Thoughts from the Cathedra

This weekend we celebrate Priesthood Sunday - a time to recognize the grace-filled gifts our priests bring to the people of God, not only in our beloved Diocese of Tucson but also across the world.  Just two weeks ago, I was privileged to meet personally with Pope Leo XIV and together with the nearly 150 bishops from across the world who were ordained and installed this past year.  As part of his exhortation to us new bishops, the Holy Father called on us to care for our priests as they are our closest collaborators and brothers in bringing Christ to people.  And last year, Pope Leo reflected on the beauty of the priesthood in a letter to priests across the world by calling them to, “...renew each day your “Here I am” before Christ’s pierced Heart. Give yourselves entirely to Him, so that you may love His people with the same love with which He loves them. And joyfully remember how the saintly Curé of Arsn (St. John Vianney) loved to say that the priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus. This love is a pledge and a guarantee that, if we surrender and offer ourselves completely, nothing of us will be lost. I entrust each and every one of you to the Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests. May she, who cherished the mystery of her Son in her heart, also teach us to keep alive and make the Heart of Christ, Savior of the world, beat within us.”

In these powerful words of encouragement to priests, Pope Leo models well for the whole Church the esteem we must cultivate for our priests.  Just yesterday I was recording the latest Being Church with Bishop Misko Podcast and was happy to welcome three priest guests, along with my co-host and Director of Communications, Lorraine Rivera.  Joining us were Frs. Alan Valencia, Marcos Velasquez, and Luis Pablo Ochoa-Escarrega.  At one point in our conversation, Fr. Alan Valencia - rector of St. Augustine Cathedral - shared a deeply meaningful response to Lorraine’s question of what most is rewarding to his priesthood. Fr. Alan, either intentionally or serendipitously, said the very same thing as did St. John Vianney.  Fr. Alan explained that in all that he does as a priest, the fulfilling things, and the difficult things, he strives to do them all out of love for God’s people.  And when the priesthood is lived out in love for God and God’s people, Fr. Alan explained that it finds its truest fulfillment.  

Please join me in thanking your priest this weekend at Mass.  There is no doubt that priests are fully human, with strengths and weaknesses - bishops too.  But despite the humanity of priests and bishops, they are also men who have been ordained by God to bring Christ, quite literally in the sacraments and in their very person as being in persona Christi, to each of you.  Without priests we would not have the Eucharist and without the Eucharist we would not encounter the real presence of Christ.  I’ve often shared with parishioners in my nineteen years of the priesthood that the Church needs priests.  But I’ve also shared with them many times that the priests need the Church.  This means that you need your priest and your priest needs you.  Together, we praise God worthily and are made into the Mystical Body of Christ.