Hope and the heart of the priest were focus of Advent Spirituality Day
December 20, 2024 at 3:34 p.m.
UPDATED Dec. 20, 2024
Setting aside everyday responsibilities to spend a few hours reflecting on their priestly vocation, some 125 priests of the Diocese gathered for an Advent Spirituality Day Dec. 17 in St. Denis Parish, Manasquan.
PHOTO GALLERY: Advent Spirituality Day for Priests
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in a prepared address, encouraged his priests “to think about our vocation story from time to time and just what exactly drew us to the priesthood,” whether it was a person, a situation or a set of circumstances.
“There was someone whose life attracted us, an ideal that we saw and discerned, that opened the door for us to the priesthood,” the Bishop said. “Despite the passage of time, I hope we haven’t forgotten what it was.”
Bishop O’Connell said it is also good to ask, ‘Why did we stay priests? What is it that continues to motivate us?”
He asked the priests to consider 1) Fidelity to what we are as priests; 2) Fidelity to what we do as priests, and 3) Fidelity to what we hope for as priests.
“We can never lose sight of the fact that the priestly reality (what we are) and the priestly mission (what we do) flow from one and the same source, Jesus Christ the Priest. Our fidelity to what we are and what we do every day as priests is fidelity to him, to the person of Jesus Christ,” the Bishop said. “He is the motivation. He is the mentor. He is the source. He is the one whom we seek to imitate and to be. There is nothing else.”
“The priest must embody faith in everything he is and does,” the Bishop said. “If that faith is evident, it will inspire the same in others.”
In talking about the upcoming Jubilee Year and its theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” Bishop O’Connell said, “As priests, and through our fidelity, we hope to make a positive contribution and a real difference in people’s lives. We hope for our Church, that it may struggle through the current realities confronting it and emerge stronger, better, holier.”
He added, “Hope keeps the priest from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment, it opens up his heart to eternity.
“Christian hope for priests is to believe in the power of Christ to bring souls from the bondage of sin into the joy of heaven.”
Divine Word Father Andrew Pham, parochial vicar of St. Ann Parish, Browns Mills, noted that he has only been in the Diocese since July. He appreciated the day’s opportunity to become acquainted with more of his fellow priests and shared that the Bishop’s presentation helped rejuvenate Father Pham in his priestly ministry.
Father Gregg Abadilla, parochial vicar in St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish, Spring Lake, was struck by the Bishop’s statement that priests “are normal people” who sin and make mistakes and how “we need to keep trying.”
“That’s a beautiful message,” Father Abadilla said. “The Bishop’s talk gives us priests hope.”
For Father Peter J. Alindogan, pastor of St. Veronica Parish, Howell, will retain Bishop O’Connell’s message that “Hope opens up the hearts of priests to eternity.”
“It is a reminder of what ushers and brings in more support to our ministry, deterring discouragement and preventing burnouts,” Father Alindogan said. “The heart, which is the core of one's being and especially that of an ordained priest, opens up when hope and eternity connects and intersects.”
More to come on this story.
Bishop O'Connell addresses the priests during the Spirituality Day. Mary Stadnyk photo
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UPDATED Dec. 20, 2024
Setting aside everyday responsibilities to spend a few hours reflecting on their priestly vocation, some 125 priests of the Diocese gathered for an Advent Spirituality Day Dec. 17 in St. Denis Parish, Manasquan.
PHOTO GALLERY: Advent Spirituality Day for Priests
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in a prepared address, encouraged his priests “to think about our vocation story from time to time and just what exactly drew us to the priesthood,” whether it was a person, a situation or a set of circumstances.
“There was someone whose life attracted us, an ideal that we saw and discerned, that opened the door for us to the priesthood,” the Bishop said. “Despite the passage of time, I hope we haven’t forgotten what it was.”
Bishop O’Connell said it is also good to ask, ‘Why did we stay priests? What is it that continues to motivate us?”
He asked the priests to consider 1) Fidelity to what we are as priests; 2) Fidelity to what we do as priests, and 3) Fidelity to what we hope for as priests.
“We can never lose sight of the fact that the priestly reality (what we are) and the priestly mission (what we do) flow from one and the same source, Jesus Christ the Priest. Our fidelity to what we are and what we do every day as priests is fidelity to him, to the person of Jesus Christ,” the Bishop said. “He is the motivation. He is the mentor. He is the source. He is the one whom we seek to imitate and to be. There is nothing else.”
“The priest must embody faith in everything he is and does,” the Bishop said. “If that faith is evident, it will inspire the same in others.”
In talking about the upcoming Jubilee Year and its theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” Bishop O’Connell said, “As priests, and through our fidelity, we hope to make a positive contribution and a real difference in people’s lives. We hope for our Church, that it may struggle through the current realities confronting it and emerge stronger, better, holier.”
He added, “Hope keeps the priest from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment, it opens up his heart to eternity.
“Christian hope for priests is to believe in the power of Christ to bring souls from the bondage of sin into the joy of heaven.”
Divine Word Father Andrew Pham, parochial vicar of St. Ann Parish, Browns Mills, noted that he has only been in the Diocese since July. He appreciated the day’s opportunity to become acquainted with more of his fellow priests and shared that the Bishop’s presentation helped rejuvenate Father Pham in his priestly ministry.
Father Gregg Abadilla, parochial vicar in St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish, Spring Lake, was struck by the Bishop’s statement that priests “are normal people” who sin and make mistakes and how “we need to keep trying.”
“That’s a beautiful message,” Father Abadilla said. “The Bishop’s talk gives us priests hope.”
For Father Peter J. Alindogan, pastor of St. Veronica Parish, Howell, will retain Bishop O’Connell’s message that “Hope opens up the hearts of priests to eternity.”
“It is a reminder of what ushers and brings in more support to our ministry, deterring discouragement and preventing burnouts,” Father Alindogan said. “The heart, which is the core of one's being and especially that of an ordained priest, opens up when hope and eternity connects and intersects.”
More to come on this story.
Bishop O'Connell addresses the priests during the Spirituality Day. Mary Stadnyk photo