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Every three years Bishop Nickless gathers the priests—active and retired—for a Convocation, with a guest speaker guiding the daily sessions. Fr. Ross and I will be attending the Convocation this upcoming week at the Lakes region. Such a gathering allows us to pray together, share meals together, socialize and, hopefully, affirm and grow deeper in our priestly identity and ministry within parish life. Our diocese has held such Convocations for a number of years, sometimes meeting in Omaha or Sioux City, at a retreat center in South Dakota, and for the past few gatherings, at the lakes region. I can recall the guest speaker at the first Convocation I attended nearly thirty years ago in Sioux City. Each priest is impacted differently by the message/topics offered during the morning/afternoon sessions, and hopefully such will be the premise of our upcoming conference. One obvious difference from the past Convocations is the number of active priests present. We continue to trust in the movement of the Holy Spirit bringing forth the courage and openness to those who are called to ordained ministry and religious life. Convocation gatherings re-affirms our calling, and the hope of Sacramental Ministry within our parishes. Thank you for allowing us this time.
Pope Francis has initiated a Catholic wide “Synod” involving all dioceses and parishes throughout the world, seeking a better understanding of the Sacramental Life of the Church, the needs and hopes of the people from all backgrounds. Such gatherings and discussions on parish level will be guided by the material and topics formulated by Rome and each diocese. Sometime in October the gatherings will be initiated with the hope that everyone present will have a voice, we can respect the thoughts of one another, and our faith—however strong or waning it may be—will guide us towards a Church more responsive to the needs of the people. As the process begins may we allow for the acceptance and dignity of each person participating. Further information forthcoming. In my years of priesthood I cannot remember a previous synod called by Rome (but than again I’m short of memory).
“Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” In reply to the question confronting Jesus, he gave this reply in response to relationships. We are confronted by faith and dignity (hopefully) with our own critiques about relationships, love, marriage, divorce, annulment, single remarriage or widowed life. What is God asking of each of us specifically, and how do we respond within the relationships we share, the promises given, the promises broken, and the hurt or healing that follows? I haven’t the answer that is simply black and white. Chris was an older seminarian who was a year ahead of me in formation. He converted to the Catholic faith several years prior to the seminary, within the context of his livelihood: music and theatre. He had a gift of creativity, to find joy in the most challenging moments of life, approach anyone, and a faith and calling that was unmistakable. His time in the seminary allowed many of us, struggling with doubts in our ‘calling,’ to focus on the source of our own “calling” within our respective humanity. As he approached his ordination, his ex-wife came for a visit/vacation, supporting Chris’ faith and calling to the priesthood. I was dumbstruck with this piece of his life that was previously unknown to me. However, their conversations with each other, and time shared with us ‘others’ in the seminary revealed a caring and supportive relationship between them. They remained hopeful for one another, acknowledging the faith and Christian character of one another. Of course, such challenged my preconceptions, my so called orderly understandings. Until his death fifteen years after his ordination to the priesthood, Chris remained a creative, joyful, personable and faithful priest as a pastor and teacher. God calls us to share a presence of healing, understanding, gratitude, and hope within the relationships we are blessed to be a part of. Never perfect, and always within the dignity and integrity we share within a relationship, the presence of Christ is exists. In the first creation story: “God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. . . .God saw everything he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” Whether we are in a marriage, sharing a relationship, divorced or remarried, single or widowed, the image of our Creator persists within each of us; and that “breath of life” draws us toward Christ’s compassionate healing and graciousness, dignity and joy, guided by faith in our otherwise imperfect humanity. I was blessed by the friendship and faith Chris shared with me in the brief time God placed him within my life.
God Bless, Fr. Tim
FYI: And from my childhood days of good ‘ol westerns, the voice of Dale Evans: “Who cares about the clouds when we are together. Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.” (Of course you remember the name of her horse.)
