Pope on Priesthood

 

During Pope Benedict's homily for the ordination of 14 priests on Sunday for the Diocese of Rome, he emphasized that the vocation of the priesthood, must not be viewed as a way to achieve social status in life, but rather as a way to “rediscover the ever-new face” of Christ.

In his homily for the ordination, which took place Sunday morning in St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father cautioned that the priesthood “must never represent a way to achieve security in life or to attain social position”

“Anyone who aspires to the priesthood in order to increase his personal prestige and power has radically misunderstood the significance of this ministry,” explained the Pope.

He noted that if a priest's main goal is to “achieve success,” he will say “what people want to hear” and “adapt to changing fashions and opinions.”

“In this way, he will deprive himself of the vital relationship with truth, reducing himself to condemning tomorrow what he praises today,” Benedict XVI warned.

"A priest who sees his ministry in these terms,” he continued, “does not truly love God and neighbor, he loves only himself and, paradoxically, ends up by losing himself.” The vocation of the priesthood “is founded on the courage to say yes to another will, with the daily-growing awareness that” by “conforming ourselves to the will of God ... we increasingly enter into the truth of our being and our ministry.”

Pope Benedict also encouraged the priests to “rediscover the ever-new face” of Christ through prayer.

“Only one who has an intimate relationship with the Lord can be seized by Him, can bring Him to others, can become His envoy. This involves a kind of 'remaining with Him' which must always accompany, and be the core of, priestly ministry, also and above all during moments of difficulty when it seems that 'the things to be done' must take priority.

“Wherever we are, whatever we do, we must always 'remain with Him'."

The Pontiff drew his homily to a close by asking God to give the priests the grace “to be able to live this ministry coherently and generously, everyday.”

God Bless America

Almighty God, You have given us this good land for our heritage. We humbly ask You that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Your favor and glad to do Your will. Bless our land with honorable endeavor, sound learning and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties and fashion into one united people the multitude brought here out of many nations and tongues. Endow with the Spirit of wisdom those to whom in Your Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Your law we may show forth Your praise among the nations on earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble do not allow our trust in You to fail. Amen. 

- President Thomas Jefferson 

Prayer Request

Please pray for our incoming novices: Mr. Joshua Morgan, Mr. Daniel McMullen, Mr. Joshua Zimmerman, Mr. Jefferey Wright, and Fr. Richard Loch who begin their 9 day postulancy retreat today before they recieve the holy habit on July 9th.  Please also remember our present novice class: Br. Romuald, Br. Matthew, Br. Michael, and Br. Isaac as they prepare to profess first vows on July 9th during 5 PM Solemn Vepers in the Archabbey Basilica (All are welcome to attend).  Our current junior monks will also renew their vows during the ceremony giving us 13 junior monks and 5 novices for the upcoming year...indeed the Lord is good.  May our Holy Father St. Benedict and Our Lady continue to intercede for these men a they strive to do the will of God in their lives.

Some of our young monks and incoming Novices pose for a picture last year in Fr. Sebastian's garden.

Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

 From: www.saintvincentarchabbey.org

"The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them."

Our celebration of Saints Peter and Paul reveals both weakness and strength. Saint Peter is delivered from prison. Saint Paul is rescued from the lion's mouth. These Apostles of the Lord Jesus model for us a life that is poor in the eyes of the world yet powerful to the eyes of faith. These men of faith suffered the cost of discipleship and enjoyed the bounty of those who fear the Lord. If we fear the Lord, His angel encamps around us and we are delivered daily from the burdens of carrying the cross. Notice we are not delivered daily from carrying the cross, but we are delivered from the burdens of carrying the crosss. Every day we taste and see that the Lord is good and we are blessed because we take refuge in Him.

When King Herod took delight in the approval of his persecution of the members of the Church, he continued to wreak havoc and killed Saint James and arrested Saint Peter. Herod's delight was short lived. He could not keep Saint Peter in chains. Delivery from prison meant another opportunity for this Apostle to preach Christ, the Son of the Living God. Eventually his witness won for Saint Peter the reward of crucifixion upon an inverted cross to give all the glory to the Crucified and Risen Christ. The angel who encamped around Saint Peter did not prevent his self-sacrifice; rather he gave him the strength to share in the full outpouring of the Lord Jesus. Saint Paul also shared in this strength. He too was delivered from stoning and calamities. Yet, these miracles of rescue did not eliminate the ultimate self-gift of Saint Paul. He, too, shared in the total sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and was poured out in martyrdom by the sword. Both Apostles were delivered from persecution and death, yet the Lord delighted to receive each one as a living sacrifice of praise offered upon the altar of the cross. We, too, share in this mystery. The angel of the Lord encamps around us, and this angel provides both deliverance from danger and the strength we need to deliver ourselves over to the cross. Ultimately, we cannot avoid the cost of discipleship. Eventually, we must embrace the mystery of the cross. Finally, we give ourselves over to the full implications of baptism.

The power of the keys given to Saint Peter, after his profession of faith, is a power uniquely given to him and shared with all those who follow him in that office of loving service. The keys and the power to loose and bind are given to Saint Peter so that all of us can be admitted into the Kingdom of heaven. This apostolic authority provides all who follow Christ with the assurance of faith. We readily embrace this gift of Christ to his church, and we believe in the church even as we believe within the church. Our faith makes us one with Saint Peter and Saint Paul and with all who follow Christ, the Son of the Living God. Indeed we share in the same victory of faith, and we look to the Lord, and we are radiant with joy. This solemnity summons all who fear the Lord to take up the cross. Finally, it is the cross of Christ that is the key of power. Only through the cross do we gain access into the Kingdom of justice and peace. Only through the cost of discipleship do we bear authentic witness to the plan of God to gather all the nations into the Kingdom of Heaven. Only through laying down our lives in loving service do we have the power to loose and bind. Only this power will unlock the mystery of a burden that is easy and light. Suffering and death, through Him with Him and in Him, become more than a burden; they become the key that opens the gates of heaven.

1st Vespers at Famous Benedictine Monastery (St. Paul's Outside the Walls)