"Despite the continued focus on the horrendous crimes of a relatively few priests within the Church, we move forward, a people of faith, cognizant of the fact that our Church is made up of sinners — our priests and bishops included — but that each of us has faith that it is Jesus Christ Himself who founded this Church, for our Salvation, and that He has sent the Holy Spirit to protect His Church from “the gates of hell.”
"No matter the sins of Her members, even the terrible sins of a few of Her ministers, the Holy Spirit remains with the Bride of Christ, to care for Her, to reconcile all Her members to Christ, and to grant us everlasting life.
"As one Body, each member of the Church is affected when another causes injury. We all feel profoundly the wounds inflicted by a few, and we must do all that we can to bring healing to those wounded. I don’t know that I’ve experienced that empathetic pain in anyone more than in our good priests and bishops. And that brings me to the point of this column. "
"Dear sisters and brothers, we cannot lay upon priests the expectation that they not be weak — Jesus Christ was weak in His human nature, but He was God and He never sinned. But we should always pray for our priests, that the Lord will use their weakness, when it appears, to show forth His strength. When we are the most weak, as St. Paul says, then we are strong.
"I encourage all of the faithful to walk in loving support with our priests, every minute of every day. In many ways, our priesthood relies on the loving support and prayers of the faithful. The priests know that, and the people should know it too.
"Let us let the Year for Priests not pass as just “some other observance.” Even the great feasts in the Church can pass so quickly — on Christmas Day all you can hear are Christmas carols throughout the world, but the next day the stores are preparing for Valentine’s Day. The Year for Priests cannot be that way. Let us remember always that our priests are indispensable and that the strength of Christ shows through in their weakness — thanks to the prayers and support of the people."
"No matter the sins of Her members, even the terrible sins of a few of Her ministers, the Holy Spirit remains with the Bride of Christ, to care for Her, to reconcile all Her members to Christ, and to grant us everlasting life.
"As one Body, each member of the Church is affected when another causes injury. We all feel profoundly the wounds inflicted by a few, and we must do all that we can to bring healing to those wounded. I don’t know that I’ve experienced that empathetic pain in anyone more than in our good priests and bishops. And that brings me to the point of this column. "
"Dear sisters and brothers, we cannot lay upon priests the expectation that they not be weak — Jesus Christ was weak in His human nature, but He was God and He never sinned. But we should always pray for our priests, that the Lord will use their weakness, when it appears, to show forth His strength. When we are the most weak, as St. Paul says, then we are strong.
"I encourage all of the faithful to walk in loving support with our priests, every minute of every day. In many ways, our priesthood relies on the loving support and prayers of the faithful. The priests know that, and the people should know it too.
"Let us let the Year for Priests not pass as just “some other observance.” Even the great feasts in the Church can pass so quickly — on Christmas Day all you can hear are Christmas carols throughout the world, but the next day the stores are preparing for Valentine’s Day. The Year for Priests cannot be that way. Let us remember always that our priests are indispensable and that the strength of Christ shows through in their weakness — thanks to the prayers and support of the people."
~ Bishop Robert Morlino, from Priests: Chosen by Holy Spirit, working with Christ
Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, Mother of all priests and our Mother, help us respond generously to the Holy Spirit's request, through the voice of His Church, to offer up to God Eucharistic adoration for priests. Amen.
2 comments:
You can listen to Bishop Morlino's homilies at Madison's Cathedral Parish website: http://av.madisondiocese.org/madisonspp/aa/audio.html .
He is REALLY good.
God bless!
Thanks so much for sharing this information! Your diocese is blessed to have him! God bless Bishop Morlino! I look forward to hearing his homilies.
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