More excellent videos on the priesthood . . .

I try and keep an eye on what other Catholic bloggers are writing about. One of the good things about writing a blog, I've noticed, is that people are only too happy to let you use things they have found and there is a general feeling of wanting to spread the news around, to share what is going on with as many people as possible.

This applies to bad news as well, of course, such as the recent CSF (Children, Schools and Families) Bill currently going through parliament and about which many Catholic bloggers have commented. See here and here .

E F Pastor Emeritus has just posted three new videos on priesthood produced by the Congregation for Clergy. I think they are excellent and I include the first one here.

If you'd like to watch the other two videos, why not pop over to E F Pastor Emeritus and see for yourself.

Year for Priests . . .

Fr Trigilio has written a summary of his homily which he gave during 40 Hours Eucharistic Devotions in a friend's parish. You can read all about it on his blog The Black Biretta.

I won't attempt to describe the content but do encourage you to drop by and have a look for yourself.

Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchizedek ...

Here's another great video from 'That Catholic Show'. I hope you enjoy it.

Even if the thought of Priesthood has only ever fleetingly crossed your mind you might like to go along to this Enquiry Evening in Redhill to find out more:

Tuesday 17th February at 7 pm

St Joseph's Church, Ladbroke Road, Redhill RH1 1LF


The evening begins with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and is followed by a talk, discussion and Night Prayer. Light refreshments will be available.

Further details from Fr Paul Turner, the Diocesan Vocations Director, on 01293 603 773 or vocations@dabnet.org

Another priest for our diocese - Deo Gratia!

Here's a picture of the newest priest in our diocese, Fr Aaron Spinelli, ordained at Our Lady of Ransom, Eastbourne on Saturday. Thanks to Fr Ray Blake for this photo 'borrowed' from his blog.

We hope this will inspire more vocations to the priesthood, especially from our own parish of St Ann's. We pray that more men will respond generously to the call of Christ.

We ask God to bless Fr Aaron in his ministry.

St John Vianney, pray for us.

A response to a question ...

St John Vianney, pray for us.

I've finally got around to answering the question posed in the comments to my posting on meetings (see below, 16th May). Here are some of my thoughts on the things that I enjoy most about being a parish priest:

The celebration of the Sacraments (no surprises there then!)

The celebration of the the Mass is at the centre of a priest's life.

The Secretary of the Congregation for Clergy says, "The priest is not an employee, but rather a consecrated person, chosen by God to serve mankind!"

Archbishop Piacenza speaking to L'Osservatore Romano had the following to say which sums up the life and work of a Catholic priest:

"The priest does not belong to himself. He is at the service of the people of God without limits of schedule or calendar. The people are not for the priest, but the priest is for the people, in its totality, without ever restricting his service to a small group." Continuing he said, "The priest cannot choose the post he likes, the work methods he considers easiest, the people he considers most likeable, the schedule that is most comfortable, the diversions - even the most legitimate ones - when they take away time and energy from his own specific pastoral mission." He added, "The priest is above all a man of prayer, of adoration, of worship, of the celebration of the holy mysteries, before man in the name of Christ."

While celebrating Mass for Vocations to the Priesthood on Monday, I was reminded in the Post Communion Prayer, "May many of your people choose to serve you by devoting themselves to the service of their brothers and sisters." This is Number One and the greatest joy of being a priest..........days of joyful 'service' to the parish.

And thanks be to God for all the lay people who make up the various committees that help to run a parish so that the parish priest is free to continue with his primary role of service to the people he has been chosen to serve.