A Tale of Two Priests

Over the past 25 years, I have been blessed with two very significant priests and pastors in my life. The first was a very jovial and beloved priest who served with the intention of making his flock happy and inspired. He would grace the pulpit on Sundays with humorous and motivational homilies, often invoking one of his favorite characters and topics - a secular fantasy character, who is quite popular. This priest gave away books during his homilies at Christmas and Easter - The Velveteen Rabbit and a secularized Christmas story book. I don't remember him referencing saints. He may have. If he did, I wasn't paying attention. He offered a trip each year to New York City. A group of parishioners and other guests would board a bus and take by storm this great city that never sleeps. We were enthralled with Broadway musicals, wonderful meals, and sightseeing tours of the city - sights such as Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and more. We did visit Saint Patrick's Cathedral for Mass, but holy things were certainly not the focus. It was memorable, and fun, and we made many friends and experienced wonderful fellowship, but....

During this time of my life I was singing in the choir and leading a very lackluster and lukewarm spiritual and Catholic life. I was a cafeteria Catholic, picking and choosing the beliefs I wanted and that "fit" my lifestyle. I was living and moving down a very sinful and perilous path. I never once went to confession during this timeframe. I'm not sure I heard much about the need for it either. What I realize now is, I was one of those people Jesus talks about in Scripture - you know, one of the lukewarm ones, one of those he plans to spit out of his mouth. Someone he references as a "hypocrite". Yep, I sang every Sunday, when I went to Mass, and I received the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin. I still thought I deserved Heaven, and never considered Hell a possibility. As a matter of fact, I was led to believe that Satan was not real, and neither was Hell. So, to me, this was all great news! Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die, and then we enter an even greater party! Or so I thought.

There was not a dry eye in the house when this pastor announced he would be retiring and leaving, and we would soon be getting a new parish leader. I cried and felt very sad. We loved this pastor. Gossip and scuttlebutt whirled about the new pastor, and the congregation was absolutely terror-stricken when we heard he wore a cassock. I don't think many of us had ever seen a priest in a cassock. What did this mean? Well, we would soon find out.

Our new pastor arrived that summer and made quite an immediate impression. He was quite the bull in a china shop. He did arrive wearing a cassock and he wasted no time in instructing us on proper reverence and approach to the Eucharist, and so much more as well. This was quite a change. I was actually intrigued. On one of the first holy days- Christmas, I believe - books appeared in the gathering space. Educational books about the faith. How interesting. I did take the book - Rome Sweet Home by Dr. Scott and Kimberly Hahn. I put it on my shelf at home, and didn't think much about it after that. I continued to be fascinated, though, by this new priest and his approach, AND the response it was getting from others in the parish. Not surprisingly, much of that response was not good and it caused a lot of suffering - for him and for others. This priest, who became a wonderful friend and director to me, was on the receiving end of very uncharitable talk and attacks. It was disgraceful and embarrassing to me. I couldn't believe that supposedly faithful people could act in such a way. It touched my heart and it affected me greatly. Although I was still pretty lukewarm at this point, something was stirring in me.

A few weeks later I was looking for something to read. I had finished the book series I was enthralled with at the time - James Patterson novels - and didn't have any more good stories handy to start reading. I saw the "church" book on the shelf. I didn't think there was any way a book like that could be entertaining or interesting. I also didn't feel like going out though, so figured I could start it and see where it took me. If it was dull and boring, I could go on out and find a new book at the library or at the store. I finished that book the next morning. I haven't picked up a James Patterson book or one like it since. I was unable to put the church book down. It absolutely captivated me from the first page. I devoured every word. When I finished, I sat back and realized what a fraud I was as a Catholic, and how I was squandering away the most valuable part of my life. I decided I wanted that passion this couple had for the Faith. I also realized I didn't know the faith, and I was making decisions and choices without fully understanding why the Church taught what she did. So, I determined right then and there, to find out. To learn the faith and understand the teachings. Boy, was I in store for a roller coaster ride. I began reading in earnest, and the more I learned the more in awe I was. The more I learned, the more ignorant I felt. But there was a flame being fanned, and I haven't looked back since.

I appreciate that priest in the cassock so much. He led me to a fuller life in Christ than I could have ever thought possible. He led me to the saints, who he referenced frequently in homilies - replacing stories of fictionalized characters with the virtuous and truly heroic lives of our saints. This was also life- and soul-changing for me. I didn't know much about any of them and I soon became enthralled with their stories and adventures.

Our parish lost many congregants when this new priest in a cassock arrived. Over the years, we gained many more. Those who search for Truth will indeed find it. There is definitely effort involved though, and sometimes discomfort and pain. So many of us have a hard time with Truth, and we want to hold on so tightly to what appeals to our emotions. Early on, the priest in the cassock told me something I had never heard before and it also had a profound impact on me. He told me that emotions must be secondary to our reason and intellect. I've always been so emotional, and have had trouble with this. This advice was literally God-sent. It introduced to me and allowed me to consider a different perspective and viewpoint. It made so much sense. As I learned the faith more and more, it made even more sense. I was introduced to the Rosary during this new era and Divine Mercy. I had never celebrated Divine Mercy before. I didn't know what the Divine Mercy Chaplet was. Again, the mysteries of God and our Faith became more alive, amazing and practical than I ever thought possible.

The priest in a cassock has now moved on to a different parish, but I keep in touch and visit him often. The other priest I don't hear much about now, but I do know he is enjoying a much deserved rest and retirement. He is a great person, and served the Church well. He seemed to lack a certain kind of conviction and passion for hard Truth that I needed and evidently craved pretty desperately. It was a need and craving I didn't even know I had until the priest in a cassock arrived to replace him.

We all need a priest in a cassock in our lives. If we don't have one, we need to seek one out. We need courageous priests that aren't afraid to suffer for the Truth. We need to become uncomfortable with our superficial distractions, but in a way that drives us to change. The suffering endured by these priests is saving souls and leading many to a deeper and fuller life in Christ. Sure, they may be rejected by many more than they reach, but those they reach - wow, that is a feat worthy of grandeur and great celebration. After all, Jesus leaves the 99 to search for the one lost sheep. These courageous priests do the same, facing many perils and dangers along the way. Those lost sheep receive great heavenly celebrations, just as the prodigal son did.

We must thank and pray for these priests in cassocks. They will never know their impact on this side of eternity, but for many of us individually, we know their impact on our lives and souls and that is enough. In fact that is everything!

Pray for priests!