Posts in December, 2008

Saturday 12/20 meeting cancelled

December 19th, 2008

Based on the forecast for Friday, we thought it prudent to cancel the monthly Serra meeting for December.

The weathermen have now upped the snow accumulation totals for Friday and are saying we could get up to a foot. The storm is supposed to wind down “early in the morning” on Saturday, but that means a lot of shoveling to get out of those driveways!

So let’s all stay safe and warm in our homes on Saturday morning and pray for one another. Hopefully we can gather on the 3rd Saturday of the New Year of grace: January 17th.

See you then, God-willing!  A Blessed Christmas to you all.

Posted in Meetings

Increased enrollment at St. John’s Seminary

December 16th, 2008

The Boston Globe reports on an increase in enrollment at St. John’s Seminary:

Enrollment at St. John’s Seminary has doubled over the last two years, a stunning turnabout for an institution that seemed to be spiraling toward closure in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis.

The stone hall in Brighton, where two generations ago hundreds of young men prepared for the priesthood, is still strikingly quiet, but the pews of the Romanesque chapel are now about one-third full, as fresh-faced young men from around the world help to revive a 125-year-old institution that teetered on the brink of extinction just a few years ago.

The article discusses several strategic decisions made by Cardinal Sean O’Malley to improve the image of the seminary.

Full article at: Stunning turnaround for St. John’s Seminary

Posted in Links

The “Sacramental Personality” of a priest

December 14th, 2008

Fr. Matt Westcott, former member of the Marine Corps Reserve, law school graduate, and stand-up comic, attended the November meeting of Serra Boston. Fr. Westcott began by congratulating the club and thanking us for our efforts in promoting and supporting vocations. He noted that God is with us in our endeavors, and that the priests of the archdiocese appreciate our efforts.

Fr. Westcott is a Somerville native, and currently serves at St. Mary’s of the Nativity in Scituate. He was ordained in 2001, about 2 minutes after Fr. Dan Kennedy. As a result, Fr. Kennedy used to joke that he was the “more experienced priest.”

Fr. Westcott spoke of the “sacramental personality” of the priest: the idea that the priest’s personality acts as a bridge to Christ. The holy sacraments must be a cornerstone of the priest’s life, so that he can successfully preach the Gospel and bring others to Christ.

The priest’s personality can aid or detract from this purpose. The priest’s formation as a human being can help make him into a man that can lead others to Christ, but the priest must also love the Person of Jesus Christ and develop an authentic prayer life and sense of self-awareness. Sometimes the greatest aid to a priest’s personality can be the grace to “stay out of Christ’s way.” Fr. Westcott noted that he will sometimes pray “Don’t let me say anything harmful” and “Let me say what You want.”

Fr. Westcott gave a powerful example of speaking up for God by noting that in a homily before the presidential election, he preached on politics. Before the homily, he was anxious that he might alienate parishioners, but afterwards he received near universal thanks with only one negative response. The overwhelmingly positive response to the homily served as a reminder to Fr. Westcott that his own desires need to take second position to the needs of the people of Christ. As Fr. Westcott put it, “Nobody needs Matt Westcott, but people need Jesus Christ.”

Each priest must have a sense of purposeful self-sacrifice, and while a priest may act casually, at times he also has a responsibility to represent Christ to other people in a more solemn way. Fr. Westcott noted that some priests are like Bing Crosby in Going My Way, but the world also needs some “Barry Fitzgeralds” as well. Each priest is called to “become sacramental” by letting his personality point the way to Christ. Fr. Westcott was reminded of Fr. Dan Kennedy’s saying: “Keep Christ the Constant,” a reminder that priests come and go, but the Person of Christ remains eternal. As John the Baptist said of Christ in John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Prayer for priests is also essential. The Monthly Prayer for Priests calendar apostolate offers a great means for supporting priests, since people can recognize a priest’s name, pray for him in unison with hundreds of others on the same day, and perhaps even contact him to let him know of this support and prayer. Fr. Westcott ended by thanking the Serra Club of Boston for our efforts on behalf of priests, and stating that our great work as Serrans is recognized and deeply appreciated.

Loretta Gallagher noted that Fr. Westcott’s words called for a huge amount of maturity and deflation of ego on the part of a priest, and that parents could certainly identify with the need to subjugate oneself to the formation process of those for whom you were responsible.

Q & A

After his talk, we had a brief Q&A session. Questions and Fr. Matt’s answers are provided below.

How does the seminary foster a sense of self-sacrifice and subjugation of ego in future priests?

Fr. Westcott answered that if this attitude was not already there in some way, it would not be appropriate for the man to become a priest. The seminary is a formation of the inpidual, which must be based on genuine relationship, a sense of self-awareness, and certain relational skills. People have a right to good priests, not just a lot of priests. The seminary can, and should, help weed out those who may not be called to the priesthood, despite their desires. Fr. Westcott noted that when you enter the seminary, you either leave or stay — either way, the seminary has done its job.

Did being in the military help you become a priest?

The attitude of respecting and executing orders helped prepare Fr. Westcott to take on similar responsibilities as a priest. All priests take a vow of respect and obedience to their bishop, and ‘Matt Westcott’s opinions’ are not required for the needs of the diocese. Priests are called to put themselves second, and their vows first.

When did you feel mature enough to decide to be a priest?

Life experiences helped in Fr. Westcott’s decision, such as a strong “1950′s Catholic upbringing” in 1980′s Somerville. As a child, he had known priests whose lives pointed to a life of significance, meaning, and adventure. At 26 he chose to enter the seminary and “give it a year.” In the middle of his third year, Fr. Westcott decided definitively that “it was for me.”

Fr. Westcott also received support, encouragement, and sound advice during his discernment process. He and Fr. Dan Kennedy “got each other through the seminary,” and other solid priests, such as Fr. Bill Murphy, provided support. When Fr. Westcott told another priest that he felt unworthy of the priesthood, the other priest responded: “Nobody is worthy.” Only Jesus Christ is a true Priest, and He condescends to allow His “adopted brothers” to join Him in His priestly ministry.

If a man is denied ordination to the priesthood, is he told why he was denied?

Seminarians are reviewed every year, and the reviews get more stringent as time goes on. Each man is worked with long before he is denied. Ultimately no one has a “right” to be ordained to the priesthood; the decision lies with the bishop, who speaks with more than mortal authority.

Is there low morale in the seminary?

The seminary can sometimes seem like a cocoon, since seminarians live, recreate, and take classes there without often leaving the grounds. Seminarians must ask themselves if they are “too comfortable in the cocoon,” and they are encouraged to get out of the building once a day and get off campus once a week.

The seminarian’s natural response to life at the seminary can also help him discern if he should be a diocesan priest (and serve the people of Christ in a diocese) or an order priest (and serve Christ within a communal lifestyle on a more global scale).

What is the greatest joy you have being a priest?

Celebrating Mass. Baptisms in particular offer a special joy, since they offer something “so pure” as bringing a new life into the Church.

What are the biggest challenges of being a priest?

Priests can experience a sense of pressure — not burnout, but more a sense that there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. Priests can also sometimes feel isolated, especially when they have to make an unpopular decision. Fr. Westcott noted that it can be helpful to pray that priests feel connected to other priests and to the Lord.

One of the greatest challenges of being a priest is that it sometimes seems like nothing is happening — that the priest’s efforts to preach and do well are having no effect. Fr. Westcott noted that the priest can only plant seeds which will others may tend and see grow, and that priests may not always be able to see the fruit of their labor.

The Serra Club of Boston thanks Fr. Matt Westcott for attending our November meeting, and for presenting such a unique and joyful look into the sacramental nature of priestly life. It is obvious our archdiocese has been blessed with his vocation to the priesthood.

Posted in Recap, Testimony


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