed by moderator)ut.

Though the issues this priest may have are far different from those which have caused the Church such heartache in the recent past, I am no longer apt to assume that a priest can do no wrong. That is a naive and ultimately unhelpful attitude.

And who are you to say “shame on you” to those who have expressed their agreement with the OP?

 

[Tietjen]

Dang… I truly wanted to be done with this thread, but I can’t leave just yet.

In my personal life, sure I have had some laspes in judgment. But that is not what we are talking about here. You are making excuses for poor behavior. We are talking about someones job here or in his case a vocation. None of us are allowed to act like this at work, are you? Sure, we make mistakes but most of time we try very hard not to let our actions affect others on the job. I work with at risk students every day. They are kids who come from terrible backgrounds and need my support and love. What if I started coming to work and making quick judgments about teachers I work with? What if I came every day snapping at the kids I work with? I’d be fired because my job requires me to be a certain way.

This is where you and I obviously see things soooooo different. You are talking about you and your JOB. I am talking about a Priest and his chosen life. You, get off work everyday. He does not. You have time to relax “de-stress.” Does he? You know that when you go to bed each and every night, no one will call you at 1am and need you at the hospital or at their home. He does not. I’m sorry. As noble as your “job” is, I hardly think that it can be fairly compared to the life that a Priest has volunteered to live. Like you, he isn’t doing it for himself, but because he loves his fellow man and wishes to serve. So, when I hear someone saying bad things about a Priest, you’ll have to forgive my rather simple and feeble thoughts that the accuser is some how mistaken. That is not to say I give a Priest a “free pass” simply because he is a Priest. However, there needs to be something more than hearsay in order for me to form an opinion against a clergy. It’s no wonder that there is such a Priest shortage. It’s a thankless job (at least as far a mankind is concerned) and in fact if you so much as attempt to ensure that your homily is presented without distraction, the laity wants to report you (anonymously) to the Bishop.

dixieagle:

I don’t think anyone “condemned” the priest, to use your term. Rather, I think that posters have expressed alarm and concern at his behavior. The poster certainly seems a reasonable person, and we have no reason to cast aspersions on her motives or veracity; this isn’t a court, it’s just a forum where people come for comment, empathy and (name removed by moderator)ut.

Agreed. However, I believe that some of the responses to the OP’s original post are more alarming (than the actions of the Priest) and possibly yet another symptom of a society, which rejects God and the Church. It amazes me how quickly “Catholics” and non-Catholics alike will rally around anyone who speaks against the clergy. As I have stated more than once in this thread, IF the Priest was verbally abusive toward the mother of the baby, he may not have handled the situation in the best way possible. However, others replied to the OP’s original post by saying that she should write the Priest anonymously as well as the Bishop. I find this a little extreme and FAR from charitable. Especially when one considers that the Priest in question has come out of retirement in order to help the diocese and the laity by providing a Mass in the first place! Wouldn’t it be faster to simply go up to the Priest and say, “Thank you father, now get the heck out of our parish!”

dixieagle:

Though the issues this priest may have are far different from those which have caused the Church such heartache in the recent past, I am no longer apt to assume that a priest can do no wrong. That is a naive and ultimately unhelpful attitude.
And who are you to say “shame on you” to those who have expressed their agreement with the OP?

I am a faithful Catholic. Faithful to the Church, her Traditions, her magisterium, and her clergy. I am not faithful to those who would speak ill of her even if those who do so CLAIM to be Catholic… [edited by Moderator].

 

[dixieagle]

am a faithful Catholic. Faithful to the Church, her Traditions, her magisterium, and her clergy. I am not faithful to those who would speak ill of her even if those who do so CLAIM to be Catholic… [edited by Moderator].

So, only Catholics who turn a blind eye to what may be harmful, un-Christlike behavior in a priest are “faithful” Catholics? I find that most disturbing, especially in light of recent, shameful events in the Church.

The Catholic faithful are not children to be “seen and not heard”.

The last time I checked, there was only one member of the clergy who could claim infallibility. Certainly most priests are holy and many heroic…but they are human. When their actions cause division and tumult in a parish, someone’s got to speak up.

 

[catharina]

Guess I’ll repeat what I already said in Post 19.

There are many of traditional ethnic cultures who would be horrifed to hear people criticizing a much older person. (The Chinese and the Hispanic come to mind.)

It’s perfectly clear to me that many are quite willing to bash priests today - and I don’t mean the OP who seems to be hoping to cope with a situation that is a great struggle for him.

I’m very far from perfect. In my parish, one of the permanent deacons gives the homily at the last Mass on Sundays. Once I figured out the timing (of assignments), I’ve never returned to the last Mass on Sundays. This poor man, married and of very comfortable means, will likely never be able to present an idea or theme that nourishes me in my faith or for my work. No problem for me, since I’m able to choose from among three other Masses scheduled for Sunday and another evening Mass on Saturday.

At other times in my life, I’ve been at Mass where the priest seemed truly troubled and was often irritated with servers and/or those in attendance. Still - he was the PRIEST. Would I rather have done without him? NOPE. No way at all!

The priest shortage of today means that many priests, especially older ones, are over-worked and, in too many cases, LONELY.

OP, pray for him - and offer a kind word now and then. If he is older as you’ve said, then it’s almost certain that he has some health issues that can bother him a little or a lot. REACH OUT.

with this addition:  

OP, you responded that you will indeed reach out to this priest.  I say, good for you, because your reaching out might do some good for everyone!

 

[hasikelee]

He is cranky and old and wants to be retired.

 

[Tietjen]

So, only Catholics who turn a blind eye to what may be harmful, un-Christlike behavior in a priest are “faithful” Catholics? I find that most disturbing, especially in light of recent, shameful events in the Church.

The Catholic faithful are not children to be “seen and not heard”.

The last time I checked, there was only one member of the clergy who could claim infallibility. Certainly most priests are holy and many heroic…but they are human. When their actions cause division and tumult in a parish, someone’s got to speak up.

Speak up yes, but respectfully. In addition, for the record, my posts do not suggest turning a blind eye to abuses within the Church (by clergy or laity). I simply have said that we have heard but one side of the issue. Perhaps, there is another side.

Please go back and re-read my posts in this thread. I did not speak out against the OP. I merely suggested that perhaps her perception of the situation was incorrect. Originally, what I took issue with was the responses to her initial post. One user suggested that the next time it happens, the parent should take the baby up to the alter and sit down (thus completely interrupting the Mass). Another user became obviously angry and suggested that the OP anonymously write both the Priest and the Bishop over the issue. I disagree with this as well, because I personally don’t feel that it rises to the level of complaining to the Bishop. Since that time, I have repeatedly said that my issue isn’t with the OP but with the knee-jerk reaction by various users who feel compelled to heap rather harsh assumptions, retaliations, accusations, etc. on a Priest that none of them have first-hand knowledge of. Now, you seem to be at odds with me because I choose to defend the possibility that this Priest may not be as bad as portrayed. Why do I do this? Because when there exists no evidence outside of mere hearsay, I choose to support the clergy. It’s really not all that unreasonable to do. We know from the OP’s original post that the Priest came out of retirement to assist with the Parish in a temporary capacity. He was retired! He took up the yoke why? To be a tyrant? I find that hard to believe. I’m sorry, it sounds more like he is a strict Priest who is willing to serve both God and the laity. However, it also sounds as though the laity don’t appreciate his sacrifice for them. They’re not used to the strictness perhaps. God bless.

 

[Tietjen]

He is cranky and old and wants to be retired.

He already is retired. He should be commended and thanked for his devotion to God, the Church and her laity.

 

[Suslar]

I have brought my daughter to Mass with me just about every morning of her life (she is now 4). Once, when she was 2, we did have someone come over after a weekday Mass and chastise us. The woman said, “You and your daughter don’t belong here – you belong in the cry room or the Narthex because she’s making too much fuss.”

At that moment, I felt compelled to calmly say the only thing that was in my head – Matthew 19:14 – Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

The woman became indignant and to my surprise, our pastor had overhead the exchange and came to my rescue! He said, “as a young priest, I always thought children were our future. But then it dawned on me – children like this are our present for if we don’t bring them up in the Church from their earliest years, how will they ever know this to be there home?” He looked at me and said, “Your daughter is a baptized Catholic and therefore this is her home and her birthright. Please keep bringing her to Mass.”

My young daughter then said, “Father, I didn’t mean to make a fuss – I was just saying my prayers so Jesus would hear me.”

He kissed her head and told her to keep praying any way she’d like . . . . .

She’s now four and we sit in the front row every morning.

So, no, I don’t think you have an unrealistic expectation. I just wish more people viewed children as our present . . . . . . and the Church as our birthright!

Peace!

 

[FrJindra]

Twelve,

I understand your frustrations. I was frustrated about a priest myself in my early 20’s - and that was actually one of the catalysts that drove me to the priesthood. Just one of the catalysts - there are many more reasons I became a priest, and many reasons I remain so.

My suggestion - and maybe it has been offered to you already, I havn’t read all the postings - is to try to invite this priest into your life in some way. Does he enjoy movies? eating out? or in? Golf? fishing? … The modern priesthood can be a very lonely existence, especially for older priests as they endure the changes in the priesthood from what they first came to. I would suggest trying to get to know your priest in some way other than just on Sunday, then maybe you can ask him about his frustrations. Just having someone else to speak them to may be enough to help him keep them out of the pulpit when they cause such hurt.

As for my preaching, I mention the need for confession quite often - maybe more often than some would like, but I know there is a difference in an encouragement that comes from love and one that comes from frustration. If you can, try to help him become a loving priest again. I am sure that is the Lord’s desire for him, and if He can use you to accomplish that, you will have done a great service to the Church and to this image of Christ who appears to be in such pain.

May God bless your efforts.

Fr. Frank

 

[joseph_virgen]

lest we forget, we call priests fathers. they share responsability in our spiritual growth. we are their children, together we are a spiritual family, ultimately, the body of Christ. they, however, have more responsabilities, and they take their vocation at heart, 24/7. we, if we are truly honest with ourselves, cannot utter the same.

priests have a limited time to instill in us the understanding of scacred scripture. they deserve no less than the respect and love we show our own fathers when they are communicating something of importance to us.

 

[Twelve]

Father Frank, thank you so much for your kindness and guidance. Tonight your words brought tears and a real motivation to do as you suggested. I will give it my best shot and remember you tonight in my prayers.

You go on mentioning confession as often as you need to, Father. I can just tell that your parish has a real gift, in you.

 

[FrJindra]

Twelve,

You are welcome, and thank you for the compliment. As others have said that I read throughout this thread (hey, that rhymes!) - priests are under attack a lot these days.

I would ask for prayers for all my brother priests. The enemy is hunting for priests, and we need the prayer support of all who are willing to engage the enemy for our sakes, even as we do so for yours.

Fr. Frank

“Immaculate Heart of Mary, true model of all holiness, give trust to become saints.” - Bishop Wm. Giaquinta