From Bishop Matano via the Catholic Courier – “Many vocations serve the church”
Recently, I attended a regional meeting of priests. Seated around the table were priests enriching our presbyterate from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Vietnam, Springfield in Massachusetts and me, the transplant from Vermont/Rhode Island. Who was missing? A priest from the Diocese of Rochester! And yet when I visit parishes, so often the people ask me to send them a priest or plead that their priest will remain in the parish. The question I then ask is this: “When was the last time this parish sent a young man to study for the priesthood?”
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While appreciating the many beautiful vocations and states in life in the church, we must pray specifically for vocations to the priesthood and the vowed consecrated life. Vocations are indeed present, but our young people must be encouraged, for in their hectic daily lives, these vocations can be so far from their thoughts. “The sensitivity of young people to the conditions of the weak and the poor is growing. Many show themselves ready to serve, to identify themselves with their neighbor’s joys and difficulties in life” (Ibid., p. 19). With such generosity of heart, our young men are ready to hear the call of Christ to be his priests, and our young women to continue the beautiful witness of religious life.
It’s really an injustice to pull out a snippet like this. Please go read the entire article.
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Wow, what a great letter! I haven’t seen a message like this from a bishop in our diocese, written in the Catholic Courier, since I was probably in high school! I think we are now truly blessed!
Monday June 9, 7:00 P.M. in stunningly beautiful Saint Michael’s Church Rochester, 869 Clinton Avenue North, “Mass for an Increase in Priestly Vocations in the Diocese of Rochester”. Fellowship and light refreshments following Mass. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus of Council 11411, Saint Damien of Molokai.
Hopefully coming soon to a Cathedral near you….Bishop Matano saying a Pontifical high Mass in the Extraordinary Form
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/05/ef-pontifical-at-cathedral-of-ss-peter.html#.U2qO6KKn6Eo
Thank you for posting that, Jim R. This is getting its own post.
We are so blessed to have Bishop Matano! God is good! He saw our suffering, and has truly poured His Blessings upon us.