REMEMBER, TOO, THE PRIESTS WHO COMMITTED NO CRIME

Last week, a parishioner brought me an article that was in the editorial page of the Tuesday, October 29, 2019 edition of the Albany Times Union. The article was written by Victor Gelfuso, a young parishioner of St. Joseph’s Church in Richfield Springs. The title of the article is the title of this week’s bulletin article, and a wonderful reminder to all of us that the overwhelming majority of our priests are faithful, dedicated servants of the Church and the children of God.

Victor Gelfuso began his viewpoint article by stating what we all feel. He admitted to being heartbroken by the reports of abuse committed by members of the clergy, and he expressed his prayers for healing for all of the victims of abuse. I think we all can share in his prayers for anyone who has suffered any form of abuse, be it sexual, physical, or emotional. May the love of Jesus, and the support and prayers of all of us, assist them in the healing process.

The article in the Albany Times Union impressed me so much because Victor dedicated the majority of the article praising the innocent priests who spend every day of their lives serving others, and helping them on their faith journey. While we have all probably heard the saying, “One bad apple spoils the whole bunch,” I can vehemently say that the evil, sinful acts of some priests should not be attributed to all priests. Sadly though, sad and disturbing reports are what sell newspapers and occupy prominent spots in newscasts. Good news stories are typically at the end of the news segment, or designated for the back pages of the paper. Victor Gelfuso’s article is refreshing because he acknowledges and detests the heinous crimes committed against the innocent, while also praising the service of the many priests who fulfill their priestly vows every day.

There is no question that our Church, and our entire society, needs to take even greater measures to protect the innocent from all forms of abuse.

The Diocese of Albany has taken appropriate steps with stricter background checks and Virtus training for all who have any contact with young people. We must all remain steadfastly alert and aware of any potential evil lurking right in our midst. Perpetrators of these crimes can seem like honest, dependable friends, so we all have to be aware of hidden signs or troubling situations.

I write this article while the Diocese of Albany mourns the tragic death of Father Tom Connery who accidentally died while traveling to Herkimer to say Mass there. Father Connery’s life-long priestly service of the Church and the people of God is a perfect example of the many faithful men Victor Gelfuso wrote about in his article in the Albany Times Union. May Father Connery rest in peace, and may all of us continue to pray for our Church and our priests.

God Bless.

Deacon Chris 



 

A PRAYER FOR DIVINE MERCY
 
     O greatly Merciful god, Infinite Goodness, today all mankind calls out from the abyss of its misery to Your mercy— to Your compassion, O God: and it is with its mighty voice of misery that it cries out. Gracious God, do not reject the prayer of this earth’s exiles! O Lord, Goodness beyond our understanding, who are acquainted with our misery through and through, and know that by our own power we cannot ascend to You, we implore You: anticipate us with Your grace and keep on increasing Your mercy in us, that we may faithfully do Your holy will through our life and at death’s hour.
 
     Let the omnipotence of Your mercy shield us from the darts of our salvation’s enemies, that we may with confidence, as Your children, await Your final coming—that day known to You alone. And we expect to obtain everything promised us by Jesus in spite of all our wretchedness. For Jesus is our Hope: Through His merciful Heart as through an open gate we pass through to heaven. Amen.
 
     Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1570

The Daily Prayer for Priests
By St. Therese of the Child Jesus

O Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;
For your unfaithful and tepid priest;
For your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields.
For your tempted priests;
For your lonely and desolate priests;
For your young priests;
For the souls of your priests in Purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:
The priest who baptized me;
The priests who absolved me from my sins;
The priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;
The priests who taught and instructed me;
All the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way (especially …)
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,
And bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.

Amen.

I found this in a book written by Father Ronald Rolheiser titled, “Sacred Fire, A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity.”  This begins chapter six in the book which is titled, “Drawing Strength From Prayer.”  I think it is worth sharing.
Deacon Chris

The Difference
 
By Grace L. Naessens
 
I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish, I didn’t have time to pray.
 
Problems just tumbled about me and grew heavier with each task;
Why doesn’t God help me, I wondered; He answered, “You didn’t ask.”
 
I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn’t show me – He said, “But you didn’t seek.”
 
I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys at the lock;
God gently and lovingly chided, “My child, you didn’t knock.”
 
I woke up early this morning and paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray.

Prayer for Persecuted Christians
 
O God of all the nations,
the One God who is and was and always will be,
in your providence you willed that your Church
be united to the suffering of your Son.
Look with mercy on your servants
who are persecuted for their faith in you.
Grant them perseverance and courage
to be worthy imitators of Christ.
Bring your wisdom upon leaders of nations
to work for peace among all peoples.
May your Spirit open conversion
for those who contradict your will,
that we may live in harmony.
Give us the grace to be united in truth and freedom,
and to always seek your will in our lives.
 
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

I found this in the book, “Everything Starts from Prayer, St. Mother Teresa’s Meditations on Spiritual Life for People of All Faiths.” 
A good prayer to start our days.
God bless   
Deacon Chris

In the words of St. Teresa of Calcutta: 
“Wherever they are, the Missionaries of Charity start the day’s work with the same prayer from their community prayer book: 
 

MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY PRAYER

Dear Lord, the Great Healer, I kneel
before you, since every perfect gift
must come from you.  I pray, give skill to
my hands, clear vision to my mind,
kindness and meekness to my heart.
Give me singleness of purpose, strength
to lift up a part of the burden of my
suffering fellowmen, and a realization
of the privilege that is mine.  Take from
my heart all guile and worldliness, that
with the simple faith of a child, I may
Rely on you.
Amen.