15 years of Priesthood

The old cliche is "Where did all the time go?"   I think nothing is truer than when a priest looks back on his years of service.  I do not complain about how fast it goes; I am always simply bewildered  at how quickly time passes and I don't always have a chance to reflect on what had happened.

Fr. Matthew Pawlikowski, one of my closest friends and a priest/soldier who has spent time in Gaza, Egypt, Afghanistan and Germany and I will often recount the pivotal moments in our priestly lives in amazement at how much has happened and we have been witnesses to these beautiful priestly moments.  Moments like visiting the sick in the hospital and giving them the sacraments and blessings and seeing them get well.

Or hearing confessions for a person who never thought that, because of their sins, could never be forgiven.  Or simply spending time with the youth group or altar servers or parish choir and let them know how much they are appreciated.  These moments, so often, are the ones that we do not keep foremost in our memories, but we realize that they are important moments in the life of the parishioners.  we also agreed that these were sometimes seemingly simple act of involvement that we later found out that they had great effects.

Bishop Arthur Serratelli, who was a professor of mine at the seminary used to say to the class about pastoral ministry, "Being a priest is easy.  Just be nice to the people."  I always reflect on that advice and try to live it out.  It is probably the most sound pastoral advice I have had: be nice to people, in the name of Jesus and as a respesentative of his Church.  For 15 years, that has been by goal. 

Fifteen years ago, I was ordained with Frs. Jim Brown; Matthew Pawlikowski: Michael Ward; Patrick Flannery; Ray Rodrigue; Carlos Flor; Paulo Frade; Jim Teti: John Wassell; Steve D'Andrea; Robert Hoatson; Will Lusik and Don Gleason.   Fourteen of us.  Some of us are still parochial vicars; some have become pastors, while others have had other diocesan responsibilities  Of course, some have taken other paths and have left the active ministy.  I sincerely pray for all of my classmates all the time.  God only knows their situation and what they need and only He can help them.  I think that it is important for us to pray for all of us that God will work His goodness through us wherever we might me in our lives.

Fifteen years is both a short jaunt as well as an eternity.  I prayerfully believe that through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, we can continue to be effective tools of redemption for those whom we serve.  Please continue to pray for the class of 1997!


Father Marc A. Vicari