The courses are complete. The vestments are ready. The chalice sits waiting for its sacred duty. Six years in the seminary have finally led to this: ordination to the Sacred Priesthood. Since Joe has been fraternally nudging me to post more, I thought I might take a moment and give a glimpse into what it… Continue reading 1 of the 497
Tag: priesthood
Coming Soon: Our Nuclear Engineer Priest
Archbishop Naumann is preparing to ordain four of my brother seminarians to the priesthood at 10:30 a.m. on May 25 at St. Matthew Parish in Topeka. One of them, Deacon Nathan Haverland, was highlighted recently in The Leaven (and The Deacon’s Bench) for his unique life story: growing up without religion, he discovered God while… Continue reading Coming Soon: Our Nuclear Engineer Priest
The Gospel and The Poor: Léon Bloy and Pope Francis
One of the things that has most impressed me about Pope Francis is that he talks about sin, and about the devil as if he actually believes that sin and the devil are real. In his first homily as pope, Pope Francis made this stunning claim: When one does not profess Jesus Christ – I… Continue reading The Gospel and The Poor: Léon Bloy and Pope Francis
How to Become Pope
Here’s a viral video on the process of how a man becomes the pope. In the past two days, it has received almost 700,000 views: After last week’s Q&A on papal resignation, a blogger by the name of C. G. P. Grey wrote me, asking if I’d look over a script he was preparing on… Continue reading How to Become Pope
Consecrating Our Lives to God
Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman For those of us prone to daydream, the Offertory seems to be the slowest part of the Mass. After the proclamation of the Gospel and the homily, but before the Eucharistic Prayer, there’s a pause in the action, in which the priest stops to receive the bread and wine, and… Continue reading Consecrating Our Lives to God
What a Priestly Heart Looks Like
St. Isaac Jogues statue,Shrine of the North American Martyrs Today is the optional memorial of the North American Martyrs: Sts. Isaac Jogues and John de Brebeuf, and their companions, a group of truly heroic Jesuit martyrs. St. Isaac Jogues was influential in my vocational discernment. I knew next to nothing about him prior to winter 2010,… Continue reading What a Priestly Heart Looks Like
Why It’s Important that We Call Priests “Father”
Some Christians, based upon Matthew 23:9, are opposed to the practice of calling priests “fathers.” They’re mistaken in this opposition, and risk doing a disservice to God out of their misreading of this text. Now, we already know that the practice of referring to spiritual fathers as “father” is in found throughout the New Testament (e.g., Luke… Continue reading Why It’s Important that We Call Priests “Father”
If We Can’t Call Priests “Father,” It Doesn’t Leave Much
Padre Pio de Pietrelcina Some time ago, I wrote a post on why we Catholics call our priests “Father.” In a nutshell, this is a recognition of the priest’s spiritual fatherhood. St. Paul sets the pattern for this in 1 Cor. 4:15, when he tells Timothy, “I became your father through the Gospel.” The typical objection to… Continue reading If We Can’t Call Priests “Father,” It Doesn’t Leave Much
A Sacramental Look at Holy Thursday
Jaume Huguet, Last Supper (1470) Today is Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday. One of the very first posts that I wrote was about the significance of Maundy Thursday. It’s here, at the Last Supper, that we see: (1) the institution of the Eucharist, (2) the institution of the sacramental priesthood, and (3) references… Continue reading A Sacramental Look at Holy Thursday
The Sacrificial New Testament Priesthood in Malachi 3
Yesterday was Candlemas, also called the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. The First Reading, fittingly, is a prophesy about how the Christ will visit the Second Temple (Malachi 3:1-4): Michael Pacher, Presentation of Christ (1481) Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the… Continue reading The Sacrificial New Testament Priesthood in Malachi 3