It is hard to believe it has been over six months since I was ordained a priest. I recently had the opportunity to return to my Alma Mater, Saint Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, and the most frequent question I got was, "has the priesthood been what you expected?" Looking back over these past six months, I realize that it has been a whirlwind of experiences that have affirmed and challenged me. I would like to speak of two.
First, is the outreach ministry to the middle schoolers known as "Cell." Every Wednesday and Friday, St. Ann's opens its doors to all the middles schoolers of our community. They invade like a barbarian horde from across the street to the Family Life Center of St. Ann's. The middle schoolers get out of school around 2 pm and so we provide a safe place for them to share in fellowship and fun. At first, this was a very daunting challenge, however, as the children have gotten to know me they have begun to warm up to me. I don't know whether it was schooling a few of them in basketball or just throwing around the football, but a change occurred. There is one moment that stands out in my mind, a girl wanting me to watch her throw the football. It was then that I realized one of the fruits of spiritual fatherhood. I remember as a child wanting my Dad to see how far I could throw, how high I could jump, etc. It truly is the little things that count.
Second, is my ministry to the sick. Although I have been trained sufficiently in the art of pastoral care, I could not have imagined the intimate situations that I have been invited to witness. Whether it be a woman dying of cancer wanting to pray the rosary with a priest and her family or comforting a mother with two sick sons and a husband that is restricted to a wheelchair. It is in those moments that I experience helplessness. Only Christ has the power to console, to heal, and bring comfort. I realize that I am but a instrument and a path by which Christ can touch his people.
I cannot imagine what the next six months will bring, but one thing is for certain. In all that I do, Christ will be there to guide me, strengthen me, challenge me, humble me, and affirm me.
May you all have a Blessed Christmas
Father Paul Lambert
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
“In Prison and You Visited Me”
One of the many joys of the first months of priesthood is that now all the great feasts of the Church’s liturgical year that I’ve shared in through the years I’m now celebrating as a priest! I find myself in prayer and in “random thoughts” saying, “I can’t believe I’m preparing a homily and will celebrate Mass on All Saints…All Souls…Christ the King…WOW!
With Advent we’ve begun a new (liturgical) year—let’s sing “Auld Lang Syne”…better yet, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”.
Pope Benedict’s latest reflections on Advent point out that the ancient word used for Advent includes the understanding of a visit from a dignitary, king, or deity. His Holiness is also a well-trained Augustinian scholar whose main emphasis, within that tradition following Platonic philosophy, focuses on the transcending, lunging, propelling, liberating, soaring nature of humanity out from the potentially imprisoning confines of this world and this life.
I think I’ve experienced a little “two-step” dance between these two ideas above in my fledgling months. Our Eastern Deanery has a very involved prison ministry. Particularly here at Good Shepherd, between our parishioners and us priests, we have a presence at one, if not two, prisons every Sunday. This is something I always wanted to be involved with. In fact, I had my first experience in prison ministry (Taylor Correctional Institution) while assigned in Perry “many moons” ago now.
Anyway—the “two-step” Advent dance between the visit and prison. Last week, I went to the women’s prison for the first time. I celebrated the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. It was incredible to behold the faces of these women as they received the sacraments. Their experience of the Lord’s powerful and loving “visit” with them precisely within their current circumstances was palpable. Was that not an experience of transcendence, liberation, soaring?
This Advent I’m on the lookout for Advent “two-steps” in the streets of Tallahassee. I know I’ve already seen it where I did not expect, but that’s probably where I’ll find it again.
Father Will Ganci
With Advent we’ve begun a new (liturgical) year—let’s sing “Auld Lang Syne”…better yet, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”.
Pope Benedict’s latest reflections on Advent point out that the ancient word used for Advent includes the understanding of a visit from a dignitary, king, or deity. His Holiness is also a well-trained Augustinian scholar whose main emphasis, within that tradition following Platonic philosophy, focuses on the transcending, lunging, propelling, liberating, soaring nature of humanity out from the potentially imprisoning confines of this world and this life.
I think I’ve experienced a little “two-step” dance between these two ideas above in my fledgling months. Our Eastern Deanery has a very involved prison ministry. Particularly here at Good Shepherd, between our parishioners and us priests, we have a presence at one, if not two, prisons every Sunday. This is something I always wanted to be involved with. In fact, I had my first experience in prison ministry (Taylor Correctional Institution) while assigned in Perry “many moons” ago now.
Anyway—the “two-step” Advent dance between the visit and prison. Last week, I went to the women’s prison for the first time. I celebrated the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. It was incredible to behold the faces of these women as they received the sacraments. Their experience of the Lord’s powerful and loving “visit” with them precisely within their current circumstances was palpable. Was that not an experience of transcendence, liberation, soaring?
This Advent I’m on the lookout for Advent “two-steps” in the streets of Tallahassee. I know I’ve already seen it where I did not expect, but that’s probably where I’ll find it again.
Father Will Ganci
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