{"id":511,"date":"2011-06-29T19:22:48","date_gmt":"2011-06-29T23:22:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=511"},"modified":"2021-01-31T16:28:43","modified_gmt":"2021-01-31T21:28:43","slug":"four-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/four-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week I celebrate the fourth anniversary of my priestly ordination.\u00a0 In four years, I have served in two very different parishes.\u00a0 The first (St. Mary’s Southside<\/a>) was a single church located in the City of Elmira but serving people to the Pennsylvania border (all in Chemung County).\u00a0 Now, I serve at Our Lady of the Lakes<\/a> in the center of the Finger Lakes.\u00a0 We serve St. Michael’s in Penn Yan, St. Januarius’ in Naples, St. Patrick’s in Prattsburgh, and St. Theresa’s in Stanley.\u00a0 Also included are the areas previously served by St. Andrew’s in Dundee and St. Mary’s in Rushville.\u00a0 Our parishioners come from three different counties and three different area codes.\u00a0 So my first two assignments have been very different in this respect.\u00a0 Yet, the essential point is always the same – to serve the people of God according to God’s calling.<\/p>\n

During these four years I have served under three different pastors (two at St. Mary’s <\/a>in Elmira and one at Our Lady of the Lakes<\/a>.)\u00a0 Soon, I will begin to serve with a new pastor here at Our Lady of the Lakes<\/a>.\u00a0 Each of them has their own style of ministry.\u00a0 Each has been a learning experience for me.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the greatest thing I do as a priest is to preside at the celebration of the Mass.\u00a0 It brings joy to my heart to celebrate the Eucharist.\u00a0 It is God who provides the grace we receive at Mass.\u00a0 It is God who transforms the bread and wine to become the Body and Blood of Jesus.\u00a0 Yet, here I am as God’s humble servant serving as an instrument of grace.<\/p>\n

I find personal connections very important in ministry.\u00a0 While presiding at any of the sacraments brings moments of joy, it is the personal connections with the people that helps me remember that ministry is not about buildings or things.\u00a0 It is about the people.\u00a0 Whether it be working with a couple as they prepare for marriage or a family who is planning the funeral of their loved one, ministry is to make God’s presence known in the good times and the bad.<\/p>\n

Ministry isn’t always planned.\u00a0 In fact, sometimes the greatest moments of ministry are never planned.\u00a0 I remember when I was serving in Elmira, I was on-call for the hospitals.\u00a0 I received a call from the ICU unit that they had a patient who was “actively dying.”\u00a0 I had never heard the term “actively dying” before.\u00a0 I didn’t take the time to ask.\u00a0 I heard the phrase and said I would be right there.\u00a0 Normally, I was asked the patient’s name and room number.\u00a0 I didn’t take the time to ask.\u00a0 I just went.\u00a0 As soon as I entered the ICU someone immediately pointed me to the patient’s room.\u00a0 The nurse caught me to tell me the name of the patient.\u00a0 With the family there, I immediately celebrated the sacraments.\u00a0 The woman died as I was finishing.\u00a0 It was a moment of grace to be there with the family.<\/p>\n

There are times when ministry is planned but I am not always sure what to do.\u00a0 For example, I was invited to be part of the Baccalaurate celebration at Prattsburgh high school.\u00a0 We did have a parishioner from St. Patrick’s graduating.\u00a0 I was asked to say a prayer.\u00a0 The prayer lasted a minute or two but to me the ministry was as much about just being there as offering a prayer.\u00a0 I just wanted the graduates to know that I felt their graduation was important enough for me to be there.<\/p>\n

The same can be true when I visit our parish school.\u00a0 In some way it is as much about being <\/em>there as about the words I might offer.<\/p>\n

Of course, there are several other ways in which I have served including social ministry, outreach to “inactive Catholics”, and now helping to implement the new translations of the Roman Missal.<\/p>\n

My ministry is not confined to the parish.\u00a0 Our Catholic Church is a universal church united under one pope.\u00a0 When I was in Elmira, I served on the Board of the Directors of the local Catholic Charities Office (Catholic Charities of Chemung-Schuyler Counties<\/a>).\u00a0 I continue to serve on the Board of the Directors for Providence Housing<\/a>.\u00a0 For the last year I served on our diocesan Presbyteral Council and the Priest’s Council of New York State.\u00a0 I participate in these groups to do my part to help spread the gospel.<\/p>\n

I serve in many ways.\u00a0 I do so for the glory of God.\u00a0 I simply seek to be a good and faithful servant<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Peace,<\/p>\n

Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This week I celebrate the fourth anniversary of my priestly ordination.\u00a0 In four years, I have served in two very different parishes.\u00a0 The first (St. Mary’s Southside) was a single church located in the City of Elmira but serving people to the Pennsylvania border (all in Chemung County).\u00a0 Now, I serve at Our Lady of …<\/p>\n

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