Year for Priests kicks off at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral

By Joyce Coronel | July 1, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

Catholics from around the Diocese of Phoenix gathered at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral June 19 for a Mass that heralded the opening of the Year for Priests, a holy year proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI earlier this year.

The solemn liturgy took place on the feast of the Sacred Heart and was concelebrated by 15 priests. Nine seminarians participated in the Mass as well.

Fr. Fred Adamson, vicar general and moderator of the Curia, read the papal proclamation declaring the holy year dedicated to priests, which runs through June 19, 2010.

In his proclamation, the pope cited the example of St. John Vianney, renown for his holiness in ministering to the needs of his parishioners in 19th century France.

“It was his fervent prayer life and his impassioned love of Christ crucified that enabled John Mary Vianney to grow daily in his total self-oblation to God and the Church,” the proclamation reads, in part.

Fr. Dale Craig, SOLT, visiting from Texas, gave a stirring homily about the need for true hope in the midst of a world engulfed in economic crisis.

“True hope is trusting in the promises of God and that God has a greater glory in store for us. God has made tremendous promises,” Fr. Craig said. “But when we trust in our possessions and in the world, we lose hope.”

He said it was while he was assigned to a mission in Mexico that he learned about the power of hope from a woman with three small children. The woman’s family was struggling because of a drought that threatened their crops.

While Fr. Craig attempted to console her, telling her how difficult it must be to depend on the rain, she simply replied, “Whatever God wills.”

“She put her trust in God Himself, in Jesus who never disappoints,” Fr. Craig told the crowd. “Today we live in a world that is in great need of hope. If we really lived our lives trusting in the promises of God, we would have a transformed world.”

Fr. Craig read the 12 promises Christ made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, noting in particular the one made to priests: “I will give priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.” The 17th century Visitation nun experienced numerous visions of the Sacred Heart.

Fr. Craig exhorted those gathered to remember priests in their daily prayers, reminding them that the gifts of Christ are given to the faithful through the hands of priests.

“I beg of you to please pray for your priests. There is one who will seek to destroy the work of priests,” he said, “Satan lurking, who seeks to destroy the priesthood so that Christ’s work of salvation comes to an end.”

Pope Benedict XVI, he said, declared the Year for Priests, because “we must have holy priests to do the work of Christ… pray for your priests deeply, faithfully and daily.”