Faith

Photo courtesy/Clergy Trust

Clergy Trust Christmas Collection

Parish priests and their people

Friday, December 20, 2024Faith

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Each Christmas, the people in our parishes have an opportunity to make a gift that supports those who are building up the Body of Christ and strengthening our communities.

''Hello, Father, are you a Jesuit?"
The parish priest's unspoken response to this question is "No, but I am literate."
The parish priest is the ordinary version of a Catholic priest. Very few of us are specialists. In a world of specialization, parish priests -- or "secular" priests -- do what needs to be done to build up the Body of Christ. We do this ministry in cooperation with the lay men and women of our many parishes and schools throughout the archdiocese.
Parish priests teach, preach, and lead prayer. Every week, we draw hundreds of people together in worship, song, and meditation. Together with parish council members, we oversee the administration of parishes and schools, managing budgets of anywhere between $200,000 to $5 million. We also help families navigate the death and burial of loved ones, work with lay couples to prepare them for the sacrament of marriage, and we work with faith formation teachers and directors to educate our youth.
These are but a few of the skills we use for our people. The parish priest is one of the most skilled builders of community among us.

The job description of the parish priest expanded under the leadership of Richard Cardinal Cushing, who told my brother priests and I at ordination: "Gentlemen, I am sending you to these parishes to serve these people in these towns and cities and I want you to serve all the people -- Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, unbelievers, everyone -- in the town or neighborhood or city where I am sending you." This was our first taste of "ecumenism." We did not know what the word meant, but with those words, Cardinal Cushing made it very clear how to be "ecumenical."
This is why I ended up helping to build the Pine Street Inn as it is today; why other parish priests are leaders of social welfare programs, or lead retreats for parents who have lost children, or direct programs for at-risk youth. The list could go on and on of the many ministries that bring the presence, service, and compassion of Christ to all people regardless of their beliefs.
A seminary teaches us theology, how to be a cleric, how to develop a spiritual life. It is only in retirement or during reflection with my brother priests at Regina Cleri, that we truly comprehend how God has shaped us into his priests through our work in his parishes.
It is a fact of our faith that priests and parish members are joined together. While we are teaching, leading, and sanctifying the people in our parishes, we are also learning from them how to be a better priest. My brothers and I speak with much fondness of parish members who taught us how to preach better, how to listen to people, how to teach five-year-olds, how to sit with the dying, and how to have fun with friends. Priests and people, this is a unique bond.
It is so very common to hear people say things like: "My priest visited our home when dad was dying" or "The priest talked with my kid brother when he was making a mess of his life" or "It was the priest who helped our family when my dad lost his job." All of these many instances could be summed up in one sentiment: "So many times in our family's life our priest has been there to guide and strengthen us."
Sometimes, parish members or others to whom we have ministered do not remember our names. We don't mind, because we are interchangeable as living models and examples of Christ's mercy. Our people expect us to step up and help them. This is an enormous responsibility, and a tremendous privilege. A friend of mine recently commented, "You know, being a parish priest or a pastor is the best job in the church!" I think he got that right.
Yes, being a parish priest is quite a blessing, but one that comes with unique and varying challenges. The Clergy Trust does more than just provide for priests' healthcare and retirement needs. The Clergy Trust Team provides a foundation -- a whole network of encouragement and support -- which enables us to take better care of ourselves, which allows us to better serve our people. The "tagline" is true: Healthier priests really do build stronger communities.
Each Christmas, the people in our parishes have an opportunity to make a gift that supports those who are building up the Body of Christ and strengthening our communities. Your support of the Clergy Trust Christmas Collection is a tangible expression of the bond between the people and priests of the Church of Boston. Please know how much us priests appreciate your support.

MSGR. FRANK KELLEY IS THE RESIDENT CHAPLAIN OF REGINA CLERI, THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON'S RESIDENCE FOR SENIOR PRIESTS.