How to evangelize your liberal pastor

In my former parish there was a happily liberal priest who didn't believe in sin anymore. He used to drive me crazy, and I wrote multiple letters to him which I tore up before sending since I couldn't phrase them charitably. I gave up on reaching him and convincing him of the truth of our need for confession. But someone was praying for him.  Father was sent by the parish for a few days of retreat in Harlem in the Friary of the Franciscans of the Renewal.
 "They put me in the cell behind the Tabernacle" he shared in a homily when he returned. These friars knew what they were doing. Something dramatic happened as Father was enthralled at the sight of dozens of vibrant young men living radical lives for Christ in the middle of Manhattan.
 When Father returned to his parish on Ash Wednesday, he had the same horrified reaction I just did to the attitude of the man who refused Our Lord's Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in favor of a smudge of dirt in this post in Coming Home.

At another mass, when ashes were to be distributed after mass had ended, a man came up the communion line and when the host was extended to him replied, “I don’t want that. I’m here for ashes.” 

 His eyes were opened, and he ended his testimony saying, "but it was just as well that many who left  the church after ashes were distributed but before Communion, since they probably were in a state of mortal sin for not attending Mass regularly."

This priest is now a Franciscan of the Renewal.

Novena for the reversion of Fr Alberto Cutie

Jesus, Good Shepherd, You sent us the Holy Spirit to guide Your Church and lead her faithful to You through the  ministry of Your priests. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,  grant to Your priests wisdom in leading, faithfulness in teaching, and holiness in guarding Your sacred Mysteries. As they cry out with all the faithful, "Abba, Father!"  may Your priests be ever more closely identified with You  in Your divine Sonship and offer their own lives with You,  the one saving Victim. Make them helpful brothers of one another, and understanding fathers of all Your people. On this day, renew in Your priests  deeper faith, greater trust in You,  childlike reliance on our Mother Mary, and unwavering fidelity to the Holy Father  and his bishops. Holy Mary, intercede for your priests. St. Joseph, protect them. St. Michael, defend them. St. John Vianney, pray for them. "...The priesthood is the supreme gift, a particular calling to share in the mystery  of Christ, a calling which confers on us the sublime possibility of speaking and  acting in his name. Every time we offer the Eucharist, this possibility becomes a  reality. We act in 'persona Christi ' when, at the moment of the consecration, we  say the words: "This is my body which will be given up for you.... This is the cup  of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you  and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me." We do precisely  this: with deep humility and profound thanks. This exalted yet simple action of our  daily mission as priests opens up our humanity, so to speak, to its furthermost limits....."                  Pope John Paul II, March 13, 1994 Image and novena from the EWTN website. We pray his novena in hope that the call of Jesus  from the Tabernacle will bring Fr Alberto Cutie home  to the Catholic Church

My Montage of the Papal Rally at Dunwoodie

Papal Youth Rally 4/19/08

The Vatican is seeking spiritual mothers for priests

Three people have sent me this link, so I think it's time to post on it! I have always prayed for priests, especially in Eucharistic Adoration. Our adoration group prays a special vocations prayer each week when we lift up the three seminarians from our parish. We consider them our special spiritual sons, as well as those priests in our parish. Our priests are under continual attack, and need our prayers, so this Advent, let's give Jesus a Christmas gift and pray for our priests.
Here is a booklet with some suggestions.
Sr. Briege McKenna along with Fr. Kevin Scallon have long had a ministry of intercession for priests.

A new priest in the diocese of Rockville Centre

This is Father Joseph Fitzgerald. He was ordained on June 9th in my diocese. He's considered a 'late vocation' which means he led a full life before answering the call to priesthood. He spoke at the Proud 2B Catholic Fest I attended, and here is his story.

Joe was raised on Long Island and was a handball player on the US team in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. This led to a career touring the world as a champion handball player. He lived in Atlanta, and was enjoying the fruits of his fame, he was even going to be appearing on MTV on a show based upon his life, when he felt called back to Long Island, to work in a parish as a Youth Minister. On a vocations retreat, he brought his youth group to at Immaculate Conception Seminary, he was asked by a priest, "Joe, you've dated half the girls on Long Island, and in Atlanta, have you ever considered dating the Catholic priesthood?" "What a strange question", Joe thought, but soon the grace of God was at work, and now Father Joe says he's never been happier!

It's important to tell these types of stories to our children, so they can see that a vocations to the priesthood is important, exciting, challenging, and a call from God. So a priest isn't a sad person thinking of what he's sacrificed, but a fulfilled man grateful for the gift of his vocation.

Spiritual Fatherhood

As we celebrate Father's Day, let's not forget those spiritual fathers to whom we owe our faith. Both my mother and I wished our priests a Happy Father's Day for their service in the sacraments, and teaching in their homilies. Priests give up physical families for spirtitual families, and need to hear some praise from them sometimes. Like our earthly fathers, they too can be taken for granted.