During a calendar year, we at The Pilot assemble our weekly newspaper. Throughout that year, there are pages of special coverage and special sections. Vocations to priesthood and religious life are an important focus in both the weekly paper and the special coverage and sections.

The annual spring vocation special section includes articles that introduce you to the newly ordained priests who will be serving in the archdiocese.

To those who will be the new priests of the archdiocese, the first word is welcome. You will be part of the great fraternity reaching back more than two centuries of history of the archdiocese. Those who preceded you served in varied times: some when there were only two or three of them in the diocese -- when it covered all of New England; others, when there were so many priests that the bishop could be generous in making them available for service to the Holy See, the episcopal conference, educational institutions within and outside the archdiocese, including three seminaries; chaplains of the branches of the military services, and non-parish ministries; and our own Missionary Society of St. James the Apostle. Believe it or not, there was a time when the total number of Boston priests serving outside of parishes (when there were more than 400 of them) was near 300.

Whether there were few or many, they served with commitment and dedication. Be consoled, they were not all saints. But most tried mightily to be so. Some were extroverts and quiet and almost reclusive. Some came from varied cultures and ethnic backgrounds and were known only to those communities. Some were brilliant and scholarly; others were wise and much sought-after counselors and confessors. And all came in various shapes and sizes, heights and weights.

All of them were needed, whether there were many or few. And you are much needed and welcome to this venerable and historic presbyterate.

Congratulations to the jubilarians whom we salute with pictorial coverage. We customarily focus on the golden or 50 years, and silver or 25 years, anniversaries of ordination.

Somewhere, those numbers were selected and became milestones to be observed and celebrated. They should also remind us of the five, ten, 15, 40, 60, and even three, 11, 18, 27, 33, etc., jubilarians.

To the newly ordained, to the golden and silver jubilarians, and to those priests serving actively or in retirement in the Lord's vineyard, we say thanks.

First, for your hearing and answering the Lord's call. Each call came in a different way, most likely through the example of one of our predecessors; or perhaps by a word of encouragement from a family member, a woman religious in school, a campus minister, or a friend or classmate.

For some, the "yes" was easy and obvious. For others, the "yes" may have taken some time, some reflection, some pushing and pulling by you or another.

Thanks for being ready to go where needed, even if it seemed or seems difficult. Thanks for trusting the Lord will help when you think you can't do it. Thanks for leaning on other priests for support and encouragement.

Thanks for your most important yes -- the celebration of Mass and the other sacraments. The response to late night calls to hospitals, nursing facilities, or bedsides in homes.

Thanks for all the times you think we didn't see you; for greeting us before or after Mass; for being there when it was easy and we were happy; and when it was difficult and we were angry or sad. Thanks for your prayers for us.

Jubilarians of a few or many years could add to that litany. The newly ordained will experience all those reasons for thanks probably very quickly in their priestly lives.

No diocese had enough and certainly too many priests. Currently, we do not have enough priests here in the archdiocese, so we need to promote vocations.

In some sense we are all vocation promoters. Each of us can make the start by praying for vocations -- to marriage, consecrated life, permanent diaconate, priesthood, whether diocesan or religious.

We can encourage those in family or parish who are discerning a vocation with a supportive word or a quick note, text, or email.