November 17, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As the liturgical year draws to a close, the Church gives us passages of Scripture that remind us of the end of all things. Yet this end is never a hopeless one, but is rather a reminder that we ought to live in this passing world as guests or pilgrims, understanding that our true home and our true concern is eternal union with God. Catholics will find a number of different ways in which this reality is called to mind. One is, of course, the liturgical cycle of readings. The liturgical life of the Church gives us celebrations of great joy, such as weddings and baptisms, as well as of great sorrow, as when we mourn the death of a loved one in the funeral Mass. Aside from the sacraments and the liturgical celebrations the Church gives us, there is another great sign that we are pilgrims passing through this world on a journey to perfect union with God. That sign is the visible witness of consecrated men and women, priests and religious who have dedicated their lives to God and the service of His Church.

When asked why he wore his cassock, I once heard a priest answer with a question. “What do you think of when you see a priest?” The answer was simple: “I think about God.” And so the priest’s response made perfect sense. “That’s why I wear my cassock. I want people when they see me not to think about me, but to think about God.” Sometimes seeing a priest in his collar or a religious sister in her habit is surprising. It may be comforting. It may seem out of place – I know a priest who was invited to visit a community of nuns in Miami, FL, and they wanted him to see every part of their city. Seeing a priest in black being led by nuns in full habit down the Miami Beach boardwalk surely turned heads!

It is not just the visible sign that priests and religious embody that matters here. Priests and consecrated religious brothers and sisters, it is true, provide the visual reminder to think of something beyond this world, a God for whom we are made. But in their prayer, work, and ministry, they make the presence of God in this world here and now felt while also keeping the hope of eternal life in focus. They remind us not to be so narrowly focused on the things of this world that we forget that life that is to come. The great Archbishop Fulton Sheen, in his book “The Priest is Not His Own,” writes “We belong to a different union, where love, not hours, is the standard. When we think of all the Lord has done for us, we can never do enough. The word ‘enough’ does not exist in love’s vocabulary.”

As you know, this weekend we take a special collection to support the seminarians of the Diocese of Bridgeport. These young men are preparing for a life spent as a living sign of God’s presence with us, and a life spent pointing the way to heaven for people who need it most. Please pray for them each day, that they might grow always in love for God and for His people, that their service may be selfless, and that the standard of love will always guide their ministry. If you would like to know more, please visit www.bridgeportpriest.org.

Peace,

Fr. Sam