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"Sanctifying a person means putting that person in contact with God" About a week ago, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, in a general audience said a very profound thing. He said: "Sanctifying a person means putting that person in contact with God"; "an essential part of a priest's grace is his gift, his task to establish such contact. This comes about through the announcement of the Word of God, ... and particularly intensely in the Sacraments". Here, Pope Benedict wishes for us to support priests, especially in moments of difficulty. He also said, "Ordained ministers represent Christ, God's envoy, they ... continue His mission through the 'Word' and the 'Sacrament', which are the two main pillars of priestly service". In this context the Pope identified the need "to reflect whether, in certain cases, having undervalued the faithful exercise of 'munus sanctificandi' has not perhaps led to a weakening of faith in the salvific effectiveness of the Sacraments and, in the final analysis, in the real action of Christ and His Spirit, through the Church, in the world". He continued, "It is, therefore, important to promote appropriate catechesis in order to help the faithful understand the value of the Sacraments. But it is equally necessary, following the example of the saintly 'Cure of Ars', to be willing, generous and attentive in giving the faithful the treasures of grace that God has placed in our hands, treasures of which we are not masters but custodians and administrators. Especially in our own time - in which on the one hand, the faith seems to be weakening and, on the other, there is a profound need and widespread search for spirituality - it is necessary for each priest to remember that ... missionary announcement and worship are never separate, and that he must promote a healthy sacramental pastoral care in order to form the People of God and help them to fully experience the liturgy ... and the Sacraments as gratuitous gifts of God, free and effective aspects of His action of salvation". "Each priest knows he is a tool necessary for God's salvific action, but nonetheless just a tool. This awareness must make him humble and generous in administering the Sacraments, respecting the canonical norms but also profoundly convinced that his mission is to ensure that mankind, united to Christ, can offer itself to God as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to Him". "I would also like to invite each priest to celebrate and to live the Eucharist intensely", said Benedict XVI. Priests "are called to be ministers of this great Mystery, in the Sacrament and in life". Likewise, "it is indispensable to strive after the moral perfection which must dwell in each authentically priestly heart", because "there is an example of faith and a witness of sanctity that the People of God expect from their pastors". The faithful should "be aware of the great gift that priests represent for the Church and the world. Through their ministry the Lord continues to save mankind, to make Himself present, to sanctify. Give thanks to God and above all remain close to your priests with prayer and support, especially in moments of difficulty, that they may increasingly become pastors in keeping with God's heart". (Based on VIS 20100505; Quoted portions © Vatican Information Service) A Tribute to Priests I've Known In my almost 70 years, I have met many priests on different Continents. Because of World War II, I cannot recall many priests, apart from my confessor, until I came to the United States when I was 14 years old. It took two years to learn how to converse in English, so probably at 16, or 1956, I would have met Fr. John. He was a Diocesan Priest at Richmond Hill, New York's "Holy Child Jesus Parish". I went to see him maybe a dozen times relative to that mysterious period of "growing from a teenager into a man," from the spiritual viewpoint. I recall him as a very kind and practical man, who had a positive influence on me. In 1959, a year after High School graduation, I found myself in Garrison, NY, attempting to join the Capuchin-Franciscans. There I met Fr. Paul Steffan, OFM. Cap. 1931-2002; another very positive influence in my life for the next 42 years. We became great friends over time. In fact, I'd have to say that Paul was my closest friend in these years. There have been other Capuchin friars, and one I recall especially is Fr. Sigmund Hafemann. (.pdf) I hope this document will be in the Capuchin website for a while, as it is filled with all sorts of information about priests I knew. Then, of course, there were my classmates from the Capuchin Novitiate, Frs. Phil Bohan, Paul Keseta and Peter Wesnowski. Of course when you know classmates, unless one follows them throughout life, we know them as they were in a particular year only or in a span of time. They've experienced their 50th Jubilee as a priest, and I have to admit that I am 50+ years older than I was than. The rest of the clergy have to do with my year and a half as an OFM (1996-1997), the 4.5 years as a Monk of Adoration, and the 8+ years as a SFO lay person. We're talking several dozen priests, deacons, and religious. Some made an impression, some didn't, but all remain in my prayers, at least those I recall. I don't want to pull one ahead of the other, because there are some very fine people in this group. Among lay people, I have met some very good men and women, who impressed me just as much as clergy but in different ways perhaps. We are all part of the "Body of Christ" and I ask Our Lord Jesus to bless you, wherever you are, every day! Fred Schaeffer, SFO May 10, 2010

"Sanctifying a person means putting that person in contact with God"

About a week ago, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, in a general audience said a very profound thing. He said: "Sanctifying a person means putting that person in contact with God"; "an essential part of a priest's grace is his gift, his task to establish such contact. This comes about through the announcement of the Word of God, ... and particularly intensely in the Sacraments".

Here, Pope Benedict wishes for us to support priests, especially in moments of difficulty. He also said, "Ordained ministers represent Christ, God's envoy, they ... continue His mission through the 'Word' and the 'Sacrament', which are the two main pillars of priestly service". In this context the Pope identified the need "to reflect whether, in certain cases, having undervalued the faithful exercise of 'munus sanctificandi' has not perhaps led to a weakening of faith in the salvific effectiveness of the Sacraments and, in the final analysis, in the real action of Christ and His Spirit, through the Church, in the world".

He continued, "It is, therefore, important to promote appropriate catechesis in order to help the faithful understand the value of the Sacraments. But it is equally necessary, following the example of the saintly 'Cure of Ars', to be willing, generous and attentive in giving the faithful the treasures of grace that God has placed in our hands, treasures of which we are not masters but custodians and administrators. Especially in our own time - in which on the one hand, the faith seems to be weakening and, on the other, there is a profound need and widespread search for spirituality - it is necessary for each priest to remember that ... missionary announcement and worship are never separate, and that he must promote a healthy sacramental pastoral care in order to form the People of God and help them to fully experience the liturgy ... and the Sacraments as gratuitous gifts of God, free and effective aspects of His action of salvation".

"Each priest knows he is a tool necessary for God's salvific action, but nonetheless just a tool. This awareness must make him humble and generous in administering the Sacraments, respecting the canonical norms but also profoundly convinced that his mission is to ensure that mankind, united to Christ, can offer itself to God as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to Him".

"I would also like to invite each priest to celebrate and to live the Eucharist intensely", said Benedict XVI. Priests "are called to be ministers of this great Mystery, in the Sacrament and in life". Likewise, "it is indispensable to strive after the moral perfection which must dwell in each authentically priestly heart", because "there is an example of faith and a witness of sanctity that the People of God expect from their pastors". The faithful should "be aware of the great gift that priests represent for the Church and the world. Through their ministry the Lord continues to save mankind, to make Himself present, to sanctify. Give thanks to God and above all remain close to your priests with prayer and support, especially in moments of difficulty, that they may increasingly become pastors in keeping with God's heart". (Based on VIS 20100505; Quoted portions
© Vatican Information Service)

A Tribute to Priests I've Known

In my almost 70 years, I have met many priests on different Continents. Because of World War II, I cannot recall many priests, apart from my confessor, until I came to the United States when I was 14 years old. It took two years to learn how to converse in English, so probably at 16, or 1956, I would have met Fr. John. He was a Diocesan Priest at Richmond Hill, New York's "Holy Child Jesus Parish". I went to see him maybe a dozen times relative to that mysterious period of "growing from a teenager into a man," from the spiritual viewpoint. I recall him as a very kind and practical man, who had a positive influence on me.

In 1959, a year after High School graduation, I found myself in Garrison, NY, attempting to join the Capuchin-Franciscans. There I met Fr. Paul Steffan, OFM. Cap. 1931-2002; another very positive influence in my life for the next 42 years. We became great friends over time. In fact, I'd have to say that Paul was my closest friend in these years.

There have been other Capuchin friars, and one I recall especially is Fr. Sigmund Hafemann. (.pdf)
I hope this document will be in the Capuchin website for a while, as it is filled with all sorts of information about priests I knew. Then, of course, there were my classmates from the Capuchin Novitiate, Frs. Phil Bohan, Paul Keseta and Peter Wesnowski. Of course when you know classmates, unless one follows them throughout life, we know them as they were in a particular year only or in a span of time. They've experienced their 50th Jubilee as a priest, and I have to admit that I am 50+ years older than I was than.

The rest of the clergy have to do with my year and a half as an OFM (1996-1997), the 4.5 years as a Monk of Adoration, and the 8+ years as a SFO lay person. We're talking several dozen priests, deacons, and religious. Some made an impression, some didn't, but all remain in my prayers, at least those I recall. I don't want to pull one ahead of the other, because there are some very fine people in this group.

Among lay people, I have met some very good men and women, who impressed me just as much as clergy but in different ways perhaps. We are all part of the "Body of Christ" and I ask Our Lord Jesus to bless you, wherever you are, every day!

Fred Schaeffer, SFO
May 10, 2010

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