Among the many things that have required me to adjust and adapt during my time as pastor, one of the most difficult has been thinking and planning ahead far enough to not be surprised by events sneaking up on me. The staff has to be about two months out in front in order to get everything done for special events and celebrations, and I would be lost without their hard work in that area. I bring this up because it dawned on me recently that this would be my last opportunity to communicate to you, the good people of the region, before the “Picnic with the Padres.” I know that on such occasions, generous folks such as yourselves are inclined to want to give their priests something, and I thought perhaps Fr. Lambert and I might put it out there what we would most appreciate.
There’s really not much that I need in life, and what I would most appreciate is your prayers. I would love it if the parish were to pray for me and Fr. Lambert on this celebration of both my birthday and his priestly ordination, for two reasons. First, because priests are constantly in need of prayers in order to grow closer to Our Lord and to carry out His ministry faithfully with our lives. We would be nowhere without the tremendous support of those who have prayed for us over the years. Secondly, because praying for each other is the gift that keeps on giving. We, as parish communities, are called to enter more and more deeply into a relationship with God in prayer, and one of the easiest pathways into a true interior spiritual life is spiritually lifting up those we love. Praying for the two of us not only benefits us in our ministry, but it also accomplishes our goal as a region of growing closer to Christ.
Perhaps most importantly, please pray for our families on this great occasion. At a funeral I celebrated recently, the son of the faithfully departed praised his mother by saying that any compliment for him and his siblings is really a compliment for their mom because “you shouldn’t thank the soup for being delicious; you should thank the chef who made it.” Since his visit to Rwanda I have heard Fr. Lambert say so many good things about the family and the diocese that nurtured him and his vocation. Similarly, any of my good traits, small though they may be, are attributable to the hard work of my mom and dad. Please pray for the repose of the soul of my father and his intentions, and for my mom as she continues to live out her vocation with integrity.
Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and Fr. Lambert, and for being our parish family. It is the people of a parish that give a sense of purpose to the work that we do, and we are blessed by your presence and your vocations.
Again, I reiterate that your prayers are all we need… but if one must, I do enjoy cigars and whiskey.
I’m not saying, I’m just saying.