Let's brag about our priests!
September 16, 2009 by Patrick Madrid
Filed under Patrick's Blog
Good morning, fellow Pat Madrid fans!
I’m Jim Moore–the “Rocking the Cradle Catholic” guy from Envoy magazine. Pat has done me the honor of inviting me to be one of his guest bloggers while he’s away.
I’d like to get a sharing/conversation session going today in the wake of the most recent anti-Catholic bigotry foisted upon the American television audience by an alleged comedian whose name sounds like a brand of razor.
We’re not going to talk about that tirade, but what I’d like us all to share–in this year dedicated to priests–are stories and ancedotes about the priests who have had a positive impact on our lives.
I’ll sign back on this evening to catch up on the chat and share my own experiences. I’d do that now, but my day is starting early and I’ve got to it the road.
Happy Wednesday!
Fr. John! Woohoo! He's got the Holy Spirit in him. He's on fire for the Lord and you just can't be in Mass without feeling some of that fire. Awesomely reverent, you can feel his love for Christ at every Mass! He inspires youth to listen for the call to the Priesthood and religious life, he's faithful to the magisterium of the Church and just a great man to hang around. Oh, and he's a Star Trek mega fan 🙂
If I brag about my brother I'll have to brag about my mother too, a Methodist who fully supported his entry into the Catholic priesthood, and who fully accepts that his church family takes priority over her. As for my brother, he's the kind of priest who gets called in the night by elderly parishioners when the power goes out; he goes round to change the fuse. He baptizes children and draws them into church, if necessary praying for their parents to be married some day. He speaks out and lives out God's love, he hands out food and diapers, he prayed for the guys who robbed him and kept answering his door, and if I don't stop bragging soon I'll fill too many pages for a comment. But thanks for the chance to lift my brother up.
We have Father Rick in Western New York. Has a sign that says 100% Catholicism in front of his church. lol. He's not afraid to preach the gospel and he makes time for every soul that wants to talk. Going to confession with him is both a learning and a cleansing experience. He has organized men's conferences for them to talk about "guy" stuff and how they can become better Catholic men. He reaches out to the youth as well.
My kids love him. My husband and I admire and respect him. Father Rick feeds his sheep.
Is it Penn and Teller?
For those of us who generally don't pay attention to idiots in the media, could you be more specific about said rant and said idiot spouting it?
I'd love to brag about a friend of our family named Fr. Keith. Fr. Keith loves God's people. He radiates compassion and concern. He doesn't compromise to make people feel better, but in the midst of firmly "sticking to the Church's guns" love pours out.
He's the type of person who is a real father; he loves unconditionally, accepts apologies with a smile, and fills any room he enters with the light of Christ. He was made to be a priest; it's obvious!