What a Journey...

With the help of God I will celebrate another milestone in my life.  On Wednesday, June 8th, I celebrate the fourteenth anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. 

I had no idea, nor could predict that 14 years ago when I was being ordained a priest here at here at St. James Church that I would be assigned as the Pastor of this parish.  It has truly been an incredible and interesting journey of blessings and challenges in all my years of priestly ministry.  I am thankful at this time of my priesthood, to be the priest and pastor of my beloved home parish. 

With this note, I also want to remind us of the importance of praying, fostering and encouraging vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  I have mentioned before that our parish has blessed the Roman Catholic Church with 25 priests and I pray and hope that we will continue that blessed tradition. 

I wondered if any of us here at St. James Church would have imagined that two of men from this parish would return as Pastor here, namely Fr. Sinclair Oubre and myself.

Keep this in mind regarding praying for vocations:  Who will celebrate Mass for us?  Who will hear my confession and grant me absolution?   Who will offer me the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick when I am ill?  Who will baptize my loved ones or my friends?  Who will offer the funeral liturgy when the course of my earthly life is completed or bury my loved ones? 

​ Pray for an increase of holy vocations.   And please pray for me as I undergo my 14th year of priesthood.