Posts tagged with 'Recap'

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

Nov 15 recap – Priesthood Sunday recap and Other News

November 18th, 2008

At our last meeting, we discussed the ways that Priesthood Sunday was celebrated in parishes around the Archdiocese of Boston.

2008 was a great year for Priesthood Sunday in the Archdiocese, and we came away with several ideas for spreading this celebration to new parishes next year.

St. Bridget’s in Framingham

St. Bridget’s Parish in Framingham had several ways of promoting this special event.

Mary and Francis Jesch created posters which were displayed in the school and the church.  Each poster had photos of the 3 priests in the parish, as well as a message for St. Bridget’s parishioners.  The posters were printed by Alpha Graphics, which can adapt these posters to specific parishes.

Priesthood Sunday

On the weekend of Priesthood Sunday, the organist incorporated music for priests in several of the Masses.  Special bookmarks were also placed in the bulletins, with a list of all the pastors for St. Bridget’s Parish since it was formed in 1878 and a Vocation Prayer to Mary, Mother of the Divine Shepherd.

The religious education teachers had kids in their classes write “thank-you” cards to the priests.  Parishioners were surprised by the kind cards, which had notes like “thank you for hearing my confession” and “thank you for making me more like Christ.”

As an ongoing effort in promoting vocations, the parish has a “vocations chalice” which travels from family to family every week.  The photo below shows the chalice, which the Jesches kindly brought to our meeting.  This beautiful chalice is shown below:

Priesthood Sunday

Holy Family in Amesbury

At Holy Family Parish in Amesbury, Loretta Gallagher made up a flyer that can be edited for specific parishes, and easily inserted into parish bulletins.  The pastor even wrote about Priesthood Sunday in the parish’s weekly bulletin, thanking his parishioners for their ongoing support and prayers:

Today, October 26, 2008, the Church has named “Priesthood Sunday”. The purpose of this day is to remember and to reflect the great gift that the priesthood has offered the Church.

I know that I speak for both Fr. Conrad and Fr. Bill as well as myself in that we do not need a day for people to be reminded of the gratitude and support that you offer us. This is experienced in many ways each day. Your thoughtfulness, your assistance, and the care you offer us each day show that in more ways than we could ever recount.

Most particularly we experience it in your prayers for us and the work that we do. Please know that you are always close to our hearts and in our prayers.

The full St. Mary’s Parish bulletin on Priesthood Sunday can be read here: October 26, 2008 – Holy Family Parish

Boston Pilot ads

The Boston Pilot had the most ads in the nation for Priesthood Sunday, with Detroit coming in second.  Priests across the archdiocese saw their name and expressed appreciation for this recognition.

The only “downside” came when priests’ parents and family called the Pilot, upset that they hadn’t heard of Priesthood Sunday and hadn’t purchased ads in time!

Next Year

Serrans are asked to promote Priesthood Sunday next year, to spread the word about this event and publicly show support for our prists.  Keep checking this site for valuable information on how you can promote Priesthood Sunday in your own parish!

Also, if you are aware of other parishes who celebrated Priesthood Sunday who are not listed here, please add a comment below.

Other news

Our next meeting will be Saturday, December 20.  We hope to see you there!

Posted in Recap

Serra Club of Boston, old and new

October 18th, 2008

On October 18, the Feast of St. Luke, we met for our monthly Mass and meeting.  Fr. Dan Hennessey gave an excellent homily, reflecting on the Gospel passage that “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2) and the need to create a culture of vocations to allow young people to respond to their call.

During our meeting, we discussed the following topics:

The next meeting of the Serra Club of Boston will be on Saturday, November 15 at 8:30am at St. Mary’s Parish in Waltham.

We hope to see you there!

Posted in Multimedia, Recap

Fr. Dan Kennedy’s life

September 24th, 2008

At our last meeting, Mr. Dan Kennedy spoke about his son Fr. Dan Kennedy’s life and his path to the priesthood.  He noted that he was attending on behalf of his son, to thank people like we Serrans for our prayers and sacrifices. Without people to promote vocations, his son wouldn’t have been able to persevere as a priest.

Mr. Kennedy noted that his son exuded love for people and the Lord, a trait which resonated with people.  Fr. Kennedy was an example of how the Lord can take the weak and make them strong.  He was a timid boy who had to battle with his 3 sisters for individuality, but the Lord made him into a strong priest.  He took every opportunity he could to speak out and project joy in serving the Lord, and especially loved holding babies while celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism.

Fr. Kennedy was not perfect, and could sometimes show a temper befitting his red hair.  His father recalled seeing a young man kneeling at Eucharistic Adoration, and telling Fr. Kennedy about it afterward.  Fr. Kennedy asked his father if he had asked the young man about a possible vocation to the priesthood, and when his father said he’d remained silent, he asked “What’s wrong with you?!?” and pointed out that it was everyone’s vocation to seek vocations.

Another funny anecdote showing Fr. Kennedy’s humanity came when he wrote his thank-you cards after his ordination.  He took his time to hand-write a personal message in each card, and chose to wait until they were all complete before mailing them out.  This prevented any one person from receiving a card too early, but it also meant that the cards didn’t go out till after Thanksgiving.  A friend of the family later told Mr. Kennedy that Dan had written a very nice thank-you message, though he doubted they’d be able to play golf in the summer as indicated in the letter.

When in high school, Fr. Dan served as the Silver Knight mascot for the Catholic Memorial High School team.  For one game versus Boston College High School, he asked his father if he could have $70 to rent an eagle costume.  When asked why, he said that he wanted to stage a halftime show with the Knight and the “BC Eagle,” in which the Knight would knock down and stab the eagle.  When the game came, BC High brought their own eagle, prompting a heated discussion between the real eagle and the impostor hired by Fr. Dan.  Fr. Dan walked over to the real BC Eagle dressed in full Silver Knight costume and joined the discussion, and the real Eagle challenged the Silver Knight by knocking off his silver helmet.

Mr. Kennedy did not see the fracas that ensued, but heard afterward that fans were very impressed by the realism of the halftime fracas between the CM Silver Knight and the BC Eagle.  One friend of the family noted that it was so real, that it looked like the BC Eagle was actually bleeding after the Silver Knight had pounded the daylights out of him.

Mr. Kennedy shared several other anecdotes about Fr. Kennedy’s “human side,” but stressed that Fr. Kennedy simply loved being a priest.  During his last day on earth, Fr. Dan had an appointment in Fairfield in which he’d promised to baptize a baby.  It was also his last day at Winthrop, so the parishioners who had come to know and love him wanted to say goodbye, and had decorated the church with signs and banners that said “Goodbye Father Dan.”  Fr. Kennedy finished the baptism and stopped at his brother’s house on the way back to his parish.  He told his family how good his last day in Winthrop was, and said “I love being a priest” before collapsing on the floor.  Later, at the wake, the father of the baby he baptized approach Mr. Kennedy and told him that Fr. Kennedy had held the baby during his last spiritual act on the day he died.

Mr. Kennedy noted that he thanked the Lord for ordaining his son to the priesthood, and taking Fr. Kennedy back to Him.  Mr. Kennedy continually prays that the Lord send more priests to the Archdiocese.

For more information on Fr. Dan Kennedy’s life and legacy, you can visit the following links:

There are also video tributes to Fr. Kennedy available online:

Upcoming events

During the meeting, our chaplain Fr. Dan Hennessey reminded us of the following upcoming events in the Archdiocese.

Other news

Our next meeting is Saturday, October 18th in St. Mary’s Parish in Waltham.  We hope to see you there!

Posted in Recap, Testimony

Marian vestments, World Youth Day, and upcoming events

August 24th, 2008

We met on August 18 at St. Mary’s Parish in Waltham, celebrating Mass and then meeting for discussion.  Fr. Rene van Hissenhoven from Bogota, Colombia was visiting, and celebrated Mass with Fr. Dan.

Marian Vestments

Thanks to Diane and Michael O’Sullivan for generously donating Marian vestments to the Serra Club of Boston.  The O’Sullivans bought the vestments during a visit to Rome, and Fr. Dan wore the vestments (shown below) to celebrate Mass.

Marian vestments Marian robe

World Youth Day

Fr. Dan Hennessey told about his experiences at World Youth Day in Sydney.  Events such as youth festivals, music, and adoration offered a great opportunity for catechesis, confession, and celebration of the faith.

Fr. Dan noted that when the Holy Father led Eucharistic Adoration at Randwick, it was “stunning” to see him backed by 400,000 young people also adoring the Eucharist.  Attendees discussed other powerful visuals from World Youth Day, such as the Pope’s entrance via boat in Sydney Harbor, the Aborigines bringing up the gifts during Mass, and the Vigil with the Holy Father.

When travelling and doing the “pilgrim thing,” it can be hard to pray – there are numerous distractions, duties, and events to attend during a pilgrimage.  After the closing Mass, the Holy Father gave an address intead of the final blessing.  His address addressed the challenges of continuing to live the faith in the materialistic “real world,” after the comfortable environment of World Youth Day.

At our meeting Fr. Dan read from the pope’s address, which is reproduced in full below:

Dear Young Friends,

 

In the beautiful prayer that we are about to recite, we reflect on Mary as a young woman, receiving the Lord’s summons to dedicate her life to him in a very particular way, a way that would involve the generous gift of herself, her womanhood, her motherhood. Imagine how she must have felt. She was filled with apprehension, utterly overwhelmed at the prospect that lay before her.

 

The angel understood her anxiety and immediately sought to reassure her. “Do not be afraid, Mary …. The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Lk 1:30, 35). It was the Spirit who gave her the strength and courage to respond to the Lord’s call. It was the Spirit who helped her to understand the great mystery that was to be accomplished through her. It was the Spirit who enfolded her with his love and enabled her to conceive the Son of God in her womb.

 

This scene is perhaps the pivotal moment in the history of God’s relationship with his people. During the Old Testament, God revealed himself partially, gradually, as we all do in our personal relationships. It takes time to get to know and love another person. It took time for the chosen people to develop their relationship with God. The Covenant with Israel was like a period of courtship, a long engagement. Then came the definitive moment, the moment of marriage, the establishment of a new and everlasting covenant. As Mary stood before the Lord, she represented the whole of humanity. In the angel’s message, it was as if God made a marriage proposal to the human race. And in our name, Mary said yes.

 

In fairy tales, the story ends there, and all “live happily ever after”. In real life it is not so simple. For Mary there were many struggles ahead, as she lived out the consequences of the “yes” that she had given to the Lord. Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce her heart. When Jesus was twelve years old, she experienced every parent’s worst nightmare when, for three days, the child went missing. And after his public ministry, she suffered the agony of witnessing his crucifixion and death. Throughout her trials she remained faithful to her promise, sustained by the Spirit of fortitude. And she was gloriously rewarded.

 

Dear young people, we too must remain faithful to the “yes” that we have given to the Lord’s offer of friendship. We know that he will never abandon us. We know that he will always sustain us through the gifts of the Spirit. Mary accepted the Lord’s “proposal” in our name. So let us turn to her and ask her to guide us as we struggle to remain faithful to the life-giving relationship that God has established with each one of us. She is our example and our inspiration, she intercedes for us with her Son, and with a mother’s love she shields us from harm.

More transcripts from World Youth Day can be found at WYD2008 site (use the search box in the upper left to search).  Video, images, and other text can be found at the Pope in Australia site.

Upcoming Events and other items

We discussed other upcoming events, and various items around the Archdiocese of Boston.

Next month’s meeting will be held on Saturday, September 20.  We will have a special guest speaker: Dan Kennedy, Sr (father of Fr. Dan Kennedy) will speak on his son’s life and commitment to the priesthood.

See you in September!

Posted in Recap

« Previous Entries

Categories

Monthly Archives