I have been of praying more than usual since I received the phone call from Archbishop McKnight on Labor Day, and ever since saying “yes” to the call to serve our Church in a new way. A lot has been on my mind over these short weeks for many selfish reasons but also concern and prayer for our parish of Corpus Christi. To put into a final Father’s Forum words and thoughts, and after some more prayer, I was brought to focus on the word PRAY – four points: Praise, Repent, Appeal, and You.
First is PRAISE! I give praise to our good and gracious God for the gift of priesthood and how it has brought me to serve at Corpus Christi. I will forever remember the words of St. Paul: “I give praise to God every time I think of you” Philippians 1: 3. I’ve often felt the need to take a little too much control of things in my life, I jokingly say it is part of being German, but I am aware of the need to surrender to God often. When I choose to abandon my will to His, there is nothing but goodness as a result. Our God blesses us priests in countless ways, and though unworthy, I praise Him for such a blessing as to be used by Him to confect the graces of the Sacraments. When I get in the way of my calling, I remember this quote from St. Bernard addressed to priests: “Let us, too, do what we can, let us offer him the best we have, that is to say ourselves! He offered Himself, so who are you, to hesitate to offer yourself?”
Secondly, I need to say I am sorry, or to use the language of scripture: I repent. To have any position of authority today, including being pastor is to regularly come under scrutiny. People say all sorts of critical things to their peers, on social media, and occasionally in person, but believe me, nobody is more critical of me than I am. I am very much aware of who I am and of my faults and failures, of my selfishness and sin. And so, for all the times you might have experienced my apparent rudeness or lack of acknowledgement of you, my impatience and lack of kindness, for my whining about the demands of my life, I want to sincerely repent and ask for your forgiveness.
The third part of this farewell is an appeal to you. It should come as no surprise, but my appeal is for you and the parish of Corpus Christi to increase your Stewardship. Considering all that is going on in our world which gives little truth for anyone to grasp but rather teaches “anything goes”, we need to make our parish School and Faith Formation Programs radically Catholic. Catholic schools and parishes exist so as to make disciples. Our parish exists so that we can bring our children and their parents together with our whole team into an encounter with Jesus, which will forever change their lives so that they can transform the culture and accomplish God's vision which is to get his world back.
And finally, we all need to remember it is not about YOU! And when I say “YOU” I mean me – ourselves – we tend to make everything about ‘me’, and the more we make it about ‘me’ and not about “YOU”, meaning God and others, then we will continue to be sad, to be divided and selfish and greedy, etc. Because at the end of the day, it is either God and His love, or it is nothing at all, and there is nothing in between.
Lastly, let me just tell you what a great gift it's been to be your pastor.
I have loved these 5 years and 4 months, and you have been my family - more than my family. I feel like I'm handing my child to another to take care of. But as sad as that is, I know that you will be placed in the hands of Fr. Carter who will offer his amazing gifts and talents because every priest is a good priest, and a good priest makes all the difference in the world.
So, I don't know anything better to say as a final word to you than what my mom would say as she concluded every letter or phone call: “Until I see you at Church, know you are loved.”
God Bless,
