HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER

Earlier this week, I celebrated the 33rd anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood.
My priesthood has been the profound joy and privilege of my life. I give thanks to God every day for this gift he has given me — to be a priest! Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

I am grateful for all of your prayers for me. And I thank our Lord Jesus Christ every day for the privilege of being able to serve you.

I hope you had a great summer. I certainly did. It was a very busy summer — but at the same time refreshing, renewing and inspiring.

My summer started, as you all know, with our pilgrimage to Rome in June. There I received my metropolitan Archbishop’s pallium from our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI.

In his homily that special day, Pope Benedict talked about our discipleship as a friendship with Jesus Christ. He talked about how we have to live our friendship in the gift of ourselves in love to others.

He said: “At a deep level, the essence of love … coincides with the idea of setting out, going towards: it means self-abandonment, self-giving, it bears within itself the sign of the cross.”
This summer I found myself “setting out” a lot. I talked to people in many different settings about Jesus Christ. I tried to help strengthen and encourage them in their journeys of faith.

And everywhere I went, I met people who are totally committed to Christ and the Church! What a blessing! What an encouragement for my own faith. This has been a summer I will not forget.

I ordained new men for the permanent diaconate and celebrated the Eucharist for the solemn profession of vows for a new religious sister.

These events were so inspiring for me! To be with such faithful men and women — all of whom have decided to consecrate their lives in a permanent commitment to Christ.

I saw Jesus Christ alive also in our parishes this summer. How beautiful it was to join the good people of St. Ignatius of Loyola parish as they celebrated their church’s 100th anniversary. What a warm and generous faith I found there!
I also had the privilege to celebrate Mass at the Divine Mercy Congress. This was a powerful experience to ...